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News.com.au
20-06-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Native title group condemns ‘anti-social' behaviour after residents chased away from beach
An Indigenous group holding exclusive native title to a strip of land near a Queensland beach has assured locals that the public may use the land, despite claims that residents have been chased away and made to feel unsafe while attempting to cross the area. The long-running stoush over access to a Burrum Heads beach, near Hervey Bay, was addressed at a community meeting held last month. In 2019, the Butchulla people were granted almost 100,000 hectares of native title land on the Fraser Coast in 2019, which includes 17,000 hectares of exclusive use. Part of the exclusive use land includes a strip of 20-metre wide foreshore in front of Burrum Heads residents' homes. In 2022, a small group of Butchulla people established a camp near the idyllic beach and were chasing away residents. This came despite criticism from the Butchulla Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC), which insisted there was a way for 'all to enjoy this beautiful country'. Following the community meeting held at Burrum Heads Community Hall on May 14, 2025, the BNTAC released a statement on Wednesday reaffirming its position. 'We understand the concerns raised at the meeting regarding the actions taken over the last four years to prevent access to the beach at Burrum Heads through an area of exclusive possession of native title land,' the statement said. 'Our position has always been, and continues to be, that the Butchulla people do not seek to prevent the public from accessing public access routes to the beach at Burrum Heads. 'Butchulla people are collectively responsible for our land and all decisions about how land is to be used. 'No one native title holder is able to make final decisions about how the land is to be used or to prevent people from accessing the land. 'All decisions about how land is used must be made in accordance with Butchulla traditional decision-making processes.' BNTAC urged police to 'take action and protect the Burrum Heads community'. 'We understand that the public have made several complaints to the Queensland Police Service over the past four years to report incidents that have occurred while attempting to access the beach at Burrum Heads through an area of exclusive possession of native title land,' the statement said. 'Our position has always been, and continues to be, that the Butchulla People's exclusive possession does not prevent the police from exercising their powers to respond to anti-social incidents and take appropriate action where people are fearful, in peril, or have made a complaint. 'We call upon the police to use the enforcement powers at their disposal to maintain community safety for Burrum Heads residents. 'We are dedicated to working together with the people of Burrum Heads to achieve a respectful, sensitive, and lasting resolution to the concerns that have been raised. 'The Butchulla Court Determination was brought on behalf of all Butchulla People, not one or a few Butchulla persons.' The statement added that 'one of the aspects of Butchulla Peoples' native title is the right of exclusive possession'. 'Butchulla People have the right to exclusive possession and use of land and waters where it has been determined our native title rights and interests are recognised under our traditional laws and customs,' it said. 'However, the right of exclusive possession is not absolute and it is subject to laws of the State of Queensland. 'Specifically, the State of Queensland passed legislation in 1993 to confirm existing public rights of access to beaches and these are capable of being recognised as an 'interest' for the purposes of our determination. 'Butchulla People do not have the right to restrict such interests, and actions to do so are outside Queensland law as well as our traditional laws and customs.' Fraser Coast Councillor Michelle Byrne said in a statement to The Courier-Mail on Wednesday that council's powers were limited but it was engaging with 'all parties to try and find a positive resolution to the concerns of residents'. 'Council appreciates the efforts of BNTAC and the State Government, who hold the tenure of the land, and is actively working with both parties within the limits of our responsibilities for the land parcels in question,' she said. Former federal MP Keith Pitt previously argued that the best solution for the conflict was for the small stretch near the beach to be removed from the exclusive use ruling. Mr Pitt told The Daily Mail in 2023 that his office had been inundated by 'concerned Burrum Heads residents' who 'contacted my office about an area of land under native title'. 'It has resulted in restricted access to the beach and older constituents being chased off the beach,' he said. 'Every Australian is expected to abide by Australian laws and regulations, without exception.'
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Aboriginal group makes native title claim across six local government areas as residents lash out at secret land grab after learning about it in the newspaper
An Indigenous group have upset locals in a Queensland community over two native title claims totalling almost 8,000sq kilometres of land. The Bigambul people have submitted claims for 7,737sq km of land, which covers six local government areas surrounding Goondiwindi, a rural town on the border of Queensland and NSW. A claim has also been lodged for a 58ha parcel in Turallin, near Millmerran on the Darling Downs. This follows the controversial transfer of the town reserve in Toobeah to the Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC) by the former state Labor government as freehold land last year. Residents have shared their concerns about the local claim including a group of Millmerran locals and former Toowoomba mayor Paul Antonio. They say they're concerned about the impact the claims could have on the community and worry it could be divisive. Other concerns include the Turallin claim concerning a property already owned by the BNTAC. Millmerran resident Harvey Caldicott said locals felt they were being kept in the dark over the claims. The claim covers six local government areas surrounding Goondiwindi (pictured), a rural town on the border of Queensland and NSW 'What happened in Toobeah upset a lot of people and there are a few concerned people around here too,' he told The Courier Mail. 'There's no neighbourly contact with the Bigambul – we get nothing. You find out all this stuff in newspapers and hidden in documentation. 'There's no engagement whatsoever.' Gail Rielly, who is also a Millmerran resident, expressed her worry the native title claims would cause division among the local community. Mr Antonio said he doesn't believe Millmerran residents have any issue with the Indigenous community. He claimed native title claims can be 'very difficult' for the local community and hoped that would not be the case here. Newspaper ads displaying a July deadline for responding to the claims has added to local residents' concerns. A BNTAC spokeswoman said the Indigenous group 'welcomed open engagement' and was happy to discuss the claim with any concerned residents. Bigambul have an office in Goondiwindi and members of the community have been invited to reach out. The spokesperson said native title was not allowed over freehold land unless that land was owned or held in trust for Indigenous people, which is the case for the Turallin claim. 'There are several sites on the property which are significant to all Bigambul People, and since 2013 we have been using the property to pass on traditional knowledge to our young people,' she said. The Turallin property has been determined to be outside the area of the Bigambul native title. However, the spokesperson argued the anthropology of the property can be used as evidence to support it being a part of Bigambul traditional land. She said the larger 7,737sq km claim did not apply to freehold or leasehold land. This claim would cover the remaining parts of the McIntyre and Moonie River drainage basins which were not included in the original native title determination. The 210ha Toobeah reserve was transferred to the BNTAC last year under the Aboriginal Land Act. This act allows unallocated state land to be given to Indigenous groups as 'inalienable freehold', but it cannot be sold or mortgaged. Toobeah publican Michael Offerdahl fronted a campaign against the transfer and claimed it would result in 95 per cent of the town being given away. The Bigambul people said this was untrue and the reserve represented less than 1 per cent of the Toobeah district.
