Croker Islandis anislandin theArafura Seaoff the coast of theNorthern Territory,Australia, 250 km (160 mi) northeast ofDarwin.It was the site of the Croker Island Mission between 1940 and 1968.
Native name: Margo | |
|---|---|
 Image of Croker Island with Cobourg Peninsula | |
  Croker Island Croker Island (Northern Territory, Australia) | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Arafura Sea |
| Coordinates | 11°08′S132°33′E/ 11.133°S 132.550°E |
| Major islands | Croker, Darch, Templer |
| Area | 331.5 km2(128.0 sq mi) |
| Length | 43 km (26.7 mi) |
| Width | 15 km (9.3 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| Territory | Northern Territory |
| Shire | West Arnhem Region |
| Ward | Barrah Ward |
| Largest settlement | Minjilang(pop. 271) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 300 |
| Pop. density | 0.9/km2(2.3/sq mi) |
Indigenous peoples
editAt the earliest time of European contact, the Indigenous people of Croker Island were theJaako,anAboriginal Australianpeople who spokeMarrgu,alanguage isolate.The modern Indigenous communities speakIwaidja(the approximately 150 speakers being the last remaining speakers of the language[1]) andMaung,[2]KunwinjkuandEnglish.[1]
Post-contact history
edit1940–1968: Croker Island Mission
editBetween 1940 and 1968, theMethodist Overseas Missionoperated the Croker Island Mission atMinjilang.[3][4]Many Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their families by the church, part of what is now termed theStolen Generation.[5]The mission ran a school, and employed several of the male residents who had finished school.[6]
The Pacific theatre ofWorld War IIsaw the Japanese militaryaerial bombing Darwinin February 1942. Non-Indigenous children from the island were evacuated. To avoid the bombing, missionaryMargaret Somervilleled 95 Indigenous children from the island's orphanage, part of the Croker Island Mission, on a journey that saw the party arrive on the Australian mainland. Travelling a distance overland, they boarded a train through central Australia, arriving inSydney,New South Wales,on the east coast.[7]Over 44 days, the group covered 5,000 miles (8,000 km).[8]The children returned to Croker Island in 1946.[3]This expedition was described by Somerville in her bookThey crossed a continent,and later explored in theABCdocumentaryCroker Island Exodus[8](2012), directed and co-written bySteven McGregorand co-written byDanielle MacLean.Locals were cast to play all of the roles.[9][citation needed]
Aclass actionwas undertaken by 12 claimants against theUniting Church in Australiafor sexual and physical abuse which took place at the mission from the 1940s until the late 1960s. They finally received compensation in May 2023, through a private settlement.[5]
2001: Croker Island native title claim
editThetraditional custodiansof Croker Island filed a claim over the sea surrounding Croker Island in 2001. The case,Yarmirr v Northern Territory(named after the lead claimant, Mary Yarmirr), was settled in theHigh Court of Australiaon 11 October 2001. The clans represented were theMandilarri-Ildugij,Mangalara,Murran,Gadura-MinagaandNgaynjaharrclans. The case established that the traditional owners do havenative titleof the sea and sea-bed; however,common lawrights of fishing and navigation mean that only non-exclusive native title can exist over the sea.[10]
2005: Cyclone Ingrid
editCroker Island was severely damaged byCyclone Ingridin March 2005.[11]
Geography
editCroker Island, which lies about 250 km (160 mi) northeast of Darwin,[1]is separated fromCobourg Peninsulain the west by Bowen Strait, which is 2.5 km (1.6 mi) wide in the south and up to 7 km (4.3 mi) in the north, and 8.5 km (5.3 mi) long. In the north and east is theArafura Sea,and in the south and southeast Mountnorris Bay. Croker Island measures 43 km (27 mi) from Point David (south, local nameInngirnatj) to Cape Croker (north), up to 15 km (9.3 mi) wide, and has an area of 331.5 km2(128.0 sq mi). At its highest point it is only 15 m (49 ft) above sea level. Croker Island is the largest island, and the only permanently inhabited island, in theCroker Group.[citation needed]
Settlements
editThe only notable settlement on Croker Island is the Aboriginal community ofMinjilang,located on Mission Bay on the east coast. Apart from that, there are nine small familyoutstations,the largest one of which is Inngirnatj (Point David) at the southern end of the island. The settlements from north to south:
- Alamirra (close to Somerville Bay 1.5 km further the north)
- Timor Springs (north of Minjilang, 8 km by road)
- Wanakutja (on Palm Bay in the north-west)
- Minjilang(Mission Bay), the only village and main settlement of the island
- Adjamarrago (800 metres north of Croker Island Aerodrome, west of Minjilang)
- Keith William's Outstation (Arrgamumu, Arrgamurrmur) (south-east of Mission Bay)
- Walka (Barge Landing) (south side of Mission Bay, with barge pier)
- Sandy Bay (close to Sandy Bay on the east coast, but two kilometres to the coast)
- Marramarrani (southwest coast)
- Inngirnatj (Point David) (southern end, west side, with boat pier)
Environment
editThe island's beaches, bushland,wetlandsandswampsare host to plentiful wildlife and flora.[1]
A cull offeral horseswas undertaken in 2015.[12]
References
edit- ^abcd"Croker Island".Fly Tiwi.Archivedfrom the original on 16 July 2022.Retrieved16 July2022.
- ^Robert Mailhammer,'Place names as clues to lost languages? A comparison between Europe and Australia,'Archived24 November 2023 at theWayback MachineinPeter K. Austin,Harold Koch & Jane Simpson (eds.Language, land & song:Studies in honour of Luise Hercus,EL Publishing. pp. 318–329
- ^ab"Croker Island Mission (1940–1968)".Find and Connect.Australian Government.Archivedfrom the original on 30 October 2018.Retrieved30 October2018.
- ^"Methodist Overseas Mission Croker Island Part-Aboriginal".Centre for Indigenous Family History Studies.Archivedfrom the original on 30 October 2018.Retrieved30 October2018.
National Archives of Australia Series F1 Item 1952/559
- ^abFitzgerald, Roxanne (30 May 2023)."Stolen Generations survivors reach settlement with Commonwealth, church for historic abuse at Croker Island Mission".ABC News.Archivedfrom the original on 7 June 2023.Retrieved7 June2023.
- ^Mackett, Paul."Methodist Overseas Mission Croker Island Part-Aboriginal".Centre for Indigenous Family History Studies.Archivedfrom the original on 24 November 2023.Retrieved7 June2023.
- ^"Margaret Somerville, leader of World War II child exodus from Croker Island, dies aged 101".Australian Broadcasting Corporation.1 August 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 8 September 2018.Retrieved30 October2018.
- ^abNICOL, Emily (16 March 2018)."Croker Island Exodus: A documentary telling the remarkable adventure story".National Indigenous Television.Archivedfrom the original on 30 October 2018.Retrieved30 October2018.
- ^McGregor, Steven (1 September 2011)."Guestroom - Steven McGregor"(Audio).ABC Local(Interview). The Guestroom. Interviewed by O'Toole, Kate.Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Archivedfrom the original on 24 November 2023.Retrieved27 April2024.
- ^"The Commonwealth v Yarmirr [2001] HCA 56".High Court of Australia.Australian Government.Archivedfrom the original on 24 November 2023.Retrieved11 September2016.
- ^"Cyclone batters NT's Croker Island".ABC News. 13 March 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 16 July 2022.Retrieved16 July2022.
- ^McCue, Fred (4 February 2015)."Mission to cull the wild horses of Croker Island".NT News.Archivedfrom the original on 5 June 2016.Retrieved11 September2016.