| The Ewamian People native title claimants have signed five separate voluntary Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Queensland pastoralists.
The MoUs acknowledge the Ewamian people as traditional owners and settle issues of access to the pastoral properties, provide for areas of particular significance to the Ewamian people to be protected, and allow for certain traditional activities to be undertaken on the pastoral properties (Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Savannas, 2004: Australian Government, 2006).
Five MoUs were initially signed by pastoralists from the Ballynure, Percyvale, Eight Mile, Ados and Gum Flat pastoral properties. The MoUs may lead to formal Indigenous Land Use Agreements.
The agreements have facilitated further ecological and cultural heritage protection and management activities, and provide greater certainty for all parties to the agreements as to their respective rights, and how those rights can be exercised without adversely affecting the rights and interests of others (Australian Government, 2006). |
