Kaurna recognised as traditional owners of most of the Adelaide metro area by the federal court in 2018
Katrina Karlapina Power and Jeffrey Newchurch (above) and Kaunra people in the federal court to hear the native title claim over the Adelaide area (see map) granted in 2018.
Images courtesy South Australian native title services
The Kaurna people were officially recognised as the traditional land owners for most of the Adelaide area by the federal court in 2018. The recognition area runs from Myponga to Lower Light and from the foothills to Adelaide's coastline, and includes native title rights for 17 parcels of undeveloped land not under freehold.
The agreement to the native title claim, first lodged in 2000, is a first time for land in a capital city.
Eleven native land title claims have been made in South Australia since 1981. One has gained exclusive rights, three non-exclusive rights, four were struck out, one discontinued and two are ongoing.
The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) peoples gained exclusive rights to 102,650 square kilometres in the state’s north west in 1981.
Non-exclusive rights went to the
- Nguraritja (1,865sq km, north west, 2005),
- Wangkangurru/Yarluyandi (Witjira National Park, 7,770sq km, 2008),
- Adnyamathanha (Flinders Ranges, 41,085sq km, 2009).
Struck out were claims by Dawn Margaret Brown (north west) and the Arunda-Yunkunjatjara Nguratija (north-west central), Kuyani (central eastern) and Jokatha (central) peoples. A claim by the Kuyani-Wilyara (central) was discontinued.
Native title rights are based on pre-colonial links to land by Indigenous peoples and groups as derived from their laws and customs.
South Australia has been characterised by a commitment to resolving native title by negotiating rather than going to court. This has led to Indigenous Land Use Agreements between native title groups and other land and water owners.
The South Australian Native Title Services, funded by the federal and state governments, helps native title groups to negotiate agreements, consent and partnerships with other land users.