A 21-year battle for Indigenous recognition on Cape York was finally resolved on Wednesday following the historic handover of seven national parks to traditional owners.

About 300 people attended the official ceremony in Cooktown, where Member for Cook, David Kempton, joined Environment Minister, Andrew Powell, and Minister for National Parks, Steven Dickson, to hand over title deeds to the 354,800 hectare area. It will be jointly managed by Traditional Owners and state park rangers.

Mr Kempton said it was the largest number of national parks handed back to Aboriginal people, and takes in the Cape Melville, Jack River, Gaarraay, Daarrba, Juunju Daarrba Nhirrpan, Flinders Group and Howard Group national parks.

Mr Kempton described the handover as the right conclusion to a long but true story, and said it was “part of our Government’s commitment to righting the wrongs of the past.”

During the ceremony, Cape York leaders signed Indigenous Land Use Agreement and Indigenous Management Agreements, meaning the areas will remain national parks, public access won't be restricted, and the land can never be sold.

Mr Kempton, the Assistant Minister of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, told the crowd the State Government would create a mechanism in the “tenure tool box” for freehold home ownership for all indigenous people in Queensland.

“Traditional owners have indicated they're keen to boost the local economy and create jobs by establishing tourism ventures at the parks, and plan to designate more public camping sites,” he said.

Minister Powell said the handover recognised the tireless efforts of many Aboriginal people who had waited “so long” to get their land back, and hoped the handover would bring some closure.  

“For many of the Traditional Owners, particularly those associated with Cape Melville and the Flinders Group National Park, this has been a long process extending back to 1992, when the first claim meetings were held,” Mr Powell said.

Mr Powell said the State Government would work with Traditional Owners to protect the wildlife, habitats and cultural landscapes of these special parks, including important feral pest and weed control and wildfire prevention.

“We will work closely with the communities to provide sustainable public use and enjoyment of these parks and to consider future ecotourism opportunities,” Mr Dickson said.

The Australian Conservation Foundation welcomed the land handover, describing the State Government’s investment in the Cape’s unique tenure of Aboriginal-owned national parks as “good sense”.

“The Cape York Land Tenure resolution process helps increase employment opportunities for Indigenous rangers working on country and provides much needed support for Indigenous-led tourism initiatives,” said ACF’s Northern Australia Program Officer Andrew Picone.