Sir Graham Moore Island (Western Australia) facts for kids
Sir Graham Moore Island is an island located off the Kimberley coast in Western Australia. It covers an area of about 2,746 hectares (which is about 6,786 acres). The island is part of the Sir Graham Moore Islands group. It lies about 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of Kalumburu.
Contents
Island History
Early Inhabitants
Long ago, a group of the Kambure people lived on Sir Graham Moore Island. Today, the traditional owners of the island are the Barurungari group. They belong to the Worrorran language family. Their special name for the island is Niiwalarra.
The Jaurinanda peoples also lived on the island a long time ago. They traded with the Makassan people. The Makassan people regularly visited this area between 1669 and 1763. Both groups worked together to collect and prepare sea cucumber. Because of this trade, the Jaurinanda people even started using some Malay words in their own language.
How the Island Got Its Name
The island and the group of islands around it were named in 1819. This was done by Phillip Parker King, an explorer. He named them after Sir Graham Moore. Sir Graham Moore was an important person who worked on the board of the English Admiralty Board.
World War II Site
During World War II, a special radar site was built on the northwest corner of the island. This site was called a LORAN radar site. It was set up by American and Australian forces. The site had a radar building, a radio building, a powerhouse, and a place for soldiers to camp. Today, only the concrete base of the main building remains.
Island Wildlife
Feral Pigs
Sir Graham Moore Island used to have a population of feral pigs. These were wild pigs that had escaped from farms. However, by 2009, all the pigs on the island had died out. It seems this happened because the island's only source of fresh water became salty. This change in the water happened after a cyclone caused erosion.
