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Aurukun is an Indigenous community, situated approximately 100 km south of Weipa in far North Queensland, Australia. The town faces west to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
In the wet season, roads are impassable. Aurukun is isolated by distance from mainstream Australian life.
History
The Aurukun Mission (known then as the Archer River Mission Station) was established on 4 August 1904 for the Presbyterian Church of Australia by the Reverend Arthur and Mrs Mary Richter, two Moravian missionaries and managed under the provisions of the Queensland Aborigines Act. (Several of the current residents were taught by these missionaries and remember them well.) Aboriginal people were relocated from a large surrounding area, many against their will, to the mission settlement.
In 1978, the Queensland government decided to take over control of both the Aurukun and Mornington Island Reserves. Both communities were against this and protested seeking the help of the Federal government.
After lengthy negotiations, legislation for self management of the two reserves was introduced into federal parliament and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Queensland Reserves and communities Self Management) Act was passed on 7 April 1978.
Further negotiations took place between State and Federal Ministers and on the 22 May 1978, the Local Government (Aboriginal Lands) Act came into force giving a 50 year lease to the Aurukun Shire council to be trustee for the land within the boundaries.
It is worth noting that the Aurukun and Mornington Shire councils remain the only Aboriginal Communities in Queensland constituted as local authorities.
With the coming of the missionaries, children were confined to dormitories to isolate them from the influence of their people. However many people remained outside the mission up until the 1950s, ensuring the culture remained strong.
Aurukun is located on bauxite-rich land. Without consideration of the protests of the community, the Queensland Government passed a bill to authorise mining. In 1975 the community was placed under direct State government control. In 1978 they were given a 50-year lease on their land under the administration of the shire clerk and other white staff, but were nominally under the control of an elected Aboriginal Council.
Following the Wik case the land has reverted to Native Title held by the Wik people. The significance of this claim cannot be underestimated.
The focal area of the Wik lies between the Archer and Edward Rivers of Western Cape York Peninsula and inland to Coen. Most Wik people still live in this triangle.
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