Coconut palm sprouting on a beach in Papua New Guinea: the Torres Strait ruling covers the ocean between Papua New Guinea and the northern tip of Australia.
Torres Strait islanders win ocean rights
Australian court grants native title rights after nine-year battle
By Ellen Connolly in SydneyAfter a nine-year legal battle, indigenous tribes have secured native title rights over a vast tract of ocean north of Australia.
It is the largest native title sea claim in the country's history - covering 40,000 square kilometres of ocean - and formally recognises the Torres Strait islanders' spiritual ties to the sea.
The Torres Strait sits between Australia's northern tip of Cape York and Papua New Guinea, and consists of more than 250 islands, most of which are recognised as part of the Australian state of Queensland.
The ruling means that while ships, commercial fishermen and other businesses will still be able to operate in the strait, any future development on the islands can only go ahead after consultation with indigenous groups.
Read more > The GuardianIt is the largest native title sea claim in the country's history - covering 40,000 square kilometres of ocean - and formally recognises the Torres Strait islanders' spiritual ties to the sea.
The Torres Strait sits between Australia's northern tip of Cape York and Papua New Guinea, and consists of more than 250 islands, most of which are recognised as part of the Australian state of Queensland.
The ruling means that while ships, commercial fishermen and other businesses will still be able to operate in the strait, any future development on the islands can only go ahead after consultation with indigenous groups.
Photograph: Stuart Westmorland/Corbis
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