Depuch Island

Depuch Island

Depuch Island Location of Depuch Island in Western Australia
Geography
Location	Indian Ocean
Coordinates	20°37′54″S117°43′27″E / 20.63167°S 117.72417°E / -20.63167; 117.72417
Administration
Australia
State	Western Australia
LGA	City of Karratha

Depuch Island (or Warmalana) is a volcanic island located off the north-west coast of Western Australia's Pilbara region, near Port Hedland.

Aboriginal significance

The island is of cultural importance to the Ngaluma Aboriginal people, who know it as Warmalana. ^{[1] [2] [ page needed ]} According to Ngaluma legend, the island was formed during the Dreaming when Matalga, a leading Pilbara spirit man, lifted a large rock and threw it into the sea. The rocks and boulders of the island are covered with Aboriginal engravings and rock art. ^[3]

European exploration

The island was charted in July 1801 by François-Michel Ronsard, the cartographer on a French expedition led by explorer Nicolas Baudin on board the ship Géographe. The island was named Ile Depuch after Louis Depuch, a mineralogist on Baudin's expedition. After a visit to the island, Ronsard established that it was volcanic, and was the first evidence of volcanic activity on the Australian continent the expedition had discovered. ^[4]

In 1912, a Norwegian steel sailing ship, Crown of England, was shipwrecked as it lay anchored on the island loading copper ore, after the area was struck by a cyclone. Many other ships were sunk in the area, such as the passenger liner SS Koombana. ^[5] The newly built tug SS Wyola sailing for Fremantle was despatched to rescue the barque Concordia which was left grounded by the storm. ^[6]

Recent activity

The discovery of iron ore deposits in the Pilbara region during the early 1960s saw Depuch Island considered for use as a port for the mining facilities being established in the area. In 1962, however, a survey by the Western Australian Museum discovered thousands of Aboriginal engravings, and the port was moved to the Dampier Archipelago. ^[7]

References

1. Tindale, N.B. (2007) [1974]. "Aboriginal Tribes of Australia – Ngaluma (WA)". South Australian Museum. Archived from the original on 2 September 2007.
2. Tindale, Norman B. (1974). Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names. Canberra: ANU Press. ISBN   0-7081-0741-9. LCCN   75516991. OCLC   3052288. OL   4795942M. Wikidata   Q128257949.
3. Wilson, Colin (1996). The Atlas of Holy Places & Sacred Sites. New York: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN   0-7894-1051-6.
4. Chart of Depuch Island Archived 31 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine , Freycinet Collection, State Library of Western Australia.
5. Wreck Finder – Koombana Archived August 26, 2006, at the Wayback Machine , Western Australian Museum, 2003.
6. "Engineer Torry Returning". Williamstown Chronicle (Vic. : 1856 – 1954) . Vic.: National Library of Australia. 12 October 1912. p. 2. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
7. Archaeology and rock art in the Dampier Archipelago – Industrial development and archaeological investigation, National Trust of Australia.