Lyla Lindsey
Palm Island, also known as Great Palm Island, is a locality consisting of a group of 16 islands, located in Queensland, Australia. The locality coincides with the geographical entity known as the Palm Island group, also known as the Greater Palm group, originally named the Palm Isles by explorer James Cook in 1770. The term Palm Island is most often used to refer to the main island, Great Palm Island, the largest island in the group and the only one with a significant population of permanent residents, most of whom are Aboriginal.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Queensland, Australia |
| Number of Islands | 16 |
| Main Island | Great Palm Island |
| Locality Name | Palm Island, QLD (4816) |
| Population | 2,138 (2021 census) |
| Indigenous Population | 89.7% (2021 census), 94.1% (2016 census) |
| Size | 55 km2 |
| Highest Peak | 548 metres at Bentley Ridge |
| Original Inhabitants | Manbarra people |
| Local Government | Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council |
| Natural Features | Small bays, sandy beaches, reefs, freshwater streams, forests, mountains |
| Flora | Hoop pine, mangroves, mango, pawpaw, banana, wile plum trees, eucalypt forests, rainforests |
| Fauna | Crayfish, coral trout |
| History | Used as a prison camp for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; history of unrest and violence |
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What You'll Learn
- Palm Island, Queensland, Australia, is a group of 16 islands
- The main island, Great Palm Island, is the largest and only has permanent residents
- The majority of residents are Indigenous Australians
- The islands were named the 'Palm Isles' by explorer James Cook in 1770
- The islands are known for their natural beauty and diverse flora and fauna
Palm Island, Queensland, Australia, is a group of 16 islands
Palm Island, Queensland, Australia, is a locality consisting of a group of 16 islands, with local government split between the Shire of Hinchinbrook and the Aboriginal Shire of Palm Island. The term "Palm Island" is often used to refer to the largest island in the group, Great Palm Island, which is the only island with a significant permanent population, most of whom are Aboriginal.
The island group is also known as the Palm Island group, the Greater Palm group, and was originally named the Palm Isles by explorer James Cook in 1770. The name "Great Palm Island" dates back to at least 1866, and the island has also been referred to as Bwgcolman, meaning "one people from many groups", derived from an Aboriginal language.
Great Palm Island is known for its Aboriginal community, which is the legacy of an Aboriginal reserve, the Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement, also known as "the Mission". The original inhabitants of the island were the Manbarra people, also known as the Wulgurukaba, who were removed to the mainland by the Queensland Government in the 1890s. In 1918, the Queensland Government created the Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement, and many groups of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were forcibly removed to the island from throughout Queensland.
The Palm Island group is located less than 20 kilometres from the nearest point on the mainland (Lucinda) and is 65 kilometres north of Townsville. The islands are serviced by a 20-minute plane ride or a one-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from Townsville, and a one-hour barge trip from Lucinda. The islands feature small bays, sandy beaches, fringing reefs, freshwater streams, and forested mountains, with the highest peak reaching 548 meters at Bentley Ridge.
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The main island, Great Palm Island, is the largest and only has permanent residents
Palm Island, also known as Great Palm Island, is the largest of twelve tropical islands in the Palm Island Group, or Greater Palm Group, off the coast of Northern Queensland, Australia. The Palm Island Group was originally named the Palm Isles by explorer James Cook in 1770.
Great Palm Island is the only island in the group with a permanent population, which stood at 2,298 residents in 2016, 94.1% of whom are of Indigenous origin. The island is known for its Aboriginal community, which is the legacy of an Aboriginal reserve, the Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement, also known as 'the Mission'. 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 original inhabitants of the island were the Manbarra people, also known as the Wulgurukaba, who were removed to the mainland by the Queensland Government in the 1890s. Representatives from over 40 tribes were later displaced and sent to Palm Island, which was used as a prison camp for troublemakers. More than forty different language groups were sent to the island, locating their camps in areas to mirror their positions on the mainland.
The main town on Great Palm Island has schools, shops, a football club, hospital, churches, and a library called the Bwgcolman Indigenous Knowledge Centre.
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The majority of residents are Indigenous Australians
Palm Island is an Aboriginal community located off the coast of Queensland, Australia, comprising seventeen islands, with the main island called “Great Palm” by Europeans. The islands lie between 60 and 70 kilometres north-northwest of Townsville, Queensland, inside the local government area of the Aboriginal Shire of Palm Island. The Shire, including the smaller islands surrounding Great Palm Island, has a total area of 70.9 square kilometres (27.4 sq mi). The locality of Palm Island, which only includes the largest island, has an area of 55.4 square kilometres (21.4 sq mi).
However, the Indigenous presence on Palm Island as it stands today is a result of a dark chapter in Australia's history. In the early 20th century, the Australian government implemented a policy of forced removal and segregation of Indigenous people, with Palm Island becoming a reserve for those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent from 1918 onwards. This led to the displacement of the Manbarra people and the establishment of a community comprised predominantly of Indigenous Australians from a range of different cultural backgrounds.
Between 1927 and 1939, a mission settlement was established on the main island, known as “Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement,” with residents forced to live and work under harsh and restrictive conditions. The settlement was run like a penal colony, with strict discipline and limited freedom for its inhabitants. This period saw the forced removal of Indigenous children from their families, who were sent to government-run institutions, as well as the implementation of policies aimed at assimilating Indigenous people into white Australian culture, resulting in the loss of language and cultural practices.
Today, the community continues to grapple with the intergenerational trauma caused by these historical injustices. Despite the challenges, the residents of Palm Island have worked hard to preserve and celebrate their Indigenous heritage. Cultural programs and initiatives have been developed to promote cultural healing, and there is a strong focus on education and empowerment within the community. The people of Palm Island have a rich and diverse cultural life, with art, music, and storytelling playing an important role in maintaining and strengthening their cultural identity.
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The islands were named the 'Palm Isles' by explorer James Cook in 1770
Palm Island, also known as Great Palm Island, is the largest island in the Palm Islands group off Northern Queensland, Australia. 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 Palm Island group is made up of 16 islands, split between the Shire of Hinchinbrook and the Aboriginal Shire of Palm Island. The term "Palm Island" is most often used to refer to the main island, Great Palm Island, which is the only island with a significant permanent population. The majority of the islands are micro-islands, with Great Palm Island being the most notable and populated island in the group.
The original inhabitants of the island were the Manbarra people, also known as 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 derived from an Aboriginal language and means "one people from many groups". This name refers to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from different groups who were deported from various areas of Queensland to the reserve in 1918, and their descendants.
Great Palm Island has an area of 55 square kilometres (21 square miles). The official area figure of 70.9 square kilometres (27.4 square miles) includes nine smaller islands that are part of the Aboriginal Shire of Palm Island. The island group is serviced by a 20-minute plane ride or a one-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from Townsville, and a one-hour barge trip from Lucinda.
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The islands are known for their natural beauty and diverse flora and fauna
Palm Island, also known as Great Palm Island, is a locality consisting of a group of 16 islands, located in Queensland, Australia. The term "Palm Island" is often used to refer to the main island, Great Palm Island, the largest in the group and the only one with a significant permanent population, most of whom are Aboriginal. The island group is less than 20 kilometres from the nearest point on the mainland (Lucinda) and is 65 kilometres north of Townsville.
The traditional owners of Great Palm and the nearby islands are the Manbarra people, also known as the Wulgurukaba. In Manbarra beliefs, the Palm Island group was formed in the Dreamtime from the broken-up fragments of an ancestral spirit, the Rainbow Serpent. 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 population of Palm Island consists mostly of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, many of whom are descendants of the Bwgcolman, 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. The island has a rich and troubled history, having been used as an Aboriginal reserve and a prison camp for troublemakers. Today, the island has a main town with schools, shops, a football club, hospital, and churches, and a library called the Bwgcolman Indigenous Knowledge Centre.
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Frequently asked questions
Palm Island is a locality consisting of an island group of 16 islands, split between the Shire of Hinchinbrook and the Aboriginal Shire of Palm Island, in Queensland, Australia.
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 original inhabitants of the island were the Manbarra people, also known as the Wulgurukaba, who were removed to the mainland by the Queensland Government in the 1890s.
The population of Palm Island varies depending on the source. One source states that in the 2021 census, the locality of Palm Island (incorporating all the islands in the group) had a population of 2,138 people, while another source states that in the 2016 census, "Palm Island (Urban Centres and Localities)" had 2,298 residents.
Palm Island is known for its natural beauty, with extensive flora and fauna, and small bays, sandy beaches, fringing reefs, beautiful freshwater streams, and steep forested mountains. The surrounding oceans and bays are home to a diverse marine life including crayfish, coral trout, and an extensive network of magnificent coral reefs.
