Sands of Shelburne returned to Traditional Owners

One of Queensland’s longest-running and most historic land disputes has been resolved, with the lands and islands surrounding iconic Shelburne Bay finally returned to the Traditional Owners.

Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Curtis Pitt delivered the Shelburne title deeds to the Wuthathi Aboriginal Corporation at a ceremony in Lockhart River today.

“Today, after several decades of successive state governments working together with Traditional Owner groups and others, approximately 118,132 hectares of land has been returned to its rightful owners – the Wuthathi people,” Mr Pitt said.

“This is a time for celebration, recognition and joy among surviving Traditional Owners who for decades have rallied for the return of their lands.

“This land, rich in culture and tradition, is the lifeblood of the Wuthathi people with story places, middens and ceremonial sites dotted all across this breathtaking landscape.

“The Wuthathi people will once again take custodianship of the area enjoyed and respected by their ancestors, so they too can use, preserve and pass on their lands, culture and knowledge through the generations.

“A chapter is closing and another opening for these Traditional Owners to explore economic and sustainable enterprise with confidence, whether it be passing on knowledge to their people or sharing their culture with the world.

“This is a defining moment in Queensland’s history, culture and conservation — there are few other places like this in Australia.”

The remote scenic area of Shelburne Bay is located on the north-east coast of Cape York Peninsula, north-west of Cape Grenville and approximately 800km by road north of Cairns.

National Parks Minister Dr Steven Miles said the milestone agreement would help protect Shelburne’s significant cultural, ecological and historical values.

“Shelburne Bay’s stunning white sand dunes, perched lakes and diverse habitats, fringed by Great Barrier Reef waters, are once again recognised at law as the Wuthathi peoples’ land — just as it was the land of their ancestors,” Dr Miles said.

“Roughly a third of land will become the new Wuthathi (Shelburne Bay) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land), under joint management by the Wuthathi Aboriginal Corporation and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

“This is a much-needed step towards preserving the area’s natural integrity, including pristine rainforest and eucalypt woodlands, nationally significant wetlands and internationally significant dune fields.

“Several rare and threatened plants and animals live here, such as palm cockatoos and various orchid varieties including Queensland’s floral emblem, the Cooktown orchid.

“Shelburne Bay’s incredible white silica dunes — some reaching hundreds of metres high — are truly unique and one of the least disturbed areas of active parabolic silica sand dune systems in the world.

“Complementary modern and traditional conservation approaches will help ensure the long-term protection of this diverse environment.”

Ministerial Champion for Lockhart River Mark Bailey said a strong partnership between the Traditional Owners, Wuthathi Aboriginal Corporation, Cape York Land Council, Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation, the conservation sector and Queensland Government has achieved this significant milestone.

“Importantly, the land handback includes Saunders Islands National Park and the Sir Charles Hardy Group National Park, which lie approximately 26km north-east of Cape Grenville.

“These island national parks have also been handed back to the Wuthathi people today and will become jointly managed national parks (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land).”

“From today, there will be a total of 26 Aboriginal-owned and jointly-managed national parks on the Cape York Peninsula, covering an area of over two million hectares.”

For more information about the Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program visit www.datsip.qld.gov.au/programs-initiatives/cape-york-peninsula-tenure-resolution-program

Background:

Shelburne land handback

Aboriginal freehold land outside national parks: 80,669 hectares Wuthathi (Shelburne Bay) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land): 37,270 hectares

Wuthathi (Sir Charles Hardy Group) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land): 132 hectares

Wuthathi (Saunders Islands) National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land): 61 hectares

Total = 118,132 hectares of Aboriginal freehold, including land within and outside national parks (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land) and 37,463 hectares of national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land). 

Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program

As at today, the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships’ Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program has created approximately:

2,017,221 hectares of national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land) 1,417,623 hectares of Aboriginal freehold land

Total = Approximately 3,434,844 hectares transferred to Aboriginal land.

In 2016 the Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program returned more than 209,351 hectares of land to Traditional Owners including the Battle Camp, Mt Jack, McIvor River and Starke properties.

These land transfers resulted in the creation of three new jointly managed national parks (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land): Biniirr, Ngaynggarr and Wuthathi (Shelburne Bay) National Parks (CYPAL), and the conversion of two island national parks to jointly managed national parks (CYPAL): Wuthathi (Sir Charles Hardy Group) and Wuthathi (Saunders Islands) National Parks (CYPAL).

Contact: 0419 945 546