The remains of a group of Indigenous ancestors will finally be expatriated to a local community in South Australia, following a 20-year battle.
About 38 deceased Narungga people will be returned to Country and laid to rest during an Aboriginal ceremony to be held at The Yorke Peninsula on Friday.
The Narungga community has been working with the South Australian Museum for two decades to bring Narungga ancestors back to Country for reburial.
In July, the federal government facilitated the return of one of the ancestor's remains from the world's largest museum, the Smithsonian Institute, while the others are being brought from the South Australian Museum.
Anne Newchurch, Chair of the Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation (NNAC), said the expatriation was an achievement.
"Narungga park rangers have worked to identify an appropriate area where the Ancestors will be laid to rest," Ms Newchurch said.
"This involves ensuring the area is elevated away from weather disturbances such as wind and rain, and regular monitoring to ensure any risks are mitigated. It's a very emotional day as we finally return our Ancestors to Country on a designated piece of Narungga land, but it's also a sense of achievement because we're bringing them home."
The Ancestors will be returned from the South Australian Museum's Keeping Place on Thursday, and travel along the Wild Dog Dreaming coastal route of the peninsula down into Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park.
Chair of the Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park Co-Management Board, Doug Milera, said the fight is not over.
"It's a momentous day for the Narungga people as we return 38 of our southern Ancestors to Country, in what we hope is the start of the return of all our Ancestors - however there is still a lot of work to be done," Mr Milera said.
The ceremony is a collaboration between the Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation, Point Pearce Aboriginal Community Council, Department of Environment and the South Australian Museum.
