Indigenous community control to return to Canberra’s historic Boomanulla Oval

A milestone for Indigenous community ownership in Australia has been reached as a new committee met on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, to oversee the transfer of Boomanulla Oval in Narrabundah. As reported by ABC News, the site is a step closer to returning to community control, ten years after the ACT government first pledged the handover. Originally established in the 1980s, the oval was the first asset ever handed over to the Aboriginal community in the Australian Capital Territory. Committee co-chair Kim Davison described the site as more than just a sports field, calling it a cultural hub that has hosted everything from NAIDOC celebrations and football matches to funerals and weddings. According to Ms Davison, the lease for the oval was first granted in 1984 by Charlie Perkins, the then federal secretary of Aboriginal affairs. While control returned to the government following financial difficulties within the Aboriginal Corporation for Sport and Recreation Activities (ACSRA), the move to restore community governance is seen as a vital step in respecting the site's legacy. Ngunnawal Elder Caroline Hughes, who is also serving on the committee, noted that Boomanulla Oval remains a place of deep significance for Ngunnawal and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. She recalled the oval as a meeting place where community members sat with elders to ensure they felt valued and respected. The name Boomanulla itself honours a 1940s Indigenous rugby league player for the Redfern All Blacks, whose nickname meant "speed and lightning." Minister for Sport and Recreation Yvette Berry indicated that the government expects a plan for the site’s future use to reach cabinet by the end of the year. The committee has committed to public consultation and will honour existing sporting commitments as they work toward a full transfer of control in 2027.