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Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park Act 1989 (NT)
Category:	Legislation
Binomial Name:	Northern Territory
Sub Category:	Legislation
Place:	Nitmiluk, Katherine
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State/Country:	Northern Territory, Australia
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Summary Information:
The Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park Act 1989 (NT) (the Act) acknowledges and secures the right of Aboriginal people to occupy and use certain land near Katherine in the Northern Territory. The land is vested in perpetuity in the Jawoyn Aboriginal Land Trust in trust for the traditional owners. The Act acknowledges that the traditional owners (who made a successful claim to the land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth)), shall lease the land to the Conservation Land Corporation (on behalf of the Northern Territory Government) and that the land will be established as a national park (Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park) for the benefit and enjoyment of all people, subject to certain provisions relating to the management of the park.
Detailed Information:
Under the Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park Act, the Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park Board is established. The Board comprises 13 members, eight traditional owners, four staff of the Parks and Wildlife Commission and one local resident appointed by the Mayor of Katherine. It is chaired by one of the traditional owner members. The functions of the Board are to: - Prepare plans of management; - Protect and enforce the rights of the traditional owner group to use and occupy the Park; - Determine, in accordance with the plan of management, the rights of access to parts of the sanctuary by persons who are not members of the traditional owner group; - Ensure adequate protection of sites in the Park of spiritual or other significance in Aboriginal tradition; - Make by-laws with respect to the management of the Park; - Other functions as imposed on the Board by the plan of management. The responsibility for the control and management of the Park rests with the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory (previously the Conservation Commission) who acts on behalf of and subject to the Board of Management. An annual fee of $100 000 (to be reviewed every three years) is payable by the Northern Territory Government to the traditional owners for the lease of their land. The provisions of the lease are set out in the Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park Memorandum of Lease.