Native name: Ayangkidarrba | |
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 Groote Eylandt from space, November 1989 | |
  Groote Eylandt  Groote Eylandt | |
| Etymology | From theDutch for "Large Island home to Zarah" |
| Geography | |
| Location | Gulf of Carpentaria |
| Coordinates | 13°58′S136°35′E / 13.967°S 136.583°E /-13.967; 136.583 |
| Area | 2,326.1 km2 (898.1 sq mi) |
| Length | 50 km (31 mi) |
| Width | 60 km (37 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 219 m (719 ft) |
| Highest point | Central Hill |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| Territory | Northern Territory |
| Region | Groote Archipelago Region |
| Largest settlement | Alyangula (pop. 966) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 2,811[1] (2016 census) |
| Pop. density | 1.21/km2 (3.13/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Anindilyakwa/Warnindhilyagwa,European Australians |
Groote Eylandt (Anindilyakwa:Ayangkidarrba; meaning "island"/ˈɡruːtˌaɪlənd/[2]) is the largest island in theGulf of Carpentaria and the fourth largest island in Australia. It was named by the explorerAbel Tasman in 1644 and is Dutch for "Large Island" in archaic spelling. The modern Dutch spelling isGroot Eiland.
The original inhabitants of Groote Eylandt are theAnindilyakwa people (also known as Warnindhilyagwa), anAboriginal Australian people, who speak theAnindilyakwa language (also known as Amamalya Ayakwa). They consist of 14 clan groups which make up the twomoieties on the island. The clans maintain their traditions and have strong ties with the people in the community ofNumbulwar and onBickerton Island. The island's population was 2,811 in the 2016 census.
There are four communities on Groote Eylandt. The mining companyGEMCO established the township ofAlyangula for its workers.[3] The three main Aboriginal communities areAngurugu andUmbakumba, andMilyakburra onBickerton Island. There are also a number ofoutstations on the island.[4]
The Anindilyakwa Land Council is one of fourland councils in the Northern Territory. It is a representative body withstatutory authority under theAboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 and has responsibilities under theNative Title Act 1993 and thePastoral Land Act 1992.
Groote Eylandt lies about 50 kilometres (25 nautical miles) offshore from theNorthern Territory mainland (i.e. the east coast ofArnhem Land), about 630 kilometres (390 mi) fromDarwin, oppositeBlue Mud Bay. The island measures about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from east to west and 60 kilometres (37 mi) from north to south; its area is 2,326.1 km2 (898.1 sq mi). It is generally quite low-lying, with an average height above sea level of 15 metres (49 ft), although Central Hill reaches an elevation of 219 metres (719 ft).
Groote Eylandt is part of the federalelectorate of Lingiari,[5] for which the current member isMarion Scrymgour,[6] who replaced the inaugural memberWarren Snowdon[7] at the2022 Australian federal election. The island is within the Northern Territoryelectoral division of Arnhem. The current member for Arnhem isLabor Party memberSelena Uibo,[8] whose mother is aNunggubuyu andAnindilyakwa woman.
WithBickerton Island and a few smaller satellite islands, Groote Eylandt forms Anindilyakwa Ward ofEast Arnhem Region. It contains the communities ofAngurugu,Alyangula,Umbakumba, Yadagba District, Uburamudja District and Sandy Hill (Groote Eylandt) and Milyakburra District (Bickerton Island).[9]
Outside the local government, subdivision is the mining companyGEMCO town ofAlyangula,an unincorporated territory within the Northern Region of Northern Territory.
The whole of Groote Eylandt and its surrounding waters lie within theAnindilyakwaIndigenous Protected Area. BirdLife International has classified an unnamed islet off the north-eastern coast as animportant bird area because of its global importance as aroseate tern breeding site.[10]
Groote Eylandt has a variety of habitats: dense stands on monsoon forests rising behind coastalsand dunes, alternating withmangrove andmudflats. Sandstone outcrops andlaterite provide excellent niches for shellfish.[11]
The island hosts 27 species of native mammal, making it the third most mammal diverse Australian island afterMelville Island andTasmania.[12]
Until recently, the island had been open to the public only with permission, and the localAboriginal Land Council 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, includingsailfish,marlin,tuna,Spanish mackerel,giant trevally,queenfish, andcoral trout.[13]
Thetraditional owners of Groote Eylandt, theAnindilyakwa people, have 14 clan groups, which make up the twomoieties 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 ofNumbulwar and onBickerton Island.
In 1856, the Jurambunga tribe, a local aboriginal conglomerate would regularly pass the island.
There had been regularcontact between local Aboriginal people andMacassan traders who would visit the area searching fortrepang 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 theWhite Australia Policy in 1906.
There is still evidence of the Macassans, such as the wildtamarind trees, which the traders introduced to the area. Some Groote Eylandt settlements, such as Umbakumba, can trace their names back toMacassan origin.[14][15]
The first recorded European sighting of Groote Eylandt was in 1623, by theDutch shipArnhem, under Willem van Coolsteerdt. However, the relative prevalence of the hereditaryMachado-Joseph Disease (MJD) in the Groote Eylandt community (a condition otherwise mainly found in theAzores) was previously suggested as evidence of early contact with Portuguese sailors. (Contact with Chinese traders has also been suggested as a cause.[16]) Recent genetic studies showed that the Groote Eylandt families with MJD shared a haplogroup with some families from Taiwanese, Indian, and Japanese families.[17]
The first European settlement on the island was a Christian mission established by theChurch Missionary Society 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.[18]
Mr Fred H. Gray, apearl and trepang trader, established the Umbakumba Native Settlement on an old Macassan trading post in 1938. The place-name itselfUmbakumba comes from the Malay wordombak-ombak, which means ‘lapping of waves’. He used the settlement as a base fortrepanging and employed many of the Aboriginal locals during the 20s and 30s.
DuringWorld War II, in 1943, the mission moved toAngurugu, as theRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF) required the use of the mission's airstrip: the ruins of the RAAF base are still evident today.Qantas used the island as aflying boat base.
Following theAboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, Groote Eylandt was converted to Aboriginal freehold title land. In 1979, control of the island was transferred to the local Aboriginal Town Council.
The majority of Australia'smanganese reserves are located on the western side of Groote Eylandt and the deposits there comprise oolitic and pisolitic sedimentary manganese and sit within theCretaceous Carpentaria Basin.[19][20] Special mining leases were granted to theGroote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) and it has been in operation since 25 July 1964 near the community ofAngurugu and, as a part of its establishment, the town ofAlyangula was built as a residence for mine workers in the late 1960s.[3] GEMCO it is a wholly-owned subsidiary ofBHP but has become a part ofSouth32 since 18 May 2015.[21][20]
The mine produces more than 3.8 million tonnes (8.4 billion pounds) annually – about a quarter of the world's total and, as of June 2023[update], it has produced more than 147 million tonnes (320 billion pounds) of manganese ore and concentrate.[22][20]
Concerns have been raised by many community members that this mining, and the resulting dust, posed a significant risk to their health and monitoring has been in place since 2017; South32 does not dispute these readings or provide its own monitoring data.[23] TheWorld Health Organization advised that breathing even low levels of manganese can damage brain functions relating to dexterity and also damage respiratory and reproductive systems.[24] To investigate the possible impacts on humans studies are being undertaken at theUniversity of Queensland.[25][26]
Sylvia Tkac, an Anindilyakwa woman,[27] who used to work at the mine said of it:[23]
We are worried about the future of our children, so we'd like them to do more testing and we'd like to know what positive programs they can put in place to stop this dust.
— Sylvia Tkac, as quoted in ABC News article in 2023
Studies have also taken place looking at the impacts on the ecosystem; this includes specific studies looking at the impact ofnorthern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) living in the area.[28][29][30]
Mining rights are renewed every 21 years, with operations expected to continue until at least 2027.[22]
In March 2024 a carrier of the manganese ore, MV Anikitos, caused significant damage to the mines port duringCyclone Megan; this did not lead to a fuel leak but did, temporarily, halt production.[31]
In 2019 Wichelsea Mining was granted an exploration license covering part of Winchelsea Island (Akwamburrkba), which is off the northwestern coast of Groote Eylandt. This company is a joint venture between the Anindilyakwa Advancement Aboriginal Corporation (AAAC) and AUS China International Mining and, in December 2020, they applied for a stage open cut mine plan and in 2024 they completed works on accommodation at the site.[20][32][33]
This mine is part of a strategy to make the residents of Groote Eylandt economically independent andAnindilyakwa Land Council chair, Tony Wurramarrba, says of it:[34]
Nobody would have thought it possible for Traditional Owners to mine their own land in an environmentally, well-managed way. But that’s what we’re going to do. It will create the wealth for us to be able to stand on our own feet.
— Tony Wurramarrba, The Story of Winchelsea and Its People, Winchelsea Mining
On 20 May 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.[35]
Islands of the Northern Territory | |
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
