Hill 60 saved

Chairperson of the Keg Tribal Elders Corporation Uncle Reuben Brown

HILL 60 is safe&for the moment.

THE Save Hill 60 action group has claimed victory after it was announced the Hill 60 sale is in doubt.

Despite this initial success, nothing is certain for the indigenous population who want the land returned to its traditional owners, the Elouera Tribe.

The pocket of land adjacent to Hill 60 was recently put on the market by the Department of Defence, with tenders closing on August 8.

According to NSW Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells no compliant tenders have been received by the department as yet.

Members of Save hill 60 said they were pleased with the announcement, viewing it as a victory, however remained apprehensive about the future of the land..

Sharralyn Robinson, member of the local Aboriginal community, said Senator Fierravanti-Wells announcement was a promising start.

We the land returned to the Aboriginal community, she said.

We would like the Department of Defence to acknowledge that the land in question is part of Hill 60.

Former MP and New South Wales Aboriginal Reconciliation Council member Colin Markham described the announcement as good news.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells said she believed the lack of compliant tenders put any future sale in doubt.

Prospective purchasers were clearly put off by the demonstration of public support against the departments sale of the land and I congratulate those who spoke out against the sale, she said.

This is a terrific outcome.

I would like to see the site protected and retained in some form of ownership that will benefit the public and pay due respect to the important heritage and indigenous values of the land.

I am concerned that the Department of Defences heritage assessments did not identify any significant heritage or indigenous values associated with the site and am waiting for advice from a number of sources which I hope to support my arguments that the site should be kept for public ownership.

We must look for ways to move forward on this.

Chairperson of the Keg Tribal Elders Corporation Uncle Reuben Brown said it is now a waiting game for the indigenous community however he is confident the Department of Defence will return the land to his tribe, the Elouera Tribe who were the traditional owners of the land.

Reuben is now a resident of Berkeley, his grandmother once lived on the land at Hill 60.