PARTS of Mount Cotton could come under native title if the Danggan Balum-Five Rivers People’s claim is successful.
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The group have lodged a claim to the National Native Title Tribunal covering a 3094sq km area, which stretches from the Queensland, New South Wales border to Redland City.
Council yesterday voted to be part in the claim to keep the local authority in the loop as the application proceeds through the Federal Court.
Council’s general counsel Andrew Ross recommended the move, which would enable council to represent its own and community interests during the proceedings.
“It is also an opportunity to understand and listen to the other party’s interest in that area – social, cultural, archaeological,” he said.
A document to council said native title, if granted, would cover unallocated state land, including Moreton Bay, foreshore, tributaries and reserves.
It would not apply to private properties, public infrastructure and community facilities.
The Danggan Balum’s claim edges north into Mount Cotton, covering about 33 sq km of southern Redlands and bordering Quandamooka’s coastal claim, which is under Federal Court review.
Native title for the Fire Rivers people would allow members to enter the lands covered for use, including to erect shelters, hold meetings, hunt and access natural water resources.
The Australian Local Government Association and the National Native Title Tribunal recommends councils be a party to native title proceedings.
By becoming a party, council joined the process and was able to take part in mediation and, if necessary, incourt.
The preferred approach to resolving native title claims is through negotiation and agreement rather than through litigation as many of the legal precedents about where native title exists or has been extinguished have already been determined.
It could take about a year for the claim to be resolved.