ATNS - Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements project

Back to search results

Print this page
Hart on behalf of the Djiru People #3 v State of Queensland [2011] FCA 1056
Binomial Name:	Federal Court of Australia
Date:	1 September 2011
Sub Category:	Consent Determination (Native Title Act)
Place:	Mission Beach
	Click this link to search this location with google maps
State/Country:	Queensland , Australia
	Click this link to search this location with google maps
	The determination area is in the locality of Mission Beach, which is south of Cairns in far north Queensland.
Legal Status:	Registered on the National Native Title Register
Legal Reference:	Tribunal file no: QC03/6-1 Federal Court file no.: QUD6006/2003
Alternative Names:	Djiru People #3
Subject Matter:	Access \| Cultural Heritage \| Native Title \| Recognition of Native Title or Traditional Ownership
URL:	http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/FCA/2011/1056.html
Summary Information:
Between: Dawn Hart, John Andy, Beryl Buller, John Clumpoint, Rae Kelly, Margaret Murray and Charity Ryan on behalf of the Djiru People #3 (APPLICANT) and State of Queensland (FIRST RESPONDENT) Commonwealth of Australia (SECOND RESPONDENT) Cassowary Coast Regional Council (THIRD RESPONDENT) Ergon Energy Corporation Ltd (FOURTH RESPONDENT) Judge: Dowsett J Where made: Mission Beach Determination: Native title exists in all of the determination area. It consists of exclusive native title rights over the determination area. Native title is held by the Djiru People. The Djiru people are those people descended from various ancestors and includes persons adopted by any of those descendants according to the traditional laws and customs of the Djiru group. In relation to the determination area, the Djiru People are entitled to the possession, occupation, use and enjoyment of the land to the exclusion of all others. Non-native title rights and interests that exist within the determination area These rights can be summarised as: - The rights and interests of Cassowary Coast Regional Council under their local government jurisdiction and functions under the Local Government Act 2009 (Qld) and an ILUA signed with the native title holders in 2010. - The rights and interests of Ergon Energy Corporation Limited as the owner and operator of electricity generation, transmission and distribution facilities within the Determination Area and under the ILUA signed with the native title holders in March 2011. - The rights and interests of Powerlink Queensland as an owner and operator of electricity transmission facilities. - The rights of the Djiru people, the Djiru Warrangburra Aboriginal Corporation, the Wet Tropics Management Authority and the State of Queensland under the Djiru People Protected Areas ILUA. - The rights and interests of the Wet Tropic Managament Authority in the use and management of part of the determination area. - The rights and interests of the State of Queensland under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Qld) relating to the use and management of part of the Determination Area. - The rights and interests of the holder of a permit or licence under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. - The rights and interests of the Commonwealth of Australia under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth). - Any existing rights of the public to access beaches and areas that were public prior to 31 December 1993. - The rights and interests of the public to fish and to navigate. - The rights under the interational right of innocent passage. - Any rights of the State of Queensland and the Commonwealth of Australia arising under the laws of the Commonwealth and the State. Provisions Relevant to the Native Title Rights Native title does not exist over - minerals and petroleum. Djiru Warrangburra Aboriginal Corporation, as the prescribed body corporate, is to perform functions required under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) after becoming registered as the native title body corporate. The native title is not held in trust.
Detailed Information:
Background The determination concerns a native title application that was lodged in July 2003 after Djiru #2 was lodged in March 2003. Both applications were accepted for registration in 2003 pursuant to s66 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth). The native title determination of Djiru #2 and #3 includes 9,440 hectares of land and waters in Mission Beach and surrounding areas including areas of national parks, reserves, unallocated state land and other leases (National Native Title Tribunal, 2011). Exclusive native title rights were found in relation to approximately 540 hectares of land and non-exclusive native title rights were found over approximately 8900 hectares of land and waters (National Native Title Tribunal, 2011). The Djiru people and the State of Queensland entered into two Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs) which provide for some of the determination area to be granted as freehold to the Djiru people and other areas to become protected as national park and nature refuge (Pitt, 2011). The ILUAs set out how native title rights and interests will be exercised in protected areas including the Djiru National Park, Tully Gorge National Park, Hull River National Park and Walter Hill Range Conservation Park (Pitt, 2011). The Djiru People also negotiated ILUAs with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council and Ergon Energy providing for the ongoing management of cultural heritage and future activities (Pitt, 2011). The Djiru determination was the 62nd native title determination in Queensland and the 56th determination by consent (National Native Title Tribunal, 2011). Details of Judgement The parties to the determination reached an agremment as to the terms of a determination of native title to be made in relation to the determination area. The Court was satisfied that a determination of native title was within the power of the Court and considered the orders made to be appropriate in the circumstances.