LNP prepared for fight over Great Keppel Island-Woppa Island Native Title claim

The newly minted LNP government will fight a Queensland island Native Title claim to keep ownership of the area’s resort, it can be revealed.

Great Keppel Island resort is under threat.

• Qld’s native title battles

The government will fight the Great Keppel-Woppa Island Native Title claim to keep ownership of the resort including launching any necessary legal action, it can be revealed.

National Native Tribunal documents show the claim by the Woppaburra People requesting exclusive use of the 9km/sq island, including the former resort site and airstrip has been officially accepted and will now move to the registration test, allowing the Woppaburra People to enter negotiations with the government.

The government has confirmed it will continue the previous Labor government’s efforts to contest the claim to exclude the resort and airstrip area which has been earmarked for redevelopment.

If an agreement cannot be reached, the two parties will be forced to pursue legal avenues.

Woppaburra traditional owners were granted exclusive use over parts of Great Keppel-Woppa Island in 2021 and were formally recognised as the Native Title holders of 570 sq/km of land and sea off the coast of Yeppoon.

However, this area did not include the island resort formerly operated by Contiki due to an existing private lease held by former resort operator Tower Holdings.

The once popular tourist spot was abandoned by Tower Holdings during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and has since become an eyesore.

It was demolished in 2018, with the former Labor government last year moving to cancel the lease held by Tower Holdings, waiving the nearly $900,000 in unpaid rent.

The Woppaburra People were then entitled to submit a second native title claim that includes the previously extinguished resort area.

A Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing, and Regional and Rural Development spokesman confirmed the government would pursue its argument that the land areas under the current Native Title claim had “already been ruled to have native title extinguished as part of a previous ruling”.

Great Keppel Island is in the middle of a native title battle.

“The Queensland Government will continue to challenge the claim regarding the extinguished areas,” he said.

“Great Keppel Island has significant tourism potential, and job and business opportunities, however the immediate priority is to make the island safe.”

The former Labor government committed $30m to rehabilitating the island including $5m towards the first stage of the clean up of the old resort site.

Clean up works are due to begin early 2025, a government spokesman confirmed.

Livingstone Shire Council recently awarded the Pensar Construction Group an $8.6m tender to reconstruct the island’s outdated sewage treatment plant, the project now due to be complete by 2026.

Damaged and run-down Great Keppel Island resort.

Woppaburra Saltwater Aboriginal Corporation Chairperson Fred Saunders earlier this year said the claim had been partly driven by concern over environmental impacts affecting the island following years of neglect from the former resort operator and assured the current $30m tourism revival plan for the island would not be affected.

“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,” he said.

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

Originally published as LNP prepared for fight over Great Keppel Island-Woppa Island Native Title claim