THE Quandamooka people’s gratitude to the Passionist priests who set up Australia’s first Catholic mission on North Stradbroke Island in 1843 was given special mention on the day an historic native title agreement was signed there recently.
Evelyn Parkin, a Catholic who was “born at the One Mile community on the outskirts of Dunwich” on Stradbroke Island, told those gathered for a thanksgiving ceremony on the island in the lead-up to the official announcement, the island’s people “had been happy to hear what the Fathers had to say”.
“Our people wanted to learn more about this good man Jesus,” she said.
Her comments formed part of her timeline of the settlement’s “spiritual history” from the time of the Rainbow spirit called Kabul to the present native title agreement.
Bracken Ridge parish priest Fr Gerry Hefferan, part-time chaplain to Brisbane archdiocese’s Murri Ministry, later said “the indigenous people of Stradbroke Island have always seen themselves very much tied up in the origins of the (Brisbane) diocese”.
“This is very true as it was during a visit by Bishop Polding to Brisbane to investigate the establishment of an Aboriginal mission that he realised the rapidly growing settlement’s need for priests and later that year sent two priests to what was then part of Sydney diocese.”
Ms Parkin’s comments at the thanksgiving ceremony came shortly before a special Federal Court sitting on the island on July 4 signed off on the native title decision, granting the Quandamooka people non-exclusive rights to 22,639 hectares of land.
This includes areas of national parks, reserves, unallocated state land and leases.
This includes areas of national parks, reserves, unallocated state land and leases.
Non-exclusive rights also apply to 29,505 hectares of Moreton Bay.
The Federal Court agreed that the Quanda-mooka people should get exclusive rights to 2264 hectares of land on North Stradbroke Island, including pockets of land near the Amity and Dunwich townships.
Other agreements were also reached with State and local government authorities.
Ms Parkin was joined by three other indigenous elders – Aunties Joan Hendriks, Jean Burns and Margaret Kucirek – in a thanksgiving prayer service held not far from the location of the Federal Court sitting.
Currently theology co-ordinator at the ecumenical indigenous Wontulp-Bi-Buya Col-lege in Cairns, she told The Catholic Leader the Quandamooka people’s desire to have their rights recognised stretched back to the very beginning of Western settlement.
A convict outstation on Stradbroke Island was established in 1827 and the town of Dunwich came into being.
“To have our rights recognised legally is very significant,” she said.
“I felt we were the Stolen Children – stolen from our land … from Quandamooka.
“Now the Western system has returned us to our mother earth – although from the Aboriginal point of view we never really left it anyway.
“We all feel really blessed to have this happen; it’s helping us to feel strong.”
Ms Parkin, on behalf of the Quandamooka people, expressed gratitude to the many people who had helped bring about “this great day”.
“We are grateful to the Federal, State and local governments for sitting around the table with representatives of our ancient culture to work out an agreement,” she said.
“We are also very grateful for so many of our non-indigenous brothers and sisters who have walked along beside us to see this great day.”
Fr Hefferan, who was present on Stradbroke Island on the day of the announcement of native title agreement, said he had been most impressed by the attitude of both indigenous and non-indigenous participants.
“The elders had finally achieved their dream of having something to pass onto the next generation,” he said.
“The Federal Court judge also spoke very movingly about the elders and their traditions.
“There are still differences of opinion on how the agreement will work but it’s certainly a big step for all concerned.”
In addition to the Federal Government’s determinations, the Quandamooka people and the Queensland Government also agreed on an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA).
Another priority action in the ILUA will be a joint planning use study conducted by the State Government and Redland City Council.
As with all native title claims, the Quandamooka people’s claims cannot cover private freehold or many types of leasehold land, so the majority of landholders on North Stradbroke Island are not directly affected.
