More than 34 hectares of Crown land at Lake Macquarie will be transferred to the local Aboriginal community after the NSW Government granted land claims to Biraban Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act, Aboriginal land councils can lodge claims on Crown land which are assessed by the Department of Planning and Environment against statutory criteria including if the land is lawfully used or occupied.
If the land is found to be claimable it is transferred to the Aboriginal land council which it can use to support economic, social and cultural outcomes.
The approved claims were over five separate areas of land:
- 19.09 hectares on the corner of Awaba and Terrigal Streets, a large bushland lot near the centre of Morisset featuring Melaleuca Creek, with access to Moira Park Road
- 12.75 hectares on Wangi Road, south of the industrial estate along Dorrington Road.
- 1.38 hectares on Freemans Drive, on the corner of Mandalong Road
- 0.93 hectares, comprised of 11 adjacent lots between Baddeley Street and Sydney Street, off Wilton Road, near Awaba Station
- 0.54 hectares near Awaba Station, in an area between Wilton Road and Olney Street.
Biraban Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO Ashley Williams welcomed approval of the claims which she said would benefit the Lake Macquarie community.
"Land claims are important as they unlock economic potential and we are a not for profit with funds reinvested back into the community," Ms Williams said.
"We want to support the Aboriginal community but also the wider community so we will work with Lake Macquarie City Council on what the community needs."
Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson said the NSW Government was working to accelerate the processing of Aboriginal land claims.
"We are making significant progress and this financial year granted the highest number of claims in a single year at 443. More than 2,600 hectares of land have now been granted to Aboriginal land councils since July 2020," Mr Anderson said.
View of lake thru gum trees.
