THURSDAY 24 JULY 2025
HOPEVALE
This notice is to advise that Cape York Land Council (CYLC) will convene a Pre-Authorisation Information Meeting on behalf of the Cape York United #1 (CYU#1) Claim Applicant on Thursday 24 July 2025 in Hopevale to discuss the process for the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group to authorise a proposed native title agreement for a determination of native title over the area outlined in purple shown on the map below. Following the Pre-Authorisation Information Meeting, CYLC will hold a workshop to provide information about a Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) for the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group.
Pre-Authorisation Information Meeting
A determination of native title involves a decision of the Federal Court. A determination of native title means that the Federal Court determines (1) who holds native title; (2) what the native title rights are; (3) the area to which the native title rights apply after any determination is made; and (4) which corporation will represent the members of the determined native title group.
Thirteen (13) days after the Pre-Authorisation Meeting on Thursday 24 July 2025, there will be a meeting to authorise the native title agreement on Wednesday 6 August 2025, where the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group will be asked to consider whether to authorise the proposed native title agreement for a determination of native title. If the Native Title Group decides to authorise the proposed agreement, the determination will then be sought in the Federal Court.
At the Pre-Authorisation Information Meeting on Thursday 24 July 2025, the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group will also be asked to make decisions about each of the following potential apical ancestors, and whether they should be added to the Guugu Yimidhirr group description (and so their descendants would be included in the group as Guugu Yimidhirr people, if they were not already descended from a recognised ancestor) :
- Lizzie Douglas
- Jalbanmun Peter (grandfather of Lizzie Big Jack)
- Jinnie Bluey (mother of Sandy Petersen, Rita Florrie (Katchewan) and others)
PBC Workshop
The Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (NTA) requires a PBC to be appointed by the Federal Court to represent native title holders whenever a native title determination is made. If a native title determination is made for the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group, the Federal Court will be required to determine a PBC to represent the group. Under the NTA, it is for native title holders to nominate their PBC. Thirteen (13) days after the workshop about PBCs on Thursday 24 July 2025, and if the Native Title Group decides to authorise the proposed native title agreement, the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group will be asked at the authorisation meeting on 6 August 2025 to nominate a new or existing PBC for the proposed native title determination.
Who is invited to attend the meeting and workshop?
The pre-authorisation meeting and workshop is open to all descendants by birth, or adoption in accordance with traditional law and custom, of one or more of the following apical ancestors (listed alphabetically):
- Andy Butchan
- Baabi
- Balkan (wife of Baabi)
- Barney
- Bawayga Jack
- Biddy (mother of Bobby Dixon and others)
- Billy (father of Dudley Bulmer)
- Billy Webb
- Bilmbil (wife of Ngamu Ngakuburla)
- Bindadelma
- Bujin
- Buthal (brother of Charlie Wallace)
- Charlie Gibson (aka Charlie Cooktown)
- Charlie Wallace
- Dirngulu (Maggie aka Maude)
- Duka
- Elizabeth Tulo
- Father of Tommy and Sammy Brown
- Gaalgujan (Maggie Wallis)
- Galganji
- Gulgi Galbay (Maggie Webb)
- Gungunbi
- Henry Baru
- Jack McIvor
- Jimmy (father of Charlie Wunbu Gordon and Tommy Confin)
- Jimmy (father of Tommy Dowling and others)
- Johnny (Binhdiwarra)
- Kalgurdam (spouse of Orlander Rattler)
- Lyla Gibson (wife of Charlie Summerhaze)
- Maggie (mother of Sambo Walsh)
- Maggie (wife of Billy Snider)*
- Maria (Burrun) (wife of Mulun Jacko)
- Maria (mother of Dudley Bulmer)
- Matyi
- Maudie (wife of Ngandal George Northcotte)
- Midhaking
- Minnie aka Wawumduha (wife of Norman Arrami)
- Minnie Gibson (wife of Peter Rosser)
- Miriam Ngamu Bandir
- Moira (wife of Mulun Jacko)
- Mulgal
- Mulun Jacko
- Nellie (mother of Polly Bulmer)
- Nellie (mother of Polly Holdsworth and others)
- Nellie (mother of Tommy and Sammy Brown)
- Nellie (mother of Tommy Dowling and others)
- Nellie Nunggal (Yarkan)
- Ngamu Bayambi
- Ngamu Darnchidir (Stumpy)
- Ngamu Guubanyu
- Ngamu Marrgu (Jimmy)
- Ngamu Ngakuburla
- Ngandal (George Northcotte)
- Ngolongolo (Kitty)
- Ngumbuibigu (Billy)
- Otoro
- Paddy McIvor
- Peggy Rootsey
- Ruth Bandir (Dudur)
- Tommy Point Lookout
- Topsy (mother of Peter Gibson and others)
- Waarigan
- Wulgali (mother of Charlie Wunbu Gordon and Tommy Confin)
- Wuthal (Nellie Coates)
- Yaalugure (wife of Barney)
- Yalngkarijubur (father of Earl Mitchell)
- Yegeran (wife of Bindadelma)
- Yirbil (Emma Capebedford)
The apical ancestors above have been considered and accepted by members of the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group. In-principle agreement about these ancestors from the State of Queensland is pending. The list above may be subject to change until agreement is reached with the State of Queensland. Apical ancestors marked with an asterisk (*) will also be the subject of further decisions, to be made at the Pre-Authorisation Meeting on 24 July 2025.
Any person who is a descendant of one or more of the apical ancestors listed above, including the three (3) potential apical ancestors, is invited to attend this meeting and the workshop. Please contact the CYLC Anthropology unit if you would like to confirm whether you are a descendant of one or more of the apical ancestors and so entitled to attend the meeting and workshop.
The meetings will be held as follows:
Date: Thursday 24 July 2025
Times:
9:30am – 1:00pm (Pre-Authorisation meeting)
1:00pm – 1:30pm (lunch break)
1:30pm – 4:00pm (PBC Workshop)
Venue: Pioneer Hall, Muni Street, Hopevale
If you have queries about the purpose of the Pre-Authorisation Meeting and PBC Workshop, please contact Deputy Principal Legal Officer Louise Keepa on free call number 1800 623 548 or by email lkeepa@cylc.org.au. The location and time of the authorisation meeting on Wednesday 6 August 2025 will be publicly notified and notices will be sent out to all members of the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group on the CYLC contact database in due course.
IMPORTANT
Attendance, Travel Assistance & Teleconferencing
For travel assistance, to confirm your attendance or for any general queries about the meeting, please contact CYLC Business Support Officer Lee Ann Miller on free call number 1800 623 548 or by email lmiller@cylc.org.au. Note that there is limited funding available for travel assistance and requests must be made by 16 July 2025. Teleconferencing facilities will also be made available at the meeting. If you would like CYLC to arrange a teleconference from your location into the meeting, whether you live at the location of the meeting or elsewhere, please contact Lee Ann Miller at CYLC. CYLC is committed to providing every opportunity for eligible persons to attend the meeting.
