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Aboriginal Land Claims approved in Mathoura

By Georgia Rossiter

Jun 26, 2022

Returned: Two Aboriginal land claims by Moama Local Aboriginal Council were approved by the NSW Government. Photo by Anna McGuinness

Two Aboriginal land claims in Mathoura were approved by the New South Wales Government last week.

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Three blocks of Crown land — totalling 0.75 hectares — will be transferred to the Moama Local Aboriginal Land Council as freehold and may be developed into new Aboriginal housing.

Moama Local Aboriginal Council chief executive John Kerr said it was a good result.

“I’m stoked and our board and community will be very pleased with this outcome,” Mr Kerr said.

“They are good blocks of land located in town so we want to explore opportunities to build more Aboriginal housing as there is an absolute need for it in this region.”

Mr Kerr said the council was looking at adopting an Aboriginal housing model that was currently being used in Albury to create more support housing in Mathoura.

Founded by Albury and District Aboriginal Land Council chief executive Dennis Mirsevich, Orbit Futures was planning to build 200 modular homes in Albury, and will also look at working with Moama Local Aboriginal Council.

Since the Aboriginal Land Rights Act began in 1983, more than 3885 Aboriginal land claims have been granted by the NSW Government and returned 164,032 hectares to Aboriginal Land Councils.