News & Publications
Contact the media team on media@nlc.org.au.
Malak Malak Traditional Owners launch Healthy Country Plan
Sep 25, 2020
The Malak Malak ranger base came to life last Tuesday 15 September with the ranger group hosting the long awaited launch of the Malak Malak Healthy Country Plan.
Blue Mud Bay Action deal will protect Aboriginal sea country rights
Aug 6, 2020
The NLC and the NT Government signed the Blue Mud Bay Action Plan on 29 July.
Kenbi Rangers inspire next generation to care for country
Jul 15, 2020
The Kenbi Rangers, along with a number of supporters and stakeholders, hosted a junior ranger camp over three days in July at Charles Point as part of their ongoing commitment to engaging with the local community.
Vale Jack Ah Kit – the NLC mourns the passing of a great leader
Jul 13, 2020
The Northern Land Council mourns the passing of John Ah Kit – known better to many as Jack Ah Kit or just Jack – who passed away on Sunday 12 July at the Royal Darwin Hospital.
Cool room breakdowns – no problem! Children go hunting at Wagiman Culture Camp
Jul 13, 2020
The otherwise quiet heritage site of Sawmill on the Wagiman Aboriginal Land Trust came to life on July 13 when the annual Wagiman Culture Camp - its diverse lineup of informative and entertaining guests – kicked off.
‘I want to excel’: young Galiwin’ku local thrives in traditional owner-funded position
Jul 10, 2020
Evellena Wanambi loves her job as a Youth Sport and Recreation (YSR) Officer at the East Arnhem Regional Council in Galiwin’ku. Thanks to funding provided by Galiwin’ku traditional owners, she is employed to support young people in her community to reach their potential.
Ranger Compliance Support Project Update April 2020
Apr 20, 2020
What you need to know about the Ranger Compliance Support Project at the NLC.
NLC's Aboriginal language short films about COVID-19
Apr 4, 2020
“Stay on country, care for family” in Yolngu Matha, one of 18 language messages produced by the NLC.
NLC's Chairman shares a message about Coronavirus
Mar 31, 2020
A message for all you mob in the NLC area from the Chairman, Samuel Bush-Blanasi. "Stay on country, look after your family and look after yourself."
Remote Top End communities closed off to non-essential travel due to coronavirus - ABC News Darwin
Mar 14, 2020
Remote communities in the Northern Territory's Top End have been closed to all non-essential travel in response to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.
Ranger Compliance Support Project Update Dec 2019
Jan 17, 2020
What you need to know about the Ranger Compliance Support Project at the Northern Land Council.
NLC's Community Planning and Development Program - an overview
Dec 18, 2019
Watch this video to learn more about the NLC's Community Planning and Development Program.
Community Planning and Development Newsletter
Dec 12, 2019
Aboriginal groups continue to work with the NLC’s Community Planning and Development (CP&D) team to drive their own development. Through the CP&D Program Aboriginal groups use their land use agreement income to do projects that bring lasting community benefit.
Indigenous Ranger Forum 2019
Dec 4, 2019
Hundreds of rangers from across the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland came together near Darwin in August to share their knowledge and hone their skills.
Territory Q's profile of NLC CEO Marion Scrymgour
Nov 8, 2019
Marion Scrymgour was the first Indigenous woman in Parliament and later became the first Indigenous leader of an Australian government in history when she was made Acting Chief Minister.
Connecting school students to learn on country
Oct 11, 2019
A three-day Learning on Country forum took place in Darwin in September, involving more than 80 school principals, teachers, rangers and ranger coordinators, Learning on Country coordinators and Indigenous cultural advisors.
Community Planning and Development Newsletter
Jun 12, 2019
The NLC Community Planning and Development (CP&D) Program started in 2016. It works with Aboriginal land-owning groups and supports them to use their money from land use agreements, such as royalties or lease money, to drive their own development and secure benefits from their land, waters and seas.
Compensation awarded in Timber Creek in Australian first
Apr 17, 2019
Twenty years after the native title holders of Timber Creek – five estate groups of the Ngarliwurru and Nungali peoples – filed their original native title claim, the High Court of Australia has awarded them compensation for the loss of native title rights over parts of the land within the town area.
“It took us 20 years, but we finally got it!” Native Title finally recognised in Pine Creek
Apr 17, 2019
The Wagiman and Jawoyn Bolmo, Matjba and Wurrkbarbar groups have been recognised as the native title holders of the town of Pine Creek at a determination ceremony held on country, two decades after the first claim was lodged.
Report into detriment review tabled in Parliament
Feb 21, 2019
The Aboriginal Land Commissioner’s Report on the review of detriment into Aboriginal Land Claims recommended for grant but not yet finalised was tabled in Parliament on Thursday, 21 February 2019.
NLC and CLC Joint Submission to the Economic Policy Scrutiny Committee
Feb 15, 2019
Northern Land Council and Central Land Council Joint Submission to the Economic Policy Scrutiny Committee Petroleum Legislation Amendment Bill 2018
1970s Aboriginal children’s art offers window into history
Jan 23, 2019
A project to reunite children’s drawings from the 1970s with their original Yolngu artists is now underway involving Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala and the National Museum of Australia.
Carbon farming supports Yugul Mangi culture camp for young people
Jan 22, 2019
The Yugul Mangi Rangers ran a two-day culture camp in September 2018. Traditional Owners from the South East Arnhem Land Indigenous Protected Area (SEAL IPA) supported the camp using income from the carbon farming work of their rangers.
Waanyi-Garawa ranger presents at international conference
Jan 22, 2019
Waanyi-Garawa ranger Josephine Davey, Ganalanga-Mindibirrina IPA coordinator Ostiane Massiani and NLC Caring for Country women and youth coordinator Kate van Wezel travelled to the University of Queensland in early December to present a paper at Unsettling Australia, the 2018 biennial conference of the International Australian Studies Association.
ABA Homelands Project Update
Dec 23, 2018
The Aboriginals Benefit Account (ABA) Homelands Project has been allocated a total of $40 million from the ABA; $35.5 million will be allocated for the delivery of activities in homelands across the four Aboriginal Land Council regions in the NT. These funds are accessed through a grant application process coordinated by the NLC.
History made as native title rights finally recognised
Dec 22, 2018
Two historic native title claims are now resolved, decades after they were first claimed.
High Court comes to Darwin: Valuing native title in dollars
Dec 21, 2018
In September 2018, the Timber Creek native title compensation claim – one of the biggest test cases in Indigenous rights since Mabo – brought the High Court of Australia to the Northern Territory for the first time in its 116-year history.
NLC prepares for 2019 council elections
Dec 21, 2018
The Northern Land Council is reviewing the way its members are allocated across its jurisdiction, ahead of Council elections to take place in the second half of 2019.
Timber Creek Rangers trained in sawfish monitoring
Dec 19, 2018
NLC’s Timber Creek rangers and CSIRO have established a sawfish monitoring program on the Victoria River to record population estimates.
Aboriginal Housing NT takes home Fitzgerald Human Rights Award
Dec 18, 2018
Aboriginal Housing NT (AHNT) has won the 2018 NT Human Rights Commission’s Fitzgerald Award for Diversity.
Tales from the Tinny: Fishos face lockouts as Blue Mud Bay negotiations bog down
Nov 16, 2018
The Northern Land Council has given the Government till December 4th to negotiate, or they will lock out all fishermen from up to 80 per cent of the Territory's coastline.
Upgrades to Marralum outstation: Building a strong future for native title holders
Aug 30, 2018
Native title holders are driving upgrades to Marralum outstation near the Western Australian border using funds generated from a major prawn farm project.
Re-connecting Women with Country
Aug 28, 2018
The Northern Land Council’s Caring for Country Branch has adopted a Women’s Employment Strategy in response to the requests from Traditional Owners, community members and women rangers to increase opportunities for women to work as rangers.
The Women’s Culture Walk 2018
Jul 6, 2018
Thirty women from Numbulwar took part in the Women’s Culture Walk from 25-29 June 2018, traversing 40km of coast in the South East Arnhem Land Indigenous Protected Area.
Vernon Islands Handed Back
Jun 1, 2018
The Vernon Islands have been officially returned to the Mantiyupwi Tiwi people, 40 years after the land claim was lodged.
NLC Rangers among first NT Fisheries Inspectors
Jun 1, 2018
Two NLC rangers are among the first six Indigenous Rangers in the Northern Territory to become Fisheries Inspectors.
Community Planning and Development: Youth Activities in Galiwin’ku
Jun 1, 2018
It’s 6pm and young Yolngu are racing up and down the basketball courts in Galiwin’ku. Youth program coordinator Josie Wright organises a group of girls into teams for a game, while others watch from the sidelines.
Submission by the Northern and Central land councils to the Closing the Gap refresh initiative
Jun 1, 2018
This submission is made jointly by the Northern Land Council (NLC) and the Central Land Council (CLC) (Land Councils), both independent statutory authorities established under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth) (Land Rights Act).