GUDANG YADHAYKENU PEOPLE SEA CLAIM
NATIVE TITLE CLAIM GROUP MEETING
Gudang Yadhaykenu People Sea Claim (QUD 357/2025)
Wednesday 29 October 2025 – New Mapoon
Arma Legal (KRED Legal Pty Ltd trading as Arma Legal) has been engaged by the Cape York Land Council (CYLC) to represent and assist the Applicant in the Gudang Yadhaykenu People Sea Claim to progress the native title determination application (QUD357/2025).
This notice is to advise that Arma Legal will hold a meeting on Wednesday 29 October 2025 in New Mapoon for all members of the Gudang Yadhaykenu People Sea Claim Native Title Group.
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss and update the native title claim group on the progress of the Gudang Yadhaykenu People Sea Claim and enable the claim group to give instructions to the Applicant about the next steps in the native title determination application.
Native Title Claim Group Meeting will be held as follows:
Date: Wednesday 29 October 2025
Time: 4.00pm – 7.00pm
Venue: New Mapoon Hall, 81 Brown Street, New Mapoon, QLD 4876
Who should attend the meeting?
The meeting is open to those Aboriginal people who are descendants by birth or adoption, in accordance with the traditional laws and customs observed by the Gudang Yadhaykenu Sea Claim Native Title Group, from one or more of the following apical ancestors:
- Wymarra (Wymara Outaiakindi);
- Tchiako (aka Chaiku/Chakoo) & Baki (siblings);
- Peter Padhing Pablo;
- Mathew Charlie Gelapa;
- Annie Blanco;
- Ila-Ela;
- Woonduinagrun & Tariba (parents of Tom Redhead);
- Charlotte (spouse of Billy Doyle and Wilson Ware);
- Pijame and Daudi (sisters);
- Mother of Thompson Olwinjinkwi; or
- Nara Jira Para
Any person who is a descendant of one or more of the apical ancestors listed above is invited to attend the meeting.
Background
On 28 March 2025, members of the Gudang Yadhaykenu People Sea Claim native title claim group met in New Mapoon to discuss and authorise the Applicant to file a new native title determination application in the Disputed Area.
The “Disputed Area” means the area of sea country within the Endeavour Strait, shown in the map below, which was not resolved between Gudang Yadhaykenu People and the Ankamuthi People as part of the previous Northern Peninsula Sea Claim (QUD114/2017) and North Eastern Peninsula Sea Claim (QUD115/2017).
The Gudang Yadhaykenu Native Title Group maintain that they alone hold native title rights and interests in the whole of the Disputed Area. As there is currently no native title claim made solely on behalf of the Gudang Yadhaykenu People in respect of this area, a new determination application was required under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth).
On 30 May 2025, the Gudang Yadhaykenu People Sea Claim was accepted for filing in the Federal Court of Australia.
The native title claim will likely proceed to a contested hearing in the Federal Court of Australia in September 2026.
Purpose of the meeting
The purpose of this meeting is to:
- Provide an update to the Gudang Yadhaykenu People Sea Claim Native Title Group on the progress made by the Applicant on the Gudang Yadhaykenu People Sea Claim since June 2025;
- Consider and discuss the prospects of success advice provided by Counsel; and
- Discuss next steps required to progress the claim towards a Federal Court hearing of the disputed issues.
As this is the first native title claim group meeting since filing the claim, we encourage members of the Gudang Yadhaykenu People Sea Claim native title claim group to attend.
Confirmation of attendance and attendance by video-conference
To confirm your attendance at this meeting or to request travel assistance, please contact Jasmin Schubert at CYLC on 0437 460 550 or by email at jschubert@cylc.org.au. Please note that travel assistance funding is limited, and any requests must be made by Tuesday, 21 October 2025.
If you have queries about the agenda of the meeting, please contact Matilda Vaughan at Arma Legal on 0427 701 904.
Video-conference facilities will be available. If you would like CYLC to arrange a video-conference link so you can attend remotely, please contact Jasmin using the details above well before the meeting date.
