Darnley Island (Queensland) facts for kids
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Native name:
Erub
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A satellite image of Darnley Island
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A map of the Torres Strait Islands showing Erub in the north-eastern waters of Torres Strait
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| Geography | |
| Location | Torres Strait |
| Coordinates | 9°35′13″S 143°46′16″E / 9.587°S 143.771°E |
| Archipelago | Torres Strait Islands |
| Total islands | 1 |
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Australia
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| State | Queensland |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 400 |
| Darnley Island / Erub Island Queensland |
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 Darnley Island / Erub Island
Location in Queensland
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| Population | 328 (2016 census) |
| • Density | 57.5/km2 (149/sq mi) |
| Postcode(s) | 4875 |
| Area | 5.7 km2 (2.2 sq mi) |
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) |
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Torres Strait Island Region |
| State electorate(s) | Cook |
| Federal Division(s) | Leichhardt |
Darnley Island or Erub in the native Papuan language, Meriam Mir, is an island formed by volcanic action and situated in the eastern section of the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia. It is one of the Torres Strait Islands and is located near the Great Barrier Reef and just south of the Bligh entrance. The town on the island is also called Darnley, but the locality is called Erub Island, both being within the local government area of Torres Strait Island Region. In the 2016 census, Erub Island had a population of 328 people.
The effective community language is Brokan (Torres Strait Creole), though many people also still speak Meriam Mir, the traditional language.
History
The island was named by Captain William Bligh in 1792 during his second breadfruit voyage to the Pacific, after his distant relative, the Earl of Darnley.
Christianity was first introduced to Darnley and the Torres Strait region by the London Missionary Society on 1 July 1871.
Before this, pearlers and beche-de-mer gatherers visited the island. Over many years, these industries attracted an influx of seamen from the Pacific Islands, the Philippines and Malaya, many of whom married local women and settled on the island.
Early in the twentieth century, the Queensland Government started installing various facilities such as a school, medical aid, post office and an Island Industries Board store.
Darnley people have been at the forefront of the movement for adequate recognition of Torres Strait Islanders' rights, with George Mye among the most prominent advocates of Islander interests from the 1960s to the 90s and Carlemo Wacando among the first to challenge the legal notion of terra nullius.
Flora and fauna
The Kinabalu giant earthworm, Pheretima darnleiensis, is named after Darnley Island, although it is likely not a native but an introduced species there.
Heritage listings
Darnley Island has a number of heritage-listed sites, including the All Saints Anglican Church.
Education
Darnley Island Campus is a primary (Early Childhood-6) campus (9°35′43″S 143°45′36″E / 9.5952°S 143.7601°E) of Tagai State College. There is no secondary school on the island. The secondary campus of Tagai State College is on Thursday Island, over 200 kilometres (120 mi) away; it offers some boarding facilities but many children are also sent to mainland secondary schools.
Images for kids
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All Saints Anglican Church, 1971
