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The Native Titles
Overview
The Wanjina-Wunggurr (Native Title) Aboriginal Corporation, commonly known as the Wanjina-Wunggurr PBC or WWPBC, holds native title on trust for three distinct Traditional Owner groups across a vast area of the Kimberley region in Western Australia.
Together, these native title determinations cover millions of hectares of land and sea, representing one of the most significant native title recognitions in Australian history.
The Three Native Title Determination Areas
The Wanjina-Wunggurr PBC manages native title rights and interests across three separate determination areas:
Wanjina Wunggurr Dambimangari
This determination covers approximately 27,937 square kilometers of land and sea in the coastal regions of the Kimberley. The determination recognizes both exclusive and non-exclusive native title rights for the Worrorra/Dambimangari people. This area stretches from Collier Bay and Walcott Inlet in the south, along the coast to Saint George Basin and Hanover Bay, extending inland and including significant island groups.
Wanjina Wunggurr Wilinggin
Determined in 2004 through Federal Court case Neowarra v Western Australia [2004] FCA 1092, this was the first of the three determinations. The Wilinggin determination area covers more than 60,150 square kilometers (over 6.3 million hectares) in the central and northern Kimberley, representing the traditional lands of the Ngarinyin/Wilinggin people. This area encompasses one of the largest intact tropical savannah ecosystems in the world.
Wanjina Wunggurr Uunguu
This determination, made in 2011, covers approximately 2.5 million hectares of graa (land) and wundaagu (saltwater) in the far North Kimberley. The determination granted the Wunambal Gaambera people exclusive native title rights to 90 percent of their land and islands, with shared native title rights in the sea. The entire determination area is also declared as the Uunguu Indigenous Protected Area.
Native Title Rights
Across these determination areas, native title rights include:
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Exclusive possession over significant portions of land, meaning Traditional Owners have the right to possess, occupy, use, and enjoy their country and make all decisions about these rights
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Non-exclusive rights in certain areas, allowing Traditional Owners to access, camp, hunt, fish, gather resources, and conduct ceremonies
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Shared rights in sea country, recognizing Traditional Owners' continuing connection to marine areas
Cultural Significance
All three determination areas are united by the shared Wanjina Wunggurr culture, based on ancestral stories and laws passed down through generations. The Wanjina and Wunggurr spirits are the creators in the Dreaming (known as Lalai), and their presence is marked across the land through rock art, sacred sites, and the living connection maintained by Traditional Owners.
Management Structure
While the Wanjina-Wunggurr PBC holds the native title on trust for all three groups, each determination area is managed by its own Aboriginal corporation:
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Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation manages Dambimangari country
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Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation manages Wilinggin country
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Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation manages Uunguu country
This structure ensures that each group maintains autonomy over their own country while benefiting from collective strength in protecting their shared native title rights and cultural heritage.