History

1819-1879 Early European explorers first arrived on Lama Lama Country in 1819. Captain Phillip Parker King sailed along the coastline of Princess Charlotte Bay and named ‘Jane Table Hill’, known to Lama Lama People as ‘Rirrmirr’. He was followed by a number of other explorers looking for minerals and observing geology.

1870s – 1880s In the 1870s and early 1880s settlers arrived looking for gold which led to the establishment of a number of cattle stations in the region. Yintjingga (Port Stewart) area played a vital role for freight and supplies, however, most businesses established in the area closed with the decline of mining. During this period many Lama Lama People took various roles and were required to work as stockmen, domestic servants and pearlers.

1890s In 1898 a researcher known as Walter E Roth (Northern Protector of Aboriginals) visited and mapped the area and recorded ethnographical information from tribal groups.

1927 Norman Tindale and Herbert Hale carried out studies which resulted in the publication of the ‘Aborigines of the Princess Charlotte Bay, North Queensland’ report. This report discussed tribal and cultural structures in the area including hunting, fishing and gathering activities amongst the Traditional Owners.

1928  An anthropologist by the name of Donald Thompson worked closely with the members of the Lama Lama clan who resided at Yintjingga (Port Stewart). He documented his observations through photography and recorded details regarding the customs and culture of the Lama Lama People. The Lama Lama People photographed by Thompson are the parents, grandparents and great grandparents of the Lama Lama People today. Many researchers – LaMont West Jr, Don Laycock, Bruce Sommer and Bruce Rigsby – undertook similar studies in the following years. For many years these photographs were exhibited in the Melbourne Museum; they are now on display at Yintjingga.

1961 Lama Lama People residing at Yintjingga were forcibly removed from their homelands by local police who set fire to their homes and shot their dogs. They were taken by boat to communities under the ‘protection’ of the Department of Native Affairs. While family members in Coen called for their return, it was many years before they could come home. Many of the Elders who were removed died at Cowl Creek (now Injinoo), unable to return to their home Country.

1970 – 1980  Many Lama Lama People began returning to Yintjingga on weekends and holidays. Some families established a permanent camp site on the banks of the Stewart River known as Theethinji. It is during this time that the Lama Lama People commenced their fight for legal ownership of their traditional lands.

1992 The Queensland Government returned a small parcel of land at Yintjingga to the Lama Lama People by way of a transfer of a public purpose reserve under the newly established Aboriginal Land Act. Today this land hosts the Lama Lama Safari Camp, residential areas, Bruce Rigsby multi- purpose community building and ranger base.

1992 – 1994 The Lama Lama People were involved in two claims over Lakefield National Park and Cliff Island National Park. Both of these claims were brought under the terms of the Queensland Aboriginal Land Act. In the Lakefield claim, the Lama Lama People represented their interests in the saltpan country towards the north of the Park, and were joint claimants with a number of other groups. The Cliff Islands claim related only to the Lama Lama People, and concerned a small group of islands off the coast opposite the Stewart River estuary, a very significant story place for the Lama Lama People. The Lama Lama People were recognised as Traditional Owners in these areas, with a statutory requirement for the establishment of joint boards of management. Official joint management of Cape York National Parks  did not occur until many years later. The Rindoparr Conservation Agreement for a smaller area of Marina Plains neighbouring Lakefield National Park was also established during this time, again not becoming operational for some time.

1995  The Lama Lama People were beneficiaries, along with the Umpila, Ayapathu and Kaanju peoples, of the state purchased Silver Plains station, the pastoral property adjacent to their Yintjingga homelands community. The transfer of this property took several years to implement, and involved a complex agreement to allow the State to declare a large part of this land as National Park. In return the parties would receive holding of their traditional countries. The Lama Lama People gained Aboriginal Freehold of their homelands, Maramba.

1997  The first house was built at a camp site located further upstream from Theethinji at Yintjingga. This site is known as Moojeeba and is named after a nearby waterhole. For many years’ prior, Lama Lama People had been living in tarp shelters.

Following the construction of Moojeeba, the Lama Lama People set out to devise a community-driven plan which outlined the aspirations of the Yintjingga community. The aspirations included fostering healthy community morale, establishing appropriate infrastructure and pursuing economic development. Elders led the creation of this plan which has assisted in providing a strong foundation for our future generations.

2001  Maramba (Silver Plains) was officially returned to the Lama Lama People following six years of negotiations.

2005  The Rindoparr (Marina Plains) Conservation Agreement (of 1994) was formalised to protect the cultural and environment values of the land. A ceremony was held which celebrated the title transfer from the Queensland Government to the Lama Lama People. An updated agreement in 2009 continued to protect the cultural and environmental values of the land but expanded the size and level of protection.

2008  The Queensland Government returned three parcels of land known as Running Creek and Lilyvale Station to the Lama Lama People. This agreement made history, establishing the first jointly managed National Park on Aboriginal Freehold land in Queensland – Lama Lama National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land). This agreement also resulted in the Yaakurra (Running Creek ) and Tuulwa (Lilyvale) Nature Refuges.

2009  KULLA (McIlwraith Range) National Park (CYPAL) was established – finalising negotiations which started in 1995. The park is owned by KULLA Land Trust, on behalf of Kaanju, Umpila, Lama Lama and Ayapathu peoples and managed in partnership with the Queensland Government.

During this time the Lama Lama People finalised the Lama Lama Strategic Community Plan which highlighted economic, social and cultural aspirations including plans to develop an active land, sea and cultural heritage management program for all Lama Lama Country.

2010  Marpa National Park (CYPAL), formerly Cliff Islands National Park,  located within Princess Charlotte Bay were formally returned to the Lama Lama People. This resulted in joint management with the Queensland Government as declared in the 1990s.

2011  The Lama Lama People, with the Queensland Government, devised the inaugural Management Plan for the Lama Lama National Park (CYPAL).

During this time the Lama Lama People also entered into partnership with the Queensland Government for joint ownership and management of the Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park (CYPAL) with other clan groups – an agreement set into action back in the early 1990s.

The Lama Lama Ranger Program was established with the support of the Australian Government. Our rangers blend traditional knowledge and culture with contemporary land and sea management practices. This program is intrinsically linked to the wider Lama Lama community through a shared vision for the protection of land, sea, wildlife, culture and people.

2013  The Lama Lama TUMRA was accredited entering into a new partnership between Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Queensland Government to manage Lama Lama Sea Country and marine resources.