Land and sea are the cornerstones of Aboriginal spirituality, culture and law.

The invasion of the Northern Territory of Australia began with exploration as early as the 1820s. Since that time, Aboriginal people have been resisting this invasion. The modern history of the struggle for land rights began in 1963 and continues to this day.

The Northern Land Council acts as a representative body for Aboriginal people in its area under both the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 and the Native Title Act 1993.

Almost half the land mass of the Northern Territory, or some 560,000 square kilometres, has been won back for Aboriginal people under the Act.

In recent years the Northern Land Council has also secured several important native title agreements on behalf of Aboriginal people, and has achieved increased recognition for native title sea rights through the courts.

The third avenue open to Aboriginal people wishing to secure an enduring connection to their land is to obtain title to a Community Living Area. Although aimed at Aboriginal people forced off their lands by the pastoral industry, to date the outcome has been extremely disappointing.