Lardil, Yangkaal, Gangalidda and Kaiadilt Peoples have become native title holders of 121,775 hectares on 23 islands in Queensland’s Gulf of Carpentaria, following a consent determination on Mornington Island today.

Justice Jeffrey Spender of the Federal Court of Australia made the determination recognising the claimants' exclusive and non-exclusive native title rights on the Wellesley, South Wellesley, Forsyth and Bountiful Island groups, around 400km north of Mt Isa.

He recognised the Lardil Yangkaal, Gangalidda and Kaiadilt Peoples’ rights to access, traverse and camp in the determination area on a temporary basis;  hunt, fish and gather for personal use; take, use, share and exchange natural resources for communal purposes; light fires for domestic purposes; conduct ceremonies and protect significant places.

The native title applicants negotiated with parties to their claim, including the State Government, Mornington Shire Council, Airservices Australia, Telstra Corporation, Ergon Energy, sublessees and permit holders for two years to reach agreement about how their rights would co-exist. Once agreement was reached they approached the Federal Court seeking a consent determination to ratify the agreement.

Tribunal Member Robert Faulkner, who provided mediation assistance, congratulated the parties for reaching an agreement that recognised their respective rights and provided certainty about their future uses of the area.

“Today’s outcome follows a determination the native title holders achieved in March 2004 when the Court recognised their non-exclusive native title rights over the sea surrounding the Wellesley Islands group,” he said.

“More and more groups around Australia are recognising that the best native title outcomes are achieved through talking matters through and reaching agreements. Hundreds of agreements and decisions have been made Australia-wide, including 71 consent determinations, most of which have been made in Queensland.”