Horn Island, Torres Strait
Encyclopedia
Horn Island is an island in the Torres Strait
, in Queensland
's north between the Australia
n mainland and Papua New Guinea
. At the 2006 census
, Horn Island had a population of 585.
Church Influence: London Missionary Society
up until 1915 when the Anglican Church assumed responsibility.
Horn Island is known as Nœrupai (colloquially Nurupai) to the Kaurareg [Islander] people and was given its English name by Matthew Flinders
in 1802. After the 1871 massacre on Prince of Wales Island (Muralag) remnants of the people settled here for a short while, until the government relocated the Kaurareg to Hammond Island (Kœriri) where they remained until 1922. These islands (along with the other islands in the group are the lands of the Kaurareg, each island - or rather parts thereof - owned by different clans.
The language of the Kaurareg is Kala Lagaw Ya
, in the form of Kaiwalgau Ya (called Kauraraigau Ya [colloquial variant Kauraregau Ya] in the 19th century).
The word Kaurareg means Islander, and is now in the modern language Kawalaig and Kaiwalaig (dialect variants). Kaurareg was a coloquial variant of the mid-19th century form Kauraraiga/Kauralaiga (kaura island and -laiga person who belongs to or has. The r was pronounced more or less like the r in American English, and disappeared from ordinary speech sometime in the 1900s. The Kauraraiga called themselves as such as a contrast from the Aboriginal Dhaidhaulaiga (mainlander) of the Australian mainland, such as the Gudang, Kartakartalaiga, Urradhi, Yadhaikana, and others.
Gold
was mined on Horn Island in the 1890s. In the early 20th century, a town flourished as a result of the pearling
industry, but declined when non-islander residents were evacuated to southern Queensland during World War II
. A major Allied
airbase, known as Horn Island Aerodrome, was constructed on the island and this was attacked several times by Japanese
planes.
In 1946, some of the Kaurareg (Nœrupai) people moved back from (Kubin
) on Moa Island to Horn and settled here in present-day Wasaga Village at the western end of the island. In the late 1980s, gold was mined again and Horn saw the rapid expansion of its population and building activity, as land on neighbouring Thursday Island became scarce.
Horn Island is the site of Horn Island Airport
, which also serves Thursday Island. Therefore it is a gateway for travellers to the mainland and outer islands. The present day population consists of islanders drawn from all islands of the Torres Strait, as well as non-Islanders. Residents travel daily by ferry across the Ellis Channel to Thursday Island for work and school. Shire of Torres
is the local government authority, providing the island community's municipal services.
The island is 53 km² in area.
Torres Strait
The Torres Strait is a body of water which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is approximately wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost continental extremity of the Australian state of Queensland...
, in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
's north between the 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...
n mainland and Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Horn Island had a population of 585.
Church Influence: London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
up until 1915 when the Anglican Church assumed responsibility.
Horn Island is known as Nœrupai (colloquially Nurupai) to the Kaurareg [Islander] people and was given its English name by Matthew Flinders
Matthew Flinders
Captain Matthew Flinders RN was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his age. In a career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that name for the continent, which had previously been...
in 1802. After the 1871 massacre on Prince of Wales Island (Muralag) remnants of the people settled here for a short while, until the government relocated the Kaurareg to Hammond Island (Kœriri) where they remained until 1922. These islands (along with the other islands in the group are the lands of the Kaurareg, each island - or rather parts thereof - owned by different clans.
The language of the Kaurareg is Kala Lagaw Ya
Kala Lagaw Ya
Kala Lagaw Ya is a language belonging to all the western and central Torres Strait Islands, Queensland, Australia. On some islands it has now largely been replaced by Brokan...
, in the form of Kaiwalgau Ya (called Kauraraigau Ya [colloquial variant Kauraregau Ya] in the 19th century).
The word Kaurareg means Islander, and is now in the modern language Kawalaig and Kaiwalaig (dialect variants). Kaurareg was a coloquial variant of the mid-19th century form Kauraraiga/Kauralaiga (kaura island and -laiga person who belongs to or has. The r was pronounced more or less like the r in American English, and disappeared from ordinary speech sometime in the 1900s. The Kauraraiga called themselves as such as a contrast from the Aboriginal Dhaidhaulaiga (mainlander) of the Australian mainland, such as the Gudang, Kartakartalaiga, Urradhi, Yadhaikana, and others.
Gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was mined on Horn Island in the 1890s. In the early 20th century, a town flourished as a result of the pearling
Pearl hunting
Pearl hunting or pearl diving refers to a largely obsolete method of retrieving pearls from pearl oysters, freshwater pearl mussels and, on rare occasions, other nacre-producing molluscs, such as abalone.-History:...
industry, but declined when non-islander residents were evacuated to southern Queensland 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...
. A major Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
airbase, known as Horn Island Aerodrome, was constructed on the island and this was attacked several times by Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
planes.
In 1946, some of the Kaurareg (Nœrupai) people moved back from (Kubin
Kubin
Kubin is a village and municipality in the Masally Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 509....
) on Moa Island to Horn and settled here in present-day Wasaga Village at the western end of the island. In the late 1980s, gold was mined again and Horn saw the rapid expansion of its population and building activity, as land on neighbouring Thursday Island became scarce.
Horn Island is the site of Horn Island Airport
Horn Island Airport
Horn Island Airport is an airport in Horn Island, Queensland, Australia.-World War II:The Civil Constructional Corps and the Department of Main Roads began construction of an advanced operational airbase on the island during World War II, commencing in 1940. The aerodrome was completed in January...
, which also serves Thursday Island. Therefore it is a gateway for travellers to the mainland and outer islands. The present day population consists of islanders drawn from all islands of the Torres Strait, as well as non-Islanders. Residents travel daily by ferry across the Ellis Channel to Thursday Island for work and school. Shire of Torres
Shire of Torres
The Shire of Torres is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland, Australia, covering large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude...
is the local government authority, providing the island community's municipal services.
The island is 53 km² in area.