Yugambeh Nation has been lobbying for their rightful involvement with and recognition as Traditional Owners of Mt. Wollumbin, which New South Wales Parks and Wildlife have handed recognition and control of, to neighbouring Aboriginal groups and/or persons of no Aboriginal heritage at all. The Yugambeh Nation has even been threatened with baseless legal claims.

As the Referendum draws near, we remind Australia that the voice of real and authentic Aboriginal families from a space are often pushed aside, and our traditional country is handed to neighbouring groups. It should be noted that no member of the Wollumbin Aboriginal Consultative Group that we know is demonstrably connected to the Murangburra clan of the Yugambeh Nation, they are all Cudgenburra clansmen, Byron Bay Bundjalung, or Githabul people.

Murangburra Clan Representative, Shaun Davies, called out the in action in the national paper - The Australian (link here). Telling the newspaper “We are the local family. The physical and cultural heritage belongs to us and our ownership of that is being ignored”.

Despite correspondence from NPWS that the matter would be dealt with and we would hear back from them, to date there has only been silence

Email NPWS today and let them know that you do not condone their exclusion of the Traditional Owner voices in the Wollumbin area.

npws.wollumbin@environment.nsw.gov.au