Sir Edward Pellew Islands, Northern Territory

An island cluster comprised of five major islands (North, South West, Centre, West and Vanderlin Islands) and 66 minor islands, islets and rock stacks, situated in the south west region of the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Location: approximately 80 km north-east of Borroloola and 35 km north-east of the mouth of the McArthur River.
Origin of name: In April 1644 Abel Tasman thought the islands were part of the mainland and named them Cape Vanderlin, after Cornelis Van der Lyn, a councillor the of Dutch East India Company and Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, 1645-50. Matthew Flinders in 1802 found Vanderlin to be an island, and he named the group after Captain Sir Edward Pellew (later Admiral Viscount Exmouth) of the Royal Navy.
Brief history: The islands have a long history of use by Yanyuwa Aboriginal people. This is evidenced not only by the stories and culture which still survive today, but also by physical evidence such as large shell middens and human burial caves. Until early into the 20th century the Pellew Islands were visited regularly by fishermen from Macassar and Sulawesi for the purpose of harvesting trepang. See also 'Invisible Invaders'
Numerous Macassan sites exist on the islands; these contain remains of stone fireplaces, artifacts and Tamarind trees that seeded from food refuse. The is native to Africa and was introduced to Asia by Arab traders. Vanderlin Island is the only island in the group that to have been settled by European people when a small pastoral property was established on the island in the 1940s. In more recent times the islands have been used as fishing camps by commercial fishermen and by a small number of recreational fishermen and holiday makers.
Natural features: Gulf of Carpentaria; North, South West, Centre, West and Vanderlin Islands; Barranyi (North Island) National Park (541 ha); Liwarrangga Aboriginal Sites (South West Island, near Amos Point); Liwaybulunga Aralwidgi Langandan and Wulibirra Aboriginal Sites (West Cape, Rose Point, Cape Pellew and Red Bluff on North and Watson Islands.