31 August, 2026
The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) has announced the establishment of the newly created Walumarra Legal Centre, a dedicated legal service created to provide free and culturally informed legal support to Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) across New South Wales.
The Walumarra Legal Centre was created to provide LALCs across the State with specialist legal support in response to the unique challenges facing Aboriginal Communities and organisations.
“Walumarra” is a Wiradjuri word meaning to protect, guard, and stand as a guardian, reflecting the purpose and vision of the new Legal Centre: protecting the rights, interests, and futures of Aboriginal communities and the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Network.
The Centre – which officially opened on 1 July 2026 – was established with a Principal Solicitor who is already providing expert legal support in areas including employment, property and commercial law, non-claimant native title applications, and social housing matters affecting LALCs and their communities.
Principal Solicitor Amy Derrick said that in just one month since the Walumarra Legal Centre opened, there has already been significant progress made.
“Since commencing my role at the beginning of July, the Walumarra Legal Centre has already achieved several positive outcomes for Local Aboriginal Land Councils in NSW,” saidAmy.
“We are delivering significant savings for LALCs and providing faster access to legal advice. These savings allow LALCs to direct more funding towards supporting their communities.”
The need for accessible, high-quality legal advice and representation was consistently raised via NSWALC’s regional forums and Network consultations, highlighting the importance of a dedicated Aboriginal community-controlled legal service.
Prior to the establishment of the Walumarra Legal Centre, NSWALC introduced a pilot program through which members of its legal team volunteered more than 250 hours of free legal assistance to Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) across the State.
The strong uptake and positive response from the Network demonstrated a clear need for a dedicated Aboriginal community-controlled legal support service, paving the way for the establishment of the Walumarra Legal Centre.
NSWALC Chair Dr Raymond Kelly said the establishment of the Walumarra Legal Centre is about backing Aboriginal Communities.
“Aboriginal Land Rights were never intended to exist only on paper. They must be backed by practical support, strong institutions, and real investment in our communities. Walumarra is part of that commitment,” Dr Kelly said.
“The NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Network has consistently told us that access to culturally informed legal support is critical. Walumarra is our response to that call.”
The Walumarra Legal Centre is focused on protecting the hard-won rights of Aboriginal Communities and ensuring LALCs in NSW have access to the legal expertise they need to govern strongly, defend community interests, respond to issues, and pursue opportunities for future generations.
For more information on the Walumarra Legal Centre, visit our factsheet.
Media Contact
Caylin Cannon
caylin@steadyground.com.au
0415 424 081
| About NSWALC NSWALC is the State’s peak representative body in Aboriginal Affairs and aims to protect the interests and further the aspirations of the 121 NSW Local Aboriginal Land Councils and the broader Aboriginal community. It was established in the 1970s to assist in the fight for land rights and was formally constituted as a statutory corporation under the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Rights Act in 1983. NSWALC is the largest member-based Aboriginal organisation in NSW. |