Taungurung Recognition and Settlement Agreement (TRSA)

The Taungurung Recognition and Settlement Agreement (the TRSA) was negotiated between the Victorian Government and the Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation on behalf of the Tungurung people under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 (Vc) (TOS Act).

The TOS Act is a legislative mechanism for the out-of-court settlement of all past and future native title claims as well as an alternative legal basis for the Victorian Government to recognise traditional owners and their rights in Crown land (Department of Justice Victoria, Traditional Owner Settlement Act).

The TSRA commenced on 11 August 2020, after the Victorian Government and the Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation had signed a suite of related agreements on 26 October 2018.

The TSRA covers 8.5% of Victoria. It includes almost 11% of Victoria's public land and has a financial value of approximately $34 million (Department of Justice Victoria, Fact Sheet 1).

Settling all potential native title claims, the TSR is intended to benefit the Taungurung people and all Victorian's by:

• promoting reconciliation;
• improving the cultural and economic wellbeing of Taungurung people; and
  
• providing more resources for land management within the agreement area.

(Department of Justice Victoria, Taungurung Recognition and Settlement Agreement)

The Taungurung Traditional Owners' compensation package

Grants of Freehold title

The Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation has the option of being granted any or all of five surplus public land properties. If any of the properties are not granted, the value of the property will be provided instead. The properties are:

• a former Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) depot in Alexandra;
• two former DELWP offices, in Alexandra and Broadford;
• a former police station and residence in Woods Point; and
  
• two allotments in Nagambie.
  

Grants of nine parks and reserves

The Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation will receive nine parks and reserves as Aboriginal Land, to be jointly managed by the State and the Taungurung through a Traditional Owner Land Management Board. These places are:

• the parts of the Alpine and Kinglake National Parks that lie within the TSRA area;
• Heathcote-Graytown National Park;
• Lake Eildon National Park;
• Mt Buffalo;
• Mt Samina and Cathedral Range State Parks;
• Wandong Regional Park; and
  
• Mount Wombat-Garden Range Flora and Fauna Reserve.

Land Use Activity Agreement

A negotiated Land Use Agreement provides a regime for managing activities on public land that may impact the rights of the Taungurung. This allows the Taungurung the opportunity to have a say or consent to activities on public land and replaces the future act regime
of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth).

Natural Resouce Agreement

A negotiated Natural Resource Agreement provides the Taungurung with the access, use, and management of natural resources.

Funding Agreement

A negotiated Funding Agreement provides the Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation with support to undertake economic development, and manage the TSRA's benefits and obligations.

(Department of Justice Victoria, Taungurung Recognition and Settlement Agreement)

Further details are available from the Victorian Department of Justice via the url above.

Related Entries

References

Glossary