Heritage-listed island in the heart of Sydney Harbor to be returned to Indigenous Australians – with a $43 million pledge
- Goat Island is handed over to the Aboriginal people
- The island is located in Sydney Harbour
A heritage-listed island in the middle of Sydney Harbor is one step closer to returning it to the Aboriginal people.
NSW Prime Minister Chris Minns shared a photo on Saturday of him signing a memorandum of understanding regarding Me-Mel, known as Goat Island.
The small island is located in the heart of the harbor, northwest of Barangaroo Reserve, and is only accessible to the public through guided tours.
Mr Minns signed the document along with the dedicated Me-Mel Transfer Committee, already committing $43 million to clean and restore the island over the next four years.
Goat Island (above), called Me-Mel in Gadigal language, will be handed over to the Aborigines
“The island will become a symbol of reconciliation in the heart of Sydney Harbour,” said the prime minister.
‘We listen to the Aboriginal community during this process. That is what the signing of this agreement is all about.
“I thank the previous government and its former prime ministers for their years of commitment to this project.
“We are proud to continue this work with the committee.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns shared a photo (above) on Saturday of him signing a memorandum of understanding alongside the dedicated Me-Mel Transfer Committee
Nathan Moran, CEO of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, had previously explained Me-Mel’s historical significance to the Indigenous community, saying that the island is the ‘center of Sydney’s cultural narrative’.
The island was once the home of the famous Cammeraygal woman Barangaroo, who was influential in early communication between indigenous communities and white settlers.
Me-Mel was also used as a home for convict labor gangs and gunpowder stores in the 19th century, and currently has about 30 buildings.
The island was once the home of the famous Cammeraygal woman Barangaroo who was influential in early communication between indigenous communities and white settlers
Its most famous structure, the Queen’s Magazine, was built from sandstone by convicts in the 1830s and was used to store explosives.
It was in that decade that people of the Wangal, Gadigal and Cammeraygal clan groups were forced to leave Me-Mel.
The island also features a historic barracks, cooperage and kitchen.
In recent years it has been used as a shipyard, concert venue and film location.
Me-Mel was also used as a home for convict labor gangs and gunpowder stores in the 19th century, and currently has about 30 buildings