Words: A secretive native title claim threatens the future of Great Keppel Island as an iconic Australian tourist destination, prompting doubts about Labor’s $30 million commitment to restore the island.

A native title application lodged with the Federal Court last month is seeking exclusive possession, occupation, use and enjoyment by the Woppaburra people over the majority of the island. If successful, about 84% of Great Keppel Island will be under native title. 

The Queensland Labor government has known about the application for more than a month and have stayed silent on the matter to avoid haemorrhaging votes ahead of the 26 October state election. One Nation’s candidate for area, James Ashby, has noted this could be the reason Labor’s promised $30 million for Great Keppel Island did not appear in the state Budget this month.

“I have a strong sense that Labor has always planned to hand over Great Keppel Island to native title claimants after chasing countless investors away. If the application is successful, I don’t see the island ever having another proper resort built on that part of the island again, or any significant tourist or visitor industry in the future. The application seeks the right to possession, occupation, use and enjoyment of the area to the exclusion of all others.

“In 2021, the Federal Court handed about 474 acres – or 14% of the island – to the Woppaburra people for exclusive use. If the Federal Court agrees to the latest claim, they will have exclusive use over 84% of the island, restricting public access to non-indigenous Australians and killing off the island’s revitalisation. Non-indigenous Australians will have no say in it.

“Locals won’t be impressed by what I believe is a deliberate attempt by Labor to destroy much of the tourism on Great Keppel Island in an effort to hand the island over.”