Western Yalanji people granted native title over 170,000 hectares in Queensland

The Federal Court has formally recognised native title rights over 170,827 hectares in the Cape York region of far north Queensland. This decision, handed down by Chief Justice Debra Mortimer in Cairns, grants the Western Yalanji people legal recognition of their traditional ownership over an area twice the size of Singapore.

The ruling is part of the Cape York United #1 claim, one of the largest legal campaigns in Australia, which has seen 34 determinations to date. This latest decision, alongside a recent Eastern Kuku Yalanji determination, brings the total land recognised this week to over 388,712 hectares and leaves the Cape York United #1 claim approximately 91 per cent complete.

Chief Justice Mortimer apologised for the lengthy and complicated nature of the native title system. Richie Ah Mat, acting chief executive of the Cape York Land Council, stated the determination serves as a tribute to elders who began the campaign for land rights more than 30 years ago.