The Kabi Kabi people have been recognised as native title holders over more than 365,000 hectares of the Sunshine Coast.
In a special hearing in the Federal Court in Brisbane yesterday, Justice Collier said she was satisfied the Kabi Kabi people “have and always have had native title rights and interests in this country”.
The application was made in December 2018 by Kabi Kabi Traditional Owner Michael Douglas and others on behalf of the Kabi Kabi First National Traditional Owners Native Title Claim Group, seeking orders under Section 225 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth).
Seventeen respondents included the State of Queensland; Bundaberg, Gympie, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Fraser Coast, and Somerset local councils; energy companies, Telstra and water authorities.
The determination recognises non-exclusive rights over about 10,280 square kilometres, from the southern extent of Bribie Island, Sandstone Point and Elimbah Creek catchment area to Cooloola National Park, Curra State Forest, Mary River and Isis Rivers, and west to the Brisbane Range, the Burnett Range and Coast Range.
Two other parts of the claim have yet to be determined.
Each party was ordered to bear its own costs.
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