Smith, 1987:

"A number of Aboriginal communities on Cape York are situated adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.  Three are adjacent to the Cairns Section: Yarrabah, Wujal Wujal (Bloomfield River), and Hopevale; and one, Lockhart River, is next to the Far Northern Section of the Park.  All these communities utilise the marine resources in their areas.

In particular, dugongs (Dugong dugon) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) form an important part of the culture and diet of coastal Aborigines in many parts of northern Australia. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that have historically exploited dugongs continuously, such as Lockhart River (Chase 1980a), the Yanyuwa (Borroloola; Bradley, nd) and Mabuiag (Nietschmann and Nietschmann, 1981), tend to have detailed ethnoclassifications for dugongs.  Lockhart River Aborigines have at least nine categories, the Yanyuwa have 13 (Borroloola; Bradley, nd) and Mabuiag Islanders have 27 (Nietschmann and Nietschmann, 1981).  In contrast, at Hopevale, where Guugu Yimidhirr is still the main language, only six specialised terms exist for dugongs. 

As previously said, Aborigines perceive the marine environment and its resources in more than merely economic terms: providing food and resource materials.  They are an integral part of the their cultural system, for example, in satisfying kinship obligations.  For a community which has encountered numerous cultural discontinuities, the abililty to use marine resources such as turtles and dugongs, provides an essential link to the past.  Marine resource knowledge and experience between communities varies enormously (Bradley, nd; Chase, 1980a; Davis, 1985a), but also shows how marine hunting and fishing remain important to many Aboriginal groups.  There are, however, dangers in generalisations.  Some hunting and fishing may be a recreational activity and a chance to enjoy particular foods.

The marine environmental and its resources are an integral part of a continuing Aboriginal culture.  It has been suggested (Dermot Smyth, pers comms) that Aboriginal culture is, in a sense, itself part of the the resource.  He argues that conservation bodies have a role in encouraging the continuity of Aboriginal culture in order to properly conserve the totality (biological and cultural) of the marine resources (Smyth, pers comms)."   

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Citation and/or URL

Smith, A. (1987) Usage of marine resources by Aboriginal communities on the East coast of Cape York Peninsula.  Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Spatial Coverage

Eastern Cape York Peninsula and Torres Strait

Temporal Coverage

1983 - 1987

Update Frequency

Not applicable 

Other Information

"Traditional Use" utilises a range of marine resources

TO Groups with interest in the Great Barrier Reef