Wurrumiyanga

Contents

Wurrumiyanga (/wʊrʊmiˈjɑːŋə/), formerly Nguiu (/ˈnjuːjuː/, locally [ˈŋuju]), is a community on the southern coast of Bathurst Island, Northern Territory, Australia. With about 1,600 residents, it is the largest community on the island.[1] There are regular ferries and flights between Wurrumiyanga and Darwin, as well as a ferry that connects Wurrumiyanga with nearby Melville Island.[1] The Tiwi Islands Football League, an Australian rules football competition, hosts most of its games in Wurrumiyanga.[2]

History

Nguiu was founded in 1911 as a Catholic mission by Francis Xavier Gsell.[3]

The community's only post office was opened on 3 June 1974.[4]

In 2010, Nguiu was renamed Wurrumiyanga, meaning "the place where the cycads grow", upon the request of the Tiwi Land Council.[5]

Demographics

The 2016 census recorded a population of 1,563 residents in Wurrumiyanga.[6]

Culture

Wurrumiyanga is the home of Tiwi Designs, an art corporation involving some 100 indigenous artists and which produces fabric, carvings, ceramics, prints, and paintings.[7] Its goal is to promote, preserve, and enrich Tiwi culture.[8]

Education

There are two schools in the town, both founded by Gsell's Catholic mission: Murrupurtiyanuwu Catholic Primary School in 1912, and Xavier Catholic College in 1932. Xavier Catholic College began as a boys' school but has since become a coeducational school for students in years 7 to 13.[9]

Sports

The Tiwi Islands Football League, an Australian rules football competition, hosts most of its matches, including the finals, in Wurrumiyanga.[2]

Transportation

Wurrumiyanga can be reached from Darwin on the Australian mainland by ferry or plane. There are daily flights between the two, and the ferry operates four days a week, on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday. An inter-island ferry also connects the community with the adjacent Melville Island.[1]

References

  1. 1.[1.2][1.3]"Wurrumiyanga". Tiwi Islands Regional Council. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  2. 2.[2.2]"Football and the Tiwis". Tiwi Land Council. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  3. 3.Gsell, F.X. (1956). "Chapter 3". The Bishop with 150 Wives. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.
  4. 4.Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  5. 5."NT Place Names Register". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  6. 6."2016 Census QuickStats: Wurrumiyanga". Census QuickStats Database. Government of Australia. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  7. 7."Tiwi Designs". Tiwi Designs. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  8. 8."About Us". Tiwi Designs. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  9. 9."About us". Xavier Catholic College. Retrieved 11 June 2025.