Indigenous elders have insisted nothing will change after the Federal Court recognised the Kabi Kabi people as native title holders over 365,345 hectares of land and water on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on Monday.

Kabi Kabi traditional owner Brian Warner told the ABC the native title declaration does not apply to any land used by the government or any freehold land that’s been bought by citizens.

“It applies to Aboriginal land or unallocated state land, areas of cultural significance,” he said.

“National parks, State forests and reserves.”

So where in Queensland does this ruling apply?

It recognises the Kabi Kabi people’s non-exclusive rights to areas including Gympie, Maroochydore, Caloundra, Bribie Island, Mudjimba Island and popular tourist areas around Noosa North Shore and Teewah Beach.

“The Kabi Kabi people were recognised as holding non-exclusive native title, that means that the rights are exercisable subject to the laws of the state and the Commonwealth,” Mr Warner said.

“They can’t prohibit people from going places, they can’t stop people going onto beaches, or onto Mudjimba Island or Mount Coolum. Native title isn’t a grant of land, it’s a recognition of rights.”

The traditional home of the Kabi Kabi people stretches along the Sunshine Coast from Redliffe in the Northern suburbs of Brisbane to just south of Bundaberg.

And this was just the first part of a multi-pronged legal application, the decision on Monday applies to Part A of the application before the court.

Part B, which is still under investigation, is an urban area south of Caboolture and Part C is another area inland.

Will the ruling have any major impact on life?

“Life hasn’t ended, and life will still go on the way it’s been happening up until today,” Mr Warner said.

“So, nothing will cease.

“The only thing is people recognising our right to reside on country or be part of a part of a local community or grassroots level or whatever level we’re at.”

The ruling does not mean Kabi Kabi people can access private freehold properties but it will enable Kabi Kabi people to share their culture and teach others its significance.

“We still abide by the local laws that surround us,” Mr Warner said.

“But with the lands being given back to us, it allows us to still practice our ways and teach or educate our people that the significance of culture heritage, and we can do back burning, or cultural burning or cool burning.”

“Just having a way to re-educate our people.”