The Yawuru Community welcomes the native title determination over the Edarrbur (Rubibi #18) area on Roebuck Plains. The consent determination was made by Justice O’Bryan in the Federal Court in Perth on Monday 4th November. Senior Yawuru members and the Yawuru named applicants to the claim were present on behalf of the Yawuru community of native title holders, including Dean Mathews, Kevin Puertollano, Micklo Corpus, Thomas Edgar Yawuru PBC Chairperson and Ronald Wade Yawuru PBC Director.
Thomas ‘Unda’ Edgar, Yawuru PBC Chairperson said “After so many years of hard work we continue to fill in the gaps of our traditional estate. It made no sense to have small parcels of land left out, and so we’re very happy that Yawuru can now look after all of our country and look after the culture that has existed in that land since Bugarrigarra.”
The Edarrbur native title claim covers a stock route, as well as current and former reserves within the Roebuck Plains pastoral release. The area is of high cultural, economic and social value for the Yawuru people, in particular a series of freshwater places (jilagarra) which Yawuru people have always used as stopping places.
Dean Mathews, Yawuru PBC Director said “The work Yawuru does to look after Country is really important and we are very happy that this can be enhanced with management of the land returning Yawuru, who can continue to ensure consistent and high quality land management across the entire Yawuru estate”.
Yawuru native title holders thanked the Kimberley Land Council for its support in development and success of the claim.
Edarrbur claim area