Gove Peninsula (including Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala)
An important mining town on the edge of Arnhem Land.
At the northeastern corner of Arnhem Land lies the Gove Peninsula and the mining town of Nhulunbuy. It is accessible, on a regular basis, by air from Darwin (650 km) and Cairns (1190 km). During the dry season, and with the appropriate documentation from the Northern Land Council, it can be reached by 4WD from Katherine. The journey which passes through the Arnhem Land Aboriginal reserve is 700 km over rough dirt roads and takes approximately 14 hours. (see Yarn Feedback for another perspective on the quality of the road). There are no fuel stops on the way. The current attitude of the Northern Land Council to such journeys is that there must be some reason beyond sightseeing or simply wanting to travel around the edges of the continent. Consequently applications to travel through Arnhem Land are not easy to obtain.

The Gove Peninsula was originally occupied by the Yolngu Aborigines and its proximity to the Arafura Sea means that for centuries the locals traded with the Macassan trepangus which visited the coast. In 1931 the area was included as part of Arnhem Land but during World War II, with the imminent danger of a Japanese invasion of Australia's northern coastline, the area became a major air force base with a population of over 5 000 servicemen. The peninsula was named after a young Australian airman, Pilot Officer William Gove, who was killed in action in 1943.

In the 1950s the Commonwealth Government carried out mineral exploration and in 1952 bauxite was discovered. The bauxite deposit covered 65 sq. km and contained an estimated 250 million tonnes. Initially the government resisted demands to mine the deposit but in 1964 Nabalco was set up and with a commitment to spend $100 million and build a port, township and mine, the company was granted a lease.

The town of Nhulunbuy (the word is the term used by local Aborigines to refer to the hill named Mount Saunders by Matthew Flinders) was started in 1969. Today it has a population of over 4 000. With no easy land links to the outside world all supplies are either shipped or flown in.

The establishment of the town did not occur without resistance from the local Aborigines. A land rights court challenge was mounted in 1968 and currently the participants in the Gove Joint Venture (Swiss Aluminium & Gove Aluminium Ltd) pay $9.5 million royalties each year. Part of the royalties go to the local Aboriginal community. The rest benefits Aborigines throughout the Northern Territory.

To the south of Nhulunbuy is the Aboriginal community of Yirrkala. The settlement, which was probably inhabited for tens of thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, was set up as a mission station in 1935 and was run by the United Church of North Australia until 1976.

In 1976, after four years of preparation, the Church handed ownership of the mission site back to the traditional owners who had set up the Yirrkala Dhanbul Community Association Inc. This subsequently came to incorporate the Yirrkala Town Council. The arrival of a large number of Europeans at Nhulunbuy and the mining of the area saw many of the traditional owners leaving the area and moving back into the hinterland regions of Arnhem Land.

Things to see:  

Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala
Although it is a mining town Nhulunbuy is an attractive tropical settlement which offers visitors a variety of interesting activities. A number of tours operate from Nhulunbuy including a four day visit to Wigram Island where local Aboriginal artist Terry Yumbulul works, a conducted tour of the mine and the alumina plant, scenic tours along the coastline and visits to the newly opened Aboriginal Museum at Yirrkala. The artefacts from the area, which clearly show the influence of the Macassan traders, can be purchased at the Buka-Larrngay shop which is attached to the museum.

Tours
Noel Wright has been running a tour company called Birds Bees Trees and Things for the past five years. It offers a range of excellent and interesting tours which will enhance any visit to Gove and Nhulunbuy. Check them out at http://www.birdsbeestreesandthings.com.au

More Information
See Yarn Feedback at the end of this entry for comments from Lynne Walker from the Community Relations Officer for Nabalco at Gove

	Motels
	Gove Peninsula Motel 1 Matthew Flinders Way Nhulunbuy Gove NT 0880 Telephone: (08) 8987 0700 Facsimile: (08) 8987 0770 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Walkabout Arnhem Land Resort Hotel 12 Westal St Gove NT 0880 Telephone: (08) 8987 1777 Facsimile: (08) 8987 2322
	Restaurants
	Walkabout Arnhem Land Resort Hotel 12 Westal St Gove NT 0880 Telephone: (08) 8987 1777 Facsimile: (08) 8987 2322

Lynne Walker writes:
As a resident of Gove for some eight and a half years and as a Nabalco employee, I beg to differ over the accuracy of some of the information offered....

* the trip on the Bulman track is actually quite a comfortable journey of some 8 or 9 hours from Gove to Katherine. Because the track is well maintained for dry season travellers, it is not uncommon to see conventional 2WD vehicles come into town, though I don't think I'd recommend it! Also, to the best of my knowledge, fuel can be purchased at Bulman Station on route.

* Yuungu, which is actually spelt Yolngu, is simply a word that means Aboriginal people (like Koori in NSW), it is not the name of a clan of which there are 13 in the East Arnhem Region.

* Nabalco actually committed to spend $320M which included not only the mine and infrastructure of a township but construction of the refinery. Replacement cost of the mining operation, plant and port facilities and the town would be around $2 billion in today's terms.

* The town of Nhulunbuy was not completed in 1969 but rather this is when construction started. The first ore was stockpiled in May 1971 and the alumina plant officially opened on July 1 1972 by PM William McMahon

* Your royalties figure is way out. Currently the participants in the Gove Joint Venture (Swiss Aluminium Australia Limited & Gove Aluminium Ltd) pay $9.5M p.a.

* For tourists I think you miss some other important points. Walkabout Lodge is not the only accommodation in town. There is also the Gove Peninsula Motel and numerous car hire options as well as fishing charter operators.

* In addition to the Northern Land Council people also need to know about Dhimurru Land Management. They are the body who maintain recreation areas in the region beyond Nabalco's lease area. Residents and visitors alike are required to purchase a recreation permit. For visitors it is $11 and is valid for 2 months.

* I would like to send you more information about Nabalco's operation and will endeavour to obtain further info from the East Arnhem Tourist Assoc. This place is huge for fishing. It is also Australia's best kept secret. I have never been anywhere in my life where on certain days my family and I can have a whole stretch of beach (or inland freshwater river) all to ourselves.

You've got to see this place to believe it. Unreal.

Regards

Lynne Walker

Editorial comment: We have changed some of the information which is clearly incorrect. Ms Walker's comments make the area very tempting.