WHATS NEW ?
April 2025 GYGYM signs Coopertaion Agreement with McArthur River Mine
The GYGM Aboriginal Corporation signed a landmark Cooperation Agreement. The agreement, signed by the Gudanji Yanyuwa Garrwa Marra (GYGM) Aboriginal Corporation, provides Traditional Owners with the means to access expert advice and support as they enter negotiations with MRM for an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA). To date there has been no ILUA in place for the mining operation, which has been operating for 30 years. FULL STORY HERE
June 2024 Cobourg Peninsular Land Claim
The Aboriginal Land Commissioner releases his report! After undertaking land claim research and reporting with the NLC claimants from 20 and providing expert testimony during the claim hearings, the Commissoner delivered a great win for the Cobourg claimants.
March 2023 Peron Islands Area Land Claim
The Aboriginal Land Commissioner releases his report! After undertaking land claim research and reporting with the Kiyuk people from 2018 and providing expert testimony during the claim hearings, it was great see the Kiyuk's traditional rights and interests in this claim area recognised.
March 2022 Kakadu land hand-backs
After conducting initial land claim research and reporting 2006, it was great to finally attend the ceremony marking the hand-back of title to Aboriginal owners of remaining land claim areas within Kakadu National Park.
Sundowner Talk in Fremantle, WA
In September2021 I gave a talk with Naomi Howells to the AACAI WA and Anthropological Society of WA:
‘Never Again?’ How the Northern Territory’s best practice heritage protection legislation could have prevented the destruction of Western Australia’s Juukan Gorge.
This subject matter was later discussed during a panel at the 2021 AAS Conference.
August 2021 New Publication !
My book chapter about the McArthur River Mine has been published in a volume of great material about the state and extractive industry edited by Nick Bainton and Emilka Skrzypek.
Based on a papers given at a Conference Panel held at the 2017 Australian Anthropological Society annual conference in Adelaide the volume is available for free online at:
http://doi.org/10.22459/AP.2021
CNTA Guided Writing Placement 2020-2021
During 2020 Gareth was awarded a Guided Writing Placement with the Centre for Native Title Anthropology at the Australian National University. Covid-19 restrictions delayed the uptake of this placement until April 2021. Gareth is researching and writing on indigenous sacred site damage and compensation issues in an effort to expand on the thinking around Native Title compensation .
See more at: https://cnta.org.au/cnta-scholars/
Kakadu Committee Appointment
During 2020 Gareth was appointed to the Kakadu National Park Kakadu Research and Management Advisory Committee (KRMAC) which advises the Kakadu Board of Management.
April 2019: Pine Creek Native TItle Determination
Federal Court recognises exclusive native title rights over township of Pine Creek. Gareth researched and wrote the Connection Report for this claim on behalf of NLC.
ABC News story:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-09/native-title-recognised-over-pine-creek-nt/10984966
Native Title Masterclass
During September 2017 Gareth attended a Native Title Masterclass for mid-career anthropologists held at the Cairns Institute and co-hosted by James Cook University and ANU's Centre for Native Title Anthropology.