Gapuwiyak

Gapuwiyak is on the shore of Lake Evella in north-east Arnhem Land, about 500 kilometres east of Darwin and 120 kilometres west of Nhulunbuy. It is one of the Northern Territory’s easternmost settlements.

Population

The population of Gapuwiyak and its surrounds in 2021 was approximately 705, of which 645 were Indigenous (91.5%). In 2021, 29.8% of Gapuwiyak’s Indigenous population was younger than 20 years of age.

Language

Djambarrpuyngu is the main language spoken in Gapuwiyak of the Dhuwa moiety and also other Yirritja moiety languages are spoken in Gapuwiyak too.

Clan Groups

The population is predominantly Yolngu, with people from 13 plus tribes. Gapuwiyak was built on the land of the Gupapuyngu people with other culturally connected tribes. People who permanently reside in Gapuwiyak come coastal and inland areas.

History

Aboriginal people have inhabited this region for 60,000 years. The Gapuwiyak community was established by Methodist missionaries in the late 1960s to supply cypress timber for missions in the region. Timber workers came from the surrounding coastal and inland areas of East Arnhem, including Buckingham Bay, Arnhem Bay, Mitchell Rangers and Blue Mud Bay. In the 1970s the mission ended and Gapuwiyak became Aboriginal land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. In 2008, Gapuwiyak became part of the East Arnhem Regional Council, we took responsibility for local government for the community.

Local Authority

Each community has its own local authority to facilitate communication and consultation between local government and the East Arnhem region. Click here to find out more about the Gapuwiyak Local Authority.

Explore the communities

  • If you are interested in learning more about the East Arnhem communities, we encourage you to explore the BushTel website. This website provides information about the remote communities of the Northern Territory, including their people and cultural historical influences. You can also access our interactive map of East Arnhem to view the exact locations of our nine communities and its corresponding services.

  • According to the laws of the Commonwealth and Northern Territory, obtaining a written permit is necessary for entry onto Aboriginal land. If you are considering a visit to the East Arnhem communities, you can apply for a permit here. (Note that this permit is necessary for the 6 mainland communities, excluding those situated on Groote Eylandt).