Study Area Traditional Owner World Heritage Consultation

BioCultural Consulting is providing biocultural diversity expertise and technical support to Chuulangun Aboriginal Coporation on engaging Traditional Owners in progressing a World Heritage nomination of the Greater Lockhart River Region in Cape York Peninsula, Queensland - Australia. 

The consultation process seeks to determine the willingness of these select Cape York Peninsula Traditional Owners to consent to their lands being nominated, listed and managed as part of a World Heritage property. Through this same consultation and engagement process, gather from, and share information with, select Cape York Peninsula Traditional Owners on heritage values of potential outstanding universal values.

Facilitating consultation with Study Area Traditional Owners and their communities, this consultation aimed to:

• provide Study Area Traditional Owners and their communities with information on the World Heritage nomination and listing process and management implications
• gathering cultural information that may be used within a World Heritage nomination (cultural descriptions and values)
• determining if Study Area Traditional Owners representatives wish to consent to their areas being included in a World Heritage nomination for Cape York Peninsula, and
• the development, and submission of a Consent Report

Working in collaboration with Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation, tasks also include ensuring that any secret and sacred material disclosed in the course of consultation is dealt with in accordance with agreed cultural protocols between the AUstralian Government, Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation and Greater Lockhart River Region Traditional Owners. 

Ensuring that information gathered on cultural heritage is consistent with the criteria prescribed under the 'Definition of World Heritage' included in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention.

Phase 1 focused on Traditional Owner consultation and development of consensus agreement, where organised and facilitated workshops with Study Area Traditional Owners:

• mapped and identified who has rights to country in the Study Area
• identify key cultural decision-makers for each tribal/clan group area
• discuss the form and process for seeking and obtaining consent
• provide information on World Heritage nomination and listing processes, and management implications, and
• obtain consent from Study Area Traditional Owners to consider World Heritage further in Phase 2 meetings

Phase 2 focuses on organising and facilitating workshops/meetings for Study Area Traditional Owners and communities to:

• conduct negotiations between Study Area Traditional Owners and the Australian Government on how best to develop and implement a process for determining consent for a World Heritage nomination
• inform about the implications of World Heritage listing using independent legal and technical advice
• gather cultural information that may be used within a World Heritage nomination (cultural descriptions and values)
• determine if key cultural decision-makers wish to enter into a consent agreement
• develop a draft Consent Report and discuss with Traditiona Owners and community to reach agreement, and
• finalising and delivering a Consent Report

A critical element in a biocultural diversity approach to this project between the Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation and BioCultural Consulting is to consult and engage within a proper cultural way, designed by Indigenous peoples using Indigenous governance and decision-making protocols relevant to Traditional Owners in the Greater Lockhart River Region and their Ngaachi areas, Land Trusts and Aboriginal Freehold lands.