Postcode(s) 0822 LGA(s) Victoria Daly Shire Federal Division(s) Lingiari Local time Friday 3:22 AM Postal code 0822 | Elevation 11 m (36 ft) Territory electorate(s) Daly Mean max temp Mean min temp Population 1,627 (2006 census) | |
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Location 394 km (245 mi) from Darwin Weather 26°C, Wind NE at 0 km/h, 86% Humidity | ||
Wadeye is a town in Australia's Northern Territory. Pronounced wod-air-yer, it was formerly known (and is still often referred to) as Port Keats. At the 2006 census, Wadeye had a population of 1,627.
Contents
Map of Wadeye NT 0822, Australia
Location and access
The town is remote, situated on the western edge of the Daly River Reserve about 230 km by air south-west of Darwin. It lies close to the Hyland Bay and Moyle Floodplain Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for large numbers of waterbirds. Roads to the community are cut by flooding during the wet season, when access is only possible by light aircraft or coastal barge.
History
A mission station was founded by Roman Catholic Father Richard Docherty in 1935 at Werntek Nganayi (Old Mission), and subsequently moved to a new location with superior water, gardening and building sites and landing place.
Since 2007 violence between the Judas Priest and Evil Warriors gangs has declined.
Description
Wadeye is mainly inhabited by Indigenous Australians. The inhabitants include seven language groups, the main language that is spoken being Murrinhpatha. The indigenous population has five traditional bands or kinship groups of Nangiomeri, Marimanindji, Marithiel, Maringar and Mulluk Mulluk. Port Keats is also the site of a temporary ADF Radar site that is used during exercises conducted in the Top End.
Art and culture
Nym Bundak was the first painter in Wadeye who had international interest. He was asked by Bill Stanner, an anthropologist who had come with Richard Docherty in 1935, to produce pieces explaining traditional law, which he made after he saw a map produced by Stanner. He produced many bark paintings of the dreaming which informed Stanner's research. Today in Wadeye Mark Crocomb follows in the footsteps of Stanner collecting history and languages before they are lost. Following in the tradition of Nym Bundak is Richard 'Skunky' Parmbuk. He is one of many artists filling the space left by Nym in Wadeye.