‘Utterly outrageous’: Senator joins ‘Gympie Pyramid’ fight

Greens Senator Larissa Waters visited the ‘Gympie Pyramid’, proposing an “easy fix” to the issue

Greens Senator Larissa Waters has expressed her concern for the future of a site known as the ‘Gympie Pyramid’ or Djaki Kundu, while taking a tour led by activists and elders.

On Thursday afternoon, Senator Waters said her intention was to lend political pressure and support locals in their attempts to protect the site from being destroyed by the Gympie bypass.

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State Transport Minister Mark Bailey previously defended his department’s consultations with Native Title claimants over the location of the bypass in Parliament at the start of the year.

Senator Waters said she had “quite an exchange of correspondence” with the minister discussing the site’s future.

(Left to right) Wit-booka, Diane Djaki Widjung and Senator Larissa Waters at the 'Gympie Pyramid' / Djaki Kundu site on Thursday April 15. Photo: Kristen Camp

“It boils down to the fact that I don't think the Queensland Government accepts that this is a sacred site and they’re refusing to move a road,” Senator Waters said.

“It is unacceptable at any time in history but certainly not acceptable in 2021 and certainly not on the 30th anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

“In the correspondence from the minister they say they’ve moved it a bit, great, move it a bit more, actually respect this local land and the significance of it.”

Djaki Kundu activist and guardian Wit-booka said the sacred area is a “landscape site”, meaning it extends beyond the current protected area.

“All they need to do is move it 100 metres over and they can come along Ascot Rd and it jumps into Connection Rd and then straight across the road is Old Goomboorian Rd,” Wit-booka said.

Senator Larissa Waters visited the Djaki Kundu site (Gympie Pyramid) to have a tour led by Wit-booka. Photo: Kristen Camp

Djaki Kundu guardian Diane Djaki Widjung said the authorities have already acknowledged Wit-booka as a traditional owner of the site, but say he doesn't belong here and it is not his site.

“Wit-booka has three current ancestors and one Kabi tribe ancestor and yet they claim that he has no right to speak out,” Ms Djaki Widjung said.

Wit-booka explaining the history of the site using old photographs. Photo: Kristen Camp

In November 2020, the Supreme Court denied the group’s attempt to secure an injunction over the site, which Ms Djaki Widjung said was due to a technicality.

“When we first walked into the courtroom, the Crown’s barrister made a motion for dismissal and claimed that all the names that we had mentioned in the court case be changed to the State of Queensland and then the whole case be dismissed,” she said.

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“The State of Queensland claimed to have a title over this whole area, even though we presented all the information in court, none of which was disputed, regarding the ownership of the land, that we were the correct people to speak for it in the courtroom, that Wit-booka and his extended family were the people from this area.

“The judge accepted that and also said we have a right aside from the one that the Native Title claimants have to protect this land.”

Greens supporters and members from across South East Queensland gathered to learn about the ‘Gympie Pyramid' / Djaki Kundu. Photo: Kristen Camp

Wit-booka who has been camping at the site with other locals since January said their intention isn’t to stop the building of the bypass.

“We want to work together and have more of a say over our sites and this is the way we are gonna have to do it from now on - we’re sick of being trodden on,” he said.

'Gympie Pyramid' / Djaki Kundu Tour with Senator Larissa Waters on Thursday April 15. Photo: Kristen Camp

Senator Waters said it’s political convenience that is making the decisions here, rather than the “right thing”.

“Sadly there's quite a list of examples of the Queensland Government doing what suits their corporate donors and not what actually respects locals or their First Nation’s significant areas,” she said.

“The state department asking First Nations owners to move off their own land so they can put a road through their site, you couldn't make this up - that is utterly outrageous.

“It sounds like such an easy fix and I don’t understand why the government is still resisting doing to obvious and respectful thing.”

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