Recent research in the area shows occupation by Aboriginal people for more than 25,000 years. Local traditional owners are opposed to the mine for many reasons. They are concerned that the ‘cultural’ mapping done to date has been inadequate to capture the story of the people and the land and that their history will be destroyed before it has been ‘revealed’
Gunaikurnai people are the traditional owners of Gippsland. The Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC) represents Traditional Owners from the Brataualung, Brayakaulung, Brabralung, Krauatungalung and Tatungalung family clans, who were recognised in the Native Title Consent Determination, made under the new Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010, the first such agreement under that Act.
The GLaWAC Interim Position Statement (April 2019) states that:
the proposed mining operation will disturb and hurt the cultural connection of the Traditional Owners to the land, air and water that is part of the development area
The full statement can be found on the GLaWAC website.
A video of a statement made by Casey Ritche at a local council meeting can be found here.