Legal decision

Mabo v Queensland (No 2) ruling, 1992

The High Court recognised native title in a case brought by Meriam plaintiffs from the Torres Strait.

What happened

On 3 June 1992, the High Court ruled in favour of Meriam plaintiffs led by Eddie Mabo, recognising native title.[1]

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

  1. 1.

    Claim: The landmark Mabo v Queensland (No 2) case, in which the High Court of Australia ruled on 3 June 1992 to recognise native title and reject terra nullius, was brought by Eddie Koiki Mabo (born 29 June 1936, died 1992), a Meriam man from Mer (Murray Island) in the Torres Strait, together with four other Meriam plaintiffs (Rev. David Passi, Sam Passi, James Rice, and Celuia Mapo Sale); it recognised Meriam land ownership on Mer specifically and is a Torres Strait Islander case, not a mainland Aboriginal Australian one.

    • Mabo Case (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)) link, Mabo case plaintiffs and ruling section. Source record

Source note

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