Gunyangara

The community of Gunyangara (Marngarr, Ski Beach) is located on the Drimmie Peninsula which forms part of Melville Bay on the Gove Peninsula. Ski Beach is 13 kilometres west of Nhulunbuy CBD. The Community of Gunyangara is on Gumatj land belonging to the Yunupingu, Burarrwanga and Munungirritj clan groups of north east Arnhem Land. The small island is joined to the mainland by a causeway at Drimmie Peninsula west of Nhulunbuy.

Population

In the 2016 Census, there were 240 people in Gunyangara. Of these 48.3% were male and 51.7% were female. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people made up 89.6% of the population.

Language

According to the 2011 ABS Census, approximately 155 people live in Gunyangara, with the predominant languages being Gumatj (37.7%) and Galpu (29.4%), both dialects of the Indigenous language Yolngu Matha.

Clan Groups

The people living in Gunyangara make up twelve different clan groups from within the Miwatj region.

History

Gunyangara community was established in the late 70s and early 80s by Galarrwuy Yunupingu and his family, who at that time lived in Yirrkala, 15 kilometres east of Nhulunbuy. The family decided that it was time for the Gumatj people to move out of Yirrkala and occupy their traditional tribal lands, in and around the Gove Peninsula, so that the children would be taught the songs, dreaming, history and stories of the Gumatj people.

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 Gunyangara 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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