A new model in planning could see the entirety of NSW national parks handed back to Aboriginal owners over a 15 to 20 year period.

Less than a month after NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced an Indigenous-led approach to closing the gap across various initiatives, consultation has commenced on a new model for Aboriginal joint management of NSW national parks. 

Minister for Environment James Griffin said that the joint management model could be a historic step that no other Australian jurisdiction has taken. 

“Already, more than 30 per cent of the NSW national parks estate is covered by joint management, but Aboriginal people currently hold title or native title to just over four per cent of it,” Mr Griffin said. 

“This is putting Aboriginal land management and stewardship at the heart of our efforts to conserve our precious environment and care for Country,” he said. 

Parks in the Western Plains already under a joint management plan include Dandy Gorge (in the Pilliga Nature Reserve), Culgoa National Park, and the Narran Lake Nature Reserve. 

The NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) noted that while title transfer could be on the table, the government has made no commitment to hand back anything so far. 

“The government intend to discuss establishing a process to identify who should hold title,” the NSWALC cites. 

Nulla Nulla Local Aboriginal Land Council (Bourke) Chairperson Robert Knight is also sceptical of the model. 

“It’s not so much total handover,” Mr Knight said. 

Also a Co-Chair of the Gundabooka National Park, Mr Knight said management would improve if it was transferred from its current joint management model to Indigenous management. 

He says those parks in NSW that are under Indigenous control are much better managed. 

“It’s the way we’re connected to the land, and it’s creating access to the park for Aboriginal people on a much bigger scale,” Mr Knight said. 

The consultation process is expected to take 18 months and will involve engagement with Aboriginal communities.