KLC wants access

The Kimberley Land Council has called for the legal rights and interests of the Malarngowem native titleholders to be recognised, before the sale of EG Green pastoral leases in the East Kimberley.

The stations, known as the Balmoral Stations include Spring Creek, Texas Downs, Lissadell, Mabel Downs, Springvale and Alice Downs, and cover the traditional country of the Kija people.

The properties were passed in at auction on October 29 but Lissadell has since been sold.

Peter Green told the Kimberley Echo last week that Lissadell had been sold and negotiations were going on for the sale of the other stations.

An Elders Real Estate spokesman said Lissadell was sold for between $11 and $12 million.

It is believed a local Kimberley station owner, one of the Buntine brothers, was the purchaser, but this could not be confirmed at the time of going to press.

"There have been long-term problems with access for the Malarngowem traditional owners to their lands covered by these pastoral leases," said KLC executive director Wayne Bergmann.

"Discussions have opened and we welcome that, but there are still access and other issues, such as Aboriginal living area applications, that have to be resolved.

Mr Green said the KLC was out of touch with the situation and that Warmun people had possessed the keys to locked gates on the stations for years.

There had been no restrictions on them coming and going as they pleased.

He revealed another interesting fact - the Spring Creek Track, which is the only entrance road to the Bungle Bungles, is a wholly owned station road.

Nothing other than a 'gentleman's agreement' has existed between Conservation and Land Management (CALM), the State Government and E.G.Green and Sons.

In theory the owner of Mabel Downs could close the road off to all traffic whenever he saw fit.

Mr Bergmann said Aboriginal traditional owners were not seeking to stop lease-holders from carrying on the business of running their pastoral leases, of exercising the rights granted by the lease, but wanted co-existent native title rights recognised and action taken so they were to exercise them.

"The KLC wants to work in a spirit of good will and cooperation to resolve these issues and looks forward to working with all concerned to resolve them," said Mr Bergmann.

The selling of the properties marks the end of a 30-year presence in the Kimberley for E.G.Green and Sons and a 40-year involvement for Peter Green.