National Native Title Register

The National Native Title Register (NNTR) is a register established under s. 192 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth). The NNTR contains determinations of native title made by the High Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia or a recognised body, such as South Australia's Supreme Court and Environment Resources and Development Court. For example, the High Court's 1992 Mabo decision is recorded as a determination of native title on the NNTR.

The Tribunal is not a court and does not make determinations of native title, but the Native Title Registrar is responsible for maintaining the NNTR.

Once a court has made a determination of native title, the court notifies the Native Title Registrar and the information is entered on the NNTR. The Tribunal refers to these as a registered determination of native title.

On some occasions, the court may make the determination conditional upon some future event occurring. The Tribunal refers to this as a conditional determination. In these cases, the determination is only entered onto the NNTR after the event has occurred.

At other times, the court may deliver a determination in draft form. Draft determinations are not entered on the NNTR.

You can find information about all determinations of native title made to date at 'Browse Determinations. This is a summary of all registered determinations of native title on the NNTR, but it is not the NNTR itself.

To find out whether an area of land and/or water is affected by a determination of native title you can ask the Tribunal to search the NNTR. A charge may be associated with this service. The Tribunal is currently examining the legal and technical issues that need to be addressed in order to provide online access to the NNTR.

View a map of current determinations of native title.