Central Land Council

The Aboriginal Land Rights Act

Warumungu Land Claim

A time line … the Warumungu win back some of their land

1860

John McDouall Stuart, the first non-Aboriginal person to enter the area, was turned back at a place he called Attack Creek by a large group of armed Warumungu

1870-1

the first pastoralists arrive and there is further conflict including killings at Attack Creek and Powell Creek

1872

a Telegraph repeater station is established at Tennant Creek at Jurnkurakurr, one of the most important dreaming sites

1874

Kaytetye attack Barrow Creek Telegraph station to the south, killing two. Punitive reprisal parties take a high death toll on Warumungu, Kaytetye, Anmatyerre, Alyawarre and Warlpiri people

1878

the first "overlander", Nat Buchanan, crosses the Barkly Tableland with 1200 head of cattle. Almost all of the land has already been taken up by pastoral leases though many were not stocked until the 1880s

1892

150 sq miles east of Tennant Creek is gazetted as Warumungu Reserve

1901

Spencer and Gillen record the flourishing ceremonial life of a well-fed, healthy people

1915

the Chief Inspector of Aboriginals reports the 100 people camped near Tennant to be in a state of semi-starvation

1910-40

a second wave of pastoral expansion in Warumungu territory takes up the remaining good land

1913

Wolfram is found at Hatches Creek

1932

Gold is discovered, triggering a gold rush to Tennant Creek

1934

W.E.H. Stanner reports the Warumungu are in a sorry state, receiving inadequate rations but cut off from traditional hunting grounds. They are scattered over a wide area and cattle are being grazed on the Warumungu reserve land, competing for water and feed in the driest 'wet' for 60 years. Mining also encroaches and a new reserve, with no permanent water is gazetted. 80-90% of the new reserve is spinifex desert.

1943

Warumungu are moved to 6 Mile Depot, an Australian Inland Mission further west. The 6 mile is abandoned within two years due to lack of water

1945

Another new 'temporary' settlement begins at Phillip Creek, which also lacks permanent water. As a temporary settlement there is little money for proper housing and people set up camp in bush shelters. Children are housed in dormitories at the mission and separated from parents.

1952

Native Affairs takes over Phillip Creek from AIM and part Aboriginal children are forcibly removed

1954

the Warumungu are moved to a new settlement at Warrabri, on Kaytetye and Alyawarre country. The mix of tribal groups causes lasting conflict and many Warumungu drift back to Tennant Creek

1962

the original reserve is finally formally revoked and there is not even a token reserve for Warumungu to return to.

1977

Warumungu and Alyawarre walk off Kurundi Station in protest over conditions there and establish themselves on the claim area

1978

the Warumungu Land Claim is lodged over the few remaining areas of their traditional lands. The NT Government extends the Tennant Creek town boundaries to 30 times their current size, and then reduces them to 240 sq km

31 Oct.1982

NT Government secretly alienates 9 of the 12 areas of the claim

1 Nov.1982

Land Commissioner Sir W Kearney begins examining the claim and accepts the traditional landowners offer not to include areas required for the abattoir, hobby farms and golf club

Dec.1982

Commissioner Kearney rules he has no jurisdiction over the 9 areas secretly alienated. The claimants appeal to the High Court.

Aug. 1983

The High Court hears the appeal.

March 1984

High Court rules that the secret alienations do not prevent the claim going ahead

March 1985

A new hearing begins under Justice Michael Maurice

Sept. 1985

Aboriginal claimants respond to call by Commissioner for a compromise solution for the claim area adjoining the Tennant Creek town area

Oct. 1985

NT Government appeals to the Federal Court for access to sources for claim documents.

Nov. 1985

NT Government rejects two of three basic principles in a compromise offer but requests further details

Feb.1986

Full Federal Court hears the NT Government's appeal for access to documents

March 1986

NT Government loses Federal Court appeal

27 Mar. 1986

Justice Maurice rules he has jurisdiction to hear the claim over areas included in the town boundary areas extended after the claim was lodged

April 1986

NT Government appeals to Federal Court against Maurice's ruling that the town boundary extension does not cancel the claim in that area

July 1986

NT Government issues a writ to prohibit Justice Maurice from considering stock route/reserves as part of the claim and appeals to the High Court against the Federal Court's ruling on access to documents

August 1986

NT Government acquires land from Tennant Creek pastoral lease, including the Old Telegraph Station and two important sacred sites, and grants a lease to a Government created Land Corporation

Oct.1986

NT Government appeals against 'errors' (mis-descriptions) in the original land claim application

Nov.1986

NT Government's appeal against 'errors' is dismissed. Government takes its appeal to the Federal Court. Meanwhile the Federal Court dismisses the NT Government's appeal against Justice Maurice's ruling that the claim can proceed within the new town boundaries.

Dec.1986

NT Government appeals to the Full Federal Court against the town boundaries decision. The High Court dismisses the Government's appeal over the Full Federal Court's decisions to refuse access to the source documents

Jan. 1987

NT Government still unwilling to consider major terms of compromise offer by claimants

Feb.1987

Full Federal Court hears appeal against dismissal of the NT Government's 'errors' complaint

March 1987

Justice Maurice publicly expresses frustration at the lack of progress on the compromise offer. NT Government applies to Justice Maurice to disqualify himself from the Land Claim. Justice Maurice declines. NT Government appeals to the Full Federal Court against Justice Maurice's decision not top disqualify himself.

April 1987

Full Federal Court hears appeal and decides Justice Maurice may continue to hear the claim. The NT Attorney-General announces the Government accepts the Federal Court's decision

July 1988

Justice Maurice reports on his recommendations

May 1991

The first part of the Warumungu land claim is handed back - 2852 square kilometres or less than half of the land recommended for grant. The handback is made possible by the acceptance by the NT Government of a compromise offer on land near the town.

Dec 1992

Title to 3,090 square kilometres of the claim recommended for grant handed back at Kurraya outstation east of Tennant Creek

Mar 1993

Remaining part of Area 1 of the Warumungu Land Claim handed back - 290 square kilometres to the north west, southwest and east of Tennant Creek excluding the area adjoining the 1970 Town Boundary which traditional owners withdrew from the claim

Oct 1996

An area to the north of the town containing the sacred sites of Kunjarra and Jurnkurakurr is granted NT Freehold title. 75 sq kilometres are handed back to the Paarta Land Aboriginal Trust