Yorke Island (Queensland)
| Native name: Masig | |
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Satellite image of Yorke Island
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A map of the Torres Strait Islands showing Masig in the north-eastern waters of Torres Strait
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| Geography | |
| Location | Northern Australia |
| Coordinates | 9°44′42″S 143°26′2.4″E / 9.74500°S 143.434000°ECoordinates: 9°44′42″S 143°26′2.4″E / 9.74500°S 143.434000°E |
| Archipelago | Torres Strait Islands |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Torres Strait |
| Length | 2.7 km (1.68 mi) |
| Width | 0.8 km (0.5 mi) |
| Administration | |
| State | Queensland |
| Local government area | Torres Strait Island Region |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 238 (2011 census) |
| Ethnic groups | Torres Strait Islanders |
Yorke Island, or Masig in the Kalau Lagau Ya language, is a coral cay island of the Torres Strait Islands archipelago, situated in the eastern area of the central island group in the Torres Strait, at the top end of the Great Barrier Reef and northeast of the tip of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia.
The Masigalgal [Masi-gal-gal] people are recognised as the Traditional Owners of Masig.
The Torres Strait Islander people of Masig are of Melanesian origin and had followed traditional patterns of hunting, fishing, agriculture and trade for many thousands of years prior to contact with the first European visitors to the region.
The Queensland Government moved the people of Aureed to Masig after it was declared a government reserve. Luggers owned by Masig families continued to operate until the shell industry collapsed in the 1960s. The people then shifted successfully into commercial mackerel fishing, prawning and crayfishing. A highly profitable fish factory has operated on the island since the late 1970s, freezing the catch and air freighting it to southern markets.
The island lies northeast of Coconut/Poruma Island in the central island group and southwest of Stephens/Ugar Island, and Darnley/Erub Island, and northwest of Murray/Mer Island in the eastern island group.
Yorke Island is about 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) long and 0.8 kilometres (2,600 ft) at its widest point. The inhabitants, skilled navigators with a detailed knowledge of the reefs, have always occupied a central position in the Straits trading networks.
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