First native title determination in the Pilbara

WA's resource rich Pilbara region has achieved its first native title determination today with recognition from the Federal Court that the Ngaluma/Injibandi¹ people continue to hold a traditional connection to their land.

Federal Court Justice Robert Nicholson has travelled to Roebourne for a special determination hearing, which will finalise the claim over almost 25,000 square kilometres situated 100 kilometres south west of Port Hedland.

National Native Title Tribunal Member for the Pilbara Dan O'Dea welcomed the determination and said it would provide certainty to the native title holders and other groups in the region who had rights and interests in the area.

‘While the Ngaluma/Injibandi people have waited more than ten years to have their native title rights recognised, they have formed important relationships with government and industry which will go a long way to protecting their now-established rights into the future,’ he said.

The court found that the Ngaluma/Injibandi held non-exclusive native title rights over parts of their claim area. The rights relate to access to some areas, the right to conduct rituals and ceremonies, the right to hunt, fish, forage, collect bush tucker, bush medicine, ochre, flora, fauna and water. The native title holders also have the right to protect and care for sites and objects.

The Ngaluma/Injibandi people first lodged their claim for native title in 1994. Since then the group have had the right to negotiate over future development in the region — including over the Burrup Peninsula.

They were one of three local indigenous groups who signed an agreement over the Burrup Peninsula, mediated by the Tribunal two-years-ago, which cleared the way for $6 billion worth of industrial developments.

¹ Also spelled: Ngarluma Yindjibarndi — pronounced na-loo-ma in-ja-ban-dy

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