The National Native Title Tribunal (NNTT) engaged the Cape York Land Council (CYLC) to carry out a study of native title land use and management in the Cape York Peninsula. In 2001, the CYLC engaged Dr Memmott to prepare the report. The associated work has been conducted under the supervision of a CYLC Project Team and an Advisory Committee comprised of NNTT, Qld Department of Premier and Cabinet, and Indigenous Land Corporation members.

The data collection methodology can be summarized as follows:

(a) literature analysis of legal material and relevant anthropological and planning material;
(b) consultation with TO groups in two case study sub-regions to discuss and record such things as their land use needs and aspirations and Native Title rights and interests;
(c) collection of literature about service providers and stakeholder orgainsations operating in the sub-regions; and
(d) regular meetings with the Project Advisory Committee to obtain project direction and feedback.

This project's focus was on the protection of Cape York native title in terms of:

• the use by native title holders, through Registered Native Title Bodies Corporate (RNTBCs) of native title land and waters;
• the relationship between RNTBCs and other Indigenous land-holding and management bodies;
• the relationship between RNTBC responsibilities and other non-Indigenous land management bodies under State and Commonwealth programs and legislation.