• Jessica Weir
• Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

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Report cover: Jessica Weir / Karajarri

27 May 2011In 2002 and 2004 Karajarri had their native title rights and interests recognised to over 31,000 square kilometres of land in the West Kimberley, south of Broome. This is an area about half the size of Tasmania. Here there are pastoral stations, mining interests, coastal and desert lands, and the large Aboriginal community of Bidyadanga. 

Bidyadanga has a young and growing population of around 800 people, with pressing infrastructural needs, including housing. Karajarri live as a minority within the diverse Bidyadanga population.

Karajarri had one of the first native title determinations to be recognised in the Kimberley and had the first native title application in which applicants were represented exclusively by the Kimberley Land Council (KLC). Karajarri were thereby forging new ground in the Kimberley, as Chair of the Karajarri RNTBC Mervyn Mulardy Jnr has said:

"No one in their wildest dreams could imagine getting beyond winning native title. Even KLC wasn't prepared. All was focused on winning native title and getting the land, there was never a plan for after native title...So there was no structure for us. No way for us to go to the next level."

This paper considers this ‘next level’. What happens after the native title rights are recognised?

Images: Cover photos - Driving through the sand dunes behind Gourdon Bay; Karajarri Rangers and others, Gourdon Bay. Photos by Jessica Weir.