Wangkangurru Yarluyandi Country

The Wangkangurru Yarluyandi Native Title Claim - SA

Case Name: Wangkangurru/Yarluyandi Native Title Claim and The State of South Australia & ors (Wangkangurru/Yarluyandi) - Click for full details.

The Wangkangurru Yarluyandi People first lodged a Native Title Determination Application on 21 August 1997.

The claim covered land and waters in southern South Australia and south western Queensland.  An intended claim over land in the Northern Territory was withdrawn when the Central Land Council indicated that they would bring a land rights claim for the Northern Territory portion.

On 13 December 2013, at Bloods Creek, Chief Justice Keen of the Federal Court of Australia, granted native title over Witjira National Park and its surrounding area to a joint Wangkangurru Yarluyandi and Lower Southern Arrernte group.

The named applicants for the claim were Linda Crombie (deceased), Raylene Hudson (deceased), Brenda Shields, Sharon Lucas, Hayden Bromley and Arthur Ah Chee. 

The claim was brought on the behalf of the descendants of the Wangkangurru Yarluyandi apical ancestors: Wiljali, Ililji-Danggana and Ililjli-Birbana, Nguramariu and Pungatj untu, Judy Dandribilina Trew, Maggie and Bugagaguna and Yungili and his brother.

An anthropological report showing the history and connection of the Wangkangurru People was prepared on behalf of the claim group by Dr Kingsley Palmer and Lynn Coad which was provided to the States of South Australia and Queensland.  Following discussions, the States agreed to a determination of native title for the Wangkangurru Yarluyandi People. 

On the 3rd October 2014, a Federal Court of Australia hearing was held at Pelican Point, Birdsville awarding the Wangkangurru Yarluyandi People native title over approximately 79,600 square kilometres of land covering the far north eastern South Australia, including the Munga-Thirri—Simpson Desert Conservation Park and the Munga-Thirri—Simpson Desert Regional Reserve, together with land in the southwestern Queensland, covering the majority of the Munga-Thirri National Park.

The Wangkangurru Yarluyandi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC is the Registered Native Title Body Corporate representing the Wangkangurru Yarluyandi People in relation to that area.