Bickerton Island
| Bickerton Island | ||
|---|---|---|
| Waters | Gulf of Carpentaria | |
| Archipelago | Groote Island Group | |
| Geographical location | 13 ° 45 ′ S , 136 ° 13 ′ E | |
|
||
| length | 21.5 km | |
| width | 20.5 | |
| surface | 215 km² | |
| Residents | 135 <1 inh / km² |
|
| main place | Milyakburra | |
Bickerton Island is located 13 km west of Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria and belongs to Arnhem Land , Northern Territory , Australia . The island is 21.5 kilometers long and 20.5 kilometers wide and covers an area of 215 square kilometers, making it the second largest island in the Groote Eylandt archipelago. 135 people live there permanently.
Bickerton Island was named by British explorer Matthew Flinders on January 4, 1803, after British Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton . He noted:
“No part of Groote Eylandt was in sight; but an island of considerable extent and elevation, not noticed in the old chart, lay six or seven miles to the ENE; and I have called it Bickerton's Island, in compliment to admiral Sir Richard Bickerton. [...] In passing the south side of Bickerton's Island, we observed in it a deep bight or bay which would afford shelter in the north-west monsoon, if there be depth sufficient for a ship; and the hills at the back being high and woody, there was a probability of its receiving a stream of fresh water. The country round the entrance of the bight, had the appearance of being sandy and sterile. "
“No part of Groote Eylandt was in sight; but an island of considerable size and elevation, not shown on the old chart, lay six or seven miles east-northeast; and I have named it Bickerton's Island in honor of Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton. […] When we passed the south side of Bickerton's Island we observed a deep bay or bay [?] In it, which would offer protection during the north-west monsoons if there was sufficient depth for a ship; and the hills beyond were high and wooded [wooded], there was the likelihood [possibility] that there was a stream of fresh water there. The land around the entrance to the bay appeared to be sandy and sterile. "
The Aboriginal settlement Milyakburra has existed on the island since 1975 and is located on the eastern side of South Bay. The settlement can be reached by boat or plane. There are no paved roads on Bickerton Island.
88% of the 178 islanders are Aborigines of the Anindilyakwa .
In 2008, an agreement was signed between the Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC), the Northern Territory Government, the Australian Federal Government, the East Arnhem Shire Council (EASC) and the Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) to work with the Anindilyakwa.
In late 1926 there was a violent clash between the local Aboriginal and Japanese fishermen who were stranded with their boat on Bickerton Island, killing a Japanese and an Aboriginal.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b eastarnhem.nt.gov.au : Milyakburra , in English, accessed January 25, 2013
- ↑ a b Matthew Flinders : A Voyage to Terra Australis - Volume 2 in Project Gutenberg ( currently usually not available for users from Germany )
- ↑ remoterecruitment.nt.gov.au : Bickerton Island (Milyakburra) , in English, accessed January 25, 2013
- ↑ fahcsia.gov.au : Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island Regional Partnership Agreement , in English, accessed January 25, 2013
- ↑ Northern Territory Times and Gazette, December 21, 1926: Bickerton Island Tragedy , in English, accessed January 25, 2013