Antinuclear

Indigenous owners will manage huge new protected area in New South Wales

Historic return of land to Indigenous owners in biggest protected area in South Australia There’s been an historic handover to traditional landowners in New South Wales, SBS,  27 SEP 2015 The 22,000 hectare Mawonga Station is now the biggest piece of Indigenous protected land in Southern Australia.

It’s located in central New South Wales, about 550 kilometres west of Sydney, and is the home of the Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan people…….

The handover happened thanks to a partnership between the federal government, the Indigenous Land Corporation, and the Nature Conservation Trust of NSW.

Nature Conservation Trust Board Member Russell Taylor said it will protect, preserve and maintain the natural and cultural heritage of country.

The land repatriation isn’t a native title claim.  Former Labor environment minister Peter Garrett signed off on its purchase by the Indigenous Land Council in 2011.

“It was one of the great pleasures in my life as environment minister when i could start this process as a government and i think the tax payers got pretty good value from it to tell you the truth,” he said.

The former owner recognised sacred rock art sites on the property and pushed for its sale to an Aboriginal group, then to return it to its rightful owners.

It’s become the largest Indigenous Protection Area in southeast Australia. ……http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/09/27/historic-return-land-indigenous-owners-biggest-protected-area-south-australia

October 23, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | aboriginal issues, New South Wales