History

Gunyangara (Ski-Beach) community was established back in the late 70's, early 80's, by Galarrwuy Yunupingu and his family, who at that time lived in Yirrkala, a yolngu community15km east of Nhulunbuy.

The family decided that it was time for the Gumatj people to move out of Yirrkala and occupy their own tribal lands, in and around the Gove Peninsula, so that the children would be taught the songlines, history and stories of the Gumatj people.

The Community of Gunyangara is on Gumatj land belonging to the Yunupingu, Burarrwanga and Munungirritj clan groups of northeast Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Gunyangara is a small island on it's own with a road built to it - named the Causeway - which connects the mainland to our island. Built during the World War 2 by the army who used this island as their landing base for the seaplanes, boats, barges etc. The end of the island the bay is now called Catalina bay named after the seaplanes that landed there. The wharf and boat ramp which the army built during that time still exist today, and is now known as Gawupu Marine, a place where cabin boats are parked, cleaned and polished before put back to sea.

Gunyangara today is a beautiful little community with a population of approx 320 living within the island, with 300 yolngu (community members) and 20 balanda (non-indigenous) staff who work for the Council and the Gumatj Association Incorporated and people living and working on their boats at Catalina Bay

Gunyangara is situated in the Melville Bay area, being very close to the Gove Yacht Club and the Alcan Gove plant site, where raw and processed bauxite is transferred overseas. The Alcan Bauxite mine is the main employer of the town, Nhulunbuy, which has a population of approximately 4000 people and is 13 km away. Nhulunbuy has two primary schools and one high school. The yolngu children and youths at Marngarr travel 20 km everyday to their school at Yirrkala.

The Macassans, indigenous people from Bali region of Asia once used Ski-beach as their base for cooking and drying trepang (sea-cucumber). When the Yolgnu people first settled at Ski-beach they found layers of rocks on the beach that made the kitchens for their cooking fires. They planted 4 large tamarind trees which are still here today. The people from Macassa bought tamarind fruit for food from Asia and were renown for planting the seed for food in the East Arnhem Region

 
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