The Kabi Kabi, an Indigenous group, has been officially recognised as Native Title holders of a large section of South East Queensland, including the Sunshine Coast.
The region encompasses areas of land near Childers in the north, stretching around 300 km (186 miles) to Bribie Island in the south, as well as areas of the Sunshine Coast region from Gympie to tourist hot spots like Maroochydore, Caloundra, Bribie Island, and Mudjimba.
Further inland, scattered parcels of land near Imbil, Jimna, and Kilkivan are also included.
In a statement on 17 June, the state government announced this determination, recognising non-exclusive rights over more than 365,000 hectares of land and water around the Sunshine Coast, including approximately 20,000 hectares of waterways.
This means the Kabi Kabi people can access, traverse, camp, and erect temporary shelters in the area.
They may also gather any resources in the area for various purposes, and light fires for domestic cooking, though not for hunting or vegetation management.
They will need to adhere to the laws of the state and the Commonwealth.
Resources and Critical Minerals Minister Scott Stewart said the move was a vital step in reconciliation and preserving Indigenous culture.
“The Kabi Kabi people have such a rich and vibrant history in the area and such a deep and intrinsic connection to the land and I congratulate them on their Native Title determination,” he said.
“The Queensland government is committed to acknowledging First Nations peoples as the traditional owners of the land.”
“Recognising Native Title demonstrates the respect and appreciation our unique First Nations’ cultures deserve and is a fundamental step on Queensland’s path to reconciliation and treaty.”
Kabi Kabi’s traditional owner Michael Douglas said he was happy with the determination.
“This is important because it recognises that I am a traditional owner of these lands,” he said.
“This determination empowers us all and I am looking forward to passing on what this means with all of the Kabi Kabi people.”
What The Determination Means
Gary Johns, Chairman of Close the Gap Research, said it was important to understand what the Native Title determination means for locals.“This is a grant of non-exclusive user rights over land inland from Redcliffe to near Childers and around Gympie,” he told The Epoch Times.
“An extensive list of excluded areas will be published with the decision.”
Mr. Johns said the application does not cover areas the subject of boat harbours, housing, railway, grazing, perpetual, non-competitive, or freehold leases, nor does it cover manufacturing areas, industrial, residential, or business spaces.
It will grant native people the right to be buried within the Native Title area and hold meetings upon it.
“Relevant authorities must maturely deal with these new rights holders and explain to their constituents what Native Title means and does not mean,” Mr. Johns said.
