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107-574: The Gove Peninsula is at the northeastern corner of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia . The peninsula became strategically important during World War II when a Royal Australian Air Force base was constructed at what is now Gove Airport . The peninsula was involved in a famous court case known as the Gove land rights case , when local Yolngu people tried to claim native title over their traditional lands in 1971, after

214-588: A "die on the vine" plan that will "slowly but surely" kill indigenous culture. Born in the 1930s, Dr. Gawirrin Gumana AO was a leader of the Dhalwangu clan , renowned for his artwork and knowledge of traditional culture and law. In May 2009, he had the following to say about the significance of the homelands to his people: Despite facing government concerns and policy confusion, a number of people have developed commercial enterprises that have centred on using

321-712: A major Highway is via the Central Arnhem Road which leaves the Stuart Highway 52km south of Katherine. The first 30 kilometres are sealed and then the rest is a gravel road. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended, particularly for the two major river crossings, the Wilton River near Bulman Aboriginals Community and the Goyder River , about 300 kilometres from Nhulunbuy. Fuel needs to be carried as travellers may not be able to purchase fuel along

428-584: A marine ecosystem can be measured in several ways. Measurements pertaining to zooplankton biodiversity and species composition , zooplankton biomass, water-column structure, photosynthetically active radiation, transparency, chlorophyll-a, nitrate, and primary production are used to assess changes in LME productivity and potential fisheries yield. Sensors attached to the bottom of ships or deployed on floats can measure these metrics and be used to quantitatively describe changes in productivity alongside physical changes in

535-538: A number of artists and land rights activists, including Banduk Marika (13 October 1954 – 12 July 2021); Roy Dadaynga Marika (c.1925– 1993); and Wandjuk Marika (1927–1987). Educator and linguist Raymattja Marika (c.1959 – 11 May 2008) was NT Australian of the Year in 2007. Yingiya Mark Guyula is the only independent Indigenous member of parliament in the Northern Territory as of 2020, representing

642-608: A painting of the wharf at Darwin, including building and boats, and Europeans with hats and pipes, some apparently without hands (which they have in their trouser pockets). Near the East Alligator River crossing, a figure was painted of a man carrying a gun and wearing his hair in long pigtails down his back, characteristic of the Chinese labourers brought to Darwin in the late 19th century. One Yolngu prehistoric stone arrangement at Maccasans Beach near Yirrkala shows

749-728: A population of nearly 4,000 in Nhulunbuy , the majority being non-Indigenous people. Those people not living in Nhulunbuy live in surrounding communities and traditional homelands. In the five years to 2004, the population declined in Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt and increased in the non-urban areas. At the 2016 census , Nhulunbuy SSC (urban area) had a population of 3,240, with a median age of 32. Only 2.8% were Indigenous. Nhulunbuy Indigenous region had 9,559 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander residents, with 97.7% of these Aboriginal, 0.5 Torres Strait Islander , and 1.9% both. Owned by

856-449: A transition from the ocean to the land, where fresh and saltwater mix. The soil in these marshes is often made up of mud and a layer of organic material called peat. Peat is characterized as waterlogged and root-filled decomposing plant matter that often causes low oxygen levels (hypoxia). These hypoxic conditions causes growth of the bacteria that also gives salt marshes the sulfurous smell they are often known for. Salt marshes exist around

963-419: A unique habitat for marine organisms and are a source for understanding many ecological processes. Over the last century, they have been the focus of extensive research, particularly in trophic ecology, and continue to provoke important ideas that are relevant beyond this unique ecosystem. For example, kelp forests can influence coastal oceanographic patterns and provide many ecosystem services . However,

1070-627: A vigorous traditional culture, and whose name for this area is Miwatj. In West Arnhem Land, large groups include the Bininj people and the Maung people of the Goulburn Islands . In 2018, Kathy Guthadjaka AM (also known as Gotha) was awarded 'NT Senior Australian of the Year.' Guthadjaka has conducted academic research into Aboriginal languages, knowledge, and culture. In 2013–14, the entire region contributed around A$ 1.3 billion or 7% to

1177-413: Is a combination of chemicals and trash, most of which comes from land sources and is washed or blown into the ocean. This pollution results in damage to the environment, to the health of all organisms, and to economic structures worldwide. Since most inputs come from land, either via the rivers , sewage or the atmosphere, it means that continental shelves are more vulnerable to pollution. Air pollution

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1284-464: Is a popular stop off point for yachts sailing the northern coast of Australia or heading to the countries to the north of Australia and beyond. Apart from the months of December to April when cyclones can affect the coast line, the waters surrounding the Gove Peninsula provide excellent sailing conditions. The Gove Boat Club is often packed full of visiting yachties from all over the world and

1391-741: Is also a contributing factor by carrying off iron, carbonic acid, nitrogen , silicon, sulfur, pesticides or dust particles into the ocean. The pollution often comes from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff , wind-blown debris , and dust. These nonpoint sources are largely due to runoff that enters the ocean through rivers, but wind-blown debris and dust can also play a role, as these pollutants can settle into waterways and oceans. Pathways of pollution include direct discharge, land runoff, ship pollution , bilge pollution , atmospheric pollution and, potentially, deep sea mining . By integrating socioeconomic metrics with ecosystem management solutions, scientific findings can be utilized to benefit both

1498-445: Is also a private school, Nhulunbuy Christian College, which provides education from Transition to Year 10. Yirrkala has a primary school which supports further afield community schools. Yolngu culture and ties to the land are still very strong and sacred. Many people still live mainly a traditional life. The Garma Festival , which celebrates Yolngu culture, is held each August at Gulkula , attracting thousands from around Australia and

1605-477: Is also notable for Aboriginal rock art , some examples of which can be found at Ubirr Rock , Injalak Hill , and in the Canon Hill area. Some of these record the early years of European explorers and settlers, sometimes in such detail that Martini–Henry rifles can be identified. They also depict axes, and detailed paintings of aircraft and ships. One remote shelter, several hundred kilometres from Darwin, has

1712-583: Is attenuated within this first meter. Organisms here must contend with wave action and unique chemical and physical properties. The surface is utilised by a wide range of species, from various fish and cetaceans , to species that ride on ocean debris (termed rafters ). Most prominently, the surface is home to a unique community of free-living organisms, termed neuston (from the Greek word, υεω, which means both to swim and to float. Floating organisms are also sometimes referred to as pleuston , though neuston

1819-467: Is highly prized in Chinese cuisine, for folk medicine, and as an aphrodisiac . This Makassan contact with Australia is the first recorded example of interaction between the inhabitants of the Australian continent and their Asian neighbours. This contact had a major effect on local Aboriginal Australians . The Makassans exchanged goods such as cloth , tobacco , knives , rice , and alcohol for

1926-404: Is located 13 km from the town centre of Nhulunbuy. AirNorth has a daily flight to Gove from Cairns and Darwin which then connect to cities around the world. Qantas used to run a daily flight but when the refinery closed they discontinued this service. The Cairns – Gove flight is 1 hour and 40 minutes duration and Darwin – Gove is 1 hour and 10 minutes. The most direct route to Nhulunbuy from

2033-407: Is located between the low marsh and the upland border and it usually only flooded when higher than usual tides are present. The upland border is the freshwater edge of the marsh and is usually located at elevations slightly higher than the high marsh. This region is usually only flooded under extreme weather conditions and experiences much less waterlogged conditions and salt stress than other areas of

2140-582: Is more commonly used). Despite the diversity and importance of the ocean's surface in connecting disparate habitats, and the risks it faces, not a lot is known about neustonic life. A stream of airborne microorganisms circles the planet above weather systems but below commercial air lanes. Some peripatetic microorganisms are swept up from terrestrial dust storms, but most originate from marine microorganisms in sea spray . In 2018, scientists reported that hundreds of millions of viruses and tens of millions of bacteria are deposited daily on every square meter around

2247-578: Is named after his ship, the Arnhem , which itself was named after the city of Arnhem in the Netherlands. The area covers about 97,000 km (37,000 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 16,000, of whom 12,000 are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people . Two regions are often distinguished as East Arnhem ( Land ) and West Arnhem ( Land ). The region's service hub is Nhulunbuy , 600 km (370 mi) east of Darwin, set up in

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2354-507: Is one of the oldest living cultures on Earth, at around 60,000 years old. DNA studies have confirmed that " Aboriginal Australians are one of the oldest living populations in the world, certainly the oldest outside of Africa"; their descendants left the African continent 75,000 years ago. They may have the oldest continuous culture on earth. Oral histories comprising complex narratives have been passed down through hundreds of generations, and

2461-539: Is the large bay between the peninsula and the mainland, and there are many unnamed beaches both within the bay and on the western side of the peninsula, as well as named beaches (such as Ski Beach and Wallaby Beach ). Other popular locations around the peninsula include: There are three coastal walking trails : Daliwuy to Garanhan (3-kilometre (1.9 mi)), Garanhan to Ngumuy (2.5-kilometre (1.6 mi)) and Ngumuy to Baringura (1.5-kilometre (0.93 mi)). Informative signposts explaining Yolngu culture's relationship to

2568-662: Is to "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans , seas and marine resources for sustainable development". Coral reefs are one of the most well-known marine ecosystems in the world, with the largest being the Great Barrier Reef . These reefs are composed of large coral colonies of a variety of species living together. The corals form multiple symbiotic relationships with the organisms around them. Mangroves are trees or shrubs that grow in low-oxygen soil near coastlines in tropical or subtropical latitudes. They are an extremely productive and complex ecosystem that connects

2675-402: Is usually only reached by the ocean and submerged only under high tides or storms. The high intertidal zone is submerged at high tide but remains dry for long periods between high tides. Due to the large variance of conditions possible in this region, it is inhabited by resilient wildlife that can withstand these changes such as barnacles, marine snails, mussels and hermit crabs. Tides flow over

2782-688: The Aboriginal rock art , dated by modern techniques, shows continuity of their culture. Arnhem Land is the location of the oldest-known (as of 2010 ) stone axe of its kind, which scholars believe to be 35,500 years old. Rock art depicting what may be acts of violence between hunter-gatherers in Arnhem land has been tentatively dated to 10,000 years ago. At least since the 18th century (and probably earlier) Muslim traders from Makassar of Sulawesi visited Arnhem Land each year to trade, harvest, and process sea cucumbers or trepang . This marine animal

2889-648: The Australian Government had granted a mineral lease to a bauxite mining company without consulting the local peoples. Today the land is owned by the Yolngu people. The Gove Peninsula is on the west coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria within Arnhem Land , a vast tract of Aboriginal -owned land on the Northern Territory coastline. The township of Nhulunbuy is the main commercial and service centre of

2996-475: The Equator , the Gove Peninsula has a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen : Aw ). The non-Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory tropics recognise two distinct seasons, the dry season from mid-May to mid-November, and the wet season from mid-November to mid-May. Yolngu however recognise eight seasons derived from changing behaviours and patterns apparent in the land, flora and fauna , as follows: On

3103-517: The Maung speaking Goulburn Islands (Mardbalk Arts & Crafts). Arnhem Land is also known for embracing the homeland movement, sometimes referred to as the outstation movement . For many decades prior to 1970, the East Arnhem Land Yolngu people lived on mission stations , such as Yirrkala. From April 1972, Yolngu families began moving away, back to their traditional clan lands. This was instigated by Yolngu people, before there

3210-460: The Sargasso Sea , floating barnacles , marine snails , nudibranchs , and cnidarians . Many ecologically and economically important fish species live as or rely upon neuston. Species at the surface are not distributed uniformly; the ocean's surface harbours unique neustonic communities and ecoregions found at only certain latitudes and only in specific ocean basins. But the surface is also on

3317-622: The Second World War was the first place to be named Gove, after Pilot Officer William Gove, who was killed on 20 April 1943 in an air accident on the peninsula. In the late 1960s and through the 1970s, many Yolngu people objected to the renaming of many places with English names, including Nhulunbuy. They presented a bark petition was to the Commonwealth Parliament in 1968 about the renaming of Nhulunbuy. Linguist Raymattja Marika and Melanie Wilkinson have recorded

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3424-438: The carbon dioxide causing global warming and heat captured by global warming are absorbed by the ocean, ocean chemistry is changing through processes like ocean acidification which in turn threatens marine ecosystems. Because of the opportunities in marine ecosystems for humans and the threats created by humans, the international community has prioritized "Life below water" as Sustainable Development Goal 14 . The goal

3531-422: The electoral division of Mulka , formerly the electoral division of Nhulunbuy . The Yolngu people call white people " balanda " (probably derived from the word "Hollander" – Dutch person ). There are 10 local councils in the region which administer the townships of Nhulunbuy and Angurugu and a number of local communities that primarily service Indigenous people. Nhulunbuy is a purpose-built town developed by

3638-460: The sea cucumbers were traded by the Makassans to Southern China . In 2014, an 18th-century Chinese coin was found in the remote area of Wessel Islands off the coast on a beach on Elcho Island during a historical expedition. The coin was found near previously known Makassan trepanger fishing sites where several other Dutch coins have been discovered nearby, but never a Chinese coin. The coin

3745-493: The traditional Aboriginal owners , the Yolngu people, it is a place rich in culture with Yolngu maintaining strong ties with their land, religion and traditions. Rather than the name of a clan or family group, Yolngu is the word that Aboriginal people from East Arnhem Land, including the Gove Peninsula, use to refer to themselves. The main five clan groups of the region are Gumatj, Rirratjingu, Djapu, Madarrpa and Dhalwangu. The prominent Marika family, many from Yirrkala, includes

3852-498: The 1950s and was successful in discovering a bauxite deposit that covered 65 square kilometres (25 sq mi) and contained an estimated 250 million tonnes. After initial resistance to mining by the government Nabalco was set up and was granted a lease with a commitment to build a township, port facility and mine. The construction of the mine lead to the Gove land rights case (see above), which initially resulted in ruling in favour of

3959-647: The 32 largest cities in the world, 22 are located on estuaries as they provide many environmental and economic benefits such as crucial habitat for many species, and being economic hubs for many coastal communities. Estuaries also provide essential ecosystem services such as water filtration, habitat protection, erosion control, gas regulation nutrient cycling, and it even gives education, recreation and tourism opportunities to people. Lagoons are areas that are separated from larger water by natural barriers such as coral reefs or sandbars. There are two types of lagoons, coastal and oceanic/atoll lagoons. A coastal lagoon is, as

4066-689: The 800 people in the Laynhapuy homelands will be forced to move to towns such as Yirrkala on the Gove Peninsula, creating new law and order problems, while those who stay will be severely disadvantaged." In response to changes made by the Northern Territory government surrounding reduced support for the homelands in 2009, the Indigenous leader Patrick Dodson criticised the Northern Territory Government's controversial new policy on remote Aboriginal communities, describing it as

4173-613: The Northern Territory's gross state product, mainly through bauxite mining . In 2019, it was announced that NASA had chosen Arnhem Land as the location for a space launch facility , the Arnhem Space Centre . On 27 June 2022, NASA launched the first rocket there, the first rocket launch from a commercial spaceport outside the US, and two further launches followed within weeks. The Yolŋu culture in East Arnhem Land

4280-400: The Northern Territory's gross state product, mainly through bauxite mining. In 2019, it was announced that NASA had chosen Arnhem Land as the location for a space launch facility. The Arnhem Space Centre was built near Nhulunbuy, employing mostly local labour, and on 27 June 2022, NASA launched the first rocket there, which was the first rocket launch from a commercial spaceport outside

4387-466: The Peninsula and is 600 kilometres east of Darwin . As Europeans started land exploration throughout the Northern Territory and subsequently settled closer to Yolngu homelands, conflicts with the Yolngu became more frequent. In 1931, an area of 96,000 square kilometres (37,000 sq mi) was proclaimed as an Aboriginal reserve , named Arnhem Land Aboriginal Reserve. Land on the peninsula

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4494-530: The US. Two further launches followed, the third on 11 July. Other space companies are interested in using the rocket launch pad, and NASA confirmed that it will use the facility again in the future. The 2006 film Ten Canoes captures life in Arnhem Land through a story tapping into the Aboriginal mythic past; it was co-directed by one of the indigenous cast members. The film and the documentary about

4601-724: The best elements of their homelands. Indigenous tourism ventures incorporating the controlled use of homelands are now showing signs of success for a select number of Yolngu. 12°43′48″S 134°35′24″E  /  12.73000°S 134.59000°E  / -12.73000; 134.59000 Marine ecosystem Marine ecosystems are characterized by the biological community of organisms that they are associated with and their physical environment . Classes of organisms found in marine ecosystems include brown algae , dinoflagellates , corals , cephalopods , echinoderms , and sharks . Marine ecosystems are important sources of ecosystem services and food and jobs for significant portions of

4708-504: The club often holds regattas and other annual events. Arnhem Land Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km (310 mi) from the territorial capital, Darwin . In 1623, Dutch East India Company captain Willem Joosten van Colster (or Coolsteerdt) sailed into the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape Arnhem

4815-409: The coast by reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, wave, and tides. The mangrove ecosystem is also an important source of food for many species as well as excellent at sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with global mangrove carbon storage is estimated at 34 million metric tons per year. Seagrasses form dense underwater meadows which are among the most productive ecosystems in

4922-421: The coast of Northern California . The implementation of marine protected areas is one management strategy useful for addressing such issues, since it may limit the impacts of fishing and buffer the ecosystem from additive effects of other environmental stressors. Estuaries occur where there is a noticeable change in salinity between saltwater and freshwater sources. This is typically found where rivers meet

5029-586: The coasts of northern Australia. In Arnhem Land, the word is still widely used today to refer to white Australians. The Dutch started settling in Sulawesi Island in the early 17th century. Archaeological remains of Makassar contact, including trepang processing plants (drying, smoking) from the 18th and 19th centuries, are still found at Australian locations such as Port Essington and Groote Eylandt . The Makassans also planted tamarind trees (native to Madagascar and East Africa ). After processing,

5136-408: The decline of 74–92% of catch per unit effort of sharks in Australian coastline from the 1960s to 2010s. Such biodiversity losses impact not just species themselves, but humans as well, and can contribute to climate change across the globe. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) states that managing and protecting marine ecosystems is crucial in attempting to conserve biodiversity in

5243-542: The definition above, simply a body of water that is separated from the ocean by a barrier. An atoll lagoon is a circular coral reef or several coral islands that surround a lagoon. Atoll lagoons are often much deeper than coastal lagoons. Most lagoons are very shallow meaning that they are greatly affected by changed in precipitation, evaporation and wind. This means that salinity and temperature are widely varied in lagoons and that they can have water that ranges from fresh to hypersaline. Lagoons can be found in on coasts all over

5350-484: The dry season (April to September) to daily highs of 33 °C (91 °F) in the wet season (October to March). In 1931, an area of 96,000 km (37,000 sq mi) was proclaimed as an Aboriginal reserve , named Arnhem Land Aboriginal Reserve. As of 2007 the Land Trust held about 100,000 km (39,000 sq mi) as Aboriginal freehold land (with the exception of mining leases); it remains one of

5457-470: The early 1970s as a mining town for bauxite . Other major population centres are Yirrkala (just outside Nhulunbuy), Gunbalanya (formerly Oenpelli), Ramingining , and Maningrida . A substantial proportion of the population, which is mostly Aboriginal , lives on small outstations or homelands. This outstation movement started in the early 1980s. Many Aboriginal groups moved to usually very small settlements on their traditional lands , often to escape

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5564-439: The early 21st century, a focus governments about the "viability" of the homelands has caused tensions and uncertainty within the Arnhem Land community. In September 2008, then Darwin correspondent for The Age , Lindsay Murdoch, wrote: "Elders tell of their fears that Yolngu culture and society will not survive if clans cannot continue to live on and access their land through homelands. They warn that if services are cut, many of

5671-559: The environment and economy of local regions. Management efforts must be practical and cost-effective. In 2000, the Department of Natural Resource Economics at the University of Rhode Island has created a method for measuring and understanding the human dimensions of LMEs and for taking into consideration both socioeconomic and environmental costs and benefits of managing Large Marine Ecosystems. International attention to address

5778-439: The face of Earth’s rapidly changing climate. Marine pollution occurs when substances used or spread by humans, such as industrial , agricultural and residential waste , particles , noise , excess carbon dioxide or invasive organisms enter the ocean and cause harmful effects there. The majority of this waste (80%) comes from land-based activity, although marine transportation significantly contributes as well. It

5885-439: The far north-east, on the Gove Peninsula. Gove is the site of large-scale bauxite mining with an associated alumina refinery. Its administrative centre is the town of Nhulunbuy, the fourth-largest population centre in the Northern Territory. The climate of Arnhem Land is tropical monsoon with a wet and dry season. The temperature has little seasonal variation; however, it can range from overnight lows of 15 °C (59 °F) in

5992-413: The former owner of Alcan Gove ( Nabalco ), a huge bauxite mine and now closed alumina refinery 15 km (9.3 mi). The town is built on a Special Purpose Lease on Aboriginal land and as of 2007 was the largest town in East Arnhem Land, the fourth largest town in the Northern Territory and the administrative centre for the region. The Commonwealth Government carried out mineral explorations in

6099-508: The front line of climate change and pollution. Life on the ocean's surface connects worlds. From shallow waters to the deep sea, the open ocean to rivers and lakes, numerous terrestrial and marine species depend on the surface ecosystem and the organisms found there. The ocean's surface acts like a skin between the atmosphere above and the water below, and harbours an ecosystem unique to this environment. This sun-drenched habitat can be defined as roughly one metre in depth, as nearly half of UV-B

6206-401: The global population . Human uses of marine ecosystems and pollution in marine ecosystems are significantly threats to the stability of these ecosystems. Environmental problems concerning marine ecosystems include unsustainable exploitation of marine resources (for example overfishing of certain species), marine pollution , climate change , and building on coastal areas. Moreover, much of

6313-593: The history and culture of Yolngu people, was filmed in Arnhem land. The Aboriginal community of Yirrkala , just outside Nhulunbuy, is internationally known for bark paintings , promoting the rights of Indigenous Australians , and as the origin of the yidaki , or didgeridoo . The community of Gunbalanya (previously known as Oenpelli ) in Western Arnhem Land is also notable for bark painting. The indigenous inhabitants also create temporary sand sculptures as part of their sacred rituals. Arnhem Land

6420-570: The influence of humans has often contributed to kelp forest degradation . Of particular concern are the effects of overfishing nearshore ecosystems, which can release herbivores from their normal population regulation and result in the overgrazing of kelp and other algae. This can rapidly result in transitions to barren landscapes where relatively few species persist. Already due to the combined effects of overfishing and climate change , kelp forests have all but disappeared in many especially vulnerable places, such as Tasmania 's east coast and

6527-504: The instrument. In this region, the rhythms, techniques and compositions endemic to the people are of outstanding musical interest. Didgeridoos from north-east Arnhem Land are instruments of the highest cultural integrity. The use of the didgeridoo in this part of Australia continues as an unbroken tradition since time immemorial. In recent times, the Yothu Yindi band and Djalu Gurruwiwi - "Mr Didgeridoo" - has done much to popularise

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6634-532: The introduction of invasive species , ocean pollution , ocean acidification and ocean warming . These impact marine ecosystems and food webs and may result in consequences as yet unrecognised for the biodiversity and continuation of marine life forms. The ocean can be described as the world's largest ecosystem and it is home for many species of marine life. Different activities carried out and caused by human beings such as global warming, ocean acidification, and pollution affect marine life and its habitats. For

6741-428: The land and sea. Mangroves consist of species that are not necessarily related to each other and are often grouped for the characteristics they share rather than genetic similarity. Because of their proximity to the coast, they have all developed adaptions such as salt excretion and root aeration to live in salty, oxygen-depleted water. Mangroves can often be recognized by their dense tangle of roots that act to protect

6848-488: The land is provided on these marked trails. Ecosystems on the Gove Peninsula and in its coastal waters are of great conservation significance, being largely undisturbed due to isolation, huge area and sparse population. The waters provide a shallow-water tropical marine ecosystem , with varying habitats for marine and estuarine wildlife, and include mangroves , beds of seagrass , tidal flats , salt pans and saltmarshes . Some place names were assigned to various places on

6955-479: The largest parcels of Aboriginal-owned land in Australia and is perhaps best known for its isolation, the art of its people, and the strong continuing traditions of its Aboriginal inhabitants. Arnhem Land is composed of many different Aboriginal countries and language groups . North-east Arnhem Land is home to the Yolngu people, one of the largest Indigenous groups in Australia, who have succeeded in maintaining

7062-1111: The layout of the Makassan praus used for trepang (sea cucumber) fishing in the area. This was a legacy of Yolngu trade links with the people on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi . The trading relationship antedated European settlement by some 200 years. Aboriginal artists in Arnhem Land are primarily represented by Aboriginal Art Centres , nonprofit, community-owned organisations. In East Arnhem Land, primarily Yolngu Matha -speaking artists are promoted by Buku-Larrnggay Mulka in Yirrkala, Bula'bula Arts in Ramingining , Elcho Island Arts and Crafts on Elcho Island , Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts in Gapuwiyak and Milingimbi Art and Culture on Milingimbi Island . In Central Arnhem Land, Maningrida Arts & Culture in Maningrida promotes

7169-464: The making of the film, The Balanda and the Bark Canoes , give a remarkable testimony to the indigenous struggle to keep their culture alive – or rather revive it in the wake of considerable relative modernisation and influence of white ( balanda ) cultural imposition. High Ground (2020 film) , a 2020 feature film directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson , based on historical fact and reflecting

7276-460: The marsh. Intertidal zones are the areas that are visible and exposed to air during low tide and covered up by saltwater during high tide. There are four physical divisions of the intertidal zone with each one having its distinct characteristics and wildlife. These divisions are the Spray zone, High intertidal zone, Middle Intertidal zone, and Low intertidal zone. The Spray zone is a damp area that

7383-407: The meadows uprooting the grass, and overfishing which unbalances the ecosystem. Seagrass meadows are currently being destroyed at a rate of about two football fields every hour . Kelp forests occur worldwide throughout temperate and polar coastal oceans. In 2007, kelp forests were also discovered in tropical waters near Ecuador . Physically formed by brown macroalgae , kelp forests provide

7490-399: The middle intertidal zone two times a day and this zone has a larger variety of wildlife. The low intertidal zone is submerged nearly all the time except during the lowest tides and life is more abundant here due to the protection that the water gives. Organisms that live freely at the surface, termed neuston , include keystone organisms like the golden seaweed Sargassum that makes up

7597-532: The mine also left flights on the Darwin-Nhulunbuy route to fall to around 50-60% full, causing Qantas to suspend flights on the route from 17 August 2015. Rio Tinto announced that the bauxite mine would be closed by 2030 or sooner. The Arnhem Space Centre has created employment for local people, and brought NASA staff and many tourists to the town when three rockets were launched in mid-2022, booking out accommodation for weeks. The longterm future of

7704-551: The mineral company. The market economy of the Gove Peninsula was centred on the Alcan Gove Mine, located on leasehold land within the boundaries of Aboriginal freehold land. In November 2013 Rio Tinto announced the closure of the mine associated alumina refinery (but not the bauxite mine) in July 2014 with the loss of 1,100 jobs, or almost 25% of the town's population. The population had already dropped by mid 2014, with some of

7811-628: The natural world, marine ecosystems also provide social, economic, and biological ecosystem services to humans. Pelagic marine systems regulate the global climate, contribute to the water cycle , maintain biodiversity, provide food and energy resources, and create opportunities for recreation and tourism. Economically, marine systems support billions of dollars worth of capture fisheries, aquaculture, offshore oil and gas, and trade and shipping. Ecosystem services fall into multiple categories, including supporting services, provisioning services, regulating services, and cultural services. The productivity of

7918-548: The night of the 2001 Census there were 13,080 people living in the East Arnhem region, which covers most of the Gove Peninsula. Of these 60.7% were Aboriginal people. On the night of the 2001 Census there were 3,766 people living in the "Urban Centre" of Nhulunbuy. Of these 7.3% were Indigenous. Based on a 2004 NT Government Socio-Economic Snapshot, there is a population of 14,115 within the Gove Peninsula (East Arnhem Region), of which almost 64% are Indigenous people , and

8025-509: The northern coast of Australia by the Macassan traders and Dutch and English explorers, including Matthew Flinders before the 20th century, including Arafura Sea and Arnhem Land (early alternative spelling: "Arnheim Land"). Flinders named Point Dundas, Drimmie Head , Melville Bay and Mount Saunders. However, an increasing number of non-Aboriginal people started arriving in the 20th century and assigning names. The airstrip constructed during

8132-523: The ocean or sea. The wildlife found within estuaries is unique as the water in these areas is brackish - a mix of freshwater flowing to the ocean and salty seawater. Other types of estuaries also exist and have similar characteristics as traditional brackish estuaries. The Great Lakes are a prime example. There, river water mixes with lake water and creates freshwater estuaries. Estuaries are extremely productive ecosystems that many humans and animal species rely on for various activities. This can be seen as, of

8239-612: The oceans for environmental conservation purposes and to enable collaborative ecosystem-based management in transnational areas, in a way consistent with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea . This name refers to relatively large regions on the order of 200,000 km (77,000 sq mi) or greater, characterized by their distinct bathymetry , hydrography , productivity , and trophically dependent populations . Such LMEs encompass coastal areas from river basins and estuaries to

8346-618: The origin and meaning of the Yolŋu place names, many of which relate to the stories of ancestral beings known as Wuyal (aka Birrinydjalki or Gandjalala), the "Sugar Bag Hunters", who had originally been Wäwilak and then Mandhalpuy. Eventually the Yolngu prevailed and the name Nhulunbuy was retained, but within the town, there are only two other Yolngu-derived names: Wuyal Road and the Rotary Marika Lookout, named after Dr Marika's father, Roy Marika . Situated just 12 degrees south of

8453-596: The past 50 years, more than 90 percent of global warming resulting from human activity has been absorbed into the ocean. This results in the rise of ocean temperatures and ocean acidification which is harmful to many fish species and causes damage to habitats such as coral . With coral producing materials such as carbonate rock and calcareous sediment, this creates a unique and valuable ecosystem not only providing food/homes for marine creatures but also having many benefits for humans too. Ocean acidification caused by rising levels of carbon dioxide leads to coral bleaching where

8560-481: The planet. The deep sea contains up to 95% of the space occupied by living organisms. Combined with the sea floor (or benthic zone), these two areas have yet to be fully explored and have their organisms documented. In 1984, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States developed the concept of large marine ecosystems (sometimes abbreviated to LMEs), to identify areas of

8667-457: The principles on which the case were based were overturned in the Mabo case 21 years later. Today the Land Trust holds about 100,000 square kilometres (39,000 sq mi) as Aboriginal freehold land (with the exception of mining leases). The Gove Peninsula was heavily involved in the defence of Australia during World War II . Three operational air squadrons were based there at an airfield on

8774-450: The problems of the larger towns. These population groups have very little Western cultural influence, and Arnhem Land is arguably one of the last areas in Australia that could be seen as a completely separate country. Many of the region's leaders have called and continue to call for a treaty that would allow the Yolŋu to operate under their own traditional laws . In 2013–14, the entire region contributed around A$ 1.3 billion or 7 percent to

8881-504: The property rights of much of Arnhem Land were held by the Eastern and African Cold Storage Supply Company . This Anglo-Australian consortium leased the region under the name of Arafura cattle station and attempted to construct a massive cattle raising and meat production industry. The company employed roving gangs of armed men to shoot the resident Aboriginal population. In 1971, the Gove land rights case ( Milirrpum v Nabalco Pty Ltd )

8988-527: The property, Jim Randell, bolted a swivel cannon to the verandah of the homestead to keep the Indigenous people away, while Jack Watson , the last manager of the property, reportedly "wiped out a lot" of "the blacks" living on the coast at Blue Mud Bay . During the period of Watson's management, another large massacre is recorded to have happened at Mirki on the north coast of Florida Station. The Yolngu people today remember this massacre where many people including children were shot dead. From 1903 to 1908,

9095-618: The rates of calcification is lowered affecting coral growth. Additionally, another issue caused by humans which impacts marine life is marine plastic pollution , which poses a threat to marine life. According to the IPCC (2019), since 1950 "many marine species across various groups have undergone shifts in geographical range and seasonal activities in response to ocean warming, sea ice change and biogeochemical changes, such as oxygen loss, to their habitats." Coastal marine ecosystems experience growing population pressures with nearly 40% of people in

9202-415: The right to trepang coastal waters and employ local labour. Makassar pidgin became a lingua franca along the north coast among several indigenous Australian groups who were brought into greater contact with each other by the seafaring Makassan culture. These traders from the southwest corner of Sulawesi also introduced the word balanda for white people, long before western explorers set foot on

9309-895: The seaward boundaries of continental shelves and the outer margins of the major ocean current systems. Altogether, there are 66 LMEs, which contribute an estimated $ 3 trillion annually. This includes being responsible for 90% of global annual marine fishery biomass . LME-based conservation is based on recognition that the world's coastal ocean waters are degraded by unsustainable fishing practices, habitat degradation , eutrophication , toxic pollution, aerosol contamination, and emerging diseases, and that positive actions to mitigate these threats require coordinated actions by governments and civil society to recover depleted fish populations, restore degraded habitats and reduce coastal pollution. Five modules are considered when assessing LMEs: productivity, fish and fisheries, pollution and ecosystem health , socioeconomics, and governance. Periodically assessing

9416-417: The site is not known, but the owners of the project, Equatorial Launch Australia, has indicated that there are other space companies interested in using the rocket launch pad , and NASA has confirmed that it will use the facility again in the future. It is possible to hire four wheel drives, conventional vehicles or bicycles in Nhulunbuy and an airport bus and taxi company service the town. The Gove Airport

9523-637: The site of the present Gove airport and at a flying boat base at Drimmie Head . The Peninsula derives its name from a RAAF navigator who died in a mid-air collision. The Gove Peninsula is nearly pristine, apart from Nhulunbuy, along with the bauxite mine and associated alumina refinery which brought the town into existence and closed in 2014. There are savannah woodlands , wetlands , monsoon forests and rocky escarpments stretched across its huge area, as well as many beaches, bays and islands . Melville Bay ( 12°15′S 136°42′E  /  12.25°S 136.70°E  / -12.25; 136.70 )

9630-633: The state of each module within a marine LME is encouraged to ensure maintained health of the ecosystem and future benefit to managing governments. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) aids in managing LMEs off the coasts of Africa and Asia by creating resource management agreements between environmental, fisheries, energy and tourism ministers of bordering countries. This means participating countries share knowledge and resources pertaining to local LMEs to promote longevity and recovery of fisheries and other industries dependent upon LMEs. Large marine ecosystems include: In addition to providing many benefits to

9737-857: The water column such as temperature and salinity. This data can be used in conjunction with satellite measurements of chlorophyll and sea surface temperatures to validate measurements and observe trends on greater spatial and temporal scales. Bottom-trawl surveys and pelagic-species acoustic surveys are used to assess changes in fish biodiversity and abundance in LMEs. Fish populations can be surveyed for stock identification, length, stomach content, age-growth relationships, fecundity, coastal pollution and associated pathological conditions, as well as multispecies trophic relationships. Fish trawls can also collect sediment and inform us about ocean-bottom conditions such as anoxia . Human activities affect marine life and marine habitats through overfishing , habitat loss ,

9844-543: The way their leaves absorb energy from waves as they hit the coast. They keep coastal waters healthy by absorbing bacteria and nutrients, and slow the speed of climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide into the sediment of the ocean floor. Seagrasses evolved from marine algae which colonized land and became land plants, and then returned to the ocean about 100 million years ago. However, today seagrass meadows are being damaged by human activities such as pollution from land runoff, fishing boats that drag dredges or trawls across

9951-417: The way. The Central Arnhem Road is 682 kilometres long, plus the 52 kilometres from Katherine to the turnoff makes a long drive, approximately 8 or 9 hours drive with good conditions. Travellers require a permit as the road runs across many Yolngu Clan lands. Nhulunbuy has one public primary school, which incorporates pre-school, and one public secondary school which provides education to a Year 12 level. There

10058-657: The work of a diverse range of Kuninjku , Burarra , and Gurrgoni artists, amongst others. In West Arnhem Land, Injalak Arts in Gunbalanya represents mainly Kunwinjku artists. Ngukurr Arts is located on the Roper River in Southern Arnhem Land. Art is also produced on the many islands of Arnhem Land, and there are art centres on the Anindilyakwa speaking Groote Eylandt (Anindilyakwa Art) and

10165-404: The workforce retained to monitor the shutdown and survey holding ponds full of toxic compounds but most will be gone by January 2015. A range of measures were announced to support the town and its former workers through the closure and the following three years, but locals anticipated further cuts to services since the school, hospital, power plant and flights were backed by Rio Tinto. The closure of

10272-449: The world and are needed for healthy ecosystems and a healthy economy. They are extremely productive ecosystems and they provide essential services for more than 75 percent of fishery species and protect shorelines from erosion and flooding. Salt marshes can be generally divided into the high marsh, low marsh, and the upland border. The low marsh is closer to the ocean, with it being flooded at nearly every tide except low tide. The high marsh

10379-438: The world living within 100 km of the coast. Humans often aggregate near coastal habitats to take advantage of ecosystem services. For example, coastal capture fisheries from mangroves and coral reef habitats are estimated to be worth a minimum of $ 34 billion per year. Yet, many of these habitats are either marginally protected or not protected. Mangrove area has declined worldwide by more than one-third since 1950, and 60% of

10486-443: The world to enjoy and learn from music , dance, art and craft, and sport. There are three art centres on the peninsula: Nambara Arts and Crafts near Nhulunbuy, Buku Larrngay Mulka in Yirrkala, and Elcho Island Arts , producing work that is known worldwide. Arnhem Land , including the Gove Peninsula, is home to what is commonly referred to as the didgeridoo , known as the yidaki locally, and Yolngu are master players and craftsmen of

10593-776: The world's coral reefs are now immediately or directly threatened. Human development, aquaculture, and industrialization often lead to the destruction, replacement, or degradation of coastal habitats. Moving offshore, pelagic marine systems are directly threatened by overfishing . Global fisheries landings peaked in the late 1980s, but are now declining, despite increasing fishing effort . Fish biomass and average trophic level of fisheries landing are decreasing, leading to declines in marine biodiversity. In particular, local extinctions have led to declines in large, long-lived, slow-growing species, and those that have narrow geographic ranges. Biodiversity declines can lead to associated declines in ecosystem services. A long-term study reports

10700-466: The world, on every continent except Antarctica and is an extremely diverse habitat being home to a wide array of species including birds, fish, crabs, plankton and more. Lagoons are also important to the economy as they provide a wide array of ecosystem services in addition to being the home of so many different species. Some of these services include fisheries, nutrient cycling, flood protection, water filtration, and even human tradition. Salt marshes are

10807-425: The world. They provide habitats and food for a diversity of marine life comparable to coral reefs. This includes invertebrates like shrimp and crabs, cod and flatfish, marine mammals and birds. They provide refuges for endangered species such as seahorses, turtles, and dugongs . They function as nursery habitats for shrimps, scallops and many commercial fish species. Seagrass meadows provide coastal storm protection by

10914-477: The yidaki around the world. Yidaki are commonly made in north-east Arnhem Land from gadayka - Eucalyptus tetradonta or Stringybark, gungurru - Eucalyptus miniata or Woolybutt, and badawili - Eucalyptus ferruginea or Rusty Bloodwood. Sport is a big part of the lives of people in Nhulunbuy and there are facilities including a sports ground, golf course, yacht club, swimming pool, fishing club, surf-lifesaving club, speedway and skate park. Gove Harbour

11021-429: Was established to assist the homelands. Homelands are tiny communities where members of related clan groups live on their traditional land, living according to Yolngu rom (law) . There are benefits to the people to be living in these homelands, including: Homelands also reduce pressure on other Indigenous communities, which are already suffering from problems in the housing, health and education services areas. In

11128-428: Was famously part of the 1971 Milirrpum v Nabalco Pty Ltd , aka the Gove land rights case, a milestone in the history of Indigenous land rights in Australia . The plaintiffs , elders of various clans of the local Yolngu people, claimed they enjoyed sovereignty over their land, and sought the freedom to occupy their lands. The ruling went against them, as native title in Australia had not yet been recognised, but

11235-480: Was government support for the outstation movement. The people cleared land for airstrips and built their own houses from local timber, with the help of non-Indigenous people from the mission. The elders of the clans aimed to determine their own futures, basing their societies on Yolngu law, while living and raising their children on their lands in a sustainable and self-sufficient way. In 1985, Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation (LHAC), an Aboriginal corporation ,

11342-577: Was probably made in Beijing around 1735. In 1884, 10,000 square miles of Arnhem Land was sold by the colonial British government to cattle grazier , John Arthur Macartney . The property was called Florida Station and Macartney stocked it with cattle overlanded from Queensland. Monsoonal flooding, disease and strong resistance from the local Aboriginal population resulted in Florida Station being abandoned by Macartney in 1893. The first manager of

11449-695: Was the first litigation on native title in Australia , and the first significant legal case for Aboriginal land rights in Australia . The area is from Port Roper on the Gulf of Carpentaria around the coast to the East Alligator River , where it adjoins Kakadu National Park . The major centres are Jabiru on the Kakadu National Park border, Maningrida at the Liverpool River mouth, and Nhulunbuy (also known as Gove) in

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