Barkandji agreement to secure White Cliffs dugouts
Residents who live in dugouts in the outback community of White Cliffs were granted permanent leases in 2021, following an agreement between the NSW Government and Barkandji people, who are native title holders over the land.
The indigenous land use agreement was a significant outcome for the small opal mining community, located 255 km northeast of Broken Hill. The agreement was a ‘win–win’ that provided permanent security for White Cliffs dugout residents and due recognition of the Barkandji Aboriginal community and its traditional and enduring links to the land.
The Federal Court endorsed a native title claim over the White Cliffs area by the Barkandji Registered Native Title Body Corporation in 2015. We worked with the corporation to negotiate an agreement to secure permanent Crown land leases for the residents of the White Cliffs dugouts.
The agreement will also allow for ongoing licences to be granted for other land use purposes, including grazing across the broader Barkandji area.