Birriah native title recognised

A consent determination was made in favour of the Birriah People on 23 March 2016 by the Honourable Justice Logan of the Federal Court, sitting in Collinsville.

The determination recognises the Birriah People’s exclusive and non-exclusive native title rights over an area of some 984,576 hectares, centred around Collinsville, and is one of the largest areas in Queensland to be determined.

The claim was lodged in 1998 and Logan J noted that its “consensual resolution… is testament to much dedicated work by experienced legal advisers and some innovative negotiation techniques”, and that the parties and the legal practitioners were to be commended. Crown Law acted for the State, the first respondent to the proceeding.

The Birriah People and the State also successfully negotiated two indigenous land use agreements.