Rhyll property to be returned to Traditional Owners

THE first land handback to Bunurong Traditional Owners in 180 years is on track to happen at Rhyll, Millowl (Phillip Island). 

The eight-hectare property will be transferred to the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, who are working with Trust for Nature to conserve, restore and maintain the land.

The land, which was donated to Trust for Nature in 2020, is part of the unique, richly biodiverse Rhyll Inlet—one of the most significant sites for migratory birds in Australia and recognised as a globally significant wetland under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

The Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation are the Registered Aboriginal Party over an area that includes Phillip Island. 

An agreement between the Land Council and Trust for Nature includes 12 months access and management rights, followed by a title transfer in 2023. 

The property also has a conservation covenant on it which ensures that, no matter who owns the land, the plants and animals on the property are protected forever.