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 2011 was approximately 874, of which 824 were Indigenous (94%). In 2011, 40% of Gapuwiyak’s Indigenous population was younger than 20 years of age.

Language

Djambarrpuyngu (a dialect of Yolngu Matha) is the main language in Gapuwiyak, spoken by 76% of people. Other languages include Ritharrngu and Dhalwangu.

Clan Groups

The population is predominantly Yolngu, with people from 11 different Yolngu groups. Gapuwiyak was built on the land of the Gupapuyngu people but the dominant Yirritja moiety group is Dhalwangu. Several First Nations groups live in Gapuwiyak. They are not the landowners but people who moved from their ancestral estates into the town area. There are 11 Yolngu groups in the community and homelands. Within their moiety, people are further classified by whether they live on or near a beach (rangipuyngu) or inland (diltjipuyngu).

History

Aboriginal people have inhabited this region for 40,000 years. The Gapuwiyak community was established by Methodist missionaries in the late 1960s to supply timber for missions in the region. Timber workers came from the surrounding areas of Burrum, Raymangirr, Bunhanura and Balma, and from Galiwin’ku. Those from Galiwin’ku returned to their own country when they were not working but those from the surrounding areas stayed near the timber mill and established the Gapuwiyak community. 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 Shire and the Council 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). 
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