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 / 11.7591000°S 130.6347000°E |
| Archipelago | Tiwi Islands |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| Territory | Northern Territory |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1,563 (2016)[1] |
| Ethnic groups | Tiwi |
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]
History
[edit]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
[edit]The 2016 census recorded a population of 1,563 residents in Wurrumiyanga.[1]
Culture
[edit]Wurrumiyanga is the home of Tiwi Designs, an art corporation involving some 100 indigenous artists and which produces fabric, carvings, ceramics, prints, and paintings.[7] Its goal is to promote, preserve, and enrich Tiwi culture.[8]
Education
[edit]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
[edit]The Tiwi Islands Football League, an Australian rules football competition, hosts most of its matches, including the finals, in Wurrumiyanga.[3]
Transportation
[edit]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]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "2016 Census QuickStats: Wurrumiyanga". Census QuickStats Database. Government of Australia. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ a b c "Wurrumiyanga". Tiwi Islands Regional Council. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Football and the Tiwis". Tiwi Land Council. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
- ^ Gsell, F.X. (1956). "Chapter 3". The Bishop with 150 Wives. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.
- ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 21 March 2012.
- ^ "NT Place Names Register". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ^ "Tiwi Designs". Tiwi Designs. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "About Us". Tiwi Designs. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "About us". Xavier Catholic College. Retrieved 11 June 2025.