View source for Earth:Murray Island, Queensland

{{Use Australian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox islands
| name             = Murray Island
| native_name      = ''Mer''
| native_name_lang = Meriam Mir
| sobriquet        = <!-- or nickname -->
| image_name       = Murray Islands (Landsat).png
| image_size       = 220px
| image_caption    = A satellite image of Murray Island
| image_alt        = 
| map_image        = TorresStraitIslandsMap.png
| map_alt          = 
| map_size         = 220px
| map_caption      = A map of the Torres Strait Islands showing ''Mer'' in the northeastern waters of Torres Strait
| location         = Northern Australia
| coordinates      = {{coord|9|55|S|144|3|E|type:isle_region:AU|display=title,inline}}
| archipelago      = Torres Strait Islands
| waterbody        = Torres Strait
| total_islands    = 3
| major_islands    = 1
| area_km2         = 4.29
| area_footnotes   = 
| rank             = 
| length_km        = <!-- or length m  -->
| length_footnotes = 
| width_km         = <!-- or width m  -->
| width_footnotes  =
| coastline_km     = <!-- or coastline m  -->
| coastline_footnotes = 
| elevation_m      = 234
| elevation_footnotes = 
| highest_mount    = Gelam Paser
| country          = Australia
| country_admin_divisions_title     = State
| country_admin_divisions           = Queensland
| country_admin_divisions_title_1   = Regional Authority
| country_admin_divisions_1         = Torres Strait Regional Authority
| country_admin_divisions_title_2   = Local Government Area
| country_admin_divisions_2         = Torres Strait Island Region
| demonym          = 
| population       = 485
| population_as_of = {{CensusAU|2006}}
| density_km2      = 
| density_footnotes = 
| ethnic_groups    = 
| website          = 
| additional_info  = 
}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                = town
| name                = Murray Island
| city                = 
| state               = qld
| image               = 
| caption             = 
| coordinates         = {{coord|-9.914|144.042|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline}}
| pop                 = 453
| pop_year            = {{CensusAU|2016}}
| pop_footnotes       = <ref name=Census2016/>
| established         = 
| postcode            = 4875
| timezone            = AEST
| utc                 = +10:00
| dist1               = 
| dir1                = 
| location1           = 
| dist2               = 
| dir2                = 
| location2           = 
| dist3               = 
| dir3                = 
| location3           = 
| dist4               = 
| dir4                = 
| location4           =
| lga                 = Torres Strait Island Region
| stategov            = 
| fedgov              = 
| maxtemp     = 
| mintemp     = 
| rainfall    = 
}}

'''Murray Island''' (also known as '''Mer Island''' or '''Maer Island''') in the Torres Strait Island Region, Queensland, Australia.<ref>{{Cite QPN|23612|Murray Island|population centre in the Torres Strait Island Region|access-date=17 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite QPN|20523|Meer Island|island in the Torres Strait Island Region|access-date=3 November 2019}}</ref> The island is part of the Murray Island Group in the Torres Strait.<ref>{{Cite QPN|23613|Murray Island|island group in the Torres Strait Island Region|access-date=17 January 2020}}</ref> The town is on the island's northwest coast and within the locality of Mer Island (the locality boundaries are the island's coastline).<ref>{{Cite QPN|46717|Mer Island|locality in the Torres Strait Island Region|access-date=17 January 2020}}</ref> The island is of [[Earth:Volcano|volcanic]] origin, the most easterly inhabited island of the Torres Strait Islands [[Earth:Archipelago|archipelago]], just north of the Great Barrier Reef. The name ''Meer/Mer/Maer'' comes from the native Meriam language. In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Murray Island had a population of 453.<ref name=Census2016/>

The island is populated by the Melanesian Meriam people. There are eight tribes on Mer: Komet, Zagareb, Meuram, Magaram, Geuram, Peibri, Meriam-Samsep, Piadram/Dauer. The island's organisation is based on traditional laws of boundary and ownership.

==Geography==
Murray Island, in the eastern section of Torres Strait, is a [[Earth:Basalt|basalt]]ic island formed from an extinct volcano, last active over a million years ago.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.volcanolive.com/murray.html|title=Murray Island Volcano|last=Seach|first=John|website=Volcano Live|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171101000142/http://www.volcanolive.com/murray.html|archive-date=1 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> It formed when the [[Earth:Indo-Australian Plate|Indo-Australian Plate]] slid over the [[Earth:East Australia hotspot|East Australia hotspot]]. The island rises to a plateau {{convert|80|m}} [[Australian Height Datum|above mean sea level]].

The island's highest point is the {{convert|230|m|adj=on}} Gelam Paser, the western end of the volcano crater. The island has red fertile soil and is covered in dense vegetation. It has a tropical climate with a wet and dry season.

Murray Island is one of the three islands in the Murray Islands, the others being Daua Island (''Dowar'') and Waier Island (''Waier'').<ref>{{Cite QPN|23613|Murray Islands|island group in the Torres Strait Island Region|access-date=30 January 2022}}</ref>

==History==

=== Pre-European settlement ===
[[File:Murray Island Haddon 1908.png|thumb|Map of ''Mer'' with traditional districts and villages.|left]]
Murray Island has been inhabited for around 2,800 years, the first settlers being Papuo-Austronesians who brought agriculture and pot-making with them. Regular contact between the inhabitants of Torres Strait, Europeans, Asians and other outsiders began once the Torres Strait became a means of passage between the [[Earth:Indian Ocean|Indian Ocean]] and the [[Earth:Pacific Ocean|Pacific Ocean]] in the 19th century.{{cn|date=August 2021}}

The inhabitants of the Torres Strait, including the Meriam people, gained a reputation as fierce warriors and skilled mariners. Warfare (both intertribal and against European ships in transit through the [[Earth:Coral Sea|Coral Sea]]) and head hunting were part of Torres Strait Islanders' culture. The account of Jack Ireland, a surviving cabin boy from the ''Charles Eaton'', a [[Engineering:Barque|barque]] that was wrecked in 1834 at Detached Reef, near the entrance to Torres Strait, is of interest in this respect. Ireland and another young survivor, William D'Oyley, spent much of their time on Mer before being rescued.<ref name=mcinnes1983/><ref name=mcinnes1981>{{cite journal| title=The wreck of the "Charles Eaton"| journal=Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland| volume=11| issue=4| pages=21–50| last=McInnes| first=Allan, 1927-| publisher=Royal Historical Society of Queensland| date=1981| url=https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:241150| quote=Read to a Meeting of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland on 24 February 1983.| access-date=4 August 2021| archive-date=4 August 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804095815/https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:241150| url-status=live}} (Also [https://www.textqueensland.com.au/item/article/9ef90538f7333c5e08b89061453c9a5d here] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312172324/https://www.textqueensland.com.au/item/article/9ef90538f7333c5e08b89061453c9a5d |date=12 March 2021 }}.)</ref>

In 1836 a large ceremonial mask was recovered from neighbouring Aureed (Skull) Island after Ireland and D'Oyley were rescued returned to [[Place:Sydney|Sydney]]. The mask was made of turtle shells surrounded by numerous skulls, 17 of which were determined to have belonged to the crew and passengers of the ''Charles Eaton'', who were massacred when they came ashore after the shipwreck.<ref name=mcinnes1983/> The mask was entered into the collection of the Australian Museum<ref>{{cite web | title=Our Global Neighbours: Mask with Human Skulls | website=The Australian Museum | url=https://australian.museum/blog-archive/science/our-global-neighbours-mask-with-human-skulls/ | access-date=4 August 2021 | archive-date=4 August 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804094315/https://australian.museum/blog-archive/science/our-global-neighbours-mask-with-human-skulls/ | url-status=live }}</ref> after the skulls were buried on 17 November 1836 in a mass grave in the Devonshire Street Cemetery in Sydney. A monument was erected in the form of a huge [[Religion:Altar stone|altar stone]] to record the manner in which they died. When the Devonshire Street Cemetery was resumed for the site of the Central Railway Station in 1904 the skulls and the monument were removed to Bunnerong Cemetery at Botany Bay in Sydney.<ref name=mcinnes1983>{{cite book| last1=McInnes| first1=Allan|title=The Wreck Of The ''Charles Eaton''| date=1983|publisher=Diamond Press| location=Windsor| page=45}}</ref>

=== Post-European settlement (1872) ===
[[File:School children on Mer Island, 1898.jpg|left|thumb|School children on Mer Island, 1898]]
Missionaries (mainly Polynesian) and some other Polynesians began to settle the island in 1872 when the London Missionary Society founded a missionary school there.<ref name="tsic">{{cite web |url=http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/resources/atsi/community-history/missions/tsi-communities/i-m#murray |title=Torres Strait Island communities I-M |date=11 May 2011 |publisher=State Library of Queensland |access-date=4 July 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924102847/http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/resources/atsi/community-history/missions/tsi-communities/i-m#murray |archive-date=24 September 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Queensland Government annexed the islands in 1879. The Australian painter Tom Roberts visited the island in 1892.<ref name="mad">{{Cite news |url=http://www.torresnews.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1387%3A118-year-old-murray-island-art-discovered&catid=3%3Anews&Itemid=1 |title=118-year-old Murray Island art discovered |author=Bousen, Mark|access-date=4 July 2011 |date=6 March 2010 |newspaper=Torres News }}</ref> He witnessed a nighttime dance and depicted it in a painting.

In 1936, a maritime strike fuelled by Islander dissatisfaction with the management of their wages and boats by the Protector of Aborigines allowed Islanders to assert control and reject government controls. In 1937, the inaugural meeting of Island Councillors on Yorke Island resulted in the ''Torres Strait Islander Act 1939'', giving Islanders more authority in their own affairs and establishing local governments on each island.

After the Pacific War broke out in 1941, over 700 Islanders volunteered to defend the Torres Strait. This group was organised into the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion. The migration of Islanders to mainland Australia increased as jobs disappeared in the pearling industry. A call for independence from Australia in the 1980s arose as the government failed to provide basic infrastructure on the island.

Murray Island's most famous resident was trade unionist Eddie Mabo, whose decision to sue the Queensland Government to secure ownership of his land, which had been removed from his ancestors by the British colonial powers using the ''[[Social:Terra nullius|terra nullius]]'' legal concept, ultimately led the High Court of Australia, on appeal from the Supreme Court of the State of Queensland, to issue the "Mabo decision"  on 3 June 1992, finally recognising Mabo's native title rights on his land. The decision continues to have ramifications for Australia. Mabo himself died a few months before the decision. After vandalism to his grave site, he was reburied on Murray Island, where Islanders performed a traditional ceremony for the burial of a king.<ref name="queens">{{Cite news |url=http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2009/06/13/87891_news.html |title=Queenslander |access-date=4 July 2011 |date=13 June 2009 |publisher=News Limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004080459/http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2009/06/13/87891_news.html |archive-date=4 October 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>


In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Murray Island had a population of 453.<ref name=Census2016>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=UCL322077|name=Murray Island (UCL)accessdate=20 October 2018|quick=on}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:Flag of Murray Island (Mer).svg|thumb|Flag of Murray Island]]
The people of Mer maintain their traditional culture. Modern influences such as consumer goods, television, travel and radio are having an impact on traditional practices and culture. Despite this, song and dance remains an integral part of island life and is demonstrated through celebrations such as Mabo Day, Coming of the Light, Tombstone openings and other cultural events. In 2007, after two years of negotiations, the skulls of five Islander tribesmen were returned to Australia from a Glasgow museum where they had been archived for more than 100 years.<ref name="misrss">{{Cite news |url=http://www.torresnews.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=524&Itemid=1 |title=Mer Islanders reclaim sacred skulls |access-date=4 July 2011 |date=3 July 2007 |work=Torres News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070704052442/http://www.torresnews.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=524&Itemid=1 |archive-date=4 July 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The artist Ricardo Idagi was born on Murray Island.<ref name="coaw">{{Cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/carved-out-of-ancestral-whispers/story-e6frg8n6-1225781303773 |title=Carved out of ancestral whispers |author=Rothwell, Nicolas|access-date=4 July 2011 |date=1 October 2009 |newspaper=The Australian |publisher=News Limited }}</ref> Idagi won the main prize at the Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards in 2009.

==Language==
The people of Murray Island speak Torres Strait Creole and Meriam, a member of the [[Social:Eastern Trans-Fly languages|Eastern Trans-Fly languages]] of [[Social:Trans–New Guinea languages|Trans–New Guinea]]; its sister languages being Bini, Wipi and Gizrra. Though it is unrelated to [[Social:Kalaw Lagaw Ya|Kalaw Lagaw Ya]] of the Central and Western Islands of Torres Strait, the two languages share around 40% of their vocabulary. Torres Strait English is a second language.

==Governance==
{{no references|section|date=December 2021}}
[[File:PSM V85 D230 Natives of the murray islands torres straits.png|thumb|A 1914 photograph of native inhabitants of Murray Island.|left]]
Murray Island is governed by the Community Council, which is responsible for roads, water, housing and community events. The Community Council is an integral part of community life. The elders of the community hold a position of respect and also have a major influence on island life.
Queensland's control was moved from just 3 miles, to a large 60 miles offshore. This brought all of Torres Strait that were within a couple hundred metres of New guineas coast, into Queensland. 
The laws rose from requests from the public, who were asking for the lease of islands Queensland's coast. As before this, all islands that were within three miles of the coast, were under Queensland's control. Murray island waited unclaimed until 1879. In 1879, Britain annexed the island to Queensland. The reason for annexation was to protect the British and their property, control the Torres Strait and sea lane to India, dominate fishing and pearling industries and to extend authority to some non-British areas.
Britain also gave all control of Torres Strait islands to Queensland, with no negotiating treaties, in order to avert enemy colonial powers claiming the region.

[[File:Queensland State Archives 2531 Murray Island court house and people 1898.png|thumb|Murray Island court house and people, 1898.]]
==Notable people==
*Eddie Mabo, land rights campaigner
*Gail Mabo, artist, daughter of Eddie

==See also==
*List of Torres Strait Islands
*List of volcanoes in Australia
*Murray Island Airport

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==

* {{cite book |url=https://hdl.handle.net/10462/PubsTD/00293114 |title=Murray, island of Torres Strait |vauthors=((Passi, S., Teske, T.)) |date=1986 |publisher=Far Northern Schools Development Unit |hdl=10462/PubsTD/00293114 |isbn=0724216391}} — full text online

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090625111909/http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/index.html Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner], [http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/sj_report/index.html Social Justice Reports 1994–2009] and [http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/nt_report/index.html Native Title Reports 1994–2009] for more information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs



[[Category:Extinct volcanoes]]
[[Category:Pleistocene volcanoes]]

{{Sourceattribution|Murray Island, Queensland}}