Narungga Nation receives native title and cultural loss compensation

After a decade-long wait, the Federal Court has formally recognised the Narungga people as the native title holders of the Yorke Peninsula.

Narungga people met at Point Pearce Aboriginal School on March 15, 2023 to have their native title rights and interests recognised at a Federal Court hearing on Country for land and waters from Mundoora in the north to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park in the south of Yorke Peninsula. The Narungga people were also compensated with a settlement for the unlawful loss of their connection to Country in areas where native title was extinguished.

Attorney-General and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyam Maher who attended, said it was a historic occasion he was proud to be a part of, and gave a rundown of just how important Narungga have been historically in Aboriginal land rights.

“The Narungga people have been leaders in so many areas in so many fields,” Mr Maher said.

“It was, in the 1950s a visit from a young Adelaide lawyer Don Dunstan, who later went on to be an MP, the Attorney-General and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, that convinced him that there needed to be formal recognition of Aboriginal-held land. That led to the first ever Aboriginal land rights legislation, the Aboriginal Lands Trust in 1966 as a direct result of Don Dunstan’s early visit out to the then Port Pearce Mission.

“We saw over 20 years ago, the first-ever Indigenous land-use agreement in South Australia, between the State and Narungga. And of course, only a few years ago, the firstever agreement as part of a Treaty process signed between the State and Narungga.”

Native title applicant and proud Narungga man John Buckskin said that the determination acknowledged the fight that began by previous Narungga generations, whilst providing a pathway for future economic prosperity.

This page, from top: Attorney-General and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyam Maher addressing the Court and Narungga people in attendance; Narungga community members and a furry onlooker. Opposite page, from top: Point Pearce Aboriginal School hosted the consent determination; Point Pearce Aboriginal School children sang ‘Incy Wincy Spider’ in language; Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation chair Anne Newchurch speaking to onlookers.

“Today represents a time for reflection on the sadness and sorrow of so many of our First Nations and Narungga people who fought for their land and cultural survival and for those families who were massacred,” Mr Buckskin said.

“The consent determination gives Narungga people the opportunity to invest in partnerships with non-Aboriginal people towards developing economic opportunities with federal, state and local governments, and private enterprises.”

Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation Chair, Anne Newchurch said that while it will “never be enough”, this consent determination will create so many more opportunities for Narungga generations into the future.

“This is a historical and emotional day for the Narungga people and community who have continued the journey our Elders started over 20 years ago,” Ms Newchurch said.

“The compensation will never be enough for the loss of our cultural heritage and our people’s connection to Country, but it does provide our people with an opportunity to invest in our future and to provide opportunities for our children, and our children’s children.”

The consent determination follows the historic signing of the Buthera Agreement in February 2018 by the South Australian government and the Narungga Nation, to provide the Traditional Owners with capacitybuilding support, to drive development, economic enterprise, and collaborative engagement with government agencies.

Mr Maher spoke about the leadership role Narungga have already taken up within the state.

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“You just have to walk into the school, look at that honour board of the Narungga educators who have been leaders in so many areas, in terms of the first principals of an Aboriginal school; or the professors who are up there, to see a demonstration of the

“Two, as has been said, to recognise, formally, in Australian law, what has always been known, it is Narungga land and seas, and Narungga Country. And I think that will be important for generations to come; but also as part of the determination process, the

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