26 May, 2026
The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Walumarra Legal Centre (the Legal Centre), a new service created to provide free legal support to Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs).
Walumarra is a Wiradjuri word that means to protect, guard, or be a guardian.
The Walumarra Legal Centre marks an important step for NSWALC in strengthening the practical support it provides to LALCs, ensuring communities can access timely and culturally informed legal assistance.
The establishment of the Legal Centre followed calls for greater legal support from the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Network. The centre will assist with a range of areas, including employment law, property and commercial matters, non-claimant native title applications, and support for LALCs in relation to social housing matters.
To support the launch of the Legal Centre, NSWALC introduced a pilot program which saw staff from NSWALC’s legal team volunteer their time to provide more than 250 hours of free legal support to LALCs.
Following the success of the pilot program, the Walumarra Legal Centre is now recruiting a Principal Solicitor and Senior Solicitor, with the intention of the Legal Centre to be fully staffed by early July 2026.
NSWALC is also working with Justice Connect to ensure an orderly transition for existing matters.
Requests for legal support up to 30 June 2026 should continue to be directed to Justice Connect. From 1 July 2026, LALCs will be able to seek legal assistance directly from the Walumarra Legal Centre at contact@walumarra.org.au
For more information on the Walumarra Legal Centre, see the factsheet here.