Aboriginal group fights for exclusive use and ownership of Great Keppel Island

The Queensland government is set to challenge a native title claim for exclusive ownership and use of one of Australia's most famous tropical islands. 

The Woppaburra people - who are the traditional owners of the Great Keppel Island - have submitted a fresh claim to the region off the Capricorn Coast in Central Queensland.

The claim - which is in its pre-notification stage - petitions for the exclusive possession of nine lots and one partial lot totalling just over nine square metres. 

In 2021, the Woppaburra people were formally recognised as the traditional owners and Native Title holders of 570sq/m of land and sea off the coast of Yeppoon.

The recognition also granted the Woppaburra people exclusive use over parts of Great Keppel Island. 

However, the native title did not include the resort on the island, which was run by Contiki and was under a private lease held by Tower Holdings. 

The resort, which was a popular tourist attraction, was abandoned in 2008 and subsequently demolished 10 years later. 

The Queensland government then cancelled Tower Holdings' lease in 2023 over unpaid rent owed by the operator in the amount of almost $900,000.

The termination of the lease allowed the Woppaburra people to submit a second native title claim which included the area covered by the resort and its airstrip. 

It is understood the area may not be considered vacant land but rather as a strategic land management reserve under the Department of Resources. 

Department of Resources Minister Scott Stewart explained the government would contest the claim. 

'Parts of Great Keppel Island have already been ruled to have native title extinguished in a previous ruling,' Mr Stewart told the Courier Mail. 

'This will form part of the government's response moving forward. 

'As a respondent to the claim, the government will be asked to provide its views and will challenge the claim regarding the extinguished areas.'

It comes after a $30million concept master plan to redevelop the island was released last month. 

The plan was made in collaboration with the community and the island's stakeholders -  including the Woppaburra people, business operators and Livingstone Shire Council. 

Capricorn Enterprise chief executive Mary Carroll explained the redevelopment plans took almost two years to complete. 

Ms Carroll added she was unsure how the native title claim would affect the plans and the islands' tourism industry.  

'We all spent nearly two years with open and honest communication, gaining trust and understanding, to produce a shared vision and master plan for a genuine way forward to realise a new era of sustainable tourism and investment on this magnificent island,' Ms Carroll said. 

Ms Carroll claimed Great Keppel Island produced one quarter of the economy of the Capricorn Coast, which would increase to 50 per cent with resort accomodation