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AUTHORISATION MEETING FOR NATIVE TITLE DETERMINATION AGREEMENTS – GUUGU YIMIDHIRR NATIVE TITLE GROUP – Cape York United # 1 Native Title Claim (QUD673/2014)

Aug 1, 2025

Wednesday, 20 August 2025
HOPE VALE

This notice is to advise that the Applicant in the Cape York United #1 (CYU#1) Claim will convene a decision-making meeting on Wednesday 20 August 2025 in Hope Vale for the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group to consider whether to authorise proposed native title agreements under s.87A of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (NTA) for consent determinations of native title over the areas shown on the map below. Cape York Land Council (CYLC) will facilitate the meeting on behalf of the Applicant in the CYU#1 Claim.

Section 87A Authorisation 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.

If the meeting on Wednesday 20 August 2025 decides to authorise the proposed s.87A native title agreements, each determination will then be sought in the Federal Court. The Court may list a hearing for consent determination on Thursday 23 October 2025 for the area bordered with a purple line on the map and identified as the “Proposed Guugu Yimidhirr Determination Area”.

A copy of the proposed s.87A native title agreements for a determination of native title for the areas shown on the map will be available at the meeting on Wednesday 20 August 2025. At the request of the Applicant in the CYU#1 Claim, CYLC staff and consultants will be in attendance at the meeting to be available to explain matters such as the meaning and effect of the proposed agreements. Any person attending the meeting will be able to ask questions about the proposed agreements and state their views about the proposed agreements.

The authorisation meeting will be held as follows:

Date: Wednesday 20 August 2025
Venue: Pioneer Hall, Muni Street, Hope Vale
Time: 10am – 3pm (registration opens at 9:30am)

Who is invited to attend the Authorisation Meeting?

The Guugu Yimidhirr People are invited and entitled to attend this authorisation meeting. The Guugu Yimidhirr
People are the descendants by birth, or adoption in accordance with traditional law and custom, of one or more of
the following apical ancestors (listed alphabetically):

  1. Andy Butchan
  2. Baabi
  3. Balkan (wife of Baabi)
  4. Barney
  5. Bawayga Jack
  6. Biddy (mother of Bobby Dixon and others)
  7. Billy (father of Dudley Bulmer)
  8. Billy Webb
  9. Bilmbil (wife of Ngamu Ngakuburla)
  10. Bindadelma
  11. Bujin
  12. Buthal (brother of Charlie Wallace)
  13. Charlie Gibson (aka Charlie Cooktown)
  14. Charlie Wallace
  15. Dirngulu (Maggie aka Maude)
  16. Duka
  17. Elizabeth Tulo
  18. Father of Tommy and Sammy Brown
  19. Gaalgujan (Maggie Wallis)
  20. Galganji
  21. Gulgi Galbay (Maggie Webb)
  22. Gungunbi
  23. Henry Baru
  24. Jack McIvor
  25. Jalbanmun Peter (grandfather of Lizzie Big Jack)
  26. Jimmy (father of Charlie Wunbu Gordon and Tommy Confin)
  27. Jimmy (father of Tommy Dowling and others)
  28. Jinnie Bluey (mother of Sandy Petersen, Rita Florrie (Katchewan) and others)
  29. Johnny (Binhdiwarra)
  30. Kalgurdam (spouse of Orlander Rattler)
  31. Lizzie Douglas
  32. Lyla Gibson (wife of Charlie Summerhaze)
  33. Maggie (mother of Sambo Walsh)
  34. Maggie (wife of Jimmy Snider)
  35. Maria (Burrun) (wife of Mulun Jacko)
  36. Maria (mother of Dudley Bulmer)
  37. Matyi
  38. Maudie (wife of Ngandal George Northcotte)
  39. Midhaking
  40. Minnie aka Wawumduha (wife of Norman Arrami)
  41. Minnie Gibson (wife of Peter Rosser)
  42. Miriam Ngamu Bandir
  43. Moira (wife of Mulun Jacko)
  44. Mulgal
  45. Mulun Jacko
  46. Nellie (mother of Polly Bulmer)
  47. Nellie (mother of Polly Holdsworth and others)
  48. Nellie (mother of Tommy and Sammy Brown)
  49. Nellie (mother of Tommy Dowling and others)
  50. Nellie Nunggal (Yarkan)
  51. Ngamu Bayambi
  52. Ngamu Darnchidir (Stumpy)
  53. Ngamu Guubanyu
  54. Ngamu Marrgu (Jimmy)
  55. Ngamu Ngakuburla
  56. Ngandal (George Northcotte)
  57. Ngolongolo (Kitty)
  58. Ngumbuibigu (Billy)
  59. Paddy McIvor
  60. Peggy Rootsey
  61. Ruth Bandir (Dudur)
  62. Tommy Point Lookout
  63. Topsy (mother of Peter Gibson and others)
  64. Waarigan
  65. Wulgali (mother of Charlie Wunbu Gordon and Tommy Confin)
  66. Wuthal (Nellie Coates)
  67. Yaalugure (wife of Barney)
  68. Yalngkarijubur (father of Earl Mitchell)
  69. Yegeran (wife of Bindadelma)
  70. Yirbil (Emma Capebedford)

*Please note that the State of Queensland has not agreed to the inclusion of the apical ancestor named “Otoro”. This matter will be discussed at the authorisation meeting.

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 listed above and so entitled to attend the meeting.

Purpose of the Authorisation Meeting

The purpose of the authorisation meeting on Wednesday 20 August 2025 is to decide whether or not to approve the
proposed s.87A native title agreements for a consent determination of native title for the areas shown on the map
above. The agenda of the meeting will be to consider whether the persons present:

  1. agree and adopt a decision-making process;
  2. agree to the proposed s.87A agreements for a determination of native title; and
  3. agree to either:
    • a) incorporate a new corporation to be the prescribed body corporate (PBC) to represent the native title holders
      identified in the proposed s.87A agreements for determinations of native title, and so:
      • i. make a decision (1) to approve the rules of the new corporation, (2) to identify who will be the initial directors and contact person for the new corporation, and (3) to authorise one or more named persons to apply to the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations to register the new corporation; and
      • ii. agree to nominate the new corporation, once it is registered, to be PBC for the Guugu Yimidhirr People;
        or
    • b) on certain conditions, nominate an existing corporation to be the PBC for the Guugu Yimidhirr People, and so:
      • i. make a decision (1) to specify the existing corporation to be the PBC, and (2) direct the identified corporation to take steps to make itself eligible to be appointed as the PBC by amending its rules, and to ensure it is representative of Guugu Yimidhirr People (by accepting new membership applications, holding new elections for directors or other matters); and
      • ii. agree to nominate the identified existing corporation, once it has complied with the directions made by
        the meeting in 3(b)(i) above, to be the PBC for Guugu Yimidhirr People; and
      • iii. incorporate a new corporation as set out in 3(a) above, which corporation will be nominated to be the PBC for Guugu Yimidhirr People in the event that the identified existing corporation has not complied with the directions made by the meeting in (b)(i) above by 15 September 2025; and
  4. authorise the Principal Legal Officer of CYLC to nominate the proposed corporation in writing to the Federal Court
    for it to be the PBC under ss.56 or 57 of the NTA for the proposed determinations of native title.

At the request of the Guugu Yimidhirr Native Title Group, a further workshop will be held on Monday 18 August 2025 at 2pm to 5pm at the Pioneer Hall in Hope Vale for participants to discuss the nomination of the PBC and the proposed structure. See attached notice for details. If you have queries about the purpose of the s.87A Authorisation Meeting, please contact Deputy Principal Legal Officer Louise Keepa on free call number 1800 623 548 or by email lkeepa@cylc.org.au.

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 12 August 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.

Download notice