Arakwal National Park  is located approximately 2 km south-east of Byron Bay in the far north coast of New South Wales (NSW).

It is the first national park in Australia to be created under an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with the traditional owners, the Byron Bay Arakwal people, as joint managers with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

 The creation of the Arakwal National Park and subsequent areas has left an everlasting footprint on country.

This footprint is here to be respected and enjoyed by all who live on or the millions of people from all ove rthe world  who visit Arakwal country.

A major part of the Co-Management ILUA agreement is the commitment to Employment and Training for Arakwal People to work on Country.

Since ILUA 1  Arakwal people have been trained and are now employed  in a variety of positions throughout  National Parks.

There is still an ongoing commitment to continue this Employment and Training Strategy.

Arakwal People also have the majority on the Management committees overseeing the Management of these Parks.

 

 

 

 

Co-Management ILUA 1

The Arakwal National Park was gazetted on the 26 October 2001 under an ILUA between the NSW State Government and the Bundjalung of Byron Bay Arakwal people.

This agreement was the result of the partial resolution of a Native Title Determination Application under the CommonwealthNative Title Act 1993

The Park is an important part of the coastal country adjoining the township of Byron Bay, a regional, national and international tourist destination.

The Park was originally  185.2 hectares in size and includes a 3km stretch of Tallow Beach to mean low water mark.  Tallow Beach Road delineates the northern extent of the Park where it adjoins the Cape Byron State Conservation Area (SCA) and  both reserves are managed in an integrated way and with a high level of involvement by the Byron Bay Arakwal people.

 Co-Management-ILUA 2

Byron Coast Area Management Committee was established in accordance with ILUA 2. It held its first meeting on 17 September 2010.

The Committee makes recommendations to NPWS concerning the care, control and management of the following parks and reserves in the NPWS Byron Coast Area amounting to over 1200 hectares:

  • Arakwal National Park (new 14 hectare addition);
  • Broken Head Nature Reserve;
  • Brunswick Heads Nature Reserve (south of the Brunswick River);
  • Cumbebin Swamp Nature Reserve;
  • Hayters Hill Nature Reserve;
  • Julian Rocks Nature Reserve; and
  • Tyagarah Nature Reserve.

The Committee has been involved with developing plans of management for Julian Rocks, Cumbebin Swamp and Hayters Hill Nature Reserves.

72 hectares of additions to Arakwal National Park, Broken Head Nature Reserve and Cumbebin Swamp Nature Reserve, have been completed in accordance with ILUA 2.

The Ti Tree Lake Aboriginal Area was created in June 2010, in accordance with ILUA 3. The 10.4 hectare land parcel was transferred from Byron Shire Council. Inclusion of additional land covered by ILUA 3 in the Aboriginal Area subject to the  resolution of a state land claim.