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Wujal Wujal

Location

South eastern Cape York on the Bloomfield River, 172 km north of Cairns and 70 km south of Cooktown. Floods often cut off roads during the wet season.

Area

11.2 square km; includes 6 outstations, most are permanently occupied

Population

361, mostly KuKu Yalanji people with about 30 traditional owner clan groups

Language

The main clan group languages are Kuku Yalanji, Kuku Nyungul and Jalunji. About 500 speakers of contemporised Yalanji language remain. Kuku Yalanji is one of the only Aboriginal languages to be translated through the Lutheran Church.

Settlement history

The community at Wujal Wujal is thought to have existed on the site for thousands of years. It is set around the highly sacred waterfalls of Wujal Wujal, which means 'many falls' in the local language.

Wujal Wujal is a Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT) community. It was originally known as Bloomfield and then later as Bloomfield River Mission. It was founded in 1886 by Lutheran Missionaries, who later withdrew from the area because of the difficulties of isolation. The site was dismantled and residents moved to camps in the area.

The site re-opened in 1957 and was administered by the Hope Vale Mission Board, a branch of the Lutheran Church of Australia.

In 1979, the community became known as Wujal Wujal and in the following year the Aboriginal Council was formed.

Community services

Wujal Wujal's community services include a health clinic, a home and community care centre, a kindergarten, life promotions office, sports and recreation officer and an Indigenous Knowledge Centre.

A women's centre operates as a central point for meetings and activities for women in the community and for visitors. Local children attend the Bloomfield River State School, 5 km away on the road to Ayton.

Law and order is supported by 2 community police officers and a community justice group. A 2-officer police station was officially opened on 13 August 2008, with many of the community attending the celebration. State government funding also supports child care services, vacation care and community history projects.

Wujal Wujal manages a CDEP program with participants working in most of the service delivery areas as well as the community store, service station and workshop. The workshop tenders for work with both the Cook and Douglas Shires from project funding provided through the Department of Main Roads.

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Last reviewed: 21 January 2009