Land claim ‘misinformation’ rejected by Aboriginal council

The war of words over a sacred site claim at Bathurst’s Mount Panorama site in NSW intensified over the weekend when the Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council hit back over ‘misinformation’ reporting.

The Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation (WTOCWAC) had submitted to the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System to have McPhillamy Park registered as a heritage site, but then made a statement saying this was untrue.

WTOCWAC labelled the news of their alleged claim as “an attempt to revive the culture wars and to garner votes from people who would prefer to listen to sensationalist misinformation”.

The The Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council (BLALC) responded on Saturday with CEO Toni-Lee Scott calling the “misinformation” claim ” misleading and irresponsible.”

“The evidence is clear: over 15 site IDs have been lodged for Mount Panorama, including McPhillamy Park – the majority by one individual connected to WTOCWAC and Charles Sturt University – and these site cards appear to have already been used to obtain a Section 10 declaration under the ATSIHP Act in 2021, BLALC said in a statement

“What we have uncovered is concerning and troubling, and the community deserves to know the truth.”

BLALC also made it clear that the Bathurst Regional Council had confirmed on the public record that discussions regarding the claim were ongoing between Council, WTOCWAC, the family, and State and Federal departments.

WTOCWAC’s attempts to downplay the significance of the claim was also noted.

“These site cards can lead to exclusive control of land, restrictions on development, and buffer zones that extend beyond the recorded site itself,” BLALC said.

“It is critical that the public understands what these site listings mean.

“Once a site card is lodged and deemed valid, it can be used as supporting evidence to restrict land access, halt development, and even prevent traditional uses of the land, as we’ve seen with the Wambuul Ceremonial Ground.

“This is not about division – it’s about facts.”