Boodjamulla handback and cooperative management of Country through a co-designed agreement
© Queensland Government
The Waanyi People and the Queensland Government have partnered to hand back Boodjamulla (Rainbow Serpent) Country in North West Queensland to the Traditional Owners, Waanyi Native Title Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (Waanyi PBC) on behalf of the Waanyi People.
Background
Boodjamulla Country is the spiritual heart of the Waanyi People, who have lived there for at least 30,000 years. Their rich, strong connection with Boodjamulla Country was formally recognised in their 2010 Native Title Determination.
In 2016, the Aboriginal Land Tribunal recommended the Aboriginal freehold title of Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park be transferred to the Waanyi People on the grounds of traditional affiliation. Following ongoing advocacy from the Waanyi People, negotiations between the Queensland Government and the Waanyi Native Title Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (Waanyi PBC) commenced in 2020.
Indigenous Land Use Agreement
On 16 June 2023, the Waanyi People signed a co-designed Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) authorising the following:
- the transfer of land as Aboriginal freehold
- creation of the first National Park (Aboriginal land) in Queensland
- granting the first-ever perpetual lease of Waanyi-owned Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) to the Queensland Government for collaborative land management.
Handing back
The ILUA commits to transferring 378,000 hectares of land to the ownership of the Waanyi PBC. The first 79,000 hectares of national park, including Lawn Hill Gorge and the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, were transferred to Waanyi PBC in a historic ceremony at Queensland Parliament House on 23 June 2023.
The Agreement Making team from Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services and Partnerships (QPWS&P) will continue to ensure that the remaining lands committed for transfer are handed back in two stages in 2025 and 2026.
Cooperative Management Council
In an innovative approach to co-stewarding the protected area estate, the Waanyi PBC and the Queensland Government entered a Cooperative Management Agreement (CMA). It establishes how Waanyi People will work with QPWS&P to manage the Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) cooperatively.
A Cooperative Management Council (CMC) with equal membership of Waanyi People and QPWS&P staff has been established as a management board to facilitate cooperative partnerships and oversee park management activities.
The Waanyi PBC has been provided funding in perpetuity to support their role in managing Boodjamulla Country cooperatively with QPWS&P. This arrangement will increase employment, business and economic opportunities, cultural recording, and language restoration activities.
Lawn Hill Gorge
Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land), including the naturally and culturally significant Lawn Hill Gorge, experienced widespread flooding in 2023, resulting in extensive damage to visitor facilities and critical park infrastructure. Since then, the Queensland Government has collaborated with the CMC to co-design a strategic redevelopment plan for restoring infrastructure and culturally significant places. Funding has been secured to support the recovery efforts. The Lawn Hill Gorge section of the park is proposed to re-open in July 2025.
Riversleigh World Heritage site
The Riversleigh World Heritage site was returned to Waanyi PBC ownership with the first stage of land handbacks in June 2023.
The Riversleigh fossil deposits are among the richest and most extensive in the world, with some fossils dating back 25 million years. These fossils have been superbly preserved in limestone outcrops. Riversleigh forms part of the Australian Fossil Mammal Site’s World Heritage Area, recognised by UNESCO for Outstanding Universal Value. Riversleigh is also one of four Country land groups associated with the Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land), representing a range of Dreamings for the Waanyi People.
The CMC continues to work with the Riversleigh World Heritage Advisory Committee to maintain the area’s Outstanding Universal Values.
Reframing relationships
The Boodjamulla handback and cooperative management initiative significantly contribute to reframing relationships between the department and the Waanyi People, supporting co-stewarding Queensland’s cultural and natural values.
The initiative has received widespread recognition, including:
- winning the Director-General’s Award for Extraordinary Commitment and Dedication and the department’s Driving Change for a Shared Future Award in 2023
- placing in the top four finalists of the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in 2024
- placing in the top four finalists of the Partnerships category of the Reconciliation Awards in 2024
- being invited to present at the Aboriginal Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) National Summit 2024.
The then Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Innovation, the Honourable Leanne Linard, said:
“The Waanyi People have lived in the area for thousands of years and have developed a rich, strong connection to the land. Boodjamulla always was and always will be Waanyi land. This historic land handback is a testament to the courage, determination and commitment of the Waanyi People, who have worked hard to see the rightful return of their Country.
“QPWS&P is pleased to continue its relationship working alongside the Waanyi People to jointly manage the national park in a way that will protect the natural and cultural features of Boodjamulla while also providing visitors with a memorable experience."