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Another iconic Queensland island looks set to be renamed with an indigenous name by the state’s Labor government after Fraser Island was nicknamed K’Gari.
Great Keppel Island off the coast of Rockhampton, Queensland, near the Great Barrier Reef, was acquired by the Queensland government in April 2023 after the owner, Tower Holdings, failed to pay $878,000 in rent.
According to a master plan to redevelop the island as a tourist destination published this month by the government, the name Woppa appears to be under consideration for the island.
“The Great Keppel Island (Woppa) masterplan project forms a key part of the Queensland Government’s commitment to revitalize tourism, which includes a $30 million commitment to common use infrastructure,” the Department of Development said. of the State.
The project website states that “the department recognizes Woppa, Great Keppel Island, as the traditional Woppaburra land and sea of the Keppel Islands.”
Great Keppel Island could change its name to Woppa as part of major redevelopment
The Labor government has already renamed Fraser Island K’Gari and there is also talk of an indigenous title for Magnetic Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Labor government has remained mum on whether it will pursue an official name change as part of the redevelopment.
However, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said it was “clear” in documents relating to the project that “Labour plans to rename Great Keppel Island, a tourist icon known around the world, ‘ Woppa’, a local indigenous word.”
“The Labor Party continues to sow this division in Queensland… with the disastrous path to the treaty, land transfers without community consultation and sneaky attempts to discard traditional place names in favor of words from unknown indigenous languages.”
Senator Hanson said a petition is a feat.More than 10,000 signatures will be presented during the meeting calling for Great Keppel Island to be protected from receiving indigenous names. Senate on Friday.
‘There There are already countless places in Australia with names derived from indigenous languages, including Canberra, the national capital itself.
“One Nation supports keeping names like Goondiwindi, Toowoomba and Mareeba because those are the names those communities chose,” Senator Hanson said.
Great Keppel, a former holiday destination, has fallen into a state of ruin since it was abandoned in 2008, with once-popular hotel rooms and entertainment areas now in ruins.
The dilapidated Great Keppel Island Resort (pictured) was seized by the Queensland government and its owners, Tower Holdings, owed $878,000 in rent.
The complex has been abandoned since 2008, leaving once-popular entertainment areas and hotel rooms falling apart or inhabited by wild animals (pictured).
Tower Holding’s inability to meet its financial obligations led state resources minister Scott Stewart to describe the state of the complex as “disappointing”.
“Our islands are natural assets that we want Queenslanders to be able to enjoy as part of our great lifestyle,” he said.
“As a Government, we are committed to the responsible development of our island resorts for the jobs and business opportunities they create in regional Queensland.”