Nearly 44-year-old fight finally ends as Wakaya-Alyawarre Land Claim settled on country

A ceremony and a cake is marking the end of a nearly 45 year old fight to get a native title claim settled, and a bigwig is personally travelling out to hand over the claim. Find out more.

Aerial view of the remote Aboriginal community Canteen Creek.

A more than four decade long fight has come to an end as a Territory bigwig headed out to country to personally hand over the newly formalised deed.

Traditional owners of the land near Canteen Creek, 275km southeast of Tennant Creek, celebrated the conclusion of the native title claim first filed in 1980.

In almost 45 years since the claim was filed, the most senior surviving claimant Eileen Bonney said she never gave up the fight to get the title.

From left: Eileen Bonney, Chennelle Holmes, and Veronica Bonney. Picture: Supplied/Central Land Council

“I’m feeling happy to get this title. I waited a long time when I was young. I kept talking and kept fighting until I got old. And now it’s going to happen,” she said.

Throughout the course of the decades long fight to get the title, the claimants surrendered the right to the nearby Canteen Creek community in order to settle the Wakaya-Alyawarre (Repeat) Land Claim No. 130.

The Central Land Council (CLC) helped reached an agreement with the Territory government for this settlement to occur, which was ratified by CLC members in 2019.

The traditional owners will receive freehold title to parts of the community through the Canteen Creek Landholding Aboriginal Corporation, while the rest of the area will be granted as Aboriginal freehold land under the Aboriginal land rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976.

In November last year, federal parliament amended the Aboriginal land rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Land Rights Act), ending the long running claim.

Central Land Council chief executive Les Turner.

CLC chief executive Les Turner said the hand back “honours the determination and strength of the traditional owners who never gave up on their claim”.

“It’s a moment to celebrate and reflect on the sacrifices of those who didn’t live to see this day. We recognise their legacy and the leadership of the families who have carried this claim forward,” he said.

On Wednesday, federal Indigenous Australians minister Malarndirri McCarthy will head to the community to present a framed copy of the deed.

A celebratory ceremony also took place, with a cake cutting.

The Wakaya-Alyawarre (Repeat) Land Claim is one of two outstanding land claims filed by the CLC under the Territory Land Rights Act.