Uranium mine town Jabiru handed over to indigenous land owners

A whole town will be handed over from uranium miners to indigenous traditional land owners in a unique native title ending 40 years of wrangling.

Exclusive: One of the longest running native title wrangles will end on Friday with a whole township built to support a uranium mine saved and being uniquely handed over to traditional indigenous land owners.

After 40 years in a move being roundly applauded, the town of Jabiru with its hotels, shops and houses all within the pristine world heritage-listed Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory will be returned to the Mirarr people.

The move spares the town from being left to dereliction and or demolition and instead transformed into another Top End tourist attraction.

An aerial view of the Ranger uranium mine which is located at the door to Kakadu National Park about 230km from Darwin.

The town was built in 1982 to support the controversial nearby Ranger uranium mine – one of the biggest suppliers of uranium in the world – in what had been galling for traditional owners, environmentalists and anti-nuclear campaigners.

But a downtown in the uranium market and failure to secure majority shareholder Rio Tinto’s permission for continued mining saw Energy Resources Australia cease activities in January.

The Commonwealth and Kakadu National Park had a June 30 deadline to hand the township title over to a new community entity representing the traditional Mirarr land owners before its head lease automatically ticked over for a new period.

In September last year, parliament unanimously passed amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights Act to pave the way for the unique handover of the whole town – built on native title – to ensure its future.

Minister Sussan Ley in Jabiru. Picture: Supplied

Environment Minister Sussan Ley was to be dispatched on Friday to officiate the handover after anxious moments to confirm she had not recently been to Sydney, which under Covid pandemic border restrictions forced her entourage of officials to be grounded.

At this stage it is just the 13sq km of town that is being handed over with the broader 79sq km mine site to be released sometime after 2026.

ERA and parent company Rio Tinto is tasked with a comprehensive rehabilitation of that site for a regional post-mine economy in tourism, at the earliest expected in five years.

Jabiru was built in 1982 to support the controversial nearby Ranger uranium mine. Picture: Supplied

The Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation on Thursday welcomed this 40-year wait for the land return and said it was excited about the prospect of turning the township from a mining community into a thriving cultural and tourism attraction.

Already the local bakery has been made into a community arts centre attracting artists from across the territory and the whole town shop strip facade is expected to be “reorientated” to face a dramatic escarpment and become more “tourist friendly”.

A large lake in the centre of town is also expected to be made “croc-proof” to allow for swimming.

Ms Ley and Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said the handover will be a significant milestone for traditional owners.

“Tomorrow (Friday) marks the start of a new chapter and a bright future for Jabiru,” she said, adding it was a culmination of years of discussion.

“This is a proud day in Australia’s history.“

Mr Wyatt said: “The transition of Jabiru gives Traditional Owners the economic security and control of local decision-making needed to build a prosperous future for generations to come.”

Senior Mirarr traditional owner Yvonne Margarula said this was a great day for Mirarr people, recognised their land rights and gave a basis for economic independence.

“We are excited for the future of Jabiru and for the future of all our people.”

The uranium ore body, one of the richest in the world, was discovered in 1969 after a light aircraft flew over Mount Brockman (Djidbidjidbi) with specialist equipment on board recording a startling gamma radiation spike.

It was fully operational as Ranger mine by 1980 and as late as last year was delivering 1574 tonnes of uranium oxide.

Originally published as Uranium mine town Jabiru handed over to indigenous land owners