Mission Beach

History

The region has been inhabited for at least the past 5,000 years by a rainforest dwelling people collectively known as the Djiru people. Remains of middens, fish traps, rock-shelter paintings and ceremonial sites are located around Mission Beach and Dunk Island. Djiru people made large wooden swords and built wet-season villages consisting of dome-shaped huts thatched with palm fronds and paperbark. Lieutenant James Cook sailed through the area in 1770, naming Dunk Island. Clump Point was descriptively named in 1848 by Captain Owen Stanley of the Royal Navy survey ship HMS Rattlesnake. On 26 February 1872, the brig Maria carrying 75 people of a gold prospecting expedition to New Guinea was wrecked upon Bramble Reef. The survivors escaped the sinking ship on 3 boats and 2 rafts. Two of the boats made it safely to the nearest British settlement of Cardwell, but the other three craft were washed up on the shoreline at and around what is now Mission Beach. Up to ten of these crew members, including the captain, were found to have been murdered by Aboriginal people residing in this region. Lieutenant Sabben of the Royal Navy was sent to recover the captain's boat and find any survivors. Upon reaching the beached boat they were attacked by about 120 Aboriginal men. In resisting the attack, 8 native people were killed. Fearing further attacks, Magistrate Brinsley Sheridan, ordered Sub-Inspector Robert Arthur Johnstone of the Native Police "to inflict decisive punishment". Johnstone and his troopers were significantly aided by another Royal Navy officer in Captain John Moresby who provided additional armed marines and a large schooner. Moresby described how "several unfortunate blacks were shot down by the native troopers, who showed an unrestrained ferocity that disgusted…

Geography

Mission Beach is bounded on the east by the Coral Sea.

Most-observed species

• Australasian Figbird

  Sphecotheres vieilloti Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 · Aves
  1,089
• Helmeted Friarbird

  Philemon buceroides (Swainson, 1838) · Aves
  962
• Black Butcherbird

  Melloria quoyi (R.P.Lesson & Garnot, 1827) · Aves
  958
• Masked Lapwing

  Vanellus miles (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  947
• Bush Thick-knee

  Burhinus grallarius (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  931
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  879
• Metallic Starling

  Aplonis metallica (Temminck, 1824) · Aves
  779
• Torresian Imperial-Pigeon

  Ducula spilorrhoa (G.R.Gray, 1858) · Aves
  760

Most recent

• M 3.6 — 2011-03-15
  30 km NE of Innisfail Estate, Australia