Mornington Island: History
Lardil (also known as Gununa, Ladil) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Mornington Island and the Northern Wellesley Islands, within the local government boundaries of the Mornington Shire. Kuku-Thaypan (also known as Gugu Dhayban, Kuku Taipan, Thaypan) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken in Hann River, Laura and Musgrave River and on Mornington Island, within the local government boundaries of the Cook Shire.
Lardil, who prefer to be known as Kunhanaamendaa (meaning people of Kunhanhaa), is the predominant nation on Mornington Island and they are the traditional owners of the land and surrounding seas. Kaiadilt people arrived more recently (1947–8) after being relocated from nearby Bentinck Island, and more people of other nations arrived from Doomadgee Mission in 1958.
In the 1600s, Macassan trepangers travelled thousands of kilometres from Sulawesi to Mornington Island and other Australian mainland destinations in search of sea cucumbers.
In 1644, the eastern cape of the island was named Cape Van Diemen by Abel Janszoon Tasman after Anthony van Diemen, the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies.
Commander Matthew Flinders named the island after Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley who was known when younger as the Earl of Mornington. Wellesley had tried to have Flinders released from detention in Mauritius.
On 22 April 1905 all of the Wellesley islands apart from Sweers Island were proclaimed as an Aboriginal reserve, under a Protector of Aborigines appointed by the Queensland Government, Protector Howard. Bleakley was the next Protector, from 1913, but did not visit the island until 1916, by which time the first missionary (Hall) had arrived (see below for mission history).
Gununa Post Office opened by 1982.
During World War II, there was a radar station on Mornington Island.
The Mornington Island State School opened on 28 January 1975.
In 1978, the Queensland government decided to take over control of both the Aurukun and Mornington Island missions.
Cyclones routinely hit the island, including Cyclone May (February 1988), Cyclone Abigail (February 2001), Cyclone Bernie (January 2002), and Cyclone Fritz (February 2004). …