‘Australia’s most northerly town’

Bamaga, a community of stilt houses and banana palms was founded by Saibai islanders in 1947. The islanders were relocated to Bamaga due to a shortage of freshwater and fears of flooding on Saibai Island. Their leader at the time was known as Chief Bamaga.

Bamaga Island Council is a Community Council under the Community Services (Torres Strait) Act 1984. Council acts as the Trustee on behalf of the Torres Strait Islander population, over a Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT) area of land comprising approximately 6660 hectares. Since 1985 some residents have formed another community called the Seisia Island Council.

Bamaga has direct flights to Cairns and is a good stopping point for a trip out to Thursday Island ferries leave Sesia wharf daily, Possession Island also lies just off the coast where Captain Cook formally took possession of the east coast of Australia in 1770.

Other places of interest include Horn Island, Badu Island, and the ruins of Somerset a town set up in 1863 by John Jardine who intended the settlement to become a major port city.

This area of Australia is rich in war history with plane wrecks and other military items of interest in the Thursday Island museum and Horn Island museum. Pearl diving was also attempted here.

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