Thursday Island, Queensland
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Thursday Island Queensland |
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View of the township of Thursday Island
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 Thursday Island
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| Coordinates | 10°34′44″S 142°13′12″E / 10.57889°S 142.22000°ECoordinates: 10°34′44″S 142°13′12″E / 10.57889°S 142.22000°E | ||||||
| Population | 2,610 (2011 census) | ||||||
| • Density | 746/km2 (1,931/sq mi) | ||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4875 | ||||||
| Elevation | 8.0 m (26 ft) | ||||||
| Area | 3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi) | ||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Shire of Torres | ||||||
| State electorate(s) | Cook | ||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Leichhardt | ||||||
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Native name: Waiben Nickname: TI |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Northern Australia |
| Archipelago | Torres Strait Islands |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Torres Strait |
| Area | 3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 104 m (341 ft) |
| Administration | |
| State | Queensland |
Thursday Island, colloquially known as TI, or in the native language, Waiben, is an island of the Torres Strait Islands archipelago located approximately 39 kilometres (24 miles) north of Cape York Peninsula in the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia. The Muralag peoples are the traditional owners of the land and seas surrounding Thursday Island. Thursday Island is the administrative and commercial centre of the Torres Strait Island Region. and has an area of about 3.5 square kilometres (1.4 square miles). The highest point on Thursday Island, standing at 104 metres (341 feet) above sea level, is Milman Hill, a World War II defence facility. At the 2011 census, Thursday Island had a population of 2,610.
The island has been populated for hundreds of years by the Torres Strait Islanders, though archeological evidence on Badu, further north in Torres Strait, suggests that the area has been inhabited from before the end of the last Ice Age. The archeology from Badhu, Pulu, Saibai and Mer shows that Melanesian occupation started around 2,600 years ago (see Kalau Lagau Ya).
In 1877, an administrative centre for the Torres Strait Islands was set up on the island by the Queensland Government and by 1883 over 200 pearling vessels were based on the island.
A lucrative pearling industry was founded on the island in 1885, attracting workers from around Asia, including Japan, Malaya and India, seeking their fortune. The Japanese community was in part indentured divers and boat hands who returned to Japan after a period of service and some longer term residents who were active in boat building and in the ownership of luggers for hire - which was illegal but bypassed by leases through third parties back to other Japanese, a practice called "dummying" Additionally, many south Pacific Islanders worked in the industry, some originally imported against their will (see Blackbirding). While the pearling industry has declined in importance, the mix of cultures is evident to this day. The pearling industry centred on the harvesting of pearl shell, which was used mainly to make shirt buttons.
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Wikipedia