The Urangan State Boat Harbour is situated on Butchulla Country (land, sea and sky) and forms part of our Saltwater and Sea Country responsibilities. As Traditional Owners and Native Title holders, the Butchulla First Nations People hold enduring cultural, spiritual, economic and custodial connections to this harbour precinct and surrounding waters.

While BNTAC recognises the strategic maritime importance of the harbour and welcomes long-term planning that enhances safety, accessibility and economic opportunity, the Master Plan must properly reflect Butchulla cultural values, Native Title rights and interests, and our responsibilities to Country, including Freshwater Country and Sea Country.

Accordingly, BNTAC respectfully raises the following matters for consideration:

1. Recognition of Butchulla Cultural Values and Native Title Interests

The Master Plan must explicitly acknowledge and embed Butchulla cultural values, Native Title rights and responsibilities within the strategic framework.

Planning and development should:

• Recognise Butchulla Sea Country as a living cultural landscape
• Integrate cultural heritage protection and interpretation
• Ensure alignment with Native Title interests and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) principles
• Embed “right way” relationships in future engagement and decision-making

The harbour precinct is not simply maritime infrastructure — it sits within Butchulla Country that holds ancestral, ecological and ongoing cultural significance.

[i.e. no digital ghosting, “First Nations Digital Ghosting” means the omission, removal, or exclusion of references to First Nations peoples, their rights, cultural authority, and connection to Country within corporate, strategic, governance, or planning documents, resulting in their digital and institutional invisibility.]

2. Formal Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners

All Master Plan documentation and associated materials produced by Marine Safety Queensland and partners should include a formal Acknowledgement of Butchulla Country (land, sea and sky).

Proposed Acknowledgement Statement:

Marine Safety Queensland acknowledges the Butchulla First Nations People as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands, waters and seas on which the Urangan State Boat Harbour is located. We recognise their continuing connection to Butchulla Country (land, sea and sky), in particular Sea Country, their cultural authority, native title rights and responsibilities, and pay our respects to Elders past. present and emerging.

This acknowledgement should appear on:

• Master Plan documents
• Public consultation materials
• Technical reports
• Online and promotional materials

3. Allocation of Marina Berths for BNTAC Vessels

To support Native Title responsibilities and marine operations, the Master Plan should provide:

• Allocation of three (3) dedicated marina berths for BNTAC vessels

These berths are required to support:

• Cultural monitoring
• Sea Country management
• Research partnerships
• Emergency response support
• Cultural tourism and education activities

As the peak Native Title body for Butchulla Sea Country, BNTAC requires secure and guaranteed operational capacity within the harbour.

4. Allocation of Space for BNTAC Tourism / Commercial Operations

The Master Plan should allocate appropriate space within the harbour precinct for a BNTAC tourism and commercial service footprint, including:

• Ticketing or reception area
• Cultural tourism operations
• Interpretive or visitor engagement space
• Integration with broader tourism infrastructure

As the gateway to the Great Sandy Marine Park and K’gari (Fraser Island), it is appropriate that Butchulla people have a visible and operational presence in this key maritime gateway.

5. Allocation of Space for BNTAC Marine Operations

The Master Plan should provide provision for:

• Secure storage of vessels and equipment
• Storage for buoys, monitoring devices and research materials
• Workshop and operational space
• A dedicated on-land office facility (i.e., a building or defined tenancy)

Where appropriate, BNTAC is open to co-location with other Marine Services, provided cultural authority and operational integrity are respected.

Endorsed by and on behalf of the BNTAC Board:

Shawn Wondunna-Foley

BNTAC Chairperson

[Wondunna Family Group]

15 February 2026