Editing Possession Island (Queensland)

{{short description|Island of the Torres Strait Islands near Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox islands
| name               = Possession Island
| native_name        = <!-- or local name to remove the "native name:" prefix -->
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| image_name         = Punsand QLD 4876, Australia - panoramio.jpg
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| location           = [[Northern Australia]]
| coordinates        = {{coord|10|43|36|S|142|23|49|E|type:landmark_region:AU|display=inline,title|format=dec}}
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| area_km2           = 5.5
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| country            = [[Australia]]
| country_admin_divisions_title = State
| country_admin_divisions = [[Queensland]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = [[Shire]]
| country_admin_divisions_1 = [[Shire of Torres]]
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[[File:Captain Cook takes formal possession of New South Wales 1770.jpg|thumb|right|Captain Cook raises the Union Flag on Possession Island, 22 August 1770]]

'''Possession Island''' ([[Kalaw Lagaw Ya]]: {{Lang|mwp|Bedanug}} or {{Lang|mwp|Bedhan Lag}}) is a small island in the [[Torres Strait Islands]] group off the coast of far northern [[Queensland]], Australia. It is inhabited by a group of [[Torres Strait Islander|Torres Strait Islanders]], the [[Kaurareg]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.torres.qld.gov.au/council/about-the-shire/history |title=Local History page |website=Torres Shire Council |access-date=4 February 2022 |archive-date=4 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204161857/https://www.torres.qld.gov.au/council/about-the-shire/history |url-status=live }}</ref> though the [[Ankamuti]] were also indigenous to the island.

Possession Island is included in '''Possession Island National Park''', an area of {{convert|5.10|km2}} which includes Eborac Island. The park was established as a [[Protected areas of Queensland|Protected Area]] in 1977 and managed by the [[Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service]].<ref name=park>{{cite web |title=About - Possession Island National Park |publisher=Department of Environment and Science, Queensland |website=Parks and forests |date=16 April 2020 |url=https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/possession-island/about |access-date=2 February 2021 |archive-date=16 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116124821/https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/possession-island/about |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
===James Cook's claim of possession===
In 1770, the British navigator Lieutenant [[James Cook]] sailed northward along the east coast of Australia in the ''[[HMS Endeavour|Endeavour]]'', anchoring for a week at [[Botany Bay]]. Three months later, at Possession Island in Queensland, he claimed possession of the entire east coast he had explored for Britain. In his journal, Cook wrote: "I now once more hoisted English Coulers and in the Name of His Majesty [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George the Third]] took possession of the whole Eastern Coast... by the name [[New South Wales]], together with all the Bays, Harbours Rivers and Islands situate upon the said coast".<ref>{{cite book |last=Cook |first=James |title=Journal of HMS Endeavour, 1769–1771 |publisher=National Library of Australia, Manuscripts Collection, MS 1, 22 August 1770}}</ref>

In 2001, the Kaurareg people successfully claimed [[native title in Australia |native title]] rights over the island (and other nearby islands).<ref>{{cite AustLII|FCA|657|2001|litigants=Kaurareg People v State of Queensland|courtname=[[Federal Court of Australia |Federal Court]]}}.</ref>

==Commemorations of Cook==
In 1857, artist John Gilfillan exhibited in Melbourne an idyllic tableau painting commemorating the annexation titled ''Captain Cook taking possession of the Australian continent on behalf of the British crown 1770''.<ref>{{cite book |title=nla.obj-135699884 |publisher=Canberra |location=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In 1925, a memorial to Captain Cook was erected on the north-west coast of the island ({{Coord|-10.71503|142.39298|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=James Cook monument}}).<ref>{{cite news |date=8 January 1925 |title=POSSESSION ISLAND. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article179451773 |accessdate=30 November 2024 |newspaper=[[Daily Standard (Brisbane)|Daily Standard]] |location=Queensland, Australia |page=2 (SECOND EDITION-3 p.m.) |via=National Library of Australia |issue=3745}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Landing of Captain James Cook on Possession Island |url=https://monumentaustralia.org.au/display/100194-landing-of-captain-james-cook-on-possession-island |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Monument Australia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Google Maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Possession+Island+Monument/@-10.7145982,142.3929895,5244m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m5!3m4!2zMTDCsDQzJzM2LjAiUyAxNDLCsDIzJzQ5LjAiRQ!8m2!3d-10.726667!4d142.396944!3m5!1s0x69b00bb6788c7b8b:0x919878f0c2da7869!8m2!3d-10.7145982!4d142.3929895!16s%2Fg%2F11hz47b8kq?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTEyNC4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D|access-date=30 November 2024|title=Possession Island Monument}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/tqqf2h/alma99183453210802061 Thursday Island and Possession Island photographs 1970], [[State Library of Queensland]] 
{{Portal|Queensland}}

{{1stVoyageCookAus}}

[[Category:Islands of Queensland]]