Native name: Nu Tannik Ckelo | |
|---|---|
  Northumberland Islands | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Coral Sea |
| Coordinates | 21°30′S149°40′E / 21.500°S 149.667°E |
| Archipelago | Northumberland Isles |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| State | Queensland |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 150 (Tourism) |
The Northumberland Islands are a scattered island chain off the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. [1]
The Northumberland Islands are to the south-east of the city of Mackay roughly between the latitudes 21°S and 22°S. All islands are of the continental type. The island group was named by James Cook during his historic voyage along Australia's eastern seaboard in 1770, after the First Duke of Northumberland, Hugh Percy. [2] Both Cook and Matthew Flinders make note of the island group in their journals, Cook describing them as such:
As soon as we got round the Cape [Cape Townshend] we hauld our wind to the Westward in order to get within the Islands which lay scatter'd up and down in this bay [Shoalwater Bay] in great number, and extend out to Sea as far as we could see from the Masthead; how much farther will hardly be in my power to determine; they are as Various in their height and Circuit as they are numerous. [3]
In 1855, a botany expedition led by naturalist Frederick Strange visited the islands on his ship Vision. Four of the expedition were killed by Aboriginal people at Middle Percy Island. Those killed were Frederick Strange and his assistant Richard Spinks, William Spurling (ship's mate) and Andrew Gittings (ship's cook and steward). Captain Chimmo of the Royal Navy vessel HMS Torch, sailed to the island and conducted an investigation. He decided to take ten of the islanders prisoner. These prisoners, including three women and three children, were sent to Sydney for trial. One child died in custody and the rest were eventually shipped back to Gladstone. [4] [5]
The island group is remote, and apart from charter flights to Marble Island they are accessible only by private yacht.
The Northumberland Islands are further subdivided into smaller groups: the Bedwell Group, Beverley Group, Broad Sound Islands, Duke Islands, Flat Isles, Guardfish Cluster and Percy Isles (within the locality The Percy Group). The islands are listed below, with the geographical coordinates of the largest islands given. Only the major islands of each group are listed.
Name origin: Staff Commander E. P. Bedwell, surveyor [6]
Name origin: Unknown [7]
Name origin: Situated at the mouth of Broad Sound, a vast inlet named by Cook in 1770 [8]
Name origin: Unknown [9]
Name origin: Named by Flinders in 1802 due to their height [10] - Avoid Island is the highest at 33 metres above sea level
Name origin: Unknown [11]
Name origin: Named by Flinders in 1802 after the Duke of Northumberland's family name [12]
South Cumberland Islands is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 831 km northwest of Brisbane. It is famous for the marine stingers which can be found in the waters of the park between October and May.
Duke of Northumberland is a noble title that has been created three times in English and British history, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of Great Britain. The current holder of this title is Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland.
The Whitsunday Islands are 74 continental islands of various sizes off the central coast of Queensland, Australia, 900 kilometres north of Brisbane. The northernmost of the islands are off the coast by the town of Bowen, while the southernmost islands are off the coast by Proserpine. The island group is centred on Whitsunday Island, while the commercial centre is Hamilton Island. The traditional owners of the area are the Ngaro people and the Gia people, whose Juru people has the only legally recognised native title in the Whitsunday Region.
Seventeen Seventy, sometimes written 1770 or Town of 1770, is a coastal town and locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Seventeen Seventy had a population of 125 people.
Keppel Bay is a bay in Central Queensland, Australia, at the mouth of the Fitzroy River on the coast of the Coral Sea.
Beerburrum is a rural town and coastal locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Beerburrum had a population of 941 people.
Banksia Beach is a town and suburb on Bribie Island in the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the suburb of Banksia Beach had a population of 7,180 people.
Barellan Point is a rural residential suburb in the City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Barellan Point had a population of 1,173 people.
The Glenmorgan Branch is a railway line in south west Queensland, Australia. It opened in a series of sections between 1908 and 1931. It was intended to reach Surat but construction ceased during the 1930s depression and never recommenced.
Rossville is a town and coastal locality in the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Rossville had a population of 253 people.
Gogango is a rural town and locality in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Gogango had a population of 184 people.
Spring Creek is a rural locality in the Shire of Banana, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Spring Creek had a population of 20 people.
Stanage is a coastal rural town and locality in the Livingstone Shire, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Stanage had a population of 78 people.
Campwin Beach is a coastal town and rural locality in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Campwin Beach had a population of 511 people.
Grasstree Beach is a coastal locality in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia. It contains two towns, Grasstree in the centre of the locality and Zelma on the coast. In the 2021 census, Grasstree Beach had a population of 717 people.
Kimberley is a coastal locality in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Kimberley had a population of 28 people.
Low Isles is an offshore locality in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia. Located in the Coral Sea, the islands are due east of Rocky Point and approximately 14.5 kilometres (9.0 mi) north-east of Port Douglas on the Queensland mainland coast. In the 2021 census, Low Isles had "no people or a very low population".
The Percy Group is an offshore locality consisting of a number of islands in the Coral Sea within the Isaac Region, Queensland, Australia. The islands are mostly uninhabitated as they are within national parks and conservation parks. In the 2021 census, The Percy Group had a population of 4 people.
Kunwarara is a rural locality in the Livingstone Shire, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Kunwarara had a population of 69 people.
Lizard is an offshore locality consisting of a number of islands in the Great Barrier Reef area of the Coral Sea within the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. It includes Lizard Island. In the 2021 census, Lizard had a population of 65 people.
