Cape York Land Council

What Cape York Land Council does

Cape York Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (ICN 1163) is a non-profit Aboriginal Corporation headquartered at 32 Florence Street, Parramatta Park, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Established in 1990, it operates as a Native Title Representative Body under the Native Title Act 1993, with statutory recognition currently running through 31 December 2026. The organisation's stated purpose is to support Cape York Traditional Owners in regaining rights to land and sea, preserving culture, and building vibrant, self-governing communities. It is governed directly by Traditional Owners, with a community-led mandate guiding all activity.

The organisation delivers its mandate through three core product lines. The first is Native Title Legal Support Services, covering native title claims, determinations, and facilitation of consultation and decision-making meetings between Traditional Owners, government, and third parties such as mining companies. The second is the Capacity Building Program, anchored by a dedicated PBC Unit that supports 33 Prescribed Bodies Corporate within the CYLC representative body area with governance training, administrative funding support, AGM assistance, and PBC forums; the Lana Traineeship Program (Certificate III in Business Administration) sits within this stream as a sub-product developing Indigenous administrators. The third comprises enabling services: a noticeboard and meeting facilitation function, publications including annual reports from 2005-2024, and a formal complaints handling process. The underlying technology is legal and advocacy services supported by a standard website (cylc.org.au) and direct communication channels; no proprietary software, AI/ML systems, APIs, or data assets are described.

The business model is government grant funding under a statutory designation. CYLC operates as a Native Title Representative Body funded to perform prescribed functions, with all services provided free of charge to Traditional Owners and Prescribed Bodies Corporate. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the organisation has 19 employees and serves the Cape York Peninsula region exclusively. Distribution is direct, via in-house staff (Principal Lawyer, Legal Officers, Business Support Officers, Anthropologists) and a regional freecall line. The customer base comprises Traditional Owners of Cape York and 33 PBCs, with third-party counterparties (mining companies, local councils, state government departments) engaging CYLC as a mandated consultation facilitator rather than as commercial customers.

Name

Cape York Land Council

Legal name

Cape York Land Council Aboriginal Corporation

Website

https://cylc.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cape York Land Council is a statutory Aboriginal Corporation and Native Title Representative Body, founded in 1990, providing legal representation, native title claims support, and capacity building for Cape York Traditional Owners and 33 Prescribed Bodies Corporate via 19 staff in Cairns, Queensland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Parramatta Park

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: CYLC operates as a statutory body funded by government to perform Native Title Representative Body functions under the Native Title Act 1993. The organisation's services are provided free of charge to Traditional Owners and Prescribed Bodies Corporate.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cape York Land Council is a statutory Native Title Representative Body that delivers legal representation, native title claims support, and consultation facilitation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners across the Cape York region. It also operates a Capacity Building Program through its PBC Unit, supporting 33 Prescribed Bodies Corporate with governance training, administrative support, AGM facilitation, and the Lana Traineeship Program (Certificate III in Business Administration). All services are provided free of charge under statutory government funding.

Product overview

Cape York Land Council operates as a Native Title Representative Body providing a unified suite of legal support and advocacy services for Cape York Traditional Owners. The core offerings include Native Title legal support services for land and sea rights determination, combined with a Capacity Building Program that provides the PBC Unit to support 33 Prescribed Body Corporates with governance training and administrative support. The Lana Traineeship Program offers Certificate III in Business Administration training for Indigenous administrators. Supporting services include publications (annual reports, newsletters), a noticeboard for meeting facilitation, and a formal complaints handling process.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Native Title Legal Support Services Legal representation and support services for Cape York Traditional Owners to regain rights to land and sea, including native title claims, determinations, and consultations with government and third parties.
• Capacity Building Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully worked since 1990 to support Cape York Traditional Owners to regain rights to land and sea

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026NIAA is the government agency responsible for native title representative body recognition. The Minister for Indigenous Australians has invited CYLC to apply for further terms as the native title representative body for the Cape York region. CYLC's current term ends 31 December 2026.
• Ark Mines LtdminorOthersMining company requiring consultation with CYLC for exploration permits within native title determination areas (EPM 28735, 28758). CYLC facilitates consultation meetings between Traditional Owners and the mining company.
• Rhumb Resources Pty LtdminorOthersMining company requiring consultation for exploration permits (EPM 29321, 28929) within native title areas. CYLC facilitates consultation meetings.
• North Queensland Mining Pty LtdminorOthersMining company with proposed grant of Mining Lease ML 100389 subject to right to negotiate under Native Title Act. CYLC facilitates decision-making meetings.
• Tate Transition Metals LtdminorOthersMining company (acting as agent for Munuku Pty Ltd) conducting exploration activities under Native Title Protection Conditions in Kunjen Olkol determination area.
• PacGold LtdminorOthersMining company proposing cultural heritage management plan for Mining Lease 3010 within Olkola Native Title Determination area.
• Prometheus Metals Pty LtdminorOthersMining company with exploration permit EPM 29225 requiring consultation within Guugu Yimidhirr determination area.
• Todd River Metals Pty LtdminorOthersMining company with exploration permits EPM 28991 and 28992 within Olkola Determination area.
• West Cape Sands Pty LtdminorOthersMining company with exploration permit EPM 27900 in Northern Cape York #2 native title claim area.
• Ventia Pty LtdminorOthersService provider undertaking maintenance works under Section 24MD notifications within Cape York United #1 claim area.
• Palmer Gold NQ Pty LtdminorOthersMining company holding EPM 28702 within Kunjen Olkol Native Title Determination area.
• GDM Cape Pty LtdminorOthersMining company holding EPM 28913 within Kunjen Olkol Native Title Determination area.
• Douglas Shire CouncilminorOthersLocal government proposing Daintree Ferry Upgrade Project within CYU#1 and EKY#2 native title claims. CYLC facilitates consultation for Cultural Heritage Agreement.
• Department of Transport and Main RoadsminorOthersGovernment department implementing Peninsula Developmental Road Indigenous Land Use Agreement affecting Northern Kaanju determination area.
• Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory body overseeing Aboriginal Corporations. ORIC representatives are invited to present at PBC workshops to provide information about corporation governance requirements.
• Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation RNTBCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal Cultural Heritage Body under Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003. Partner in Cultural Heritage Agreement discussions for projects within Eastern Kuku Yalanji area.
• Kimberley Land Council (KLC)minorOthersOther Native Title Representative Body also invited by NIAA to apply for further terms alongside CYLC.
• North Queensland Land Council (NQLC)minorOthersOther Native Title Representative Body also invited by NIAA to apply for further terms alongside CYLC.
• Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC)minorOthersOther Native Title Representative Body also invited by NIAA to apply for further terms alongside CYLC.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Central Land Council: Native Title Representative Body covering Central Australia (much of the Northern Territory and parts of South Australia), performing identical native title representative body functions for Aboriginal Traditional Owners.
• Kimberley Land Council: Native Title Representative Body for the Kimberley region of Western Australia, performing the same statutory functions for Kimberley Traditional Owners under the Native Title Act 1993.
• South Australian Native Title Services: South Australia's recognized Native Title Representative Body, performing identical statutory native title representative body functions for Traditional Owners in South Australia.
• Northern Land Council: Major Native Title Representative Body covering the Top End of the Northern Territory, providing identical statutory native title representation and land rights advocacy services to Aboriginal Traditional Owners.
• North Queensland Land Council: Native Title Representative Body covering adjacent regions in Queensland, performing identical statutory native title representative body functions under the Native Title Act 1993. Also invited by NIAA to apply for further terms alongside CYLC.
• Torres Strait Regional Authority: Statutory authority for Torres Strait Islander peoples in the adjacent Torres Strait region, with similar governance and land rights functions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in northern Australia.
• Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation: Native Title Representative Body covering the Yamatji and Marlpa regions of Western Australia, also invited by NIAA to apply for further terms alongside CYLC, providing identical native title representative body services.
• South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council: Native Title Representative Body for the South West region of Western Australia, performing identical native title representative body functions for Noongar Traditional Owners.
• Native Title Services Victoria: Victoria's recognized Native Title Representative Body, providing identical native title representative body services for Traditional Owners in Victoria.

Broad incumbents

• National Native Title Tribunal: Australian Commonwealth body that determines native title applications and oversees the recognition of Native Title Representative Bodies including CYLC. Sets the regulatory framework within which CYLC operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cape-york-land-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cape York Land Council