The State Minister for Planning has approved a significant plan for the Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council, the largest non-government landholder on the coast.
Executive Director of Local and Regional Planning Malcolm McDonald said the Department had worked with Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) to finalise its Development Delivery Plan (DDP), which outlines how 31 sites, consisting of 94 lots, could potentially be developed.
“This DDP sets out Darkinjung’s intentions for how the 31 sites could support future new homes, jobs, open space on the Central Coast,” Mr McDonald said.
“This final plan lays the foundation for Darkinjung’s land to be transformed, giving Aboriginal people on the Central Coast a stronger voice in deciding how their land is used and the ability to reap the economic rewards.”
Darkinjung Chair, Barry ‘BJ’ Duncan said the DDP was the culmination of years of work led by Darkinjung, which would provide a roadmap for other LALCs to activate their land.
“Once activated, these developments will be used to alleviate residential and industrial land shortages across the Central Coast, with the proceeds being used by Darkinjung to provide better life outcomes for Aboriginal people through the provision of affordable housing, sponsorships for our community, and scholarships for our children,” Mr Duncan said.
Darkinjung Chief Executive Officer, Brendan Moyle said the approval and gazetting of the DDP allows Darkinjung to strategically activate land, providing a pathway for the future economic prosperity of Darkinjung and the Central Coast Aboriginal community.
“Words cannot describe how important this is to the Central Coast and the broader Land Rights movement. We thank the Department and the Minister for their work on this which supports Aboriginal economic self-determination through LALCs, where the true power of Land Rights sits,” Mr Moyle said.
Detailed planning proposals and development applications for each site will go through Council and be subject to assessment and consultation.
The approval of the DDP also makes certain developments regionally significant so that planning decisions will be made by the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel rather than council.
Darkinjung LALC covers an area extending from Catherine Hill Bay and Lake Macquarie to the north, the Hawkesbury River to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the east, and Watagan Mountains, McDonald River and Wollombi up to Mt Yengo to the west.
The DPP states that Darkinjung LALC currently owns approximately 3,700 ha of land across the Central Coast local government area.
Much of this land is expected to never be developed – and represents an expansive conservation estate.
Of the 94 lots, Darkinjung owns 73 and is expecting ownership of two lots at Peat Island as the State Government announced recently and other lots are subject to land claims.
“Of the approximately 3,700ha of land that Darkinjung LALC owns, the 31 sites in this DDP (which includes some land not currently owned by the LALC, as separately detailed) cover approximately 1,613ha,” the overview states.
“Importantly, the 31 sites include significant areas of conservation land and those parts of the sites are proposed to be protected.”
Detailed planning proposals and development applications for each site will go through Council and be subject to assessment and consultation.
The approval of the DDP also makes certain development regionally significant developments so that planning decisions will be made by the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel rather than council.
Darkinjung LALC covers an area extending from Catherine Hill Bay and Lake Macquarie to the north, the Hawkesbury River to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the east, and Watagan Mountains, McDonald River and Wollombi up to Mt Yengo to the west.
Of the 31 sites:
- 12 are identified as short-term priority sites;
- 11 are medium-term priority sites; and
- 8 are longer-term priority sites.
All the sites are identified in the DPP which is now publicly available.
The plan considers the high-level opportunities and constraints associated with future development of the 31 sites.
The DDP does not approve development on the sites. The approval of the DDP is an initial step toward consideration of planning proposals or development applications (DAs) with opportunities for community consultation.
Darkinjung is one of 120 Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) in NSW. It is the largest non-Government landholder on the Central Coast.
Central Coast Council last week adopted a FIrst Nations Accord which says it acknowledges and respects the role and function of Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council, the locally established statutory body with the mandated responsibility to represent and care for the local Aboriginal community and manage local Aboriginal lands, Culture and Heritage
Meanwhile, Darkinjung’s Mangrove Mountain Cultural Tourism Park is set to receive a $650,000 boost thanks to Round Two of the NSW Government’s Regional Tourism Activation Fund.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Adam Crouch said it was a pleasure to be able to provide Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council with the funds required to help get this project off the ground.
“I would like to thank the team at Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council for the time they put into their application,” Mr Crouch said.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing your project come to fruition and working with you to realize the positive outcomes your project will contribute to regional NSW.”
The investment will help Darkinjung build a cultural tourism precinct where the Aboriginal community can share their creation and dreaming stories, and cultural practices.
“Darkinjung is proud to lead the development of a cultural park that will help people experience these things, here on the doorstep of Sydney rather than feeling like they have to travel to the Northern Territory to experience Aboriginal culture,” Chair Mr Duncan said.
CEO Mr Moyle said many people don’t know the creation story of Biayami that is shared amongst many Aboriginal nations across NSW and began at Mount Yengo at the back of the Central Coast.
“This park will be something unique where domestic and international visitors can come and have cultural experiences, staying overnight in camping or glamping which many people currently feel that they have to travel interstate for,” Mr Moyle said.
“This investment will help celebrate that ancient culture, while building unique visitor experiences, employment and business opportunities for the Aboriginal community.”
The State Government’s regional plan for the Central Coast includes an objective to support the rights of Aboriginal residents to economic self-determination.
