Groote Eylandt (
Anindilyakwa: ''Ayangkidarrba'' meaning "island" ) is the largest island in the
Gulf of Carpentaria
The Gulf of Carpentaria (, ) is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the eastern Arafura Sea (the body of water that lies between Australia and New Guinea). The northern boundary is ...
and the fourth largest island in Australia. It was named by the explorer
Abel Tasman
Abel Janszoon Tasman (; 160310 October 1659) was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He was the first known European explorer to reach New Z ...
in 1644 and is Dutch for "Large Island" in archaic spelling. The modern Dutch spelling is ''Groot Eiland''.
The original inhabitants of Groote Eylandt are the
Anindilyakwa, an
Aboriginal Australian
Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Islands ...
people, who speak the
Anindilyakwa language
Anindilyakwa () is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Anindilyakwa people on Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory of Australia. Anindilyakwa is a multiple-classifying prefixin ...
(also known as Amamalya Ayakwa). They consist of 14 clan groups which make up the two
moieties on the island. The clans maintain their traditions and have strong ties with the people in the community of
Numbulwar
Numbulwar, formerly known as Rose River Mission,https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=22449 is a small, primarily Aboriginal community on the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory of Australia. The major language group of ...
and on
Bickerton Island
Bickerton Island is 13 km west of Groote Eylandt and 8 km east of the mouth of Blue Mud Bay in eastern Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is about 21 by 21 kilometres in size, with deep bays and indentations, and ...
. The island's population was 2,811 in the 2016 census.
There are four communities on Groote Eylandt. The mining company
GEMCO
The Groote Eylandt Mining Company, known by its acronym GEMCO, is an Australian company that was commissioned to mine high grade manganese ore. GEMCO is majority owned by South32. It runs its operation on 84 square kilometres of the Arnhem Land Ab ...
established the township of
Alyangula
Alyangula is the largest township on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory.
History
Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) established Alyangula as the residence for the mining company workers in the late 1960s. The township was established ...
for its workers. The three main Aboriginal communities are
Angurugu and
Umbakumba
Umbakumba is a community located on Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory, Australia. The main spoken languages are Anindilyakwa, an Australian Aboriginal language, and English. There are also several Yolŋu Matha spea ...
, and
Milyakburra on
Bickerton Island
Bickerton Island is 13 km west of Groote Eylandt and 8 km east of the mouth of Blue Mud Bay in eastern Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is about 21 by 21 kilometres in size, with deep bays and indentations, and ...
. There are also a number of
outstations on the island.
The
Anindilyakwa Land Council Anindilyakwa may refer to:
* Anindilyakwa people, an ethnic group of Australia
* Anindilyakwa language, an Australian language
* Anindilyakwa Indigenous Protected Area Anindilyakwa may refer to:
* Anindilyakwa people, an ethnic group of Australia
...
is one of four
land council
Land councils, also known as Aboriginal land councils, or land and sea councils, are Australian community organisations, generally organised by region, that are commonly formed to represent the Indigenous Australians (both Aboriginal Australians ...
s in the Northern Territory. It is a representative body with
statutory authority
A statutory body or statutory authority is a body set up by law (statute) that is authorised to implement certain legislation on behalf of the relevant country or state, sometimes by being Primary and secondary legislation, empowered or deleg ...
under the ''
Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976
The ''Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976'' (ALRA) is Australian federal government legislation that provides the basis upon which Aboriginal Australian people in the Northern Territory can claim rights to land based on traditi ...
'' and has responsibilities under the ''
Native Title Act 1993'' and the ''Pastoral Land Act 1992''.
Geography
Groote Eylandt lies about from the
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...
mainland and eastern coast of
Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia, with the term still in use. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territory capital, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compan ...
, about from
Darwin, opposite
Blue Mud Bay
Blue Mud Bay is a large, shallow, partly enclosed bay on the eastern coast of Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia, facing Groote Eylandt on the western side of the Gulf of Carpentaria. It lies east-south-east of Darwin in the ...
. The island measures about from east to west and from north to south; its area is . It is generally quite low-lying, with an average height above sea level of , although Central Hill reaches an elevation of .
Politics and Administration
Electorates
Groote Eylandt is part of the federal
electorate of Lingiari, for which the current member is
Marion Scrymgour
Marion Rose Scrymgour (born 13 September 1960) is an Australian politician and the current MP for Lingiari. She was a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2012, representing the electorate of Arafura. She was th ...
, who replaced the inaugural member
Warren Snowdon
Warren Edward Snowdon (born 20 March 1950) is an Australian former politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives from July 1987 to March 1996, and again from October 1998 until May 2022. Initially representing the Division of ...
at the
2022 Australian federal election
The 2022 Australian federal election was held on Saturday 21 May 2022 to elect members of the 47th Parliament of Australia. The incumbent Liberal/National Coalition government, led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, sought to win a fourth conse ...
. The island is within the Northern Territory
electoral division of Arnhem
Arnhem is an electoral division of the Legislative Assembly in Australia's Northern Territory. It was first created in 1974, and takes its name from Arnhem Land, the region encompassing much of the northern part of the Territory.
Arnhem include ...
. The current member for Arnhem is
Labor Party member
Selena Uibo
Selena Quintanilla Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), known mononymously as Selena, was an American Tejano singer. Called the " Queen of Tejano music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mex ...
, whose mother is a
Nunggubuyu and
Anindilyakwa woman.
Local government
With
Bickerton Island
Bickerton Island is 13 km west of Groote Eylandt and 8 km east of the mouth of Blue Mud Bay in eastern Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is about 21 by 21 kilometres in size, with deep bays and indentations, and ...
and a few smaller satellite islands, Groote Eylandt forms Anindilyakwa Ward of
East Arnhem Region
The East Arnhem Region is a local government area of the Northern Territory, Australia, governed by the East Arnhem Regional Council. Situated in the far north-eastern corner of the Northern Territory, the region covers an area of and had a pop ...
. It contains the communities of
Angurugu,
Alyangula
Alyangula is the largest township on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory.
History
Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) established Alyangula as the residence for the mining company workers in the late 1960s. The township was established ...
,
Umbakumba
Umbakumba is a community located on Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory, Australia. The main spoken languages are Anindilyakwa, an Australian Aboriginal language, and English. There are also several Yolŋu Matha spea ...
, Yadagba District, Uburamudja District and Sandy Hill (Groote Eylandt) and Milyakburra District (
Bickerton Island
Bickerton Island is 13 km west of Groote Eylandt and 8 km east of the mouth of Blue Mud Bay in eastern Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is about 21 by 21 kilometres in size, with deep bays and indentations, and ...
).
Outside the local government, subdivision is the mining company
GEMCO
The Groote Eylandt Mining Company, known by its acronym GEMCO, is an Australian company that was commissioned to mine high grade manganese ore. GEMCO is majority owned by South32. It runs its operation on 84 square kilometres of the Arnhem Land Ab ...
town of
Alyangula
Alyangula is the largest township on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory.
History
Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) established Alyangula as the residence for the mining company workers in the late 1960s. The township was established ...
,
an unincorporated territory within the Northern Region of Northern Territory.
Environment
The whole of Groote Eylandt and its surrounding waters lie within the
Anindilyakwa Indigenous Protected Area
An Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) is a class of protected area used in Australia; each is formed by voluntary agreement with Indigenous Australians, and declared by Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander representative organisations ...
. BirdLife International has classified an unnamed islet off the north-eastern coast as an
important bird area
An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.
IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...
because of its global importance as a
roseate tern
The roseate tern (''Sterna dougallii'') is a species of tern in the family Laridae. The genus name ''Sterna'' is derived from Old English "stearn", "tern", and the specific ''dougallii'' refers to Scottish physician and collector Dr Peter McDoug ...
breeding site.
Groote Eylandt has a variety of habitats: dense stands on monsoon forests rising behind coastal
sand dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
s, alternating with
mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...
and
mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal fl ...
s. Sandstone outcrops and
laterite
Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by ...
provide excellent niches for shellfish.
Fauna
The island hosts 27 species of native mammal, making it the third most mammal diverse Australian island after
Melville Island and
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
.
Fishing
Until recently, the island had been open to the public only with permission, and the local
Aboriginal Land Council
Land councils, also known as Aboriginal land councils, or land and sea councils, are Australian community organisations, generally organised by region, that are commonly formed to represent the Indigenous Australians (both Aboriginal Australians ...
did not encourage tourism. There is now a resort-style hotel on the island, and visitors are welcome. The island is becoming renowned for its fine Aboriginal rock art sites, arts and crafts and outstanding sport-fishing, including
sailfish
The sailfish is one or two species of marine fish in the genus ''Istiophorus'', which belong to the family Istiophoridae ( marlins). They are predominantly blue to gray in colour and have a characteristically large dorsal fin known as the ...
,
marlin
Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes about 10 species. A marlin has an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long, rigid dorsal fin which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to deri ...
,
tuna
A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: ...
,
Spanish mackerel
Scomberomorini is a tribe of ray-finned saltwater bony fishes that is commonly known as the Spanish mackerels, seerfishes or seer fish. This fish closely resembles the King Mackerel. This tribe is a subset of the mackerel family (Scombridae) â ...
,
giant trevally
The giant trevally (''Caranx ignobilis''), also known as the lowly trevally, barrier trevally, ronin jack, giant kingfish or ''ulua'', is a species of large marine fish classified in the jack family, Carangidae. The giant trevally is distributed ...
,
queenfish
The queenfish (''Seriphus politus'') is a species of fish in the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. It is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean, where it occurs along the North American coastline from Oregon to Baja California; it has been ...
, and
coral trout
The leopard coral grouper (''Plectropomus leopardus''), also known as the common coral trout, leopard coral trout, blue-dotted coral grouper or spotted coral grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephel ...
.
History
Traditional Owners
The
traditional owners
Native title is the designation given to the common law doctrine of Aboriginal title in Australia, which is the recognition by Australian law that Indigenous Australians (both Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander people) have rights ...
of Groote Eylandt, the
Anindilyakwa people
The Anindilyakwa people (''Warnumamalya)'' are Aboriginal Australian people living on Groote Eylandt, Bickerton Island, and Woodah Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Names
The accepted names for the Trad ...
, have 14 clan groups, which make up the two
moieties on Groote Eylandt. The Anindilyakwa people have inhabited the island for thousands of years. The clans maintain their traditions and have strong ties with the people in the community of
Numbulwar
Numbulwar, formerly known as Rose River Mission,https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=22449 is a small, primarily Aboriginal community on the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory of Australia. The major language group of ...
and on
Bickerton Island
Bickerton Island is 13 km west of Groote Eylandt and 8 km east of the mouth of Blue Mud Bay in eastern Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is about 21 by 21 kilometres in size, with deep bays and indentations, and ...
.
In 1856, the Jurambunga tribe, a local aboriginal conglomerate would regularly pass the island.
Macassan Traders
There had been regular
contact
Contact may refer to:
Interaction Physical interaction
* Contact (geology), a common geological feature
* Contact lens or contact, a lens placed on the eye
* Contact sport, a sport in which players make contact with other players or objects
* ...
between local Aboriginal people and
Macassan
Makassar (, mak, ᨆᨀᨔᨑ, Mangkasara’, ) is the capital of the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi. It is the largest city in the region of Eastern Indonesia and the country's fifth-largest urban center after Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan ...
traders who would visit the area searching for trepang from around the early to mid-1700s. They introduced culinary delights such as tamarinds, chilli and beer. The trade continued until the Australian Government introduced the
White Australia Policy
The White Australia policy is a term encapsulating a set of historical policies that aimed to forbid people of non-European ethnic origin, especially Asians (primarily Chinese) and Pacific Islanders, from immigrating to Australia, starting i ...
in 1906.
There is still evidence of the Macassans, such as the wild
tamarind trees, which the traders introduced to the area. Some Groote Eylandt settlements, such as Umbakumba, can trace their names back to
Macassan
Makassar (, mak, ᨆᨀᨔᨑ, Mangkasara’, ) is the capital of the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi. It is the largest city in the region of Eastern Indonesia and the country's fifth-largest urban center after Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan ...
origin.
[Van Egmond, M-E. (2012). "Enindhilyakwa phonology, morphosyntax and genetic position." Doctoral thesis. University of Sydney. pp. 314–70.]
Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD)
The first recorded European sighting of Groote Eylandt was in 1623, by the
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
ship
''Arnhem'', under Willem van Coolsteerdt. However, the relative prevalence of the hereditary
Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD) in the Groote Eylandt community (a condition otherwise mainly found in the
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
) was previously suggested as evidence of early contact with Portuguese sailors. (Contact with Chinese traders has also been suggested as a cause.) Recent genetic studies showed that the Groote Eylandt families with MJD shared a haplogroup with some families from Taiwanese, Indian, and Japanese families.
European Colonisation
Church Mission Society
The first European settlement on the island was a Christian mission established by the
Church Missionary Society
The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British mission society working with the Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as mission ...
at Emerald River in 1921. In 1943, after a cyclone swept through the mission, CMS decided to move the settlement south of the Angurugu River. The local Anindilyakwa people called the chosen location "Mungwardinamanja". However, as it was difficult for the European missionaries to pronounce, the local Anindilyakwa men guiding them chose the name of the Angurugu River mouth "Angurrkwa", which was later Anglicised to Angurugu.
Umbakumba
Mr Fred H. Gray, a
pearl
A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carb ...
and
trepang trader, established the Umbakumba Native Settlement on an old Macassan trading post in 1938. The place-name itself ''Umbakumba'' comes from the Malay word ''ombak-ombak'', which means ‘lapping of waves’. He used the settlement as a base for
trepanging
Trepanging is the act of collection or harvesting of sea cucumbers, known in Indonesian as ''trepang'', Malay těripang, and used as food.
The collector, or fisher, of ''trepang'' is a trepanger.
Trepanging is comparable to clamming, crabbing, ...
and employed many of the Aboriginal locals during the 20s and 30s.
World War II
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, in 1943, the mission moved to
Angurugu, as the
RAAF
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
required the use of the mission's airstrip: the ruins of the RAAF base are still evident today.
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founded ...
used the island as a
flying boat
A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fusela ...
base.
Following the
Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976
The ''Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976'' (ALRA) is Australian federal government legislation that provides the basis upon which Aboriginal Australian people in the Northern Territory can claim rights to land based on traditi ...
, Groote Eylandt was converted to Aboriginal freehold title land. In 1979, control of the island was transferred to the local Aboriginal Town Council.
Mining
The majority of Australia's
manganese
Manganese is a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of industrial alloy use ...
reserves are located on the western side of Groote Eylandt. Special mining leases were granted to the
Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
BHP
BHP Group Limited (formerly known as BHP Billiton) is an Australian multinational mining, metals, natural gas petroleum public company that is headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The Broken Hill Proprietary Company was founded ...
but has become a part of
South32
South32 is a mining and metals company headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. It was spun out of BHP Billiton on 18 May 2015. It is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange with secondary listings on the Johannesburg and London Stock ...
since 18 May 2015.
GEMCO has been operating a large
manganese
Manganese is a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of industrial alloy use ...
mine near the community of
Angurugu since the 25th July 1964. The mine produces more than 3.8 million tonnes annually – about a quarter of the world's total. Mining rights are renewed every 21 years, with operations expected to continue until 2027.
Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) established the town of
Alyangula
Alyangula is the largest township on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory.
History
Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) established Alyangula as the residence for the mining company workers in the late 1960s. The township was established ...
as the residence for the mining company workers in the late 1960s.
Present-day
On May 20, 2008, the federal government signed a deal with local Aboriginal people from Groote Eylandt to lease land to the government for 40 years. In return, the government will spend money in the community to improve housing, education, and health in the area.
Notable people
*
Donald Thomson
Donald Finlay Fergusson Thomson, OBE (26 June 1901 – 12 May 1970) was an Australian anthropologist and ornithologist who was largely responsible for turning the Caledon Bay crisis into a "decisive moment in the history of Aboriginal-Europea ...
(1901–1970), Australian anthropologist and biologist.
*
David Warren (1925–2010), inventor of the
flight data recorder
A flight recorder is an electronic recording device placed in an aircraft for the purpose of facilitating the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents. The device may often be referred to as a "black box", an outdated name which has ...
, born on Groote Eylandt.
*
Nick Kenny (1982–), former
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite com ...
rugby league player who moved to Groote Eylandt.
*
Norman Tindale
Norman Barnett Tindale AO (12 October 1900 – 19 November 1993) was an Australian anthropologist, archaeologist, entomologist and ethnologist.
Life
Tindale was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1900. His family moved to Tokyo and lived ther ...
(1900–1993), Australian anthropologist, archaeologist, entomologist and ethnologist.
*
Emily Wurramara
Emily Wurramara is an Indigenous Australian singer and songwriter.
In 2018, Wurramara was nominated for Best Blues and Roots Album at the ARIA Awards.
Early life
Wurramara is a Warnindhilyagwa woman from Groote Eylandt, off the Northern Te ...
, singer-songwriter, born on the island.
*
Kaye Aldenhoven
Kaye Aldenhoven is an Australian poet and teacher.
Biography
In 1971, Kaye Aldenhoven moved from South Australia to Umbakumba on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory. She then lived and taught at Yuendumu, Amoonguna, Alice Springs, Darwin, Jabi ...
, a poet who lived and taught on the island
See also
*
Groote Eylandt Airport
*
List of islands of Australia
This is a list of selected Australian islands grouped by State or Territory. Australia has 8,222 islands within its maritime borders.
Largest islands
The islands larger than are:
* Tasmania (Tas) ;
* Melville Island, Northern Territory (NT ...
References
External links
Alyangula Area SchoolAlyangula Area SchoolAngurugu Community Government Council siteEast Arnhem Regional CouncilEylandt EchoGEMCO – The Groote Eylandt mining companyGEMCO publication with map
{{Authority control
Islands of the Northern Territory
Australian Aboriginal freehold title
Maritime history of the Dutch East India Company
Unincorporated areas of the Northern Territory
Arnhem Land tropical savanna
IBRA subregions