Burleigh native title claim threatens Gold Coast light rail to airport

Aboriginal elders plan to mount a native title claim blocking the light rail’s final stage to the airport because the route will “desecrate’’ their sacred Burleigh Headland.

ABORIGINAL elders will try to veto a crucial stage of the multi-billion dollar Gold Coast light rail project because they say the route will “desecrate’’ Burleigh Headland, a sacred site where First Nations women traditionally gave birth and their God has been asleep on the mountain for thousands of years.

If the native title claim from the Kombumerri Ngarang-Wal Saltwater people is successful it could torpedo the fourth and final stage of the light rail, from Burleigh to the Gold Coast Airport.

Stage 3 will run from Broadbeach to Burleigh.

The proposed final light rail route – designed to ultimately link Helensvale with Coolangatta airport – snakes around the Burleigh Headland and elders say the boring and heavy works will wake their spiritual God.

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An aerial view of Burleigh Heads. Picture: istock.

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Elders yesterday described the light rail route as “culturally abhorrent’’, which would desecrate the iconic headland – known by past elders as Jellurgal, a place of honey – and three ancient fish traps in the adjoining Tallebudgera Creek.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the local First Nations elders ran the risk of being accused of “playing politics’’ and cynics would have a field day.

Elder spokeswoman Cherie Dillon said Burleigh Headland was “like our Vatican’’.

“Our God, Jabreen, rests atop Jellurgal, asleep – it is not a graveyard, and Our Dreamtime God is not dead,’’ she said.

“Creation is a very intense process, and when He finished creating the magnificent landscape which we all love, He feasted on native bee honey, took a dip in the creek and is quietly resting on the mountain.

“The view is so beautiful. He has stayed there for thousands of years to bless and protect His people. A word of advice to Premier Anna: it is not wise to wake a sleeping giant.’’

Cherie Dillon (front) with Patricia Cruzado (left) and Billy James. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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The Burleigh mountain and creek have been included in the Danggun Balun Native Title Claim, of which the Kombumerri people are applicants and claimants. They claim they have been left out of the light rail public consultation process.

Ms Dillon said her mob were Saltwater people and the resting place of Jabreen was sacred.

“The site has ancient fish traps and middens, ceremonial ochre deposits, our Dreaming Rocks, and a serene bush garden of native flora and other fauna including bush turkeys and koalas,’’ she said.

“They live there peacefully and are a natural scenic and educational attraction enjoyed yearly by thousands of people and visiting schoolchildren. Our priceless, irreplaceable cultural assets must be protected at all costs. We are prepared to physically obstruct any demolition or construction of a multi-story carpark, rail station and suspension bridge.

“We will risk jail and physical harm to stop the wrecking balls and bulldozers from desecrating our sacred mountain.’’

A digital rendering of the proposed Tallebudgera bridge included in a multi-modal light rail study. Photo: TMR

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Mayor Tate said Burleigh Heads had a colourful history with its links to the Kombumerri clan well documented.

“What is also documented is that in 1903, the former South Coast railway line, including a rail station named Booningba, was constructed across Burleigh Heads,’’ he said.

“That rattly old train ran over the hill for almost 60 years before being decommissioned in 1961. I doubt it earned a reputation as a ‘koala killing machine’ or was noisy enough to wake the Kombumerri’s sleeping spirit.

“In fact, I can find no historical records of any protests regarding that rail line. Ironically, that rail line followed the same route as today’s four-lane Gold Coast Highway so in many ways, the modern light rail system will replicate what was already there in 1903 – a public transport rail line.

“To ensure our much-loved koalas are protected, we are proposing a wildlife corridor above the new light rail route and I would welcome that important wildlife link being established now, as part of the Broadbeach-Burleigh stage.

“I also support additional funding to expand the existing Jellurgal Visitors Centre. The Kombumerri people have every right to make a Native Title claim but they risk being accused of playing politics with our city’s main public transport system. On face value, it looks pretty cynical to me.”

The Light Rail station in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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Ms Dillon said the site was “not just a beach, a creek, and a national park’’.

“It is a place of healing, and it is an historically and culturally sacred place for the Kombumerri Ngarang-Wal people,’’ she said.

“It is a place where many neighbouring tribes came to share in song and dance and feast with us on the fish harvested in our traps.

“More significantly it was a birthing place where Kombumerri women and women from the Tweed, Beaudesert, Ipswich and Logan came to give birth, sometimes leaving their tribal country three months before their due date to make it here on time, give birth and receive Jabreen’s blessings for their newborn Jarjums.

“There was also a land bridge from here to Stradbroke Island at low tide, and our cousins would visit us using this low tide bridge when Stradbroke Island was one large Island, not the “man-made” North and South Stradbroke Islands we know today.’’

Construction on the third stage of the light rail is due to begin soon.