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'[[Image:LocationTorres.png‎|right|thumb|Location of the Torres Strait]] [[Image:Flag of the Torres Strait Islanders.svg|thumb|right|Flag of the Torres Strait Islanders]] The '''Torres Strait Islands''' are a group of at least 274 small [[islands]] which lie in [[Torres Strait]], the waterway separating far northern continental Australia's [[Cape York Peninsula]] and the island of [[New Guinea]]. They are mostly part of [[Queensland]], a constituent State of the [[Australia|Commonwealth of Australia]], with a special status fitting the native ([[Melanesian]]) land rights, administered by the [[Torres Strait Regional Authority]]. A few islands very close to the coast of mainland [[New Guinea]] belong to the [[Western Province (Papua New Guinea)|Western Province]] of [[Papua New Guinea]], most importantly [[Daru Island]] with the provincial capital, [[Daru]]. == History == It was at [[Possession Island, Queensland|Possession Island]] that Lieutenant [[James Cook]] first claimed British sovereignty over the eastern part of [[Australia]] in [[1770]]. The [[London Missionary Society]] led by Rev. Samuel Macfarlane arrived on [[Darnley Island, Torres Strait|Erub (Darnley Island)]] on 1 July 1871. This is referred to by the Islanders as "The Coming of the Light" and is celebrated annually by all Island communities on 1 July. The Torres Strait Islands were annexed in 1879 by Queensland. They thus later became part of the British colony of Queensland, although some of them lie just off the coast of New Guinea. In 1898-1899 the Torres Strait Islands were visited by the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition. In 1904, the [[Torres Strait Islanders]] become subject to the [[Aboriginal Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act]]. [http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item.asp?sdID=54 1897 (QLD)] The proximity to [[Papua New Guinea]] became an issue when it was moving towards [[independence]] from Australia, which it gained in [[1975]]. The Torres Strait Islanders insisted that they were Australians, but the Papua New Guinea government objected to complete Australian control over the waters of the strait. Eventually an agreement was struck whereby the islands and their inhabitants remain Australian, but the maritime frontier between Australia and Papua New Guinea runs through the centre of the strait. In practice the two countries co-operate closely in the management of the strait's resources.<ref>for a detailed map see {{cite web|url=http://www.ga.gov.au/image_cache/GA3747.pdf|title=Australia's Maritime Zones in the Torres Strait|publisher=Australian Government - Geoscience Australia|format=PDF|accessdate=2008-04-13}},</br> for the agreement see {{cite web|url=http://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/TREATIES/AUS-PNG1978TS.PDF|title=Treaty between Australia and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea concerning sovereignty and maritime boundaries in the area between the two countries, including the area known as Torres Strait, and related matters, 18 December 1978|publisher=[[United Nations]]|format=PDF|accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> In [[1982]], [[Eddie Mabo]] and four other Torres Strait Islanders from Mer (Murray Island) started legal proceedings to establish their traditional land ownership. Because Mabo was the first-named plaintiff, it became known as the [[Mabo|Mabo Case]]. In [[1992]], after ten years of hearings before the [[Queensland Supreme Court]] and the [[High Court of Australia]], the latter court found that Mer people had owned their land prior to annexation by Queensland. This ruling overturned the century-old [[legal doctrine]] of ''[[terra nullius]]'' ("no-one's land"), which held that [[native title]] over Crown land in Australia had been extinguished at the time of annexation. The ruling was thus of far-reaching significance for the land claims of both Torres Strait Islanders and [[Australian Aborigine]]s. On [[1 July]] [[1994]] the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) was created. Chairmen of the Torres Strait Islands Regional Authority: *1 July 1994 - March 1997 Getano Lui, Jr. (b. 1952) *March 1997 - [[19 April]] 2000 John Abednego *19 April 2000 - May 2004 Terry Waia *May 2004 - 20. John Toshie Kris == Geography == [[Image:TorresStraitIslandsMap.png|thumb|400px|Torres Strait Islands]] The islands are distributed across an area of some 48&nbsp;000&nbsp;[[square kilometre|km²]]. The distance across the Strait from Cape York to New Guinea is approximately 150&nbsp;[[kilometre|km]] at the narrowest point; the islands lie scattered in between, extending some 200-300&nbsp;km from furthest east to furthest west. The Torres Strait itself was formerly a [[land bridge]] which connected the present-day Australian continent with New Guinea (in a single landmass called [[Sahul]] or [[Australia-New Guinea]]). This land bridge was most recently submerged by rising sea levels at the termination of the last [[ice age]] [[glaciation]] (approximately 12,000 years ago), forming the Strait which now connects the [[Arafura Sea|Arafura]] and [[Coral Sea|Coral]] seas. Many of the western Torres Strait Islands are actually the remaining peaks of this land bridge which were not submerged when the ocean levels rose. The islands and their surrounding waters and reefs provide a highly diverse set of land and marine [[ecosystem]]s, with niches for many rare or unique species. Marine animals of the islands include [[dugong]]s (an [[endangered species]] of [[Sirenia|sea mammal]] mostly found in New Guinean waters), as well as [[Green Sea Turtle|Green]], [[Hawksbill turtle|Hawksbill]] and [[Flatback Turtle|Flatback]] Sea turtles. The Torres Strait Islands may be grouped into five distinct clusters, which exhibit differences of [[geology]] and formation as well as location. The [[Torres Strait]] is home to [[Birds of Boigu, Saibai and Dauan Islands (Torres Strait)|numerous birds]], including the [[Pied Imperial-pigeon]], which is seen as the iconic national emblem to the islanders. These islands are also a distinct physiographic section of the larger [[Cape York Peninsula|Cape York Platform]] province, which in turn is part of the larger [[Great Dividing Range|East Australian Cordillera]] physiographic division. === Top Western islands === The islands in this cluster lie very close to the southwestern coastline of New Guinea (the closest is less than 4&nbsp;[[kilometre|km]] offshore). [[Saibai Island|Saibai]] (one of the largest of the Torres Strait Islands) and [[Boigu Island|Boigu]] are low-lying islands which were formed by deposition of [[alluvium|sediments]] and mud from New Guinean rivers into the Strait accumulating on decayed coral platforms. Vegetation on these islands mainly consists of [[mangrove]] swamps, and they are prone to [[flood]]ing. The other main island in this group, [[Dauan Island, Queensland|Dauan]] (Mt Cornwallis), is a smaller island with steep hills, composed largely of [[granite]]. This island actually represents the northernmost extent of the [[Great Dividing Range]], the extensive series of [[mountain range]]s which runs along almost the entire eastern coastline of Australia. This peak became an island as the ocean levels rose at the end of the last ice age. ''See also:'' '''[[Birds of Boigu, Saibai and Dauan Islands (Torres Strait)]]''' === Near Western islands === The islands in this cluster lie south of the Strait's midway point, and are also largely high granite hills with mounds of [[basalt]]ic outcrops, formed from old peaks of the now submerged land bridge. [[Moa Island, Torres Strait|Moa]] (Banks Island) is the second-largest in the Torres Strait, and [[Badu Island, Torres Strait|Badu]] (Mulgrave Island) is slightly smaller and fringed with extensive mangrove swamps. Other smaller islands include [[Mabuiag Island|Mabuiag]], Pulu and further to the east [[Naghir]] (correct form '''Nagi''') (Mt. Ernest). Culturally this was the most complex part of Torres Strait, containing three of the four groupings/dialects of the Western-central Islanders. Nagi was/is culturally/linguistically a Central Island (Kulkalaig territory), Moa was/is a Kawalaig (Kaurareg) island, with two groups, the Italaig of the south, and the Muwalaig of the north. The Muwalgal and Italgal were the same people as those of the Inner Islands. Badu and Mabuiag were/are the '''Maluigal''' ''Deep Sea People''. === Inner islands === [[Image:ThursdayIsland.JPG|thumb|250px|The township of Thursday Island]] These islands, also known as the Thursday Island group, lie closest to Cape York Peninsula, and their [[topography]] and geological history is very similar. [[Prince of Wales Island, Torres Strait|Muralag (Prince of Wales Island)]] is the largest of the Strait's islands, and forms the centre of this closely grouped cluster. The much smaller Waiben [[Thursday Island]] is the region's administrative centre and most heavily populated. Another small island is [[Dumaralug Island, Queensland|Dumaralug Island]] which is found a few hundred meters south of Muralag. Several of these islands have permanent freshwater springs, and some were also mined for [[gold]] in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Because of their proximity to the Australian mainland, they have also been centres of [[pearl hunting|pearling]] and [[fishing]] industries. Nurupai [[Horn Island, Queensland|Horn Island]] holds the region's airport, and as a result is something of an [[entrepôt]] with inhabitants drawn from many other communities. [[Hammong Island|Kiriri]] (Hammond Island) is the other permanently settled island of this group; Tuined (Possession Island) is noted for [[James Cook|Lt. James Cook]]'s landing there in 1770. Moa in the Near Western group is culturally and linguistically speaking part of this group. === Central islands === This cluster is more widely distributed in the middle of Torres Strait, consisting of many small sandy [[cay]]s surrounded by [[coral reef]]s, similar to those found in the nearby [[Great Barrier Reef]]. The more northerly islands in this group however, such as Gebar (Two Brothers) and [[Iama Island|Iama (Yam Island)]], are high basaltic outcrops, not cays. Culturally-speaking, Nagi of the Near-Western group is also part of this group, and also has high basaltic outcropping. The low-lying inhabited coral cays, such as [[Poruma Island|Poruma (Coconut Island)]], [[Warraber Island]] and [[Masig Island|Masig (Yorke Island)]] are mostly less than 2-3&nbsp;km long, and no wider than 800&nbsp;[[metre|m]]. Several have had problems with saltwater intrusion. === Eastern islands === The islands of this group (principally [[Murray Island|Mer (Murray Island)]], Dauar and Waier, with [[Darnley Island (Queensland)|Erub Island]] and [[Stephen Island|Ugar (Stephen Island)]] further north) are formed differently from the rest. They are [[volcano|volcanic]] in origin, the peaks of volcanoes which were formerly active in [[Pleistocene]] times. Consequently their hillsides have rich and fertile red volcanic soils, and are thickly vegetated. The easternmost of these are less than 20&nbsp;km from the northern extension of the Great Barrier Reef.There is also an island called Joanna [[Media:[[File:Example.ogg]] == [Headline text][[''Link title'''''--~~~~Bold text--~~~~ ---- ---- ---- <br /><br /><br />^{^{Superscript text}_{<small>Subscript text</small><!-- <blockquote> Comment </blockquote> <gallery> {| class="wikitable" border="1" |Image:Example.jpg|Caption1 Image:Example.jpg|Caption2 |}{| class="wikitable" border="1" |{| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! header 1 ! header 2 ! header 3 |- | row 1, cell 1 | row 1, cell 2 | row 1, cell 3 |- | row 2, cell 1 | row 2, cell 2 | row 2, cell 3 |}{| class="wikitable" border="1" |<ref>- ! header 1 ! header 2 ! header 3 |- | row 1, cell 1 | row 1, cell 2 | row 1, cell 3 |- | row 2, cell 1 | row 2, cell 2 | row 2, cell 3</ref><br /> == [[Headline text]]''''Italic text''<nowiki>#REDIRECT [[Insert non-formatted text here]]<s><br />Strike-through text<small><blockquote> Small Text </blockquote><ref><ref>Insert footnote text here</ref></ref></small></s></nowiki>'' == |} |} </gallery> -->}}''']] == ]] == Administration == An Australian Commonwealth statutory authority called the [[Torres Strait Regional Authority]] (TSRA) is responsible for governance of the islands. The TSRA has an elected board comprising 20 representatives from the [[Torres Strait Islander]] and [[Australian Aborigines|Aboriginal]] communities resident in the Torres Strait region. There is one representative per established local community. These board members are elected under the ''[[Queensland Community Services (Torres Strait) Act 1984]]'' and Division 5 of the ''[[ATSIC Act 1989]]''. The TSRA itself falls under the portfolio responsibilities of the [[Government of Australia|Australian Government]] [[Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Australia)|Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs]] (previously under the [[Department of Immigration and Citizenship (Australia)|Department of Immigration and Citizenship]]). The administrative centre of the islands is [[Thursday Island]]. The Queensland stautory authority the [[Island Coordinating Council]] (ICC), represents the local communities at the state level. At the local level there are two authorities, the [[Shire of Torres]] which governs several islands and portions of Cape York Peninsula and operates as a Queensland [[Local Government Areas in Australia|Local Government Area]]. The [[Torres Strait Islands Regional Council]], created in 2008, is the embodiment of 15 former island councils, these areas have been relinquished by the [[Government of Queensland]] to specific Islander and Aboriginal Councils under the provisions of the ''Community Services (Torres Strait) Act 1984'' and the ''Community Services (Aboriginal) Act 1984''. {{col-begin}} {{col-break}} *Badu Island Council *Bamaga Island Council *Boigu Island Council *'''Dauan Island Council''' *Erub Island Council {{col-break}} *Hammond Island Council *Iama Island Council *'''Kubin Island Council''' *Mabuiag Island Council *Mer Island Council {{col-break}} *Poruma Island Council *Saibai Island Council *Seisia Island Council *St Pauls Island Council *Ugar Island Council {{col-break}} *'''Warraber Island Council''' *Yorke Island Council {{col-end}} == Demographics == [[Torres Strait Islanders]], the [[indigenous peoples]] of the islands, are [[Melanesian]]s, culturally most akin to the coastal peoples of [[Papua New Guinea]]. Thus they are regarded as being distinct from other [[indigenous Australians|Aboriginal]] peoples of Australia, and are generally referred to separately. There are also two Torres Strait Islander communities on the nearby coast of the mainland, [[Bamaga, Queensland|Bamaga]] and [[Seisia, Queensland|Seisia]]. According to the [[2001]] Australian census [[Australian Bureau of Statistics|ABS figures]], the population of the Torres Strait Islands was 8,089 (up from an estimated 6,700 in 2000), of whom 6,214 were either of [[Torres Strait Islanders|Torres Strait Islander]] or Aboriginal origin. There are two indigenous languages spoken on the islands: the [[Western-Central Torres Strait Language]] (called by various names, including [[Kala Lagaw Ya]], [[Kalaw Kawaw Ya]]) and Kowrareg, and the Eastern Torres Language [[Meriam Mir]]. One language, [[Torres Strait Creole]], or [[Brokan]], is used throughout Torres Strait, in neighbouring Papua as far as the West Papuan border area, and Cape York, as well as in many Island communities in Mainland Australia. This is a creole English similar to the closely related [[Tok Pisin]] in Papua New Guinea. ==See also== *[[List of Torres Strait Islands]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.tsra.gov.au/ Torres Strait Regional Authority home page] *[http://www.torres.qld.gov.au/index.shtml Torres Shire Council] *[http://www.lgp.qld.gov.au/?id=2696 Torres Strait community government review] *[http://www.abc.net.au/ra/pacific/places/country/torres_strait_islands.htm Torres Strait Islands info page at abc.net] *[http://www.hav.nl/zoek/torres.html Torres Strait Islands (article & pictures)] * [http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3201344 Photograph album of Papua and Torres Strait (1921) taken by Frank Hurley. Held National Library of Australia, Canberra] *[http://www.reefpilots.com.au Marine Pilotage within the declared Particularly Sensitive Sea Area. (PSSA)] *[http://www.cmar.csiro.au/datacentre/torres/AFMA1980_2003/DVDVer101/Reports/tst_atlas/tst_atlas.htm#pdf Torres Strait Atlas] {{coord|9|52|49|S|142|35|26|E|region:AU_type:isle_source:dewiki|display=title}} <!--Categories--> [[Category:Torres Strait Islands| ]] [[Category:Far North Queensland]] [[Category:Melanesia]] [[Category:Indigenous Australian communities]] [[Category:Torres Strait Island culture]] [[Category:Physiographic sections]] <!--Interwiki--> [[de:Torres-Strait-Inseln]] [[es:Islas del estrecho de Torres]] [[fr:Îles du Détroit de Torrès]] [[gl:Illas do estreito de Torres]] [[ja:トレス海峡諸島]] [[pl:Wyspy w Cieśninie Torresa]] [[pt:Ilhas do Estreito de Torres]] [[sm:Torres Strait Islands]] [[sv:Torressundöarna]] [[ta:டொரெஸ் நீரிணைத் தீவுகள்]]'