Coen

Settlement history

Coen was founded as a log fort beside the Coen River by Robert Sefton in 1876. Sefton and William Lakeland had discovered the Batavia/Wenlock River goldfield in 1873. At the same time there had been a gold rush to Palmer River and a track was cut from there to Coen in 1878-80.

When reef gold was found the Coen field was "proclaimed" in 1892. More finds nearby at Ebagoolah extended the boom, but it was over by 1910. The Overland Telegraph was built between 1883 and 1887 and European expansion and settlement were accelerated. Coen grew in the 1890s with the establishment of the Great Northern Mine and was a supply point for surrounding mines and cattle stations. A post office was set up in 1893 and a school started in 1895. Chinese merchants and market gardeners who had followed the gold-seekers set up in and near the town. They also cut and exported sandalwood with the help of Aboriginal people.

The Aboriginal peoples of the region comprised several language groups living in separate areas. The present generation still recognises these boundaries. The original residents resented the intrusion into their lands. Inevitably, there was conflict with the new arrivals. This began with the early explorers, but was made worse by the influx of prospectors and miners, and later by cattlemen and telegraph construction workers. The Aboriginal warriors were no match for well-armed settlers and police (often native police from other regions). In response to attacks on the new arrivals, or to "theft" of their livestock, many Aboriginal people were killed in punitive attacks on Aboriginal camps.

Displaced from their traditional lands, food was scarce, and many who came into contact with the white men died of introduced diseases. Most of the remaining local people were gathered into missions or reserves.

In May 1944, 14 acres of land were gazetted as an Aboriginal Reserve in the Coen district. Some buildings were put up on the site but the reserve was not supervised by a superintendent. Forced removals continued even into the 1960s. But in Central Cape York most adapted by moving onto the newly established cattle stations where they became stockmen and domestic labour. Some worked in the mines, and a few were employed in Coen. They provided cheap labour, but even mandatory low wages and child endowments were often withheld or diverted.

Coen is a pilot site for the Cape York Welfare Reform project.

Community services

Coen-based community services include a primary school, a Queensland Ambulance Service Field Office and a Junior Indigenous Community Safety Program.

The ambulance field office provides injury prevention and first aid training and trains primary health care workers in pre-hospital care. The junior safety program is delivered through the local school. It covers boat safety, basic first aid, bushcraft, fire safety and information on dealing with cyclones and other disasters.

There are 2 police officers. The community justice group helps the Magistrates Court in the sentencing of offenders and also supervises community justice orders.

More information

• regional office contacts

Other sites

• Cape York Peninsula Development Corporation
• Cook Shire Council

Last reviewed: 18 November 2009

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