The Kokatha Mula Nations Land Council Inc Assoc is a nonprofit organization representing the Kokatha people, the Aboriginal traditional owners of a large area in northern South Australia. Established on May 11, 2009, the organisation serves as a key body managing native title rights and interests on behalf of the Kokatha community[2][1].

Background

The Kokatha people, also known as Kokatha Mula, have traditional ownership over approximately 140,000 square kilometers spanning from Lake Torrens in the east to the Gawler Ranges in the west, north of Port Augusta. Their lands include areas surrounding significant mining operations such as BHP’s Olympic Dam near Roxby Downs and OZ Minerals’ copper-gold project at Carrapateena[1][3].

Purpose and Functions

The primary responsibility of the Kokatha Mula Nations Land Council Inc Assoc is to manage and protect the native title rights of the Kokatha people. The organisation acts as the prescribed body corporate and registered native title body corporate (RNTBC) under Australian native title legislation. It represents the Kokatha people in matters related to land management, cultural heritage protection, and negotiations pertaining to mining and land use on their traditional country[1][3][5].

Native Title and Legal Status

The Kokatha Aboriginal Corporation, closely associated with the Land Council, has been recognized officially as the Aboriginal Representative Body for the Kokatha native title determination area under South Australia’s Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 since October 29, 2021[1]. There have been multiple native title determinations involving the Kokatha people, including:

• A 2010 Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) for the Gawler Ranges area.
• A 2013 native title determination covering the Far West Coast area, including parts of the Pastoral Unincorporated Area and District Council of Ceduna.
• A 2014 determination for an area within Roxby Council and surrounding territories[3].

These determinations cover lands totaling tens of thousands of square kilometers and include areas overlapping with the Woomera Prohibited Area, a restricted military and aerospace testing range[3].

Governance and Membership

The Land Council is governed by a Board composed of Kokatha people who are members of the corporation. Members who meet eligibility criteria have rights to attend and vote at meetings, propose resolutions, and stand for directorship. The organisation maintains processes for confirming Aboriginal descent and updating membership details to ensure proper representation of the Kokatha community[5].

Significance

The Kokatha Mula Nations Land Council Inc Assoc plays a critical role in preserving the cultural heritage, managing land rights, and advocating the interests of the Kokatha people in legal, environmental, and development contexts. It ensures that the Kokatha people have a recognized voice in decisions affecting their traditional lands and supports their ongoing connection to country[1][3].

Note: This entry is based on publicly available information as of 2025 and reflects the organisation's role within the native title framework in South Australia.

[1] https://kokatha.com.au [2] https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/ab08efe3-39af-e811-a963-000d3ad244fd/profile [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokatha [4] https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.kokatha_mula_nations_land_council_inc_assoc.cd09da701895a74309e78ef5dcd094f6.html [5] https://kokatha.com.au/kokatha-people/