Deed of Grant in Trust

System of community-level land trust established in Queensland to administer Aboriginal land

A Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT) is the name for a system of community-level land trust established in Queensland to administer former Aboriginal reserves and missions. They came about through the enactment by the Queensland Government of the Community Services (Torres Strait) Act 1984 and Community Services (Aborigines) Act 1984 in 1984, allowing community councils to be created to own and administer former Aboriginal reserves or missions under a Deed of Grant in Trust).[1] The trusts are governed by local representatives who are elected every three years to councils called Incorporated Aboriginal Councils. These councils have the power to pass by-laws, appoint police for the community, and are responsible for maintaining housing and infrastructure, running the Community Development Employment Program and issuing hunting, fishing and camping permits.[2] As such, they work much like a local government, but are different in character as they own the land they administer on behalf of the community.[3]

Most of the Torres Strait Islands entered DOGIT arrangements in October 1985, with the notable exception of Mer Island, which became the subject of the Mabo No.1 (1988) and No.2 (1992) cases. The first Aboriginal community to receive a DOGIT was Hope Vale on 27 July 1986.[4] In the years following, many DOGIT communities were established—mostly in the Cape York Peninsula, Torres Strait Islands and Carpentaria regions. The Local Government (Community Government Areas) Act 2004 extended to community councils many of the provisions and benefits of the Local Government Act 1993 normally enjoyed by shire councils.

From 1 January 2015, some trustees, namely those classified as "urban" or "future urban" (numbering 34) are able to convert parts of the collective title to either Aboriginal freehold or Torres Strait Islander freehold title.[5]

## Communities

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The following is a list of DOGIT communities in Queensland.

Name of community  | Area (km²)  | Population  | Excised from  | Date granted  | Deed number  | Primary occupants

|
|
|
|
|
|

Badu Island | 102.0 | 786 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296126 |
Bamaga | 67.6 | 869 | Shire of Torres | 27 October 1986 | 21328057 |
Boigu Island | 71.7 | 295 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296127 |
Cherbourg | 31.3 | 1241 | Shire of Murgon | 28 August 1986 | 16929228 | Wakka Wakka
Dauan Island | 3.6 | 120 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296130 |
Doomadgee | 1786.0 | 1181 | Shire of Burke | 1987 | 50184313 | Gangalidda/Waanyi
Erub (Darnley) Island | 5.9 | 320 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296129 |
Hammond Island | 15.7 | 208 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296131 |
Hope Vale | 1115.4 | 856 | Shire of Cook | 27 July 1986 | 21321062 |
Iama (Yam) Island | 1.7 | 363 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296138 |
Injinoo | 795.4 | 463 | Shire of Cook | 27 October 1986 | 21328058 |
Kowanyama | 2571.9 | 1112 | Shire of Carpentaria | 23 July 1987 | 21345064 | Kokoberra, Yir Yorant, Kunjen
Kubin Island | 152.5 | 226 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296132 |
Lockhart River | 3596.9 | 605 | Shire of Cook | 29 October 1987 | 21352021 |
Mabuiag Island | 6.4 | 240 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296133 |
Mapoon | 550.1 | 262 | Shire of Cook | 26 April 1989 | (none) | Tjungundji
Napranum | 2007.3 | 921 | Shire of Cook | 1 October 1989 | 21378037 |
New Mapoon | 93.9 | 381 | Shire of Torres | 27 October 1986 | 21328060 |
Palm Island | 71.0 | 2165 | City of Townsville | 27 October 1986 | 21328055 | Bwgcolman, Manbarra
Pormpuraaw (Edward River) | 4362.0 | 653 | Shire of Carpentaria | 28 July 1987 | 21345063 | Thaayorre, Mungkan
Poruma (Coconut) Island | 6.5 | 175 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296128 |
St Pauls Island | 18.5 | 239 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296136 |
Saibai Island | 104.5 | 368 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296134 |
Seisia (Red) Island | 2.6 | 184 | Shire of Torres | 29 October 1987 | 21352022 |
Ugar (Stephen) Island | 0.4 | 57 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296135 |
Umagico (Alau) | 53.4 | 267 | Shire of Torres | 27 October 1986 | 21328059 |
Warraber (Sue) Island | 0.9 | 239 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296137 |
Woorabinda | 388.1 | 928 | Shire of Duaringa | 27 October 1986 | 30563185 |
Wujal Wujal (Bloomfield River) | 11.0 | 361 | Shire of Cook | 29 October 1987 | 21352023 | Kuku Yalanji
Yarrabah (Cape Grafton) | 156.1 | 2599 | Shire of Mulgrave | 27 October 1986 | 21328056 | Gujangii
Yorke Island | 1.6 | 336 | Shire of Torres | 17 October 1985 | 21296139 |

## See also

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* Indigenous land rights in Australia

## References

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1. ^ Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (31 December 2010). "Native Title Resource Guide: Queensland" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
2. ^ "DOGIT Communities..." Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 14 December 2007.
3. ^ Kaye, Stuart (1997). The Torres Strait. Boston: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 12–15\. ISBN 90-411-0506-9.
4. ^ Pearson, Noel (1989). "The Deed of Grant in Trust and Hope Vale Aboriginal Community, North Queensland". Aboriginal Law Bulletin. 2 (38): 12. Archived from the original on 21 November 2009.
5. ^ "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land". Austrade. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2020.

## External links

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* Aboriginal Law Bulletin (1984)
* Public Health Law and Indigenous Health Project (2002)