Hopevale

Language group: Guugu Yimithirr

The Hopevale community, located about 46 kilometres north of Cooktown, has a population of around 750. Hopevale is home to the Guugu Yimithirr people whose country extends from the Annan River south of Cooktown, north to the Jeannie River near Cape Flattery and inland to the vicinity of Battle Camp, surrounding what is now known as Endeavour River.

In 1885 Lutheran missionary J. Flierl and the crew of the Papua were shipwrecked resulting in the original Lutheran mission site of Elim (at Cape Bedford) being established. Elim was later abandoned due to poor land quality, and the alternate site of Hope Valley was founded.

At the outbreak of World War Two, the missionary managing Hope Valley was interned and the people sent to Woorabinda near Rockhampton, almost 1500 kilometres south of Hope Valley. Nearly a quarter of the people died during the following years from diseases. In spite of these adversities, in 1949 the survivors returned to a new site, and a new Lutheran mission at Hopevale.

In 1986 the Hopevale community became the first in Queensland to receive land under the new Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT) arrangement.

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See also . . .

Learn about Bark paintings from the Hopevale community.
Learn about artist Tulo Gordon.