Great Keppel Island Native Title claim: Woppaburra people concerned about rotting resort

The traditional owners of Great Keppel Island say the $30m tourism development plan won’t be affected by their impending Native Title claim, outlining the reasons behind the bid.

Great Keppel Island’s traditional owners say the state government’s planned $30m tourism revival won’t be affected by their impending Native Title claim, with the Indigenous applicants primarily concerned about environmental impacts from rotting debris left behind by former resort operator Tower Holdings.

Great Keppel Island resort.

The Courier-Mail earlier this week revealed the state government would challenge the Native Title claim submitted by the Woppaburra People in May requesting exclusive ownership of 9.1 sq/km of island, including the former resort site and airstrip.

Woppaburra Saltwater Aboriginal Corporation Chairperson Fred Saunders said the Woppaburra People were not anti-development and the Native Title application was purely environmentally and country focused.

“Our primary objective is about looking after people and country,” he said.

“We are protective of our sacred areas and will maintain our cultural responsibilities, but the Woppaburra people are not about restriction, anti-development and locking up lands.

“We are about sustainable environmental approaches to safeguard the islands beauty to make it an attractive destination for all visitors”.

Great Keppel Island resort has been abandoned for more than a decade.

The resort site, which has sat abandoned for more than a decade, was previously exempt from Native Title claim as it was under a private lease agreement.

However, the state government last year took back the land from Tower Holdings after the company racked up nearly $900,000 in unpaid rent.

In a statement, the Woppaburra People expressed their disdain for the rotting resort site, which has been an eye sore for the island since its closure 16 years ago.

Great Keppel Island.

“Since the closing of the resort site in 2007, the then new owners failed to remove debris, render the site safe, commence any ventures to rehabilitate the island or restore any confidence in a viable future,” the statement said.

“The island environment and infrastructure have deteriorated to the point where visitations have reduced, and local businesses have suffered.

“We have an obligation to work towards improving this situation.”

The resort site.

Woppaburra traditional owners were formally recognised in 2021 as the Native Title holders of 570 sq/km of land and sea off the coast of Yeppoon.

In the absence of the Tower Holdings lease, the Woppaburra people are entitled to submit a second native title claim that includes the previously extinguished resort area.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart told The Courier-Mail on Sunday that government would challenge the new claim.

“Parts of Great Keppel Island have already been ruled to have native title extinguished in a previous ruling,” he said.

“As a respondent to the claim the government will be asked to provide its views and will challenge the claim regarding the extinguished areas.”

The dilapidated resort.

But the Woppaburra People will argue that the land has become vacant since the lease lapse, while reassuring they will continue to support the Great Keppel Island (Woppa) Concept Master Plan released in April.

The group says the Native Title application will “not cease progress towards implementation of the concept plan” and they are willing to work with the government to reach an agreement.

“Claiming native title rights over USL (unallocated state land) is not an unusual circumstance,” they said.

“The area of the lease related to the former resort which has been in decay, is unused, and is reportedly causing environmental damage.

“Much like the way in which the Woppaburra People engaged with the state in relation to their initial determination, the Woppaburra People are keen to work with the state to reach an agreed outcome.

“In claiming the additional area that became available to them, the Woppaburra People have the goal of increasing their opportunities for a sustainable and environmentally sensitive future for future generations of Woppaburra People.”

The Native Title Claim is yet to be formally submitted to the Federal Court and remains in pre-notification stage.