Many people would wonder why a small group of Aboriginal people would be celebrating their native title victory in the Northern Territory with such obvious joy today.
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After all, it was a tiny claim in comparison to many others in these traditionally long and costly legal fights.
Just a single square kilometre of their country, slap bang in the middle of nowhere.
Larrimah was earlier this year publicly outed as one of the most dysfunctional towns in rural Australia, a place with a population of 10 and falling.
Famously one of the town’s long term residents, Paddy Moriarty, went missing just before Christmas last year and has never been since since, likely murdered.
The few people braving the buildup heat to walk past the Supreme Court in Darwin today were puzzled by it all.
The Federal Court of Australia held a special hearing to recognise native title rights and interests over the town of Larrimah.
Members of the little known Wubalawun group travelled from Katherine and further afield to celebrate the occasion.
After years of dislocation and denial, it gives the Wubalawun a reason to dream of a future again.
Members of the group have been scattered all over, chiefly in Katherine, waiting on a claim first made in 2001, to finally be settled.
“There are some people who were part of this fight, including my mother, who have passed on and would be happy we have reached this point,” the group’s chair, Allen Maroney said.
For the Wubalawun, Larrimah is their home, a centre piece of their Dreaming, their connection to the country.
Mr Maroney said the native title recognition gave reason for optimism.
The Wubalawun hold native title over surrounding pastoral leases, amounting to about 80,000 hectares.
The group now hopes to build homes in Larrimah so they can work their land – mango orchards are top of mind – perhaps attract enthusiasts to its many native and rare birds like the Gouldian Finch.
“We want Larrimah to be known as a friendly town, a family town,” Mr Maroney said.
“We are not here to take anything over, but we do hope to be good for the town.”
Jimmy Wavehill, the original applicant for the native title, which was extended in 2011, was on hand for the court decision today.
“It took a long time, longer than anyone thought, but we are happy today,” he said.
As the Northern Land Council CEO Joe Morrison said outside the court, this native title decision was different to any other in the NT in that it recognised a right to “access and take resources for any purpose”.
These included commercial purposes not limited to personal or domestic purposes.
This is the first time that right has been recognised in the NT by agreement with the NT Government and native title claimants without going to trial as occurred in Borroloola in 2016.
It is hoped this determination will pave the way for recognition of the right in other parts of the NT without the need for costly trials, Mr Morrison said.
Mr Maroney said he hoped younger members of the Wubalawun would be inspired to take advantage of the building blocks which are now in place.
“We have our future back.”
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