MJD Foundation

Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in Northeast Arnhem Land.  The traditional owners are the Warnindilyakwa people, who speak the Anindilyakwa language.

This beautiful tropical island, Groote Eylandt lies approximately 50 kms from the Northern Territory mainland.  It is approximately 50km wide and 60km long.

People wishing to visit Groote Eylandt must be hosted by a resident or obtain permission by way of a permit from the Anindilyakwa Land Council.

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Vegetation is tropical savannah woodland, consisting of mainly stringy-bark eucalypts and Darwin woolly-butt, with patches of monsoon vine forest, pandanus, paperbark swamp and cypress pine. Near the beaches, Casuarina trees and Banyan figs give shelter and shade.

Bird and animal life are prolific. Fourteen species of mammal, 39 species of reptile and over 83 bird species have been noted on Groote Eylandt. The surrounding warm Gulf waters are home to an amazing variety of marine life including five species of turtle, sea snakes, dugong, whales, sharks and an abundance of fish.

History
Groote Eylandt (Dutch for “Great Eylandt”) was named by Dutch explorers in 1624. Local Aborigines became known as the Groote Eylandt Aborigines or Groote Eylandters. Their unique common language is Anindilyakwa, shared by no other aboriginal people in the world.

Makassans travelling from Indonesia were the first known foreign people to visit Groote Eylandt, and visited regularly until 1908. They would arrive in December on the northwest monsoon and return in April/May on the southeast trade winds. They fished for trepang (a sea slug that abounds in the tropical waters around the East Arnhem Land coastline and Gulf of Carpentaria). 

The Anglican Church Missionary Society (CMS) began operation of a Mission at Emerald River on Groote Eylandt in 1921.  When the RAAF took over the use of the Mission's airstrip in 1943, they relocated to nearby Angurugu.  By the 1950s, almost all the Groote Eylandt clans living on the west of the island had settled at Angurugu, significantly altering the traditionally nomadic culture. Schooling and health programs were introduced to the community. The CMS was responsible for Angurugu’s administration until 1979 when it handed over management of the community to the Angurugu Community Government Council.

In 1938, QANTAS established a flying-boat refueling base in the northeast of the Eylandt, which catered for regular commercial flights.  Umbakumba was established as a settlement nearby, and many of the east coast Aborigines soon began living there.  The CMS managed Umbakumba from 1958 to 1966.  The refueling base was taken over by the RAAF during the war and is no longer in operation.  The Umbakumba Council which previously managed the community has now been subsumed, along with the Angurugu Council into the East-Arnhem Shire.

In 1962, BHP realised the economic significance of the manganese ore deposits on Groote Eylandt, and launched an extensive, four-year exploration program.  In 1964, the Groote Eylandt Mining Company was formed.  The CMS was central to negotiations between GEMCO, the Commonwealth Government and the Groote Eylandt Aborigines, resulting in special mining leases being granted.  GEMCO began mining operations and its new relationship with the traditional owners of Groote Eylandt. GEMCO hired local Aboriginal people where possible, providing training and paying full industry rates.  The Groote Eylandt Aboriginal Trust (GEAT) was established to manage and distribute mining royalties.

Groote Eylandt was converted to Aboriginal freehold title land following the passing of the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act of 1976.   In May 2008, following the signing of the Regional Partnership Agreement (RPA) with the Commonwealth Government.  Previously, the land at Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island was part of the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Trust and the Northern Land Council had the deeds.  Now the land is officially Anindilyakwa Land and the Anindilyakwa Land Council will hold the deeds for the Anindilyakwa Land Trust.  As part of the Regional Partnership Agreement, traditional owners will grant a lease over the communities of Angurugu, Umbakumba and Milyakburra to the Australian Government. The lease will be for a period of 40 years and an option to renew for a further 40 years following a review. The lease will provide a secure basis for government and business investment and provide opportunities for home ownership. It will be granted later this year, once the communities have been surveyed.