Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002:front:0:p11
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 30671–33238

Figure 3).

Most of the land that was to become part of Stage One of Kakadu National Park was granted to the Kakadu Aboriginal Land Trust under the Land Rights Act in August 1978 and, in November 1978, the Land Trust and the Director signed a lease agreement for the land to be managed as a national park. Stage One of the park – covering the leased land and land required for the township of Jabiru and some adjoining areas – was declared on 5 April 1979.

Stage Two was declared on 28 February 1984, originally as Kakadu (Stage 2) National Park and later incorporated into Kakadu National Park on 20 December 1985. In March 1978, a land claim was lodged under the Land Rights Act for the land included in Stage Two of Kakadu. The land claim was partly successful and, in 1986, three areas in the eastern part of Stage Two were granted to the Jabiluka Aboriginal Land Trust. A lease between the Land Trust and the Director of National Parks was signed in March 1991. At the time of preparing this plan the rest of Stage Two (except the commercial lease near the South Alligator River) is subject to 'repeat' land claims under the Land Rights Act. The land may become Aboriginal land during the life of this plan and will be leased to the Director.

In June 1987, a land claim was lodged for the land in the former Goodparla and Gimbat pastoral leases that were to be included in Stage Three of Kakadu. The other areas to be included in Stage Three – the area known as the Gimbat Resumption and the Waterfall Creek Reserve (formerly known as UDP Falls, UDP standing for Uranium Development Project) – were later added to this land claim. Stage Three of Kakadu National Park was declared progressively on 12 June 1987, 22 November 1989 and 24 June 1991.

       Figure 3: Aboriginal land and land claims in Kakadu National Park
       as at April 2014

The progressive declaration resulted from the debate over whether mining should be allowed at Guratba (Coronation Hill), which is located in the middle of the culturally significant area referred to as the Sickness Country. The traditional owners' wishes were ultimately respected and the Australian Government decided that there would be no mining at Guratba. In 1996 the land in Stage Three, apart from the former Goodparla pastoral lease, was granted to the Gunlom Aboriginal Land Trust and leased to the Director of National Parks to continue being managed as part of Kakadu National Park. At the time of preparing this plan the land claim to the Goodparla area is still ongoing. The land may become Aboriginal