Our Arakwal elders Lorna Kelly, Yvonne Graham, Linda Vidler and Dulcie Nicholls long dreamed of one day returning to live on the land at Byron Bay where they had lived as children.

Iron Bark  is where the sisters lived as children in a semi-traditional lifestyle with their parents, Jimmy and Linda Kay. At the time of lodging the claim in 1994, Lorna Kelly said the family had lived off the land and the ocean between Cape Byron and Seven Mile Beach. The sisters’ grandfather was very well-known, Harry Bray, after whom Bray’s Hole at Broken Head was named.

In practical terms, the dream began way back in late 1994 when three of the sisters – Lorna, Yvonne and Linda – lodged a Native Title claim over a wide area of coastal Crown land that stretched from Byron Bay to Broken Head. Dulcie joined the claim at a later stage.

Watch this space! In here soon will be the story to date of getting back to Iron Bark, including creating the concept plan, liaison with Byron Shire Council and government, and our plans for the housing.