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A delegation of Northern Territory Traditional Owners will likely testify before a federal inquiry into a massive lead and zinc mine s impacts on Aboriginal sacred sites.
Glencore s McArthur River Mine - about 750km southeast of Darwin - has been dogged by environmental incidents and alleged damage to cultural sites.
Committee members from the Juukan Gorge inquiry into the destruction of 46,000-year-old caves in Western Australia have travelled to tiny Borroloola, about 60km from the mine, for informal talks with concerned native title holders. I was a bit worried when they first came in, Garawa elder and Borroloola Aboriginal leader Jack Green told AAP.
Popular tourism site closed as court case rages on Gunlom Falls one of the jewels of Kakadu National Park will be closed as the court case between Traditional Owners and Parks Australia rages on.
Travel by JUDITH AISTHORPE
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Subscriber only GUNLOM Falls - one of the jewels of Kakadu National Park - will be closed to the public as the court case between Traditional Owners and Parks Australia rages on. Traditional Owners have taken the step of locking the gates to the popular destination as they allege there has been a lack of respect for sacred sites by Parks Australia.
2021-05-05 02:36:31 GMT2021-05-05 10:36:31(Beijing Time) Xinhua English
CANBERRA, May 5 (Xinhua) A popular part of Australia s iconic Kakadu National Park will be closed to the public by indigenous owners over a lack of respect for sacred sites.
The Gunlom Aboriginal Land Trust (GALT) announced that the area of Gunlom is closed as a result of Parks Australia s breach of our lease agreement and lack of respect for our sacred sites.
The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA), which is responsible for protecting sacred indigenous sites, launched legal action against Parks Australia for carrying out work at the site without an authority certificate.
Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy has described her mixed emotions, following a meeting between Traditional Owners and the Juukan Gorge inquiry.
Yanyuwa, Mara, Garrawa and Gudanji representatives appeared before the inquiry to express their ongoing concerns for the health of the McArthur River, threatened by a nearby mine, as part of the investigation into cultural heritage destruction.
“I’m immensely proud to see a parliamentary committee listening to their concerns, but I’m sad because I crossed the floor 14 years ago to vote to protect the McArthur River and now I’m still asking the federal parliament to strengthen the protection laws.
Share In that area there are certain elements and remains of people that have gone by thousands of years ago. We don t want people going there, he told the ABC. The traditional owners apologise to the tourists but for us to get our point across, we feel this is the only way.
Mr Markham the site has religious significance and has been there for over 10,000 years, when the salt water was eroding the cliff face.
The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) launched legal action claiming the work was done in close proximity to a sacred site without their permission. Pictured: Gunlom Falls infinity pool at Kakadu National Park