Mornington Island

Mornington
Native name:
Kunhanhaa
Mornington Island from space, September 1991
Mornington is located in Queensland
Mornington
Mornington
Geography
LocationGulf of Carpentaria
Coordinates16°30′S 139°30′E / 16.500°S 139.500°E / -16.500; 139.500
ArchipelagoWellesley Islands
Total islands22
Area1,018 km2 (393 sq mi)[1]
Coastline302 km (187.7 mi)[1]
Highest elevation150 m (490 ft)
Highest pointunnamed
Administration
Australia
StateQueensland
Local Government AreaShire of Mornington
Largest settlementGununa
Demographics
Population1007 (2001)
Pop. density1/km2 (3/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsAboriginal Australians

Mornington Island, also known as Kunhanhaa, is an island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Shire of Mornington, Queensland, Australia. It is the northernmost and, at 1,018 km2 (393 sq mi),[1] the largest of 22 islands that form the Wellesley Islands group. The largest town, Gununa, is in the south-western part of the island.

The Lardil people are the traditional owners of the island, but there are also Kaiadilt people, who were relocated from nearby Bentinck Island, as well as people of other nations on the island. The Mornington Island Mission operated from 1914 until 1978, when it was taken over by the Queensland Government, which had proclaimed the islands an Aboriginal reserve in 1905. The Mirndiyan Gununa Aboriginal Corporation owns and manages an art centre, MIArt, and dance troupe, the Mornington Island Dancers.

  1. ^ a b c "Mornington". world-islands.net. Retrieved 8 August 2024.