Beagle Bay is a medium-sized Aboriginal community on the western side of the Dampier Peninsula, north of Broome in the

Kimberley Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to: Places and historical events Australia Queensland * Kimberley, Queensland, a coastal locality in the Shire of Douglas South Australia * County of Kimberley, a cadastral unit in South Australia Ta ...

region of

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

. Beagle Bay was named in 1838 by John Clements Wickham, captain of ''

HMS Beagle HMS ''Beagle'' was a 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, one of more than 100 ships of this class. The vessel, constructed at a cost of £7,803, was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames. Later reports say ...

''.

Background

The community is situated adjacent to the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...

. Beagle Bay is the gateway to communities further north such as Djarindjin, Lombadina, Bobieding and Ardyaloon. The main access road from Broome is unpaved and so becomes inaccessible during the

wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...

, although it remains connected to other towns on the peninsula to the north by a bitumenised road.

History

The community was established by

Trappist The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a Religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious o ...

monks around 1890. Beagle Bay has a history of caring for stolen children. In 1884, the first priest arrived to serve the Catholics in the Kimberley, and to try to convert the Aboriginal people. Bishop Matthew Gibney founded the Beagle Bay mission, developed in the land of the Nyul Nyul people; this became a site for the Aboriginal people in 1890. The first Catholic school was established by the Trappist Fathers at Beagle Bay in 1892. In 1895, the Trappist monks of Sept-Fons in France extended their missionary work from Beagle Bay to Broome. In 1901, Pallottine fathers from Germany took over the Beagle Bay Mission with two priests and four brothers. In 1907, the St John of God Sisters began to run a mission school at Beagle Bay and in 1918 the famous church was opened. It features a pearl shell altar which is now a tourist attraction. The Beagle Bay Mission subsequently became home to Indigenous people from across the Kimberley and further afield. Lawman and artist Butcher Joe Nangan lived and worked at the mission from around 1920 to the 1960s. In her autobiography, ''Last Truck Out'', Betty Lockyer recalls the Beagle Bay mission in the 1940s as a "Garden of Eden", in which; Author and ethnographer Daisy Bates began her life's work at Beagle Bay Mission in the early 1900s.

Education

Beagle Bay Community has a school, Sacred Heart School, which caters for students from ages K-10. The school was established in 1892 by the Trappist monks.

Facilities

Electricity supply

Electricity is generated and supplied locally by Horizon Power and comprises the Australian standard three phase 415/240 volts system 24 hours a day. There are frequent power surges and interruptions.

Water

There are two bores which pump into the ground tank. A transfer pump station then pumps the water into the high level tank.

Church

Beagle Bay's church was built by interned local Germans during World War I, and officially opened in 1917. It is famous for its interior decorated with

mother of pearl Nacre ( , ), also known as mother-of-pearl, is an organicinorganic composite material produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer. It is also the material of which pearls are composed. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent. Nacre is ...

cowrie Cowrie or cowry () is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails in the family Cypraeidae. Cowrie shells have held cultural, economic, and ornamental significance in various cultures. The cowrie was the shell most widely used wo ...

volute A volute is a spiral, scroll-like ornament that forms the basis of the Ionic order, found in the capital of the Ionic column. It was later incorporated into Corinthian order and Composite column capitals. Four are normally to be found on an ...

and

olive snail The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of subtropical evergreen tree in the family Oleaceae. Originating in Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean Basin, with wild subspecies in Africa ...

shells. The church was a filming location for the 2009 musical

Bran Nue Dae __NOTOC__ ''Bran Nue Dae'' is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia, that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi and his band Kuckles and friends, and was the first Aboriginal Aust ...

Cemetery

The community has a functioning cemetery. As per Aboriginal custom it is insensitive to mention the name of deceased persons. The Shire of Broome Health Regulations stipulate that bodies must be buried at least six feet below ground level; however, this cannot be achieved at the Beagle Bay cemetery because the ground water level is too high.

Sewerage

There is a sewer system in place in the community which comprises three pump stations and treatment ponds on the eastern outskirts of the community.

Recreation

The community has basketball courts and an

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...

oval. Beagle Bay fields a team in the West Kimberley Football Association called the " Beagle Bay (Peninsular) Bombers". Bush walking, some fishing and camping are the dominant pursuits for tourists visiting. Visitors are required to apply for a permit prior to entering the Community.

Shopping

There is one store in town owned and operated by Outback Stores on behalf of the local Community. All items are very expensive compared to major centres. There is also a locally owned and operated bakery/takeaway. Mechanical repairs may be effected at the mechanical workshop.

Governance

The community is managed through its incorporated body, Beagle Bay Futures Indigenous Corporation, incorporated under the ''Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976'' on 17/04/2014.

Town planning

Beagle Bay Layout Plan No. 1 has been prepared in accordance with State Planning Policy 3.2 (Aboriginal Settlements). Layout Plan No. 1 was endorsed by the community on 15 November 2012 and the

Western Australian Planning Commission The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) is an independent statutory authority of the Government of Western Australia that exists to coordinate strategic and statutory planning for future urban, rural, and regional land use. The WAPC f ...

on 28 May 2013. The Layout Plan map-set and background report can be viewed at Planning Western Australia official site.

Notes

References

External links

Beagle Bay TourismSacred Heart School, Beagle BayOffice of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations
{{Towns Kimberley WA Australian Aboriginal missions Stolen Generations institutions Aboriginal communities in Kimberley (Western Australia)