Other Projects

CANNING STOCK ROUTE

KUTJU WANGKA Canning Stock Route (CSR) Cultural Management Plan

Central Desert Native Title Services Ltd (Central Desert), in partnership with the Western Desert Aboriginal Lands Corporation (WDLAC) and the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) recently facilitated a large meeting of traditional owners of the Canning Stock Route. The meeting was funded by the Department of Water, Environment Heritage and the Art, and involved both Federal and State Government Departments, as well as members of the research team involved in the Canning Stock Route (CSR) Australian Research Council project.

This meeting was held on Kitty Well outstation, near the community of Bidyadanga, in July 2008 in response to requests from the respective traditional owner groups for the CSR. The resulting discussion focused on the possibility of setting up a governing committee of traditional owners to develop and manage cultural heritage and economic interests along the CSR.

The past few decades has seen a rise in tourist traffic on the CSR, both commercial and individual tours, with experts putting the number of visitors travelling the CSR at over a thousand people a year. The level of impact on the country and sites of cultural importance is a concern for traditional owner groups, who recognise the need to set up a management plan directed by a singular and united body of traditional owners.

At this inaugural meeting, Martu and Walmajarri people indicated their willingness to work together and unanimously resolved to set up a management body, which will be comprised of people who are Native Title Holders and Native Title claimants for sections of the CSR. Named “Kutju Wangka” (One Voice Speaking), the group will meet three times a year to develop a strong management plan for the CSR.

Central Desert, recognises the importance of this resolution to work together with WDLAC and the KLC, and is presently engaged in the process of securing funding for the support and development of the Kutju Wangka committee.

For more information, please visit http://csr.anu.edu.au /back to top

The Canning Stock Route (CSR) Australian Research Council Linkage Project

Central Desert has partnered with nine separate organisations including federal and state government departments and the Australian National University, who are committed to an unique research project over a period of four years which is aimed at assessing the significance of rock-art complexes and mythological (Tjukurrpa or Dreaming) sites along the Canning Stock Route (CSR). The information collected will form the basis of an extremely valuable resource concerned with sites and areas of cultural importance, as well as documentary and scientific data specific to the CSR.

Several field research trips have already been conducted on sections of the CSR. These trips have enabled traditional owners, who have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the country traversed by the CSR, to work alongside experts in the fields of rock art, archaeology, anthropology and geo-spatial mapping; all who have a considerable expertise gained over many years working on the CSR.

Central Desert has committed support for the duration of this project with an expectation that our involvement can enable traditional owners, who either hold Native Title over, have active Native Title Claims over the CSR and country surrounding, to contribute and to oversee the production of a resource that will benefit traditional owners and the wider community. /back to top

Joint management

Joint Management of Lorna Glen (Matuwa) and Earaheedy (Kurrara Kurrara) ex pastoral leases.

The Lorna Glen (Matuwa) and Earaheedy (Kurrara Kurrara) ex-pastoral leases are positioned about 150 kms to the north east of Wiluna and were acquired by the WA government in 2000 to be developed under the conservation reserve system.

The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) are currently undertaking the ‘Operation Rangelands Restoration’ project in the area which is primarily focused on land management and re-introduction of native species endemic to the arid-zone environment at Matuwa and Kurrara Kurrara.

Both proposed conservation reserve areas are within the Wiluna Native Title Claim lodged on behalf of the Wiluna Native Title claimants in 1998. The Wiluna Native Title claimants, along with DEC, have recognised the opportunity to work in partnership in this region towards building a mutually beneficial relationship.

In 2004 the Wiluna claimants signed an MoU with DEC setting out the terms for joint management of Matuwa and Kurrara Kurrara which has enabled Wiluna Native Title Claimants to maintain a strong advisory and ‘on the ground’ working relationship with DEC regarding their activities in the area and in turn, for DEC to develop a best practice approach to land management. Crucial to the development of this working relationship is that areas of cultural significance are protected, and that the Wiluna claimants indigenous knowledge and land utilisation practices are integral to the overall conservation and management plan for the area.

In the future, the Wiluna Native Title claimants hope to move from the MoU toward a strong joint management agreement with DEC. For DEC this agreement will provide benefits in the area of knowledge gathering about native species and land management as it is understood in an indigenous cultural context. For the Wiluna Native Title Claimants this relationship creates important opportunities to look after and care for country and for land based employment attached to land management.

For more information, please visit www.dec.wa.gov.au. /back to top

Indigenous Conservation Title

Gibson Desert Nature Reserve is a remote and rarely visited conservation area currently administered by the Kalgoorlie regional office of the Department of Environment and Conservation some 1000 kms to the south-west. It is also home country for the Mantjiltjarra speaking members of Patjarr Community and their families who now live as far west as Wiluna and in Ngaanyatjarra communities.

In 2005 the Federal Court recognised exclusive use, occupation, possession and enjoyment native title for the Ngaanyatjarra Lands to the north, east and south of the Gibson Desert Nature Reserve. Although originally part of the Ngaanyatjarra Lands native title claim, no determination of native title was possible over the Gibson Desert Nature Reserve because its vesting in 1977 extinguished native title in that area.

However, given that the Gibson Desert Nature Reserve was vested after the commencement of the Racial Discrimination Act, the extinguishment of that native title is compensable by the Western Australian government.

The Native Title Act allows applications for compensation to be filed with the Federal Court. However, rather than have the Federal Court determine what the compensation should be, the traditional owners with the Western Australian government are attempting to create a new piece of legislation in the Western Australian parliament that recognises Indigenous title to the country whilst at the same time acknowledging the existence of the nature reserve.

Central Desert is involved in bringing the different stakeholders together, to negotiate a new way of co-operative thinking that addresses title, environmental joint management and compensation to ensure a healthy future for the Mantjiltjarra speaking people and their country Warnpurru. /back to top

Capacity building

Central Desert have established the following training workshops to assist the Peoples of the Central Desert to understand, manage and protect their native title rights and interests. This training is ongoing.

• What is native title
• Proving native title
• Understanding future acts
• Negotiating agreements
• Understanding rights and obligations under agreements
• Prescribed body corporate development
• Uranium monitoring
• Governance training for prescribed bodies corporate
• Financial management

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