Yarrabah

History

Gunggay (also known as Gunggandji, Kongandji, Kongkandji, Gungganyji, Idindji and Yidiny) is an Aboriginal language of Far North Queensland. The Gunggay language region of Cape Grafton includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Cairns Regional Council and Yarrabah Council. An Anglican church missionary, Ernest Gribble (1868–1957) in 1892 began to regularly visit an Aboriginal group who inhabited the Yarrabah area living a very traditional lifestyle. These visits by Gribble were to encourage the tribe to move to a mission settlement he was setting up. With the help of the tribe's leader, Menmuny, the tribe moved to the mission now known as Yarrabah Community. The mission was settled in 1893. Over time, many people (including some South Sea Islanders) were relocated from homelands in the surrounding area to Yarrabah. Yarrabah State School was opened on 1 January 1892. In 2017, Yarrabah State School celebrated its 125th anniversary. In 1957, the Yarrabah residents staged a strike to protest poor working conditions, inadequate food, health problems and harsh administration. The church expelled the ringleaders and many others left voluntarily, never to return. A few years later, the Government of Queensland assumed control of the mission. commenced on 6 February 2004, with a review by 2006. A 2012 survey for another review showed the community was divided on easing restrictions. In 2002, the first Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) were developed in partnership with then Aboriginal Community and Island Councils across Queensland, with the State Library of Queensland. The Indigenous Knowledge Centre opened in 2015. The $1.9 million facility was built both for and by the people of Yarrabah, offering learning opportunities even during its…

Geography

The town is about by road from Cairns CBD on Cape Grafton. It is by direct-line distance, but is geographically separated from Cairns CBD by the Murray Prior Range and Trinity Inlet, an inlet of the Coral Sea.

Most-observed species

• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  17,101
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  16,296
• Masked Lapwing

  Vanellus miles (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  16,236
• Common Myna

  Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  16,055
• Peaceful Dove

  Geopelia placida Gould, 1844 · Aves
  14,770
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  13,352
• Welcome Swallow

  Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842 · Aves
  12,645
• Torresian Imperial-Pigeon

  Ducula spilorrhoa (G.R.Gray, 1858) · Aves
  12,320

Most recent

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