The Kabi Kabi People Have Received Native Title Rights Over 365,000 Hectares of the Sunshine Coast

The Federal Court today recognised the Native Title rights of the Kabi Kabi People after a decades long battle.

At a hearing in Brisbane today, the Kabi Kabi People’s unbroken connection to land in parts of southeast QLD has been accepted.

The Kabi Kabi People now have legal recognition of their non-exclusive rights to more than 365,000 hectares of land and waterways – from west of Howard to Bribie Island, including the Glass House Mountains and Noosa.

Kabi Kabi Traditional Owner Michael Douglas said, ‘This determination is important because it recognises that I am a Traditional Owner of these lands. This determination empowers us all and I am looking forward to passing on what this means with all of the Kabi Kabi People’.

The Glass House Mountains | Image by Jarrod Andrews

What are the Kabi Kabi Native Title rights?

Native Title is the mainstream law process that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have to go through to obtain recognition as the First Peoples of land. It’s the legal recognition of rights and interests that have existed for thousands of years.

Today’s determination accepts that the Kabi Kabi People have an important and ongoing connection to the lands and waters of their traditional country.

It also provides legal recognition that the Kabi Kabi People have the right to:

• Access, be present on, move about on and travel over the area
• Camp on the area, and for that purpose, erect temporary shelters on the area
• Take resources of the area for any purpose
• Light fires on the area for domestic purposes including cooking, but not for the purpose of hunting or clearing vegetation

In exercising their Native Title rights, they’ll still need to comply with State and Commonwealth laws.

What’s next?

This week’s determination is the first of three parts that make up a larger claim, which will be determined in stages.

Part A – which was accepted today – covers the area of Gympie, the Mary River, Nambour, Buderim, Maroochydore, and Caloundra.

QLD Resources and Critical Minerals Minister, Scott Stewart said, ‘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’.

‘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’, he added.

Feature image thanks to Sarah Pendergrass