Shipton's Flat Project Background

KUKU NYUNGKAL

The focus of this project is developing basic amenities and infrastructure on a 14 ha site known commonly as Shipton’s Flat. Shipton’s and the area around is regarded as the ancestral home of the Kunawarra; a clan group of the Kuku Nyunkgal people of the northern Daintree region. The Kuku Nyungkal are a language sub-group of the Eastern Kuku Yallanji people whose country spreads over the northern half of Australia’s wet tropics region – from just north of Cairns to Cooktown in Far North QLD. CAT has been working with this group over a number of years to explore ways of developing their aspirations for Shipton’s Flat. Until recently no development was possible due to continuing native title negotiations over all Eastern Kuku Yalanji land. However in December 2007, 13 years after lodgement of their claim, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji were successful in gaining recognition of native title over almost 127,000ha of the wet tropics. An organisation (Prescribed Body Corporate) was established to hold assets in trust and to manage aspirations and affairs of the Kuku Yalanji People. The organisation is called Jabalbina and Shipton’s Flat site was the first parcel of land handed to them as Aboriginal freehold; one of a number of sites that will be returned to traditional owners as freehold title. The Bana Yariljin Bubu Corporation is negotiating the transfer of a lease for this site from Jabalbina through a combination traditional and mainstream processes.

Marilyn and Peter Wallace are two elders leading the vision for Shipton’s Flat - the development of a Healing Place. They aspire to a cultural healing place that will incorporate three core elements. These are a natural resource management program, a tourism and eco-volunteer program, and most importantly a drug and alcohol recovery service. All elements are underpinned by cultural reconnection and identity. Both Peter and Marilyn have over 20 years of experience in drug and alcohol counseling.

Much time and energy has been devoted to developing the vision for Shipton’s Flat. To date several feasibility studies and plans have been developed and a detailed and extensive land management strategy is nearing completion. At the same time the group has been undergoing extensive training in conservation and land management, tourism development and administration. BYB has also been involved in extensive cultural mapping and recording of their traditional knowledge while collaborating with a number of universities on research; most notably the UNU. The development work being pioneered by BYB is seen as a ground breaking for the broader aspirations of the Eastern Kuku Yalanji following their native title determination. They have the active support of a large range of key government agencies and stakeholder groups.

Project Structure