THE world’s largest sand island off the coast of Queensland, formerly known as Fraser Island, has officially reverted to its original name K’gari

THE world’s largest sand island off the coast of Queensland, formerly known as Fraser Island, has officially reverted to its original name K’gari.

Fraser Island has had its traditional name reinstated and will now be officially known as K’gari.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk formally reinstated the world’s largest sand island to the name used by its traditional owners for at least 60,000 years, in what was described as an “emotional ceremony” with the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation..

The decision was made after consultation with traditional owners, tourism bodies, government agencies and the Fraser Coast Regional Council. Each year hundreds of thousands of people visit the island, which possesses half the world’s freshwater dune lakes and is renowned for its dingo population.

The move to reinstate the island’s Indigenous name came after a decades-long campaign by traditional owners and a partial victory in 2017, when the island’s Great Sandy national park was renamed K’gari.The name had been deemed culturally inappropriate as Fraser wrote a debunked negative tale of her “captivity” by the Butchulla people, who she called “savages” and “cannibals”, after the shipwreck. The lies spread throughout the English colony despite being contradicted by fellow survivors.

“K’gari comes from the Butchulla people’s creation story of the island, which has been passed down orally for generations,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I’m proud that today we can officially welcome K’gari home, and reinstate the name used by traditional owners for all these years.”

Alongside the name announcement, more than 19 hectares of land were transferred from government hands to Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation. 

Minniecon said the move corrects a historic wrong for the Butchulla people who live by three key lores: what is good for the land must come first; if you have plenty you must share; and do not touch or take anything that does not belong to you.

“It was through disrespect to the Butchulla people that her name K’gari – the home of the Butchulla people – was taken away,” Minniecon said.

“Thankfully it is now through respect to the Butchulla people that K’gari – her name – has been reclaimed.

“Our oral history, our creation story will now be told and learnt as it should be.