Lockhart River

Language groups: Umpila, Kuuku Ya’u and Ungkum (Angkum)

The isolated Aboriginal community of Lockhart River has a population of around 450. The nearest city Cairns is about 800 kilometres to the south. Lockhart River, formerly an Anglican mission, was established in 1924.

In 1934, following amendments to the Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897 , the Queensland Government rounded up Indigenous people from throughout Cape York Peninsula and relocated them to the mission. During the Second World War, Europeans were evacuated from Lockhart River and the Indigenous people were left to fend for themselves. In 1947 the mission was re-established and underwent drastic changes as diverse language groups were forced into a single community.

In 1971 the people were forced to move away from the traditional area of the coast, known as the ‘old site’ to the present township, located 60 kilometres to the north-west. The Lockhart River Aboriginal Council became a local government in 1987.

The Lockhart River Aboriginal Community Arts and Cultural Centre opened in 1997 initially to house the lively young painters and printmakers who had formed the Lockhart River Art Gang in 1995. Today the Centre attracts a range of people from the community, as well as tourists.

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See also . . .

Learn about Kaapay and Kuyan today.
Learn about artist Rosella Namok.

Online references . . .

Visit the Lockhart River Art Centre website.
Visit the Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation website.