A Deed of Grant in Trust (or DOGIT) is the name for a system of community-level land trust established in Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

 to administer former reserves and missions. They came about through the enactment by the Queensland Government of the Community Services (Torres Strait) Act and Community Services (Aborigines) Act in 1984 by the Queensland Government, allowing community councils to be created to own and administer former reserves or missions under a Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT). The trusts are governed by local representatives who are elected every three years to councils called Incorporated Aboriginal Councils. These councils have the power to pass by-laws, appoint police for the community, and are responsible for maintaining housing and infrastructure, running the Community Development Employment Program and issuing hunting, fishing and camping permits. As such, they work much like a local government, but are different in character as they own the land they administer on behalf of the community.

Most of the Torres Strait Islands entered DOGIT arrangements in October 1985, with the notable exception of Mer Island, which became the subject of the Mabo No.1

Mabo v Queensland (1988)

Mabo v Queensland was a significant court case decided in the High Court of Australia on 8 December 1988. It found that the Queensland Coast Islands Declaratory Act, which attempted to retrospectively abolish native title rights, was not valid according to the Racial Discrimination Act...

 (1988) and No.2 (1992) cases. The first Aboriginal community to receive a DOGIT was Hope Vale

Hopevale, Queensland

Hopevale, , Queensland, Australia is an Aboriginal community on Cape York Peninsula about 46 km northwest of Cooktown by road, and about 10 km off the Battlecamp Road that leads to Lakefield National Park and Laura...

 on 27 July 1986. In the years following, many DOGIT communities were established—mostly in the Cape York Peninsula

Cape York Peninsula

Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...

, Torres Strait Islands

Torres Strait Islands

The Torres Strait Islands are a group of at least 274 small islands which lie in Torres Strait, the waterway separating far northern continental Australia's Cape York Peninsula and the island of New Guinea but Torres Strait Island known and Recognize as Nyumaria.The islands are mostly part of...

 and Carpentaria

Gulf of Carpentaria

The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the Arafura Sea...

 regions. The Local Government (Community Government Areas) Act 2004 extended to community councils many of the provisions and benefits of the Local Government Act 1993 normally enjoyed by shire councils.

Communities

The following is a list of DOGIT communities in Queensland.

Name of community	Area (km²)	Population	Excised from	Date granted	Deed number	Primary occupants
Badu Island	102.0	786	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296126
Bamaga Bamaga, Queensland -Language:The community languages of Bamaga are Kalaw Kawaw Ya, Brokan , and English, particularly for education and government business.-Industry:...	67.6	869	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	27 October 1986	21328057
Boigu Island	71.7	295	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296127
Cherbourg	31.3	1241	Shire of Murgon Shire of Murgon The Shire of Murgon was a Local Government Area located in the South Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1914 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the South Burnett area to become the South...	28 August 1986	16929228	Wakka Wakka
Dauan Island	3.6	120	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296130
Doomadgee	1786.0	1181	Shire of Burke	1987	50184313	Gangalidda/Waanyi
Erub (Darnley) Island	5.9	320	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296129
Hammond Island	15.7	208	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296131
Hope Vale Hopevale, Queensland Hopevale, , Queensland, Australia is an Aboriginal community on Cape York Peninsula about 46 km northwest of Cooktown by road, and about 10 km off the Battlecamp Road that leads to Lakefield National Park and Laura...	1115.4	856	Shire of Cook Shire of Cook The Shire of Cook is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of Cape York Peninsula, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland....	27 July 1986	21321062
Iama (Yam) Island	1.7	363	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296138
Injinoo	795.4	463	Shire of Cook Shire of Cook The Shire of Cook is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of Cape York Peninsula, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland....	27 October 1986	21328058
Kowanyama	2571.9	1112	Shire of Carpentaria	23 July 1987	21345064	Kokoberra, Yir Yorant, Kunjen
Kubin Island	152.5	226	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296132
Lockhart River Lockhart River, Queensland Lockhart River is a coastal Aboriginal community situated on the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. The population consists mostly of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, whose ancestors were forcibly moved to the area beginning in 1924...	3596.9	605	Shire of Cook Shire of Cook The Shire of Cook is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of Cape York Peninsula, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland....	29 October 1987	21352021
Mabuiag Island Mabuiag Island Mabuiag is an island in the Bellevue Islands, 100 km north of Thursday Island Queensland, Australia in the Napoleon Passage and Arnolds Passage of Torres Strait...	6.4	240	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296133
Mapoon	550.1	262	Shire of Cook Shire of Cook The Shire of Cook is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of Cape York Peninsula, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland....	26 April 1989	(none)	Tjungundji
Napranum Napranum, Queensland Napranum is a small community on the Cape York Peninsula in remote Far North Queensland. Formerly known as Weipa South, Napranum was established in 1898 by Moravian missionaries on behalf of the Presbyterian church. Napranum is now governed by a local Aboriginal council...	2007.3	921	Shire of Cook Shire of Cook The Shire of Cook is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of Cape York Peninsula, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland....	1 October 1989	21378037
New Mapoon	93.9	381	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	27 October 1986	21328060
Palm Island	71.0	2165	City of Townsville	27 October 1986	21328055	Bwgcolman, Manbarra
Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire of Pormpuraaw The Aboriginal Shire of Pormpuraaw is a special Local Government Area which is located on western Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. It is managed under a Deed of Grant in Trust under the Local Government Act 2004....  (Edward River)	4362.0	653	Shire of Carpentaria	28 July 1987	21345063	Thaayorre, Mungkan
Poruma (Coconut) Island	6.5	175	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296128
St Pauls Island	18.5	239	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296136
Saibai Island	104.5	368	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296134
Seisia (Red) Island Seisia, Queensland Seisia is an area north of New Mapoon and west of Bamaga at the tip of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Seisia had a population of 165....	2.6	184	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	29 October 1987	21352022
Ugar (Stephen) Island Stephens Island (Torres Strait) Stephens Island is an Australian island situated in the eastern section of Torres Strait, near the Great Barrier Reef and North of Coconut/Poruma Island and North West of Murray Island, Torres Strait and West of Darnley Island....	0.4	57	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296135
Umagico (Alau)	53.4	267	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	27 October 1986	21328059
Warraber (Sue) Island	0.9	239	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296137
Woorabinda	388.1	928	Shire of Duaringa Shire of Duaringa The Shire of Duaringa is a Local Government Area in the Capricornia region of Queensland, Australia. Duaringa Shire covers an area of 18,201 square kilometres and boasts a population of approximately 11,000. The Shire incorporates four main towns - Duaringa, Dingo, Blackwater and Bluff - and the...	27 October 1986	30563185
Wujal Wujal (Bloomfield River)	11.0	361	Shire of Cook Shire of Cook The Shire of Cook is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of Cape York Peninsula, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland....	29 October 1987	21352023	Kuku Yalanji
Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire of Yarrabah The Aboriginal Shire of Yarrabah is a special Local Government Area in Far North Queensland, Queensland, Australia, located east and southeast of Cairns on Cape Grafton. It is managed under a Deed of Grant in Trust under the Local Government Act 2004.-History:The area originally was set up as an...  (Cape Grafton)	156.1	2599	Shire of Mulgrave Shire of Mulgrave (Queensland) The Shire of Mulgrave was a Local Government Area surrounding the City of Cairns in the Far North region of Queensland. The shire, administered from Cairns, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1879 until 1995, when it was dissolved and amalgamated into the City of...	27 October 1986	21328056	Gujangii
Yorke Island	1.6	336	Shire of Torres Shire of Torres The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...	17 October 1985	21296139

External links

• Aboriginal Law Bulletin (1984)
• Public Health Law and Indigenous Health Project (2002)