Population 1,198 (2010) Mayor Thomas Hudson Founded 1987 | Established 1987 Area 2,572 km² | |
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Website Aboriginal Shire of Kowanyama | ||
The Aboriginal Shire of Kowanyama is a special local government area which is located on western Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. It is managed under a Deed of Grant in Trust under the Local Government (Community Government Areas) Act 2004.
Contents
Map of Kowanyama QLD 4892, Australia
Kowanyama 2016
History
The area originally was set up as the Mitchell River Mission in 1916. Aboriginal people from the region were gradually drawn from their traditional lands into the mission settlement. Language groups associated with countries in the Kowanyama region are Yir-Yoront, Yirrk Thangalkl, Koko Bera and Kunjen (Uw Oykangand and Olkola dialects).
In 1967 the Anglican church were no longer able to sustain their activities in the area as a Church Mission. The Department of Aboriginal and Islander Affairs, a government department, under the Act continued running the affairs of the community.
On 23 July 1987, under the Community Services (Aborigines) Act 1984, a Deed of Grant in Trust was given to the Kowanyama community over the lands in the Mitchell River delta. Like other DOGIT communities of the time, Kowanyama had a town Council elected by Aboriginal people living in the community. The newly formed Kowanyama Council assumed responsibility for implementing certain conditions of the DOGIT. Seven elected Aboriginal residents hold three year terms in office.
Responsibilities
As the Shire is not operated under the Local Government Act and operates the land on behalf of the community, the Shire Council's responsibilities are quite different from a typical local government body. This includes responsibility for fisheries, alcohol management and even operation of some commercial enterprises.