Awabakal Aboriginal Land Council has been successful in its land claims over the King Edward Headland Reserve and the former Burwood Colliery Bowling Club site .
The NSW Department of Industry – Lands and Water announced on Friday that the claims had been granted because they satisfied criteria under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983.
The ALR Act recognises the spiritual, social, cultural and economic importance to Aboriginal people of land that was traditionally owned and occupied by their ancestors.
The Department has investigated both claims and determined that the King Edward Headland Reserve and the former Burwood Colliery Bowling Club site are lawfully claimable.
Awabakal Aboriginal Land Council lodged a claim in 2012 for the 0.6 hectare King Edward Headland Reserve, formerly the Newcastle Bowling Club site.
The decision to grant this claim does not affect the remaining 38 hectares of the King Edward Park, all of which remains accessible to the public.
A claim was also lodged a claim in 2017 on behalf of Awabakal Land Council for the former Burwood Colliery Bowling Club site.
Both parcels of land will be transferred as freehold land to Awabakal which will be responsible for the future management of the sites.
Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
