Lockhart River Shire

Strong Puuya (Life Force)

Strong Culture

Strong Future

This is the vision of the Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council, and the vision is rapidly materialising, demonstrated by the positive, cohesive and forward-thinking mentality of both Council and community.

Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire encompasses 354,000 hectares of country, comprising a myriad pristine waterways, silver sanded tropical beaches and internationally significant, rainforest areas famed for their rich biodiversity.  Located on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula approximately 800 km north of Cairns by road, the residents of the shire are mostly from six traditional family groups:

Wuthathi from Captain Billy Landing to Olive River
Kuuku Ya’u from Olive River to Nyllichii (creek south of Cape Griffith)
Kanthanumpu from Nyllichii to Lockhart River mouth
Uutaalnganu from Lockhart River mouth to Stony Creek
Umpila from Stony Creek to north of Friendly Point to Breakfast Creek
Kaanju from southern inland of Stony Creek and northern boundaries as far as Batavia

The Lockhart River Township is located about two kilometres inland from the glorious Quintell Beach and is surrounded by the Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, home to a vast and diverse range of flora and fauna.

Situated in the Tropics, the region experiences heavy monsoonal rains, usually between December and April each year, followed by a long dry season. During and immediately following the wet season, Lockhart River is completely isolated by road and accessible only by barge and plane.

Approximately 700 people reside in the Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire, the majority of whom are under 25 years of age. The Shire Council is the main employer in the town so it is highly proactive in seeking ways to bring new projects to the town, not only to provide jobs, but to build skills and knowledge that will assist residents to obtain work in the future.

Education is a major focus with parents actively encouraged to be a part of the school community and engage in both curriculum learning episodes and cultural activities.

The shire is steeped in history. From the earliest European contact in 1789, to the original establishment of the Anglican mission in 1924, to the presence of allied troops in the area in the latter stages of World War II, followed by the establishment of the Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council in 2005, a closer look at the shire’s history reveals an extremely interesting story.