Wurrumiyanga
Community on Bathurst Island, Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[2] There are regular ferries and flights between Wurrumiyanga and Darwin, as well as a ferry that connects Wurrumiyanga with nearby Melville Island.[2] The Tiwi Islands Football League, an Australian rules football competition, hosts most of its games in Wurrumiyanga.[3]
Nguiu | |
|---|---|
Saint Therese Church in 2007 | |
 Warrumiyanga on Bathurst Island, off the coast of the Northern Territory, Australia | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Timor Sea |
| Coordinates | 11°45′32.76″S 130°38′4.92″E |
| Archipelago | Tiwi Islands |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| Territory | Northern Territory |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1,563 (2016)[1] |
| Ethnic groups | Tiwi |
History
Nguiu was founded in 1911 as a Catholic mission by Francis Xavier Gsell.[4]
The community's only post office was opened on 3 June 1974.[5]
In 2010, Nguiu was renamed Wurrumiyanga, meaning "the place where the cycads grow", upon the request of the Tiwi Land Council.[6]
Demographics
The 2016 census recorded a population of 1,563 residents in Wurrumiyanga.[1]
Culture
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.[3]
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.[2]