澳洲當局23日在約克角半島科的原住民社區科瓦尼阿馬舉行儀式，正式將昆士蘭省境內一座3.7萬公頃大的「蜜雪兒‧亞歷斯河國家公園」（Mitchell-Alice Rivers）土地，由昆士蘭省府氣候變遷與永續發展部部長瓊斯（Kate Jones）手中交還給Kunjen與Oykangand兩個原本居住此地的原住民族，寫下國家公園歸還原住民土地的歷史新頁，創下先例。
該國家公園設立於1977年，佔地371平方公里。在撥交儀式上正名為「約克角原住民土地國家公園」，未來依照《原住民管理協議》由傳統土地所有者與昆士蘭省府共管。
Oykangand族長老勞倫斯（Colin Lawrence）說，這是經過19年「艱苦爭取與致力土地管理的成果。」
這座國家公園棲息著300種生物，包括河口鱷（estuarine crocodile）。雨季時為洪氾區，乾季時水流大減，呈現潟湖與小溪流交織的地景。
瓊斯部長表示，「這項新的管理方向有助於提供原住民就業與巡守訓練，並可將新技巧與傳統知識結合。」在《約克角半島遺產法》所指定的保護區內，有1/3以上的巡守員是原住民或托雷斯海峽島民（Torres Strait Islander）的後裔。
目前，在原住民管理協議下，不僅規範了昆士蘭省政府的責任，也已設定「土地信託」的權責。未來，這項土地信託的權責行使，將由新設置的「科瓦尼阿馬原住民土地暨自然資源管理辦公室」作為執行機關。
The historic first return to indigenous owners of an Australian national park in the state of Queensland took place Friday on the Cape York Peninsula.
Queensland Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones visited the Aboriginal town of Kowanyama to hand back ownership of the 37,000-hectare Mitchell-Alice Rivers National Park to the region's traditional owners, the Kunjen and Oykangand People.
Established in October 1977 as the Mitchell-Alice Rivers National Park, the park covers an area of 371 square kilometers. It was renamed the Errk Oykangand National Park (Cape York Aboriginal Land) on Friday. This protected area will be jointly managed by traditional owners and the Queensland government, under an Indigenous Management Agreement.
Uw Oykangand elder Colin Lawrence said the move was the culmination of 19 years of "hard work and dedication to land management."
The park is inhabited by over 300 species, including the estuarine crocodile. During its annual cycle, the entire area is flooded every wet season, while in the dry season water flows only in lagoons and creeks.
Jones said, "The new management approach will support employment and training of indigenous rangers allowing them to join new skills with traditional knowledge.
Of the ranger staff who work across the region covered by the Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act, more than one-third are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.
The Indigenous Management Agreement sets out the responsibilities of the Land Trust and the Queensland Government for ongoing management of the park. The Kowanyama Aboriginal Land and Natural Resource Management Office will implement the agreement on behalf of the Land Trust.
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