In a landmark step toward self-determined community governance, the Kardu Diminin are formally seeking to enter into a Township Lease in partnership with the Office of Township Leasing (OTL).  

For the Kardu Diminin, the Traditional Owners of the land on which the township of Wadeye sits, this is a momentous step towards economic development and sustainable growth.  

The journey to their Township Lease application has been extensive and well considered. This consultative process has created a new pathway in Township Leasing, forming an innovative approach for all communities considering a Township Lease. 

Wadeye, formerly known as Port Keats, is one of the largest and most culturally diverse remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.  

This diversity brings with it multi-layered opinions, needs, and priorities for the future of the town.  

With steady leadership and cultural consultation, the Traditional Owners of Wadeye have approached their Township Lease application carefully and respectfully.  

With a bold, yet grounded vision, the community leaders are laying the foundation for a stronger Wadeye for future generations. 

A Foundation of Faith and Responsibility 

The township of Wadeye began in 1935, when the Port Keats Catholic mission was established. The Kardu Diminin clans welcomed the missionaries, working alongside them to establish the Church and help lay the foundations of the town.  

With the mission came access to goods, services, and new infrastructure. As supplies increased, members of surrounding clans began frequenting the township — drawn by resources such as health care, food, education, and community support. 

The location of the township was moved 14 kms inland and still stands there today.  

Today, 23 clans rely on Wadeye as a service and community centre.  

While the Kardu Diminin are the Traditional Owners of the township, they have long understood their leadership carries responsibility — to manage the land not just for themselves, but for everyone who calls Wadeye home. 

A Complex, Connected Community 

While Wadeye has at times been the focus of media reports due to community unrest, the Kardu Diminin leadership are working towards sharing a their story of a brighter future.  

The cultural and colonial history of the town plays a part in the town's tensions but just as importantly, so does reconciliation. The community has deeply held cultural systems of conflict resolution and forgiveness. 

The leadership of Wadeye are determined to move forward and bring everyone with them. They are determined to find ways for businesses to succeed, culturally safe spaces for community members to gather, to enable home ownership and support the youth in sporting, artistic and other career opportunities.  

In recent years, the community has held concerts, reopened the town pool, invited AFL players for clinics, and successfully reintroduced Ceremony after many years. Ceremony created an opportunity for the whole community to unite, purposefully, and joyfully celebrating culture.  

These are not isolated events — they are evidence of people working every day for harmony, connection, and wellbeing. 

The Early Beginnings of a Township Leasing Journey 

In 2007, amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 introduced the role of the Executive Director of Township Leasing, and with it, a new model of secure land tenure. This allowed communities to enter into long-term Township Leases — typically 99 years — in partnership with the Commonwealth.  
 

Such leases offer a legally secure way to manage land, support housing, attract investment, and build economic independence, while keeping land under Aboriginal ownership. 

Shortly after the model was introduced, respected Kardu Diminin leader and Deacon Boniface Perdjert proposed that Wadeye consider this path.  

Community At the Heart of Decision-making 

"We got to move forward in a new direction and build this country for our people, people of Wadeye on the Kardu Diminin country” – Steven Pultchen, Kardu Diminin Traditional Owner 

Since 2021, when the Kardu Diminin Corporation (KDC) first requested information about Township Leasing, the Office of Township Leasing has worked in close partnership with them to support informed, culturally appropriate decision-making. 

Through open consultation and collaboration, KDC members were given the opportunity to visit Township Lease sites in Tiwi and Gunyangara (Ski Beach, Gove) — seeing firsthand how Township Leasing works in other communities.  

These visits helped deepen their understanding of the model and its practical outcomes as well as the decision-making processes of the community. The communities of Tiwi and Gunyangara were able to demonstrate their community leadership and provided insight into how a Township Lease can be managed.  

The process of community visits built confidence in Kardu Diminin’s leadership group in what could be possible for Wadeye also strengthening cross community learning.  

Along the way, Tiwi and Gunyangara communities were able to reflect on what has worked in their communities and what could be improved on. This consultative process was mutually beneficial and OTL continues to work towards more opportunities for communities to learn from each other.  

KDC members were also introduced to trusted collaborators to help them articulate their long-term vision for the town. 

Reflecting on the Mantiyupwi Township Lease, OTL recognised that documenting and formalising a township masterplan and community vision were an essential step to providing Kardu Diminin with the information and support to help them make the important decision of whether the Township Leasing Model was right for them and their community. This meant connecting KDC with external partners and collaborators to help with the master planning and community vision phases.  

Crucially, while the introductions were facilitated by OTL, the work itself was led, managed, and delivered entirely by Traditional Owners and their selected partners. 

The Fulcrum Agency, a consultancy that specialises in community planning with Aboriginal people across Australia, worked closely with KDC to create a township masterplan that brought together the future vision of the town with the immediate needs and priorities for development in Wadeye.  

Over the course of 6 months Fulcrum visited Wadeye 5 times and worked collaboratively with Wadeye leaders and an comprehensive group of community members to understand the needs and priorities of the town.

Small Steps Still Move Forward  

'You have to be a strong voice for your people' Margaret Perdjert, Kardu Diminin Traditional Owner and Elder  

The reality is that the signing of a Township Lease does not resolve community challenges.  

The Kardu Diminin leaders do not hold this expectation and are realistic of what the road ahead looks like. At the time of application, Wadeye had not had a new business or building development in over 6 years. They know that steps will be small, and time is needed for proper consultation with all the community members.  

But small steps still move forward. 

The vision is not short term; it will continue to guide the leaders that come after them.  

Through their own research and careful observation, the Kardu Diminin see the Township Lease providing long-term stability and opportunity, something that supports investment, development, and intergenerational planning.