Until 80 years ago, Flinders Island Group was a thriving community. It was home to the Yithuwarra people for thousands of years. More recently in the late 19th and 20th centuries there was a trader station on the Aapia Spit which was the base for the pearling, fishing and beche de mer fleets. Now it is empty and deserted, visited by a handful of yachts heading to Darwin and the occasional fishing trawler for the secure anchorage afforded in the Owen Channel.
Yindayin rock art |
But everywhere on these islands are reminders of the people who once lived here - the fresh water wells of the traditional owners, indigenous burial sites, bora grounds, the unmarked graves of pearlers, survey marks from 19th and 20th century survey ships, even graffiti from the 1960s and 1970s fishing fleet.
The rock art is particularly striking as it gives a sense of how recently people lived their traditional lifestyles here.
The ships in the Yindayin paintings are probably 19th century European ships. Captain Cook didn't come through this area. There is a question though whether they could be evidence of contact with earlier Portugese or even Spanish ships. It has even been suggested that one is similar in shape to the Macassan praus of Sulawesi who harvested trepang along the coast of northern Australia.
Although there is plenty of archaeological evidence and oral history in Arnhem Land of Aboriginal contact and trade with the Macassans from about 1500 onwards, it was hard to find any information for this area.
Constellations? |
Along the walk to the Yindayin cave are many Kapok trees displaying all stages of flowers, fruit through to their fluffy Dr Seuss inspired seed pods.
The northern side of Stanley Island is a beachcombing paradise. The southeast trade winds howl along here for much of the year, washing up all kinds of treasures. This plastic crate has travelled 4000km across the ocean from New Zealand's South Island and has seen many fish in its time.
This is the closest we've got to finding a message in a bottle.
West Bay Seafoods Hokitika, we have located your crate. |
Dinghy - Before . . . |
After - the First Mate may have slightly miscalculated her tide times. |
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