Groote Eylandt
Encyclopedia
Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria
in northeastern Australia
. It is the homeland of, and is owned by, the Anindilyakwa people who speak the isolated Anindilyakwa language).
Groote Eylandt lies about 50 km from the Northern Territory
mainland and eastern coast of Arnhem Land
(about 630 km from Darwin
), opposite Blue Mud Bay
. The island measures about 50 km from east to west and 60 km north—south, a total area of 2,326.1 km². It is generally quite low-lying, with an average height above sea level of 15 m, although Central Hill reaches an elevation of 219 metres. Its geographic coordinates are 14.0°S 136.53°E. It was named by the explorer Abel Tasman
in 1644 and is Dutch
for "Large Island" in an archaic spelling. The modern Dutch spelling is Groot Eiland.
and a few smaller satellite islands, Groote Eylandt forms Anindiyakwa Ward of East Arnhem Shire
. It contains the communities of Angurugu, Alyangula, Umbakumba, Yadagba District, Uburamudja District and Sandy Hill (Groote Eylandt) and Milyakburra District (Bickerton Island).
Outside the local government subdivision is the mining company GEMCO
town of Alyangula, which is unincorporated
territory within the Northern Region of Northern Territory.
, a BHP Billiton
subsidiary, operates a large manganese
mine near the community of Angurugu. In operation since the early 1960s, the mine produces more than 3.8 million tonne
s annually - about a quarter of the world's total.
. An unnamed islet off the north-eastern coast has been classified by BirdLife International
as the Islet off NE Groote Eylandt Important Bird Area
because of its global importance as a Roseate Tern
breeding site.
ship Arnhem
, under Willem van Coolsteerdt. However, it was not until 1644, when Tasman arrived, that the island was given a European name. The first European settlement on the island was established at Emerald River in 1921, in the form of a Christian mission by the Church Missionary Society. During World War II
, in 1943, the mission moved to Angurugu, as the RAAF required the use of the mission's airstrip. The ruins of the RAAF base are still evident today. The island was also used as a flying boat
base by Qantas
for a period of time. In 1979, control of the island was transferred to the local Aboriginal Town Council.
Groote Eylandt was converted to Aboriginal freehold title land following the passing of the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act of 1976.
On May 20, 2008, the Federal Government signed a deal with local Aborigines from Groote Eylandt to lease land to the Government for 40 years. In return, the government will spend money in the community with the aim of improving housing, education and health in the area.
as a community service.
(1925–2010), inventor of the flight data recorder
, was born in Groote Eylandt.
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 Arafura Sea...
in northeastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is the homeland of, and is owned by, the Anindilyakwa people who speak the isolated Anindilyakwa language).
Groote Eylandt lies about 50 km from the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
mainland and eastern coast of Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land
The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
(about 630 km from Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
), opposite Blue Mud Bay
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 580 km east-south-east of Darwin in the Arnhem Coast bioregion...
. The island measures about 50 km from east to west and 60 km north—south, a total area of 2,326.1 km². It is generally quite low-lying, with an average height above sea level of 15 m, although Central Hill reaches an elevation of 219 metres. Its geographic coordinates are 14.0°S 136.53°E. It was named by the explorer Abel Tasman
Abel Tasman
Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the VOC . His was the first known European expedition to reach the islands of Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand and to sight the Fiji islands...
in 1644 and is Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
for "Large Island" in an archaic spelling. The modern Dutch spelling is Groot Eiland.
Administration
Together with Bickerton IslandBickerton Island
Bickerton Island is situated 13 km west off 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 kilometers in size, with deep bays and indentations, and has an area of 215 km2. The largest bays...
and a few smaller satellite islands, Groote Eylandt forms Anindiyakwa Ward of East Arnhem Shire
East Arnhem Shire
The East Arnhem Shire is a Local Government Area of the Northern Territory, Australia. The shire covers an area of and has a population of 9,120.-History:...
. It contains the communities of Angurugu, Alyangula, Umbakumba, Yadagba District, Uburamudja District and Sandy Hill (Groote Eylandt) and Milyakburra District (Bickerton Island).
Outside the local government subdivision is the mining company GEMCO
Gemco
Gemco was an American, particularly California chain of membership department stores that was owned by San Leandro-based Lucky Stores, a California supermarket company which has since been acquired in the 1980s by American Stores Company, which was later acquired by Albertsons in 1999. It operated...
town of Alyangula, which is unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
territory within the Northern Region of Northern Territory.
Mining
Groote Eylandt is part of the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Reserve. GEMCOGemco
Gemco was an American, particularly California chain of membership department stores that was owned by San Leandro-based Lucky Stores, a California supermarket company which has since been acquired in the 1980s by American Stores Company, which was later acquired by Albertsons in 1999. It operated...
, a BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
subsidiary, operates a large manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
mine near the community of Angurugu. In operation since the early 1960s, the mine produces more than 3.8 million tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s annually - about a quarter of the world's total.
Fishing
The island has until recently been open to the public only with permission, and the local Aboriginal Land Council did not encourage tourism. There is now a resort style hotel and an "ET Escape" sport fishing lodge on the island and visitors are welcome. The island is becoming renowned for is fine aboriginal rock art sites, arts and crafts and outstanding sport-fishing including Sailfish, Marlin, Tuna, Spanish Mackerel, Giant Trevally, Queenfish, and Coral Trout.Environment
The whole of Groote Eylandt and its surrounding waters lie within the Anindilyakwa Indigenous Protected AreaIndigenous Protected Areas
An Indigenous Protected Area is a class of protected area formed by agreement with Indigenous Australians, declared by Indigenous Australians, and formally recognised by the Government of Australia as being part of its National Reserve System....
. An unnamed islet off the north-eastern coast has been classified by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
as the Islet off NE Groote Eylandt Important Bird Area
Islet off NE Groote Eylandt Important Bird Area
The Islet off NE Groote Eylandt Important Bird Area comprises a small , unnamed, sand and rock island off the north-eastern coast of Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria, northern Australia. It lies halfway between the north-eastern tip of Groote Eylandt and the North East Islands and is...
because of its global importance as a Roseate Tern
Roseate Tern
The Roseate Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a number of geographical races, differing mainly in bill colour and minor plumage details....
breeding site.
History
Groote Eylandt was first sighted by Europeans in 1623, by the DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
ship Arnhem
Arnhem (ship)
The Arnhem, named after the city of Arnhem in the Netherlands, was a Dutch East Indiaman that entered the Gulf of Carpentaria and recorded having sighted Groote Eylandt in 1623. The vessel was shipwrecked off Mauritius on 12 February 1662. Volkert Evertsz and other survivors of the wreck came...
, under Willem van Coolsteerdt. However, it was not until 1644, when Tasman arrived, that the island was given a European name. The first European settlement on the island was established at Emerald River in 1921, in the form of a Christian mission by the Church Missionary Society. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1943, the mission moved to Angurugu, as the RAAF required the use of the mission's airstrip. The ruins of the RAAF base are still evident today. The island was also used as a flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
base by Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
for a period of time. In 1979, control of the island was transferred to the local Aboriginal Town Council.
Groote Eylandt was converted to Aboriginal freehold title land following the passing of the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act of 1976.
On May 20, 2008, the Federal Government signed a deal with local Aborigines from Groote Eylandt to lease land to the Government for 40 years. In return, the government will spend money in the community with the aim of improving housing, education and health in the area.
Media
The Eylandt Echo newsletter is produced each fortnight. The newsletter's goal is to keep the community up to date on local news, events and recreation. The Eylandt Echo is sponsored by GEMCOGemco
Gemco was an American, particularly California chain of membership department stores that was owned by San Leandro-based Lucky Stores, a California supermarket company which has since been acquired in the 1980s by American Stores Company, which was later acquired by Albertsons in 1999. It operated...
as a community service.
Notable people
David WarrenDavid Warren (inventor)
David Ronald de Mey Warren AO was an Australian scientist, best known for inventing and developing the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder .-Early life:...
(1925–2010), inventor of the flight data recorder
Flight data recorder
A flight data recorder is an electronic device employed to record any instructions sent to any electronic systems on an aircraft. It is a device used to record specific aircraft performance parameters...
, was born in Groote Eylandt.