Mapoon

History

Teppathiggi (also known Tepithiki and Teyepathiggi) is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Western Cape York Peninsula, Middle Dulcie River, Lower Batavia River, Ducie River, and Mapoon. The language region includes areas within the local government boundaries of Cook Shire Council. Uradhi (also known as Anggamudi, Ankamuti, Atampaya, Bawtjathi, and Lotiga) is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Western Cape York Peninsula. The traditional language region includes north of Mapoon and Duyfken Point and east of the coast strip to the north of Port Musgrave (Angkamuthi country) incorporating the mouth of the Ducie River, the lower reaches of the Dulhunty River and the upper reaches of the Skardon River in the north. Following the displacement of Indigenous people by British settlement, it was also spoken in the Northern Peninsula Area Region including the communities of New Mapoon, Injinoo and Cowal Creek. In 1891 the Moravian Church established a mission at Mapoon with the aim of providing education and health services to the Aboriginal people. It was their first mission in Cape York Peninsula and they established it at the request of the Presbyterian Church. In the 1950s when bauxite was discovered on the Western Cape area, the Queensland Government passed legislation to help the interested companies Comalco and Alcan with the 'Comalco Act' (Commonwealth Aluminium Corporation Pty Ltd Agreement Act 1957 (Qld)). As a consequence some were excised from the mission reserve. The government, together with Comalco determined to evict the residents off the mission, and they were moved forcibly by the Queensland police from Old Mapoon to New Mapoon on 15 November 1963. The closing of the Mission was explained publicly as a measure to 'rationalise services' for…

Geography

Mapoon is on the western side of Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia. The town of Mapoon is on a peninsula that extends into the Gulf of Carpentaria with Cullen Point (also known as Tullanaringa Point) at its tip (), creating a side bay of the Gulf called Port Musgrave (), which is probably named after Sir Anthony Musgrave, the Queensland Governor from 1883 to 1888. Ducie River () and Wenlock River () flow though the locality into Port Musgrave. Red Beach is a sandy strip facing Port Musgrave adjacent to the south side of the town (). The government-built housing is spread out in bushland along Red Beach Road towards Cullen Point. During the wet season from December to April the town is largely inaccessible except by air and sea. There is an airstrip south of the town (). The Alcan Weipa mining lease covers of the locality of Mapoon. It is a bauxite mine. Mapoon experiences a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw, Trewartha: Awha), with hot conditions year-round. There is a shorter wet season from mid-November to April, and a longer dry season from May to mid-November.

Most-observed species

• Bar-shouldered Dove

  Geopelia humeralis (Temminck, 1821) · Aves
  20
• Rainbow Bee-eater

  Merops ornatus Latham, 1801 · Aves
  19
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  18
• Green Oriole

  Oriolus flavocinctus (King, 1826) · Aves
  17
• Whistling Kite

  Haliastur sphenurus (Vieillot, 1818) · Aves
  15
• White-bellied Cuckooshrike

  Coracina papuensis (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  14
• Graceful Honeyeater

  Microptilotis gracilis (Gould, 1866) · Aves
  13
• brolga

  Grus rubicunda (Perry, 1810) · Aves
  13