Cape Upstart National Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cape Upstart National Park Queensland
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Cape Upstart, 2010
Cape Upstart National Park Location in Queensland
Nearest town or city	Gumlu
Established	1969
Area	84.80 km2 (32.74 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
See also	Protected areas of Queensland

Cape Upstart is a national park located in Guthalungra, within the Whitsunday Region of North Queensland, Australia. It is about 1,016 kilometers (631 miles) northwest of Brisbane. This special place is known for its natural beauty and its deep history with the Aboriginal people.

For thousands of years, the Juru Clan of the Birri-Gubba Tribal Group lived on Cape Upstart.

Cultural History of Cape Upstart

The Juru People have a strong connection to Cape Upstart. You can find many "middens" in the sand dunes. Middens are like ancient rubbish heaps, mostly made of shells from meals. They show where the Juru people camped and lived for a very long time.

Cape Upstart also has several important sacred sites. For example, Worrungu Bay was a special area for women. There are also stone arrangements near Mine Island. These were not just 'fish traps' as some thought. They were an important ceremonial ground used for special events like initiations.

These stone arrangements showed the paths taken by Gubulla Munda (the Carpet Snake). Gubulla Munda is a very important figure in the Gubulla Munda Dreaming. This is the creation story of the Juru and Birri-Gubba People. It tells how Gubulla Munda created the land and islands where the Juru people live.

Lieutenant James Cook named Cape Upstart on June 5, 1770. He was exploring the eastern coast of Australia in his ship, HM Bark Endeavour.

Later, in the early 1900s, people from nearby farming areas began building simple huts on the western shores of the Cape. Over time, these huts became more permanent homes. By the early 2000s, a small number of people lived there permanently. Many others used the homes for holidays and recreation.

Native Title Recognition

In 2011, Justice Rares of the Federal Court of Australia made an important decision. He officially recognized that the Juru People still held "Native Title" over Cape Upstart National Park. Native Title means that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have special rights to their traditional lands and waters. These rights come from their traditional laws and customs.

This decision was the result of a twenty-year effort by the Juru People. They worked hard to get their Native Title recognized for Cape Upstart National Park. The process began in 1992 with Peter Prior (Gulumba). His daughter, Renarta Prior (Gootha), completed the process in 2012. This recognition was a big step in acknowledging the Juru People's long history and connection to their land.

See also

In Spanish: Parque nacional Cabo Upstart para niños