Editing Kakadu National Park (section)

==Protection, ownership and management==
The park was declared as a [[protected area]] in several stages starting in the 1970s.<ref name=handback2022/>

The cultural and natural values of Kakadu National Park were recognised internationally when the [[Park]] was placed on the [[UNESCO]] World Heritage List.  This is an international register of properties that are recognised as having outstanding cultural or natural values of international significance.

===Fight for Kakadu===

Kakadu was proclaimed a National Park in several stages between 1979 and 1991.<ref>{{cite web |title=Amazing Facts |url=https://parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/discover/amazing-facts/ |website=Kakadu National Park |publisher=Parks Australia (Commonwealth of Australia) |access-date=12 Nov 2023}}</ref> These parts also were progressively added to its World Heritage Status as those additions were made. The first was Stage 1 in 1981, then in 1987 (Stages 1 and 2), in 1992 (Stages 1, 2 and 3).<ref name=dccew>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/places/world/kakadu|title=World Heritage Places - Kakadu National Park|website=Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |date=12 Sep 2022|language=en|access-date=6 Nov 2023}}</ref>

Between 1988-1991 an exclusion zone to allow exploration and mining, particularly of gold, at [[Coronation Hill]] and [[El Sherana]] by [[BHP]] existed.<ref>{{cite web |title=BHP WANTS CORONATION TO PROCEED |date=14 August 1990 |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/bhp-wants-coronation-to-proceed-19900814-k41y8 |publisher=Financial Review |access-date=4 Nov 2023}}</ref>  Groups from environmental, social and indigenous perspectives opposed the proposal. Miners and some economists supported it.

In Victoria the '''[[Kakadu Action Group]]''' (KAG) was formed by [[Lindsay Mollison]] at the Melbourne offices of the [[Australian Conservation Foundation]]  where regular meetings were held.<ref>{{cite news |title=KAG Meetings Glenferrie |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122222846/?match=1&clipping_id=128764289 |access-date=4 Nov 2023 |publisher=The Age |date=24 Nov 1987 |page=2}}</ref> The Group held public meetings to encourage support for opposition to the proposal.<ref>{{cite news |last1=The Age p. 40 |title=KAG: Wilderness Society Meeting, St Kilda |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122957405/?terms=%22kakadu%20action%20group%22%20&match=1 |access-date=26 July 2023 |work=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Age |date=14 Apr 1989 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kakadu: World Heritage Under Threat |title=Kakadu: World Heritage Under Threat |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121055922/?terms=%22kakadu%20action%20group%22%20&match=1 |access-date=4 Nov 2023 |publisher=The Age, p. 41 |date=4 Nov 1988}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilderness |title=Wilderness: KAG |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122957352/?terms=%22kakadu%20action%20group%22%20&match=1 |access-date=4 Nov 2023 |publisher=The Age, p 31 |date=14 Apr 1989}}</ref>   Mollison also participated by contributing and rebutting letters to the "[[Letters to the Editor]]" of [[The Age]] newspaper over the several years.<ref>{{cite news |date=20 Oct 1988 |title=Mining Industry not disadvantaged |work=Lindsay Mollison. KAG |publisher=The Age, p 12 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age/128764001/ |access-date=4 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=1 Oct 1990 |title=Kakadu - public puts pressure brakes on mining development |work=Lindsay Mollison. KAG |publisher=The Age, p 12 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120576449/?terms=%22lindsay%20mollison%22%20&match=1 |access-date=4 Nov 2023}}</ref> The organisation was being surveilled by the Australian Government with archives of its meetings still held secretly by the Government (due for release in 2026).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kakadu Action Group (KAG), Melbourne, 1987-89 (File 8226) - Box 67 |title=KAG Files |url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1965778 |website=NLA |access-date=4 Nov 2023}}</ref>

In a hearts and mind campaign, including KAG's contributions, the excluded sections within the proposed stage 3 were progressively decreased in size and were eventually completely removed after the mining proposal was ultimately vetoed at a Cabinet meeting by the then Prime Minister, [[Bob Hawke]], in May 1991.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chan |first1=Gabrielle |title=Cabinet papers 1990-91: Hawke's fight to keep mining out of Kakadu helped unseat him |newspaper=The Guardian |date=31 December 2015 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jan/01/cabinet-papers-1990-91-hawkes-fight-to-keep-mining-out-of-kakadu-helped-unseat-him |publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited |access-date=4 Nov 2023}}</ref> Those actions were important in his being replaced later that year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hawke stands by decision on Kakadu |url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/hawke-stands-by-decision-on-kakadu/b5851c56-80e7-4112-8634-05f911bc329f |website=Nine Entertainment Co. |date=6 February 2013 |publisher=AAP |access-date=4 Nov 2023}}</ref>  The area was added to Kakadu National Park as part of its stage 3 inclusions in 1992.<ref name="dccew"/> The activities of the '''[[Kakadu Action Group]]''' during these years contributed to mining being banned and the areas being added to the Park.

However, a separate exclusion zone  at [[Jabiluka]] still remained.  In this instance the proposal was to mine uranium.  This was finally ruled out and this part of Kakadu was added to the Park in 1996. The precedents set with [[Coronation Hill]] were important in that decision.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hamilton |first1=Clive |title=Mining in Kakadu: Lessons from Coronation Hill |journal=Parliamentary Library 'Vital Issues' Seminar Series Parliament House |date=19 July 1996 |volume=Discussion Paper Number 9 |issue=9 |pages=1–18 |url=https://australiainstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/DP9_8.pdf |access-date=4 Nov 2023}}</ref> Local First Nations Gaagudju man [[Big Bill Neidjie]] was an important leader in the campaign against the proposed Jabiluka mine and the inclusion of the area in the park.<ref name="smh">{{cite web | title=The man who attended his own wake|first=Chips |last=Mackinolty | website=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | date=17 June 2002 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-man-who-attended-his-own-wake-20020617-gdfdey.html | access-date=24 October 2021}}</ref>

In 2011 the Koongarra area, where there remained a proposal for another uranium mine, was added to the World Heritage Region.<ref>{{cite web |title=World Heritage Places - Koongarra |url=https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/places/world/kakadu#more-information |website=Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |access-date=12 Nov 2023}}</ref>

===Park management===
The Kakadu National Park is proclaimed under the ''[[Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999]]'' (the EPBC Act) and is managed through a joint management arrangement between the Aboriginal traditional owners and the Director of National Parks. The Director manages Commonwealth national parks through [[Parks Australia]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About us |url=https://parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/about/ |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=parksaustralia.gov.au |language=en-au}}</ref> Parks Australia and the Aboriginal traditional owners of Kakadu are committed to the principle of joint management of the park and arrangements to help this happen are highlighted in Kakadu's Plan of Management.<ref name=":0" />

The EPBC Act provides for boards of management to be established for parks on Aboriginal land. The Kakadu Board of Management, which has an Aboriginal majority (ten out of fifteen members), representing the Aboriginal traditional owners of land in the park, was established in 1989. The Board determines policy for managing the park and is responsible, along with the Director, for preparing plans of management for the park. The Plan of Management is the main policy document for the park and strives to balance strategic or long-term goals and tactical or day to day goals.
Day-to-day management of Kakadu is carried out by people employed by Parks Australia, which is a branch of the Australian Government's Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.  Approximately one-third of the staff in Kakadu are Aboriginal people.

Kakadu National Park re-introduced a park use fee from April 2010, to help manage the natural and cultural values of the park environment and improve visitor services.

===Aboriginal land ownership===
Approximately half of the land in Kakadu is Aboriginal land under the ''[[Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=corporateName=National Museum of Australia; address=Lawson Crescent |first=Acton Peninsula |title=National Museum of Australia - Aboriginal Land Rights Act |url=https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/aboriginal-land-rights-act |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.nma.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> Most of the remaining land was under [[native title in Australia|native title claim]] by Aboriginal people for several decades until March 2022, under four different claims. On 24 March 2022 a ceremony took place today to mark the formal handback by Minister for Indigenous Affairs [[Ken Wyatt]] of nearly half of the park to Aboriginal traditional owners. These  are the [[Limilngan|Limingan/ Minitja]], [[Murumburr]], Karndidjbal,<ref>{{cite web |last=Garde |first=Murray |title=Karndidjbal |url=https://www.njamed.com/#Karndidjbal |website=Bininj Kunwok Dictionary |access-date=17 October 2022}}</ref> Yulhmanj,<ref>{{cite web |last=Garde |first=Murray |title=Yulhmanj |url=https://www.njamed.com/#Yulhmanj |website=Bininj Kunwok Dictionary |access-date=17 October 2022}}</ref> Wurngomgu, Bolmo, Wurrkbarbar, Madjba,<ref>{{cite web |last=Garde |first=Murray |title=Madjba |url=https://www.njamed.com/#Madjba |website=Bininj Kunwok Dictionary |access-date=17 October 2022}}</ref> [[Uwinymil]], [[Bunidj]], [[Djindibi]], [[Bininj|Mirrar Kundjeyhmi]] and Dadjbaku peoples. The areas of the park that are owned by Aboriginal people are leased by the [[traditional owners]] to the [[Director of National Parks]] to be managed as a national park.<ref name=handback2022>{{cite web |last=Gibson |first=Jano |title=Nearly half of Kakadu National Park to be handed back to Aboriginal traditional owners |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-24/kakadu-national-park-land-handback-aboriginal-traditional-owners/100933290 |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=24 March 2022 |access-date=30 March 2022}}</ref>