Two historic NT land claims are soon to finally have an answer on what’s next for the areas

Two historic land claims are soon to have answers on the next chapters after more than 25 years. Read where they are.

Two land claims dating more than 25 years old have finally become the subject of an inquiry before the Aboriginal Land Commissioner.

In the late 1990s, the Northern Land Council filed the Finniss River Land Claim No 237 and the Wulna Land Claim No 155 on behalf of traditional owners of the two claim areas.

The two areas are favourable destinations for fisherman.

An NLC spokesman said the claims had sat dormant for more than 20 years while the Commissioner heard a large volume of other land claims.

The Finnis River is a river south of Darwin which flows into the sea at Fog Bay. Picture: Supplied.

“The purpose of those notices is to invite any person to register their interest in or contest the claims,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said as the claims were still under inquiry, it was not appropriate for the NLC to provide comment about the claimants or the cultural significance of the claim areas.

The Finniss River LC covers “all that land in the Northern Territory being the beds and banks of the Finniss River from the easternmost point of the southern boundary of Northern Territory Portion 3283 to the southernmost point of the western boundary of Northern Territory Portion 3412”, as stated by the claim.

Currently, fishos can fish the northern bank of the Finniss River up to a point about 5km upstream from the mouth of the river.

The Wulna LC is from the tip of Cape Hotham and the neighbouring intertidal zone.

The period for anyone wanting to have their say on the claim closed on October 24.

Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the Northern Territory did not want to comment on the two land claims“at this time”.

The inquiry was held in the Darwin CBD on Friday October 28.

The contents of the inquiry discussion is unknown but another hearing has been scheduled for March 6 next year for traditional owner and detriment claims.

The Wulna Land Claim detriment hearing is pencilled in for February 20, 2023.

Submissions on detriment are to be filed by December, 19 this year.

The Wulna land claim was first received by the Aboriginal Land Commissioner on March 27, 1996 and the Finniss River Region land claim on June 4, 1997.