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THE G’day Group has secured a 99-year lease in a new agreement for El Questro resort, signed with the Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation (WAC) and the Western Australian Government. The Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) spans the traditional lands of Wanjina Wungurr Wilinggin people at El Questro Wilderness Park in the Kimberley. With the property residing on the Traditional Lands of two First Nations groups, the Wanjina Wungurr Wilinggin (south of the Gibb River Road) and Balanggarra (to the north).
Since the Ngarinyin people achieved their Native Title in 2004 we have endeavoured to build a contemporary Ngarinyin Society capable of sustaining our Wanjina cultural values, building a sustainable economic base for our community and regaining control of our land without impeding the right and interests of our neighbours,” said Arnold Sahanna, chair at WAC. “This ILUA that we are now entering into delivers on all these aspects of our ambitions as a First Nations people.” The agreement sees around 165,000-hectares of El Questro south of the Gibb River Road converted from the previous pastoral lease to freehold and reserve and returned to its Traditional Owners by the West Australian Government, almost 120 years after El Questro was set up as a cattle station.
The ILUA will also see part of the land leased back to El Questro G’Day Group, El Questro’s operator, on a 99-year lease term, with the operator able to conduct tourism activities over the entirety of the former pastoral lease area. The agreement also guarantees ongoing employment and training for local Indigenous youth. “This Agreement and the model developed for collaborative development outcomes for the Kimberley is a solid achievement that we hope our young people will see as a way forward for our community to regain our place at the table of decision making in matters that impact on our lives as the Traditional Owners of this part of the country,” added Sahanna. The G’day Group acquired the tourist destination, which was established in 1991, in 2021.
“When we acquired this property in 2021, a priority for us was to find a way to secure flexible long-term tenure for our business and enable Traditional Owners to leverage their native title rights into a genuine economic asset,” said Grant Wilckens, CEO at G’day Group. “I have to congratulate our partners Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation on proposing a model that achieves both these objectives; and the State Government for getting behind it.” The G’Day Group will also purchase carbon credits from WAC, enabling the property to operate with net zero carbon emissions.
The ILUA will enable the G’day Group to move forward on its plans for the property, such as adding more accommodation, developing better water, waste and land management practices and offering new cultural experiences in partnership with Traditional Owners. With the pastoral lease now a freehold and reserve, the livestock on the land can be moved from the site, which should allow for the restoration of the environment. “As a business, we are committed to a long-term strategy of sustainability and deeper connection with Traditional Owners right across Australia and we are hopeful that this agreement can serve as a framework for other tourism operators and pastoralists, ensuring that Indigenous rights to land are at the forefront,” concluded Wilckens.