Murri community targets skyrail

By John Nebauer

BRISBANE -- The Djabugay community has claimed native title over the Barron Falls National park near Cairns to prevent construction of the $35 million Kuranda Skyrail.

The skyrail, for which the state government granted leases to in the national park on May 29, would travel 7.5 km from Smithfield across the Barron River to Kuranda through the World Heritage Barron Falls National park.

The community says that the skyrail would destroy sacred sites and traditional burial grounds in the rainforest. Djabugay spokesperson Andrew Duffin, who initiated the application, said, “The rainforest is what keeps us going. Our existence would fall apart without it.”

The community's lawyer, Greg McIntyre, said that the community had a good case. “The Djabugay have always lived in the area and have a continuing customary connection with the land. There has been no clear extinguishment [of title].”

McIntyre said the application aimed to protect native title from any impairment by granting of leases, because development was almost certain to impair it. “Our basic concern is to protect culture, and whether it is possible for their culture to coexist with Skyrail.”

McIntyre said that he told the Queensland crown solicitor that the Djabugay would act to ensure that native title was not impaired by the construction. He said, “This may mean that an injunction is taken out”.

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