Aurukun Elder Gladys Tybingoompa dances on the steps of the High Court, which had just ruled in favour of the Wik native title claim, 1996

In 1996 the High Court of Australia's ruled in favour of the Wik people in their native title claim. The decision resulted in a new category of native title, one that created shared rights to an area between the person holding the lease and the traditional Indigenous owners. Both could exercise rights to the area as long as the exercise of one did not conflict with the rights of the other.