The Wakka Wakka people and the Cherbourg community turned out in force to witness the historic moment the Federal Court recognised their native title claim over 1200 square kilometres of Country in southern Queensland’s Burnett River catchment.
The decision marks the end of a long battle for the Wakka Wakka, they first lodged the native title claim 25 years ago.
“But here we are standing here today and we are able to say we are Wakka Wakka people, we are descendants of this land,“ Wakka Wakka woman, Una Appo said.
While some of the people celebrating were among the original 1997 native title applicants, many didn't live to see this day.
“We are First Nations people and I’m sorry but I do get emotional, it’s a hard fight and I’ve lost some of the elders that should’ve been standing here,” Ms Appo said.
The decision hands the Wakka Wakka exclusive native title rights over most of the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council.
Wakka Wakka Traditional Dancers celebrated the moment. Source: Supplied: Phoebe Frederick
"It is important to emphasise that the court is not giving the Wakka Wakka people anything, the court is simply recognising that which the Wakka Wakka people have always known - that this has always been and will always be your land," Justice Darryl Rangiah said.
One hundred and twenty years ago, Cherbourg was the site of the notorious Barambah mission where hundreds of Aboriginal people from all over Queensland were sent there after being forced off their traditional lands or taken away from their families.
Justice Rangiah described the mission as nothing more than a concentration camp and paid tribute to the resilience of the Wakka Wakka people who survived 200 years of brutality and exploitation.
"Despite dispossession of their land, frontier violence, segregations, assimilation attempts ... you are still a strong and vibrant, traditional community," he said.
"It is a tribute to the culture, to the strength and vitality of the Wakka Wakka people that you continue the same traditions on the same land as those of your ancestors from 50,000 or 60,000 years ago."
The Cherbourg community turned out to hear the decision. Source: Supplied
Wakka Wakka Native title holder Patricia Bond said she hopes the decision means a bright future for her people.
“We hope to move forward, building our community for better futures and economic development for our community and our children and we want to be alive to see that happen,” she said.
Through consent agreements with state and local governments, Traditional Owners will have a greater say over vast areas of land including a national park, rivers and towns in the region.
“Since we got our consent determination now we can be authors of our own story. We got the pen and we’re going to be the authors and from there on nothing should be stopping us now.” Wakka Wakka man Shane Dynevor Jr said.
A long journey with a new beginning.
