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NTRS 4852 Land claim files with "LC" prefix

Recording Agency:Department of Lands and Housing [I] (580)
Date Range:1978 - 1984
Access:Agreement Pending
Location:Darwin (NTAC)
Legacy Series Id:

How to Use the Records

Refer also to NTRS 1884 and NTRS 1885 which are Justice Toohey's photographs and diary related to Borroloola Land Claim No 1.

Function / Content

This series consists of the Lands and Housing files for the Borroloola Land Claim No 1. In September 1977, the first Aboriginal Land Commissioner, Justice John Toohey, began hearing the first application under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 - the Borroloola No. 1 land claim lodged by the Northern Land Council on 27 July 1977. The claim made by 70 claimants comprised three areas within the Borroloola region: the vacant crown land known as the Borroloola Town Common; vacant crown land known as the Sir Edward Pellew group of islands; and vacant crown land on Robinson River Pastoral Lease known as the proposed (at the time) reserve at Robinson River. Anthropologist John Avery gave evidence for the NLC and Traditional Owner claimants. He was to go on to become the independent anthropological advisor in 20 further land claims. The hearing of the application began in Darwin on Tuesday, 27 September, with sittings on 28, 29 and 30 September and again on 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 October. Evidence was taken at Borroloola from 17 October until 20 October. The hearing recommenced in Darwin on I November and continued thereafter on 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9 of that month. By then the taking of evidence had been largely completed and the hearing was adjourned until 12 December so that counsel and others appearing might have an opportunity to consider the whole of the transcript and prepare final addresses. The Act is a unique piece of legislation in terms of what it seeks to do; in the recognition that it gives to traditional land claims; and the functions entrusted to the Commissioner. Faced with a claim to unalienated Crown Land, the Commissioner is required to ascertain whether the claimants or any other Aboriginals are the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land and to report his findings (s.50(1)(a)).

Recordkeeping System

Annual single number, "LC" prefix (land claim)

Recording Agency

PeriodTitleAgency Id
1979 - 1979Department of Lands and Housing [I]580

Agency Responsible

PeriodTitleAgency Id
1979 - 1980Department of Lands and Housing [I]580

Consignments

Consignment IdNumber of UnitsContents Date RangePublic AccessDescription
P000111978 - 1984Agreement Pending