Aboriginal Shire of Doomadgee


The Aboriginal Shire of Doomadgee is a special local government area in North West Queensland, Queensland, Australia. It is managed under a Deed of Grant in Trust under the Local Government Act 2004.

Geography

The shire is located within the Gulf Country to the south of the Gulf of Carpentaria. It consists of two disconnected areas of land: the locality of Doomadgee which is inland and the locality of Gangalidda on the coast of the gulf. The shire was excised from the Shire of Burke and is surrounded by the Shire of Burke.

History

Waanyi is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Gulf Country. The language region includes the western parts of Lawn Hill Creek and Nicholson River, from about the boundary between the Northern Territory and Queensland, westwards towards Alexandria station, Doomadgee, and Nicholson River. It includes the local government area of the Aboriginal Shire of Doomadgee.
Yukulta is an Australian Aboriginal language. The Yukulta language region is the Gulf Country including the local government areas of the Aboriginal Shire of Doomadgee and Shire of Mornington.
The area originally was set up as a Mission in 1931 by the Christian Brethren to house primarily Gangalidda Aboriginal people who had ended up living on the fringes of the Burketown township. Originally on the coast, a cyclone in 1936 destroyed the settlement, and the decision was made to move the settlement to Nicholson River.
In 1987, under the Community Services Act 1984, a Deed of Grant in Trust was given to the Doomadgee community over both the former and current mission. Like other DOGIT communities of the time, Doomadgee had a Community Council elected by Aboriginal people living in the community.
In 2010 the Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council was established under the Local Government Act 2009''.

People

The majority of residents are Gangalidda or Waanyi people, but smaller populations of Gadawa, Lardil, Mingginda and Garawa are also resident within Doomadgee.

Mayors