Dion Reece Creek, former Cape York Land Council CEO, arrested on 38 dishonesty charges

The former chief executive officer of Cape York Land Council, Dion Reece Creek, 39, was arrested and charged this week on 38 fraud-related charges.

Dion Reece Creek, 39, former CEO of Cape York Loand Council, faced 38 fraud-related charges in Cairns Magistrates Court this week. Picture: Brendan Radke

The former chief executive of the Cape York Land Council has been charged for allegedly defrauding the organisation he headed up for two years.

Dion Reece Creek, 39, faced Cairns Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon on a total of 38 charges, made up of 22 counts of fraud — dishonest application of property of another by a director/officer of corporation; 12 counts of making a false declaration; two counts of stealing by a director or officers of company; and two counts of computer hacking and misuse and cause detriment, damage, gain benefit.

A police spokeswoman said a 39-year-old Coen man was arrested on May 1 at Cairns Airport, charged with 38 offences, and was refused police bail.

Mr Creek was granted bail in Cairns Magistrates Court and the charges were scheduled for further mention on July 8, 2025.

Former Chief executive officer of the Cape York Land Council Dion Creek was arrested at Cairns Airport on May 1, 2025, on 38 charges.

The alleged offences against Cape York Land Council are dated between October 2022 and August 2024, which is the same time period that Mr Creek served as chief executive of the organisation.

Cape York Land Council announced Mr Creek’s appointment as chief executive in September 2022, and his tenure was ended in August 2024.

Mr Creek was said, at the time of his appointment, to be a strong advocate for social and economic development in his home community of Coen and the wider Cape York region, a skilled negotiator and a businessman.

The CYLC was established in 1990 and recognised as the Native Title Representatives Body for the Cooktown region in 1992.

Mr Creek served as CEO of Cape York Land Council from September 2022 until August 2024, and the fraud charges he is now facing date from October 2022 until August 2024. Picture: CYLC

The organisation’s purpose and vision, outlined in its most recently-published annual report, is to “assist Traditional Owners to establish and manage their rights and interests in land and sea and produce social, cultural and economic benefits”.

The organisation supports Traditional Owners in Cape York’s 17 Indigenous communities and includes a Native Title Unit, Land Reform Unit and Anthropology and Research unit.

In Mr Creek’s first ‘Report by the CEO’ in the organisation’s 2022-23 Annual Report, he acknowledged the legacy of leaders past, including his mother, who was the second chief executive of CYLC.

Originally published as Dion Reece Creek, former Cape York Land Council CEO, arrested on 38 dishonesty charges