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FACT SHEET
Aboriginal Lands Amendment Bill
2012
BACKGROUND
The Aboriginal Lands Act 1995 promotes reconciliation with the Tasmanian
Aboriginal Community by granting to Aboriginal people certain parcels of
land of historic or cultural significance. This recognises the important
association the Aboriginal Community has with land.
The Aboriginal Lands Act establishes the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania
(ALCT) which has the statutory authority to manage returned land on behalf
of the Aboriginal Community. Schedule 3 of the Act identifies land titles that
have been returned to the Aboriginal Community after receiving
Parliamentary approval.
Ten parcels of land were first retuned in 1995. Since then Parliament
approved further transfers of land in 1999 and 2005. ALCT currently holds
land totalling 55 606 hectares.
The Aboriginal Lands Amendment Bill 2012 amends Section 27 and Schedule
3 of the Aboriginal Lands Act to allow for the transfer of two further parcels of
land, at larapuna and Rebecca Creek, to the Aboriginal Community and,
more specifically, to the ALCT.
larapuna
larapuna is located in North East Tasmania and is adjacent to the Mt William
National Park. It is known as the Eddystone Point Lighthouse Historic Site to
the wider community.
In 2006, the site was leased by the State Government to the ALCT to manage
on behalf of the Aboriginal Community.
A recent survey was undertaken by the Department of Primary Industries,
Parks, Water and Environment to define the boundaries of the site. The
general public will have pedestrian access the Lighthouse itself by the access
road to the Lighthouse during daylight hours. This is a continuation of the
access provisions in place under the 2006 lease. However, pedestrian access
along the access road will not be permitted when a significant Aboriginal
cultural event is being held on the land.
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The boat ramp adjacent to larapuna is not part of the land return and will not
be impacted by the vesting of the land to the ALCT. The general public will
continue to have vehicular and pedestrian access to a small portion of land
that impinges on the site boundaries, but is currently used by vehicles
accessing the boat ramp.
As with existing arrangements under the current lease, access to areas of
larapuna not identified for public access will require the authorisation of the
ALCT.
Rebecca Creek
Rebecca Creek is located near Heemskirk Road in the Arthur Pieman area,
approximately 50 kilometres south west of Smithton.
The site is comprised of five separate property titles of approximately 148
hectares. Until it was acquired by the Government in 2009, this had been
private property.
The property is a rich source of spongolite which Aborigines used for the
production of stone tools and is the richest known Aboriginal stone working
area in Tasmania.
Spongolite, when split, produces an extremely sharp edge that can cut
modern glass. It was a very desirable resource sought by Aborigines and was
traded further than any other known raw material in Tasmania.
Due to the sensitive nature of the Aboriginal heritage sites, the property will
remain closed to the wider public. This involves no change to the situation
that has existed to date, both when the land was private property and, more
recently, when it has been unallocated Crown land.
This is also consistent with professional advice that limiting access is currently
the best way to preserve Aboriginal heritage at Rebecca Creek.