State won’t reveal 15 townships where Aboriginal corporations have sought land transfers

Aboriginal corporations have moved to claim freehold ownership of public land in 15 townships across Queensland – but the state government won’t say where.

• Map: Qld Native Title claims

Aboriginal corporations have moved to claim freehold ownership of public land in 15 townships across Queensland – but the state government is refusing to say where.

The figure has been revealed by the Department of Resources in a question on notice in state parliament.

The Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation has lodged an expression of interest for land in the townships of Eurong (above) and Happy Valley on K’gari. File picture

However, the department won’t say what townships are involved, citing “privacy” of First Nations groups which have lodged expressions of interest to have land transferred to them.

The revelation follows community anger and concern at applications by Indigenous corporations to claim freehold ownership of state land on K’gari and Toobeah, near Goondiwindi.

The Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation has lodged an expression of interest for most of the land in the townships of Eurong and Happy Valley on K’gari, while the Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation has applied for what locals claim is 95 per cent of the tiny town of Toobeah.

The proposed “land transfers”, separate to native title, are made under the Aboriginal Land Act or Torres Strait Islander Land Act, which allow state land to be transferred to First Nations corporations as “inalienable freehold”.

More than six million hectares of state land – which can’t be sold or mortgaged but is held in trust for the benefit of traditional owners – has so far been granted to Aborigines across Queensland.

Private freehold property can’t be transferred – only unallocated state land, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander reserves and national parks on Cape York and Moreton Island.

Department of Resources figures show almost 70 parcels of land have so far been declared transferable by the state government since 2001.

The Queensland township of Toobeah near Goondiwindi. Picture: Supplied

Despite government and Aboriginal corporation assurances that communities have nothing to fear, the latest land transfer bids have whipped up widespread concern, with locals labelling them a “secretive” land grab.

After community outcry over the Toobeah proposal, One Nation MP Stephen Andrew asked Resources Minister Scott Stewart a question on notice about the consultation process, how the land transfer would impact the townspeople’s “property rights” and how many other towns in Queensland were the subject of freehold expressions.

In a response tabled last month, the department said the ALA did not require “broad community consultation” but a Toobeah town forum had been held in March.

Mr Andrew said the land transfers were being made “with no consultation”.

“The results of the (Voice) referendum showed that people are just sick of division – they’re sick of all the ‘them’ and ‘us’ stuff,” he said.

“I don’t know why the government’s pushing it all of a sudden. How come they aren’t being open and honest?”