The Ngambri people may claim native title over parts of the Canberra region after the ACT government apologised for failing to acknowledge them as traditional custodians of the land.
Two members of the Ngambri Indigenous community were suing the government in the ACT Supreme Court, saying it had breached their human rights.
For the past two decades, the ACT government had formally identified only the Ngunnawal people as Canberra's traditional owners.
However, the government settled the case and apologised to Ngambri people yesterday for "hurt and distress" caused by its failure to acknowledge them.
Ngambri man Paul Girrawah House, one of the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case, said the settlement and apology were a good start, but not the end.
"It's a good feeling for our people, for ourselves, to be acknowledged and to be respected as traditional custodians of the country," he said.
"Our people have worked hard all our lives for acknowledgement on country, based on our oral histories and historical records.
"It's a good start, but the fight continues for the rights of our people on country.
"A native title claim is a possibility we'll consider."
Last year, a group of Ngunnawal people indicated they intended to claim native title over all of the ACT and nearby parts of New South Wales.
At the time, ACT Aboriginal Affairs Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said she would "engage supportively and in good faith if a new native title claim was lodged".
Mr House said yesterday that evidence of Ngambri identity and connection to country in the Canberra area was "powerful and compelling".
"The records have been there since Europeans have arrived in the Canberra region from the 1820s onwards," he said.
"The name 'Canberra' is derived from the name of our people and country: the Ngambri, the Kamberri.
"Our identity, our connection, our provenance is very powerful and compelling."
Government to continue to recognise Ngunnawal custodians
Meanwhile, Ngunnawal representatives say they will meet to discuss the repercussions of the government's settlement with the Ngambri people.
Ngunnawal elder Aunty Violet Sheridan said in a statement that she and other traditional owners would be considering their position and possible next steps.
"We take very seriously our obligation and responsibility as traditional owners and custodians of our lands and culture," she said.
"The recent decision by the ACT government doesn't change this.
"We stand united as proud Ngunnawal traditional owners and will continue to do so, no matter what decision the ACT government has made."
The government says it will now consult widely to decide how to best recognise traditional custodianship in the Canberra region.
Ms Rachel Stephen-Smith said the court settlement had already led to some changes in Indigenous policy, but the government was still specifically recognising Ngunnawal custodians.
"The standard acknowledgement of country will be amended to recognise the Ngunnawal as traditional custodians of this land, but also acknowledge there are [other] people and families who have a connection to the ACT," she said.
"The evidence for Ngunnawal custodianship is very strong, and we continue to acknowledge the Ngunnawal specifically."
Not all Canberra institutions followed the ACT government's decision in 2002 to identify only one Indigenous group with the capital.
Many federal government agencies, as well as the Australian National University, formally acknowledged both the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people as traditional owners.
