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Kowanyama
Queensland
Kowanyama Nov08.jpg
View down Ogimburngk St (from Gilbert St)
Kowanyama is located in Queensland
Kowanyama
Kowanyama
Location in Queensland
Population 944 (2016 census)
 • Density 0.37388/km2 (0.9683/sq mi)
Postcode(s) 4892
Area 2,524.9 km2 (974.9 sq mi)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s) Aboriginal Shire of Kowanyama
State electorate(s) Cook
Federal Division(s) Leichhardt
Localities around Kowanyama:
Gulf of Carpentaria Pormpuraaw Edward River
Gulf of Carpentaria Kowanyama Maramie
Gulf of Carpentaria Yagoonya Maramie

Kowanyama is a town and coastal locality in the Aboriginal Shire of Kowanyama, Queensland, Australia.

It is the site of the former Mitchell River Mission, founded in 1916, after the nearby Trubanamen Mission (established not far away on Topsy Creek in 1905) was abandoned.

In the 2016 census the locality of Kowanyama had a population of 944 people.

History

In 1905, Trubanamen Mission was established inland on Topsy Creek, now known as the old mission. Aboriginal peoples of the region were gradually drawn from their ancestral lands into the mission settlement.

Beginning of Kowanyama 1 7 1919L
Photo of Kowanyama near its beginnings, taken June 1919

Later, in 1916, Mitchell River Mission was founded on the present site of Kowanyama and the Trubanamen site abandoned. Some peoples continued to occupy their traditional lands, moving into Kowanyama as late as the 1940s.

More than 1000 people now live in Kowanyama, making it one of the largest communities on the Cape York Peninsula. Kowanyama's Aboriginal people continue to identify strongly with their ancestral countries and with the languages, stories, songs, dances, and histories associated with those countries. Language groups associated with countries in the Kowanyama region are Yir Yoront, Yirrk Thangalkl, Koko Bera, Uw Oykangand, and Olkola.

In 1964, a cyclone destroyed the mission. The Queensland government funded the rebuilding.

Kowanyama Post Office opened by 1967.

In 1967 the Anglican church were no longer able to sustain their activities in the area as a Church Mission. The Department of Aboriginal and Islander Affairs, a government department, under the Act continued running the affairs of the community.

In July 1987, the State Government of Queensland implemented legislation for a DOGIT over the lands in the Mitchell River delta, an area of 250 km². The deed covered the traditional lands of the people of Kowanyama. Like other DOGIT communities of the time, Kowanyama had a town Council elected by Aboriginal people living in the community. The newly formed Kowanyama Council assumed responsibility for implementing certain conditions of the DOGIT. Seven elected aboriginal residents hold three-year terms in office.

Since the 1990s, many Kowanyama people have been returning to their ancestral lands through the Homelands Movement. Homelands within the Kowanyama DOGIT include Scrubby Bore, Red Lilly, Ten Mile, Shelfo, Stewart Place, Old Rodeo Ground, Kowanyumal, Duck Hole, Wonya Bore, Kokomenjen Island, Wallaby Island, Joe's Lagoon, Yangr Bore, Engkoram, Fish Hole, Robert Demaine great elder and Thilpi.

Other homelands, including the Oriners Pastoral Lease and the Sefton Pastoral Lease, were independently purchased by the Kowanyama Council and are located outside the DOGIT boundary.

Community Justice Group

KCJG Nov08
Front view of Kowanyama Community Justice Group's 'Courthouse'

A Community Justice Group operates within Kowanyama. This group is made up of respected members in the community. They meet to discuss issues within the town and make recommendations to Council.

The community also has a Council of Elders, who are consulted by the Kowanyama Council when making community decisions. The elders operate in conjunction with the Lands Office.

The Lands Office

KLNRM Nov08
Front view of Kowanyama Land and Natural Resource Management office, Gilbert St.

The Kowanyama Aboriginal Land and Natural Resources Management Office (KALNRMO) works to promote and facilitate aboriginal management of the natural and cultural resources of Kowanyama country by the people of Kowanyama. Through community consultation and direction, KALNRMO has developed a community development agenda for the Kowanyama region, including:

  • Homelands development
  • Land and Fisheries Management
  • 'Tourism and Visitor management
  • Kowanyama Ranger Service
  • Native Title Claims
  • Cultural Resource documentation

Through the initiatives of KALNRMO, the Kowanyama community is widely regarded as a leader in indigenous land management issues. Since 1987, Kowanyama has effected substantial local control over fishing in the Mitchell River Delta, including the closure of some waters to non-Aboriginal fishing under state fisheries legislation. This action, funded through the enterprise income of the Kowanyama Aboriginal Council, has provided Aboriginal people access to the River’s fish stocks for their cultural and economic needs. In this way, Aboriginal people can fish and hunt as they have done for many thousands of years.

KALNRMO employs a senior ranger and four field rangers. The Kowanyama Rangers implement land management strategies in many areas of the DOGIT, and, in addition to tourism and visitor management, patrol closed and open waters. The Rangers also observe fisheries regulations, especially for illegal commercial or recreational fishing in closed waters. Beginning in 2007, the Rangers monitor threatened turtle populations and participate in the Carpentaria Ghost Nets Programme to remove debris (primarily fishing nets) discarded into the Gulf of Carpentaria by commercial fishermen from Australia and Indonesia.

Accommodation

KRH Panorama6 RGB 1440px
Kowanyama River House

Kowanyama River House is a 9-room guest house overlooking Magnificent Creek in Kowanyama Township. The guest house is located 100 metres from the Cultural Centre and 200 metres from the Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council offices and Supermarket.

Climate

Kowanyama experiences a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). Daytime temperatures generally stay above 30 °C (86 °F) all year round and reach up to 35 °C (95 °F) in the pre-wet season period in October and November. The wet season runs from December to April and is characterized by frequent torrential downpours and high humidity. During the dry season, almost no rain falls and days are warm to hot but humidity is low and the nights can get quite cool.

In February 2014, 1,222.4 mm (48.13 in) of rain fell in Kowanyama over a six-day span, including a 24-hour total of 361.2 mm (14.22 in) on 8 February. Residents were confined to their houses for almost two weeks; however no major damage was reported.

Climate data for Kowanyama
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 39.5
(103.1)
38.5
(101.3)
38.0
(100.4)
36.7
(98.1)
37.2
(99.0)
36.7
(98.1)
35.0
(95.0)
37.5
(99.5)
39.2
(102.6)
41.0
(105.8)
41.5
(106.7)
41.0
(105.8)
41.5
(106.7)
Average high °C (°F) 33.0
(91.4)
32.4
(90.3)
32.8
(91.0)
32.9
(91.2)
32.0
(89.6)
30.7
(87.3)
30.7
(87.3)
32.2
(90.0)
34.6
(94.3)
36.2
(97.2)
36.2
(97.2)
34.8
(94.6)
33.2
(91.8)
Average low °C (°F) 24.3
(75.7)
24.2
(75.6)
23.8
(74.8)
21.8
(71.2)
19.1
(66.4)
16.1
(61.0)
15.4
(59.7)
16.1
(61.0)
19.0
(66.2)
21.9
(71.4)
24.0
(75.2)
24.3
(75.7)
20.8
(69.4)
Record low °C (°F) 17.2
(63.0)
16.5
(61.7)
13.3
(55.9)
12.9
(55.2)
8.5
(47.3)
5.9
(42.6)
5.9
(42.6)
4.5
(40.1)
9.0
(48.2)
11.0
(51.8)
13.7
(56.7)
14.6
(58.3)
4.5
(40.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 341.0
(13.43)
368.6
(14.51)
237.1
(9.33)
55.5
(2.19)
11.0
(0.43)
4.2
(0.17)
2.4
(0.09)
2.4
(0.09)
2.6
(0.10)
16.8
(0.66)
57.5
(2.26)
173.4
(6.83)
1,271.2
(50.05)
Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Travel

Kowanyama is serviced weekly in the dry season by road trains from Cairns. The service becomes more frequent as the wet season approaches.

Early storms in October can make the 400-kilometre (250 mi) dirt road to Chillagoe east of the community subject to flooding. By late December the storms of the monsoons have usually arrived, isolating the community by road.

The monsoons are regarded as the arrival of nhawrr yirrpa, the Rainbow Snake who brings the life giving water to the land. During the wet season, which may last until May, the community is serviced only by aircraft, as all other access is restricted. During the wet season, fresh foods and perishables are flown into the community each week on charter planes by stores in town. Airline passenger services to Cairns, 600 kilometres (370 mi) away is maintained throughout the year through Kowanyama Airport.

Demographics

More than 1000 people now live in Kowanyama, making it one of the largest communities on the Cape York Peninsula. Kowanyama's Aboriginal people continue to identify strongly with their ancestral countries and with the languages, stories, songs, dances, and histories associated with those countries. Language groups associated with countries in the Kowanyama region are Yir Yoront, Yirrk Thangalkl, Koko Bera, Uw Oykangand, and Olkola.

Education

Kowanyama State School is a government primary and secondary (Early Childhood-10) school for boys and girls at 345 Kowanyama Street (15°28′20″S 141°44′42″E / 15.4721°S 141.7451°E / -15.4721; 141.7451 (Kowanyama State School)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 190 students with 21 teachers and 3 non-teaching staff. It includes a special education program.

Secondary education to Year 12 is not available in Kowanyama nor nearby. Distance education and boarding schools are the options.

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