Controversial development near former Aboriginal mission cemetery fought by council

Ipswich councillors have made a decision about the future of a controversial development on a significant Indigenous site where skeletal remains were found.

Jody Williams of Deebing Creek Justice- Jarjumbah Protection Site.

Ipswich City Council has voted against the controversial development of a childcare centre on a property at Deebing Creek where skeletal remains were discovered.

The Jarjumbah Protection group has actively opposed the development of the centre, with concerns the remains found on the site belonged to First Nations peoples.

During the council meeting on Thursday, Mayor Teresa Harding moved to approve the development.

However, this was not seconded by any other councillors.

The motion was opened for discussion and was voted to refer the issue back to the State government, indicating that they were considering refusing the application, and are seeking further advice.

The proposed development site is adjacent to the former Deebing Creek Mission cemetery, which is a heritage-listed former Aboriginal reserve on Grampian Drive in Deebing Heights.

Planning documents from Ipswich City Council show the proposed childcare development at Deebing Creek.

Local First Nations people have recorded a massacre at the site of the Deebing Creek Mission and say the remains on the site would likely be people killed in that massacre, or people who lived at the mission.

The council and State Government previously released a statement declaring the remains definitively non-human and based the proposed approval of the development on those findings.

Members of Deebing Creek Justice – Jarjumbah Protection Site. Picture: Facebook

However, Councillor Paul Tully noted the assessment of the skeletal remains was carried out solely based on photographs of the bones and not on physical examination.

The declaration the bones were non-human was also not based on all of the bones and bone fragments discovered, but only on four pieces, he said.

Cr Tully suggested the only way to know for certain the origin of the remains was through genomic testing.

His comments were seconded by Councillor Nicole Jonic, who said she had conducted her own research on the items.

She said she recognised the significance of the site.

“The significance of this site goes beyond European settlement,” she said.

“There’s Indigenous stories and there’s been artefacts found that predate the mission or European settlement.

“I feel that it’s a waste of something that could be so precious and be fundamental to Ipswich and something that we could celebrate together and connect everyone.

“I can’t sit here and make a decision like this in 2023.”

Councillors also expressed their frustration at the constraints placed upon them by the State Government, which was responsible for the Ripley Valley Priority Land Development Area (PLDA) where the proposed site is located.

Council was unable to unilaterally refuse the development, despite being responsible for assessing applications, because of the PLDA.

Cr Andrew Fechner said this was one of the most fraught and difficult matters to come before the council.

He said he was frustrated Council did not have a determining role about cultural heritage matters.

“I am still frustrated by the decision that in front of us, frustrated by the constraints placed upon us as a council about the cultural heritage matters that we can consider or interrogate when presented with some of the controversial issues associated with this application and in the vicinity of the site,” he said.

“I urge my fellow councillors not to approve this application today and support this motion in front of us.

“To be a part of the dark history of encroachment on sacred sites across our country is not something we should aspire to be a part of especially in the year of the Voice (federal Voice to parliament, a proposed change to the Constitution to enshrine a say on laws affecting Indigenous people).”

Originally published as Controversial development near former Aboriginal mission cemetery fought by council