TUCKED away in the most northwestern part of Queensland, 79,000 hectares of land, gorges and sandstone ranges have been returned to the Traditional Owners. 

The Boodjamulla National Park was handed back to the Waanyi people in a ceremony at Parliament House in Brisbane last Friday. 

A prescribed body corporate of Waanyi representatives will lease the national park land to the state in a first of its kind. 

It will become Queensland’s first Aboriginal land national park after the title deeds are handed over and following its rededication as Boodjamulla National Park. 

Chairman of the Waanyi prescribed body corporate Alec Doomadgee said the area was integral to culture and country. 

“We stand on the shoulders of great Waanyi warrior men and women that have gone before us who have led our struggle to take back our land, Boodjamulla,” he said in a statement. 

“Waanyi people, together, can benefit from our land in a positive way.” 

“We are looking forward to a brighter future and creating opportunities for our people our way, working respectfully and cooperatively with the Queensland government, after Waanyi peoples’ unanimous decision to approve these agreements for the hand back of…