Angurugu

The community is situated halfway down the western coast of Groote Eylandt, on the banks of the Angurugu River. Groote Eylandt is around 650 kilometres east of Darwin and 50 kilometres off the Arnhem Land coast in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Angurugu has a humid tropical climate, and 80% of annual rainfall occurs in the wet season (between December and March).

Population

The population of Angurugu and its surrounds in 2011 was approximately 835, of whom 794 were Indigenous (95%). In 2011, 42% of Angurugu’s Indigenous population was younger than 20 years of age.

Language

Anindilyakwa is the language of the communities of Groote Eylandt. Angurugu also has a number of Yolngu Matha speakers.

Clan Groups

Groote Eylandt’s Indigenous population has 14 clan groups, which make up the two moieties on Groote Eylandt. The Anindilyakwa-speaking clans maintain their traditions and have strong ties with the people in the community of Numbulwar and on Bickerton Island.

History

The Anindilyakwa people came to Groote Eylandt on song lines which created the land, rivers, animals and people and named everything about the region. Angurugu was an important meeting place for Groote Eylandt clans and people coming from the mainland for ceremonies. The first European settlement on the island was the Emerald River Mission,13 kilometres south of Angurugu, in 1921. Angurugu began as an Anglican Church Missionary Society station in 1943, as the Royal Australian Air Force needed to use the Emerald River Mission airstrip. By the 1950s almost all the clans living on the west of the island had settled at Angurugu, a big change to the traditional habits of occupation. The Groote Eylandt economy underwent a transformation with the discovery of manganese near Angurugu.Today, the island produces over three million tonnes of manganese ore annually. Groote Eylandt became Aboriginal freehold land in 1976. In 2008 Angurugu became part of the East Arnhem Shire, and the Council took over local government. To ensure the island's economic future, the Anindilyakwa people, through the Anindilyakwa Land Council and Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island Enterprises, have ventured into culture-based tourism businesses like the Dugong Beach Resort. The Groote Eylandt archipelago became an Indigenous Protected Area in 2006.

Local Authority

Each community has its own local authority to facilitate communication and consultation between local government and the East Arnhem region. Click here to find out more about the Angurugu Local Authority.

Explore the communities

  • If you are interested in learning more about the East Arnhem communities, we encourage you to explore the BushTel website. This website provides information about the remote communities of the Northern Territory, including their people and cultural historical influences. You can also access our interactive map of East Arnhem to view the exact locations of our nine communities and its corresponding services.

  • According to the laws of the Commonwealth and Northern Territory, obtaining a written permit is necessary for entry onto Aboriginal land. If you are considering a visit to the East Arnhem communities, you can apply for a permit here. (Note that this permit is necessary for the 6 mainland communities, excluding those situated on Groote Eylandt). 
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