Great North Walk founder raises public access concerns over Aboriginal land claim on site

There are concerns public access arrangements to a section of one of the state’s longest walking tracks could be in jeopardy after an Aboriginal land claim was lodged for the site.

There are concerns public access arrangements to a section of one of the state’s longest walking tracks could be in jeopardy after an Aboriginal land claim was lodged for the site.

The Daily Telegraph on Monday revealed about 150,000 sqm of Boronia Park in Hunters Hill could be transferred to the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council as part of a land claim being considered by the NSW Government.

The claim covers the entire northern half of the park as well as a section of the 250km long Great North Walk trail linking Sydney to Newcastle.

Leigh Sherer-Heriot, who co-founded the walk more than 30 years ago, has raised concerns over public access rights to the track if the claim is approved.

The walking trail is used by local residents, walking groups and is also advertised to tourists on the NSW tourism website.

A section of the Great North Walk runs through Boronia Park.

“I would be concerned if access to the walking track is denied because it's a hugely important public track,” Mr Sherer-Heriot said.

“The beautiful thing about the walk is that it’s accessible to all and it’s also very rare to have a continuous track that starts in the heart of the city that will take you a couple of hundred kilometres.

“I have no problem with the land claim but a lot depends on the management arrangements for the walk (if the claim is approved).”

Leigh Shearer-Heriot (left), pictured with fellow walkers Ian Napier and Phil Jenkyn, said the walk was “hugely important”.

The Great North Walk was completed as part of the 1988 Australian Bicentennial celebrations after seven years of planning work that involved gaining support from communities between Sydney and Newcastle.

The section of walking track covered in the land claim skirts the Lane Cove River on land currently managed by Hunters Hill Council.

If the claim is approved, the site would be reclassified as freehold land, making it possible for development to be carried out on the site through a council or state government assessment process.

Nathan Moran, chief executive of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, has ruled out speculation the site could be repurposed into housing but did not specify what management arrangements would be in place if the claim is approved.

An overview of the claimed land (in blue) and the Great North Walk (shown in orange)

“Making claims for Crown Land (is) to give us something back for all the other land we’ve lost in the state of NSW since colonisation,” he said.

If granted, the claim on Boronia Park would become the first successful Aboriginal land claim in the Hunters Hill Council area.

The council’s director of community and customer Service Annie Goodman said the council has written to NSW Crown Lands – which is assessing the claim – outlining the importance of the park as a bush care management zone.

Walkers Penny Sayers and Chen Yin pictured at Boronia Park last week.

“The wildlife corridors through there are vital to our biodiversity and any break in that link would be catastrophic” she said.

“We are hopeful the council can contain care, control and management of that site.”

Liberal MP Anthony Roberts – whose electorate covers Boronia Park – has called on the NSW government to expedite the assessment process.

“Hunters Hill is the smallest council in Australia and the community needs to have certainty over the public open space we have,” he said.

The land claim on the park is being assessed by NSW Crown Lands.

Records show Boronia Park contains a number of Aboriginal heritage items including rock shelters and coastal shell middens which comprise the remains of shellfish eaten by Aboriginal people.

In a statement, a Crown Lands spokeswoman said a decision on the claim is expected to be finalised by the end of this year.

The land claim is one of 38,518 Aboriginal land claims currently awaiting determination in NSW.

Other active claims include a claim by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council for a section of parkland opposite Balmoral Beach which has been opposed by Mosman Council.