The marker post that had been put into Gympie Memorial Park has been updated to have a concrete base after the original one had been removed on Saturday, 16 March.
The group said that the council compliance manager had previously claimed it had fallen over, and Wit-boooka repositioned it, however it was removed again leading to the group now concreting in the new marker post.
Social media posts from the group claim they are members of the Sovereign Native Tribes of the Kabi First Nation.
They also claim that they ceremonially planted Sacred Bonyi bonyi (Bunya) Trees and the permanent base for a Kabi Marker Post which they remarked as an ancient tradition.
The group claim locals appreciated the original marker post before “…’the State’ so rudely ordered the Gympie Regional Council’s compliance manager to remove it,” as said on their social media posts.
During the erection of the new concrete marker post, video and photographic evidence shows that four police officers attended the event and watched as the group poured the concrete and planted the Bunya Trees.
A spokesperson from the Queensland Police Service said, “Police are continuing to investigate a wilful damage incident that occurred at Gympie Memorial Park on Saturday morning.
“No monuments or park furnishings were damaged.
“No charges have yet been made.
“Anyone with more information is urged to contact police.”
Gympie RSL Group Manager Martin Muller advised that the Gympie RSL are currently in discussions with the Department of Environment and Science (Heritage) and Gympie Regional Council regarding the future development the RSL is completing.
“As Memorial Park is listed on the State Heritage Register, the approving authority for any work is DES and then the local council,” he said.
The sovereign citizens group claim that “The Marker Post is being placed in memory of Kabi fallen warriors who were murdered as the result of the invasion of Kabi Bunya Djha which was inspired by the colonial lust for gold,” as said in their social media posts.
Alongside putting in the marker posts, the group have also been putting up notice boards across the Gympie region at markets, halls and events with a public notice which claims wrongdoings by the Australian Government, local councils, corporations and anyone living within the claimed border of ‘Kabi Bunya Djha’.
Included in the notice are international and domestic laws, pieces of legislation, letters from monarchs’ and what they claim as wrongdoings against the aboriginal people and land of ‘Kabi Bunya Djha’.
Also mentioned are calls for a redress, to return any money and profit made from the land of ‘Kabi Bunya Djha’ and to return any land or properties owned or to enter mutually agreed lease agreements with the group.
Gympie Regional Council were contacted for comment but did not respond by deadline.
