A David and Goliath battle is continuing in South Australia over a $3 billion dollar housing estate development in northern Adelaide.
The land is recognised as Kaurna native title where the remains of at least 29 ancestors have been found.
Over the weekend approximately 50 people including, Kaurna Elders and their supporters, protested against developer Walker Corporation’s latest application to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyam Maher.
The developer is requesting a 25-year approval to disrupt and repatriate cultural heritage materials found on their 1600-hectare Riverlea Park development site.
The new submission includes 3 areas that weren't included in their first applications.
The protest was organised by Kaurna woman Natasha Wanganeen on behalf of more than 50 Kaurna Traditional Owners, with governance by three Elders.
Uncle Ian Carter is the group's spokesperson and the former director of Aboriginal Affairs for the South Australian government.
“Hopefully the government will acknowledge that we are trying to talk to them," he told NITV.
"People in the public think we’re radicals, all we’re trying to say is … please, don’t interfere with our ancestors remains.”
Advocates believe 300 remains on site
The weekend's protest action is one of many planned by the Kaurna advocates before the community consultations' November 24 deadline.
Hoping to keep their cultural heritage materials and ancestral remains in their current resting place, the advocates believe there are up to 300 Kaurna people's remains in the area.
Organiser and spokesperson Natasha Wanganeen said disturbing the remains would set a dangerous precedent.
“If our people's graves aren't safe, what makes you think yours are?
"You are not safe. Who do you think they're going to come for next? We’re not gonna stop until this sorted.”
Development area has 'high Aboriginal heritage sensitivity'
Riverlea is the largest housing development in South Australia's history.
The mammoth project plans to build more than 12,000 homes for 33,000 people, a plan which was approved by the Rann government in 2010.
The new application states that the areas in question are known to be significant with “high Aboriginal heritage sensitivity” in the combined 5 areas, located south of the Gawler River (Kadlitparri) and west of Port Wakefield Road 39km north of Adelaide's CBD.
Walker Corporation's application says there are extensive sites "including Aboriginal ancestral burials, culturally modified trees, campsites and artefacts" which would be removed and relocated, potentially interstate, for scientific examination.
Under South Australia's Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988, approval to disrupt areas of cultural heritage requires consultation and approval.
The approving organisation for the original application was the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation (KYAC) chaired by Kaurna man Tim Aguis. However KYAC members state that the approval process wasn’t transparent and they weren’t aware of the approvals that were made by KYAC Directors because they weren't consulted.
The Chair of KYAC Tim Agius was contacted for comment but did not reply.
