46-658: Great Palm Island , usually known as Palm Island , is the largest island in the Palm Islands group off Northern Queensland , Australia. It is known for its Aboriginal community, the legacy of an Aboriginal reserve , the Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement (also known as "the Mission"). The original inhabitants of the island (and others in the group) were the Manbarra people, also known as
92-464: A combat zone". To support this claim it stated statistics such as a murder rate 15 times higher than that of the entire state of Queensland, a life expectancy of 40 years, the highest rate of youth suicide per capita in the world, and a total of 40 suicide fatalities over a period of only five years. The Australian newspaper hypothesised that the Guinness Book of Records statement
138-642: A group of about 10,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who had launched a class action filed 2016 in the Federal Court of Australia . Their claim argued that the Queensland Government "breached the trust of Aboriginal people by failing to protect their money". The 1999 edition of the Guinness Book of Records brought international attention to Palm Island when it named the island "the most violent place on earth outside
184-411: A peak of 548 metres (1,798 ft). Topographically, the island is dominated in the centre by the tallest peak Mount Bentley, and in the southwest by Mount Lindsay. The surface is covered by rainforest , with small areas cleared for settlements and the airstrip. The Palm Island airstrip is on a long narrow strip at the southwest corner of the island. There are three man-made bodies of fresh water on
230-565: A ruptured liver and portal vein". A week after the death the results of the autopsy report were read to a public meeting by then Palm Island Council Chairwoman Erykah Kyle. A succession of angry young Aboriginal men subsequently spoke to the crowd and encouraged immediate action be taken against the police. Mulrunji's death was repeatedly branded "cold-blooded murder", and a riot erupted. The local courthouse, police station and police barracks were burned down and 18 local police and their families were forced to withdraw and barricade themselves in
276-570: A variety of infringements, including being " half-caste ", and sent to Palm Island. New arrivals came after being sentenced by a court or released from prison, or they were sent by administrators of other missions and reserves. On 3 February 1930, in an incident known as the 1930 Palm Island Tragedy , the first Superintendent of the Settlement, Robert Henry Curry , who had been a strict disciplinarian, shot and wounded two people, and set fire to several buildings, killing his two children. Later in
322-799: Is a language of the Palm Island region, which lies within the local government boundaries of the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council . The islands in the area were named the "Palm Isles" by explorer James Cook in 1770 as he sailed up the eastern coast of Australia on his first voyage . It is estimated that the population of the island at the time of Cook's visit was about 200 Manbarra people. Cook sent some of his men to Palm Island and "they returned on board having met with nothing worth observing". In 1819, Captain Phillip Parker King landed on one of
368-584: Is off the east coast of Northern Queensland , situated 65 kilometres (40 mi) northwest of Townsville , and 800 kilometres (500 mi) north of the Tropic of Capricorn . It consists of small bays , sandy beaches and steep forested mountains rising to a peak of 548 metres (1,798 ft). The ocean surrounding the island is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park , where extraction and fishing are regulated. Along with nine of
414-572: The Aboriginals Preservation and Protection Act 1939 and Torres Strait Islander Act 1939 were passed, the name changed from Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement to Director of Native Affairs Office, Palm Island. These Acts effected a change in policy: instead of protection and segregation of Indigenous people, it instead focussed on assimilation into the "white community". They gave freedom and full citizenship rights to Aboriginal people who qualified for these, but also streamlined
460-613: The Chief Protector of Aborigines visited the island, apparently to check on the activities of Japanese pearling crews in the area, and reported the existence of a small camp of Aboriginal people. In 1916 he found that Palm "suitable for use as a penitentiary" for "individuals we desire to punish". On 10 March 1918, the Hull River Aboriginal Settlement on the Hull River near Mission Beach on
506-537: The Colonial Secretary asking for a reserve to be established on the Island, but no action was taken. By the end of the 19th century the population had been reduced to about 50. A burial site and headstone is located in the "Mission" area of Palm Island. It tells the story of a young Palm Island man of the 19th century called Kukamunburra [ de ] who was renamed "Tambo" by a circus agent for
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#1732782880576552-546: The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission found in favour of the applicants, in Bligh and Ors v State of Queensland [1996] HREOCA 28 that "...payment to be made to an Aboriginal worker doing the same work and providing the same level of skills had necessarily to be less". A$ 7,000 was awarded to each applicant, although the evidence suggested that the loss of income A$ 8,573.66 to A$ 20,982.97 . Following this case,
598-580: The Queensland Police Service . After the graduation ceremony at Fred Clay Park, the group became the first SPSOs to provide security services for the community. At 55 km (21 sq mi), Great Palm Island is nearly twice the size of Norfolk Island and of a similar size to Magnetic Island . It is the main island of the Greater Palm group, and consists of small bays , sandy beaches and steep forested mountains rising to
644-632: The Stolen Generation . In July 1943 the US Navy built a naval air station at Palm Island, with facilities to operate and overhaul Catalina flying boats and patrol boats . The air station was built at Wallaby Point, an isolated area of Palm Island, overlooking a large stretch of sheltered water in Challenger Bay, which was ideal for flying boat operations. The station was built by two officers and 122 enlisted men of Company C of
690-620: The Torres Strait Islands β later referred to as the Bwgcolman people. In the first two decades of its establishment the population of Indigenous "inmates" increased from 200 to 1,630. By the early 1920s, Palm Island had become the largest Aboriginal reserve in Queensland and quickly gained a reputation among Aboriginal people as a penal settlement . Indigenous people were removed from across Queensland as punishment for
736-524: The article wizard to submit a draft for review, or request a new article . Search for " Kukamunburra " in existing articles. Look for pages within Misplaced Pages that link to this title . Other reasons this message may be displayed: If a page was recently created here, it may not be visible yet because of a delay in updating the database; wait a few minutes or try the purge function . Titles on Misplaced Pages are case sensitive except for
782-518: The " Barnum, Bailey and Hutchinson's Greatest show on earth ". After being kidnapped by United States circus agent R A Cunningham in 1883, he was toured along with eight other Murris , three of whom were from Hinchinbrook Island and five from Palm. In 1884, Kukamunburra died at 21 years old of pneumonia in Cleveland , United States. The rest of the circus group carried on to the European leg of
828-541: The "ringleaders" and their families were deported in chains to other Aboriginal settlements. Seven families were banished from the Palm Island in 1957 for taking part in a strike organised to protest against the Dickensian working conditions imposed by the Queensland Government under the reserve system. Athlete Cathy Freeman 's mother, Cecilia Barber, and the family of strike ringleader Frederick William Doolan including Billy Doolan Jnr. were among those banished from
874-446: The 1960s no wages were paid for this work. The catalyst for the strike was the attempted deportation of Indigenous inmate Albie Geia who committed the offence of disobeying the European overseer. The strike was also against the harsh conditions imposed by Bartlam, low or no wages, as well as poor housing and rations. Bartlam was forced to flee to his office and call for reinforcements. Armed Police arrived by RAAF launch from Townsville, and
920-485: The 2004 riot that resulted in the destruction of the island's police station, the courthouse, and an officer's residence. Wotton then was sentenced to seven years in prison, reduced to six years for time already served. The Crime and Misconduct Commission examined police relations in Queensland and as part of this, conducted an inquiry into police handling of the Mulrunji investigation. In 2010 it reported that more work
966-477: The 55th Naval Construction Battalion ( Seabee ) that arrived 6 July 1943, and a similar detachment that left Brisbane later with 1,500 tons of construction material. A 1,000-man camp was constructed at the point. Concrete flying boat ramps to the ocean were built with a tarmac parking area for up to 12 flying boats. Moorings for 18 flying boats were provided in Challenger Bay, and three nose hangars were also built. Coral aggregate from coral reefs at low tide
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#17327828805761012-467: The Australian mainland was destroyed by a cyclone . Palm Island had been gazetted as an Aboriginal reserve on 20 June 1914, although at the time there were few Aboriginal people living on Great Palm. After the cyclone, the residents of Hull River were relocated to Palm Island, with the new population from various Aboriginal peoples β from at least 57 different language groups throughout Queensland and
1058-586: The Mission, Palm Island settlement, Palm Island Aborigines settlement, Palm Island Community, and Bwgcolman. Great Palm Island is often termed a classic "tropical paradise" given its natural endowments, but it has had a troubled history since the European settlement of Australia . In Manbarra beliefs the Palm Island group were formed in the Dreamtime from the broken up fragments of an ancestral spirit, Rainbow Serpent . Manbarra (also known as Wulgurukaba)
1104-679: The Queensland Government on the Palm Island reserve lodged a complaint of racial discrimination under the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (RDA), alleging underpayment of wages between 31 October 1975 (the RDA start date) and 31 May 1984, when the Palm Island Aboriginal Council took over governance of the Aboriginal reserve land on 10 of the islands in the group, including Great Palm Island. In 1996,
1150-700: The Wulgurukaba, who were removed to the mainland by the Queensland Government in the 1890s. The island is also sometimes referred to as Bwgcolman , which is the name given to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from disparate groups who were deported from many areas of Queensland to the reserve in 1918, and their descendants. The island has an area of 55 km (21 sq mi). The official area figure of 70.9 square kilometres (27.4 sq mi) refers to Aboriginal Shire of Palm Island , which includes nine smaller islands. It
1196-534: The administration and development of Aboriginal reserves. The Director of Native Affairs Office was superseded by the Aboriginal and Island Affairs Department on 28 April 1966. The functions were transferred to the Aboriginal and Island Affairs Department, District Office, Palm Island. Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement was mentioned in the Bringing Them Home Report (1997) as an institution that housed children removed from their families, part of
1242-784: The day, the Superintendent was shot dead. An official inquiry by the Queensland Attorney General followed. Those involved in the shooting of the Superintendent, including the Deputy Superintendent and the Palm Island Medical Officer, were charged with murder, but the Crown Prosecutor was directed by the trial judge to drop the charges, stating that the shooting was justified. A bell tower was built to dictate
1288-648: The decision. The Street Review resulted in the overturning of the DPP's decision, with a finding that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute for manslaughter . A high-profile trial in the Townsville Supreme Court ensued. In June 2007 the jury found the Senior Sergeant not guilty of manslaughter and assault charges. On 24 October 2008, a jury found Lex Wotton , a two-time councillor on the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council , guilty of inciting
1334-901: The π Look for Kukamunburra on one of Misplaced Pages's sister projects : [REDACTED] Wiktionary (dictionary) [REDACTED] Wikibooks (textbooks) [REDACTED] Wikiquote (quotations) [REDACTED] Wikisource (library) [REDACTED] Wikiversity (learning resources) [REDACTED] Commons (media) [REDACTED] Wikivoyage (travel guide) [REDACTED] Wikinews (news source) [REDACTED] Wikidata (linked database) [REDACTED] Wikispecies (species directory) Misplaced Pages does not have an article with this exact name. Please search for Kukamunburra in Misplaced Pages to check for alternative titles or spellings. You need to log in or create an account and be autoconfirmed to create new articles. Alternatively, you can use
1380-540: The government settled 5,729 claims with a single payment of A$ 7,000 under the Award Wages Process, established in May 1999, to Indigenous people employed by the government on Aboriginal reserves between 1975 and 1986 (the date their policy of paying below-award rates to Indigenous people officially ended). In July 2019, it was announced that the Queensland Government had agreed to a A$ 190 settlement million to
1426-730: The hospital. Later the same day approximately 80 police from Townsville and Cairns were flown to Palm to restore order. In April 2005, in response to the riot, Premier Peter Beattie established the Palm Island Select Committee to investigate issues leading to the riot and other problems. Their report was tabled on 25 August 2005, detailing 65 recommendations which seek to reduce violence and overcrowding, and improve standards of education and health. In achieving these objectives, issues such as drug and alcohol abuse and unemployment would also be addressed. In late September 2006, coroner Christine Clements found that Doomadgee
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1472-736: The island's assets and resources, only allowing a pub to remain. The Sunday Times claimed that up to 30 people live in each house, without sufficient drinking water. The figures were strongly disputed at the time by the Queensland Government, the Police Commissioner and the Palm Island Community Council. However, it was conceded by the Queensland Aboriginal Policy Minister, Judy Spence , that Palm Island "can be violent at times", particularly for women and children, but that
1518-534: The island, including Bamboo Dam near the peak of Mount Bentley, and Solomon Dam . Palm Island, Queensland Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.236 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 944078614 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:34:40 GMT Kukamunburra From Misplaced Pages,
1564-603: The island. In a 2007 commemorative ceremony the Queensland Government apologised to the surviving wives of two of the strikers for the actions of the Government in the 1950s. The Palm Island mystery disease was an outbreak of a hepatitis -like illness on Great Palm Island, reported in 1979. Associated in many cases with dehydration and bloody diarrhoea , 148 people (138 children and 10 adults) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent were affected. 1985 and 1986, several Aboriginal people who had formerly worked for
1610-577: The islands and recorded seeing recently occupied circular huts, and canoes nearby their landing place. From the 1850s, locals were recruitment targets to leave the island to be involved with bΓͺche-de-mer and pearling enterprises with Europeans and Japanese. Calls for Palm Island to be proclaimed as a reserve were made in 1889 when the Secretary of the Townsville Aboriginal Protection Association wrote to
1656-774: The other smaller islands within the Palm Islands group, it falls under the local government area of the Aboriginal Shire of Palm Island . It is the only inhabited island within the Shire. It is not known what the Manbarra people called the island before colonisation. The island group was named the "Palm Isles" by explorer James Cook in 1770 as he sailed up the eastern coast of Australia on his first voyage . The name "Great Palm Island" for this island goes back at least as far as 1866. Other names include or have included
1702-424: The running of the mission. The bell would ring each morning at eight, a signal for everyone to line up for parade in the mission square. Those who failed to line up had their food allocation cut. At nine each evening the bell would ring again, signalling the shutting down of the island's electricity. The bell tower still stands in the local square to this day, a relic of Palm Island's history. After 12 Oct 1939, when
1748-510: The situation was being improved. Australian Aboriginal Palm Island resident, Mulrunji (known as Cameron Doomadgee while alive), aged 36, died in November 2004 in a police cell on Palm Island, one hour after being picked up for allegedly causing a public nuisance. The family of the deceased were informed by the Coroner that the death was the result of "an intra-abdominal haemorrhage caused by
1794-473: The station's buildings and facilities, removing and crating over 5,000 tons of materials and equipment and loading it aboard ship before departing on 31 August 1944. The remains of the steel rails and submerged wrecks of a number of Catalinas can still be seen today. One of the harshest Superintendents was Roy Bartlam, who arrested workers for being a minute behind the roll call in the reserve. All Islanders were required to work 30 hours each week, and up until
1840-634: The tour; by the end of 1885 only three of the Murris were still alive. Kukamunburra's partner, Sussy Dakaro [ de ] died 1885 in Wuppertal , Germany, aged about 17 years. Kukamunburra's body was embalmed; 109 years later, in 1993, the body was discovered in a local funeral parlour. Anthropologist Roslyn Poignant was able to identify the body and his remains were returned to his homeland and buried on Palm Island in February 1994. For much of
1886-468: The twentieth century it was used by the Queensland Government as a settlement for Aboriginal people considered guilty of such infractions as being "disruptive", being pregnant to a white man or being born with mixed blood (" half-caste "), a type of Aboriginal reserve that was also a penal settlement . Beginning in 1918, the island was used by the Queensland Government as a settlement for Aboriginal people from many different areas of Queensland. In 1909
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1932-400: Was based on an article in a London newspaper. The article from The Sunday Times stated that Palm Island had one of the highest crime rates in the world and that "boys ride bareback on horses through the near-derelict civic centre as infants ambush passing cars with slingshots ." It referred to violence statistics and stated that "the white overseers" left the island in 1985, removing most of
1978-939: Was fully operational from 25 October 1943, and could repair an average of four aircraft per day. The last personnel of the 55th Seabees left Palm Island on 8 November 1943. US Navy Patrol Squadron 101 , Patrol Wing 10, with eight PBY Catalinas was briefly stationed at Palm Island in December 1943, before relocating to Perth . US Navy Patrol Squadron VP-11 arrived at the station in late December 1943, where they were taken off combat duties. The squadron comprised 13 PBY-5 Catalinas, 46 officers and 99 enlisted men. They carried out training and routine flights between Port Moresby , Samarai and Brisbane . They were assigned to Fleet Air Wing 17 while at Palm Island, and left in February 1944. The Naval Air Station closed in May 1944. On 18 June 1944, 177 men and 4 officers of Company B, 91st Naval Construction Battalion, arrived from Milne Bay to dismantle
2024-629: Was killed as a result of punches by the Senior Sergeant arresting officer. Despite the finding of the coroner, Leanne Clare , the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), announced on 14 December 2006 that no charges would be laid. After media and public pressure, the Queensland Attorney-General appointed former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales , Sir Laurence Street to review
2070-623: Was needed on police relations, while noting that some improvement had occurred, recommending 51 specific actions. The police raids and behaviour following the riot were found in December 2016 to have breached the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 , with a record class action settlement of A$ 30 million awarded to victims in May 2018. The raids were found by the court to be "racist" and "unnecessary, disproportionate" with police having "acted in these ways because they were dealing with an Aboriginal community". On 2 October 2020, six Palm Islanders graduated as Senior Protective Security Officers and joined
2116-468: Was used to manufacture concrete. A series of fuel tanks were constructed to hold 60,000 barrels of aviation fuel . Steel rail lines were installed to launch the PBY Catalinas back into the water. By September 1943 the majority of the facilities were finished, and large numbers of operational and maintenance personnel began to arrive to commission the station. The Palm Island US Naval Air Station
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