Kalumburu, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Kalumburu and Kalumburu Community (formerly Drysdale River Mission) are both bounded localities within the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley Western Australia
. Kalumburu Community is the northernmost settlement in Western Australia. According to the 2006 census, it has a population of 413 people and is inhabited mostly by Aboriginal people
from the Wunambal
and Kwini language groups. Kalumburu Community is remote from any main roads — the nearest is the Gibb River Road
, 270 km to the south via the Kalumburu Road
. It was the site of a World War II
airbase, which was attacked by Japanese
planes in 1943.
(OSB) decided to establish a mission near the Drysdale River
. The mission was established in 1908, 20 kilometres north-east of the present site, at Pago, near the southern end of Napier Broome Bay, by Benedictine monk
s from New Norcia
. In 1937, water supply problems forced the missionaries to move to the present site at Kalumburu Pool, on the King Edward River
.
, the Australian government commissioned an airfield at the mission. After Japanese forces occupied the Dutch East Indies
in 1942, Drysdale became a frontline Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) base, acting as a staging post for Allied
squadrons based further south. The airfield was a refuelling and ammunition depot for the RAAF anti-submarine aircraft operating between Darwin and Fremantle. On 19 February, the mission provided assistance to the crew and passengers of the merchant vessel Koolama
, which had been attacked by Japanese planes.
In February 1943, Allied signals intelligence suggested that Japanese aircraft would be built up in Timor
for attacks on Darwin. Eight Beaufighters from No. 31 Squadron RAAF
were despatched to Drysdale River, to prepare for a pre-emptive strike.http://www.aussieheritage.com.au/listings/wa/Kalumburu/KalumburuAirfield/20706 On 28 February, it was confirmed that the enemy aircraft had arrived at Penfui, near Kupang
. An early morning strike destroyed 12 Japanese aircraft on the ground and damaged another 10. Two Beaufighters were damaged by Japanese fighter aircraft but returned to Drysdale River.
On 27 September 1943, the base and settlement were attacked by 21 Japanese
Kawasaki Ki-48
bombers, based at Kupang, Timor, with a fighter escort. The Superior of the mission, Father Thomas Gil O.S.B, aged 45 years.and five Aboriginals ranging from the age of 1 year to 45 years were killed. This included a mother and son. All victims were buried together on mission grounds, the Aboriginals on either side of Father Thomas, following the funeral at the damaged Church. Many buildings at the mission were also destroyed or severely damaged during the raid.
In April 1944, Flt Lt
D. S. Askew, the commanding officer of No. 58 Operational Base Unit, reported 367 aircraft movements during that month, the busiest period since operations had begun. He also wrote: "Approximately 250 operational hours were flown from Drysdale resulting in approximately 60,000 lb
of bombs being dropped on enemy territory".http://peoplesvoice.gov.au/stories/wa/kalumburu/kalumburu_w.htm
The military significance of the airfield declined once Truscott Airfield
was constructed, about 32 km (20 mi) north, in 1944.
In 2008 a new clinic was being built, in collaboration with the Australian Army and Western Australia Health. There is provision for a small dialysis unit, although staffing and equipment are yet to be finalized.
The RFDS land on the Kalumburu strip to the north of the town. There is also the old Truscott Airbase which can be used in cases of emergency.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. Kalumburu Community is the northernmost settlement in Western Australia. According to the 2006 census, it has a population of 413 people and is inhabited mostly by Aboriginal people
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
from the Wunambal
Wunambal language
Wunambal is a moribund Australian Aboriginal language of Western Australia.-Classification:Wunambal is usually grouped with Worrorra and Ungarinjin in the Wororan family. R. M. W. Dixon , however, regards Wororan as simply an areal group...
and Kwini language groups. Kalumburu Community is remote from any main roads — the nearest is the Gibb River Road
Gibb River Road
The Gibb River Road is a former cattle route that stretches almost through The Kimberley between the Western Australian town of Derby and the Kununurra and Wyndham junction of the Great Northern Highway. Like its namesake, which does not actually cross the road but runs nearby at , it is named...
, 270 km to the south via the Kalumburu Road
Kalumburu Road
Kalumburu Road in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia is a 267 kilometre road that connects the Gibb River Road to the aboriginal community of Kalumburu on the coast via the Mitchell Plateau. The road, which often becomes inaccessible during the Wet season, is suitable for 4WD traffic and...
. It was the site of a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airbase, which was attacked by Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
planes in 1943.
History
In 1905, the Order of Saint BenedictOrder of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
(OSB) decided to establish a mission near the Drysdale River
Drysdale River
Drysdale River is a river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.The river rises in the Caroline Ranges, flows in a northerly direction and discharges into Napier Broome Bay near Kalumburu...
. The mission was established in 1908, 20 kilometres north-east of the present site, at Pago, near the southern end of Napier Broome Bay, by Benedictine monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s from New Norcia
New Norcia, Western Australia
New Norcia is a town in Western Australia, north of Perth, along the Great Northern Highway. It is situated next to the banks of the Moore River, in the Shire of Victoria Plains.New Norcia is the only monastic town in Australia...
. In 1937, water supply problems forced the missionaries to move to the present site at Kalumburu Pool, on the King Edward River
King Edward River
The King Edward River is a river in the Kimberley of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river rise below Poonjurra Hill and flows in a northerly direction almost parallel with the Kalumburu Road and eventually discharges into Deep Bay then Napier Broome Bay and finally the Indian Ocean.The...
.
World War II
Following the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Australian government commissioned an airfield at the mission. After Japanese forces occupied the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
in 1942, Drysdale became a frontline Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) base, acting as a staging post for Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
squadrons based further south. The airfield was a refuelling and ammunition depot for the RAAF anti-submarine aircraft operating between Darwin and Fremantle. On 19 February, the mission provided assistance to the crew and passengers of the merchant vessel Koolama
Koolama
The Koolama was an Australian merchant vessel which sank as a result of several attacks by Japanese aircraft in February-March 1942. It was also the centre of the Koolama Incident, an alleged mutiny resulting from these attacks....
, which had been attacked by Japanese planes.
In February 1943, Allied signals intelligence suggested that Japanese aircraft would be built up in Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
for attacks on Darwin. Eight Beaufighters from No. 31 Squadron RAAF
No. 31 Squadron RAAF
No. 31 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force airbase support squadron re-raised in July 2010. The Squadron was first formed in August 1942 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II.-History:No...
were despatched to Drysdale River, to prepare for a pre-emptive strike.http://www.aussieheritage.com.au/listings/wa/Kalumburu/KalumburuAirfield/20706 On 28 February, it was confirmed that the enemy aircraft had arrived at Penfui, near Kupang
Kupang
Not to be confused with Tanjung Kupang in JohoreKupang is the provincial capital of East Nusa Tenggara province in southeast Indonesia....
. An early morning strike destroyed 12 Japanese aircraft on the ground and damaged another 10. Two Beaufighters were damaged by Japanese fighter aircraft but returned to Drysdale River.
On 27 September 1943, the base and settlement were attacked by 21 Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
Kawasaki Ki-48
Kawasaki Ki-48
The Kawasaki Ki-48, 九九式双発軽爆撃機 'Sokei', Army Type 99 Twin-engined Light Bomber, was a Japanese twin-engine light bomber that was used during World War II. Its Allied reporting name was "Lily".-Development:...
bombers, based at Kupang, Timor, with a fighter escort. The Superior of the mission, Father Thomas Gil O.S.B, aged 45 years.and five Aboriginals ranging from the age of 1 year to 45 years were killed. This included a mother and son. All victims were buried together on mission grounds, the Aboriginals on either side of Father Thomas, following the funeral at the damaged Church. Many buildings at the mission were also destroyed or severely damaged during the raid.
In April 1944, Flt Lt
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
D. S. Askew, the commanding officer of No. 58 Operational Base Unit, reported 367 aircraft movements during that month, the busiest period since operations had begun. He also wrote: "Approximately 250 operational hours were flown from Drysdale resulting in approximately 60,000 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
of bombs being dropped on enemy territory".http://peoplesvoice.gov.au/stories/wa/kalumburu/kalumburu_w.htm
The military significance of the airfield declined once Truscott Airfield
Mungalalu Truscott Airbase
Mungalalu Truscott Airbase, which during World War II was known as Truscott Airfield is today a commercial air field in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. The airbase falls under the traditional ownership of the Wunambal Gaambera people...
was constructed, about 32 km (20 mi) north, in 1944.
Post-war
In 1951, Drysdale River Mission was officially renamed Kalumburu. Management of the community was later taken over by Kalumburu Aboriginal Corporation, on behalf of the Kalumburu Community Council. The community retains strong links with the OSB, including a priest and several Benedictine nuns.Medical services
Kalumburu is 568 km via a poor quality road to the nearest hospital. During the dry, this takes about 12 hours. There is a small clinic staffed by two remote area nurses with a visiting Doctor once per week. This community has been extensively studied and published in regards to the Aboriginal Health (eg Trachoma and Kidney disease).In 2008 a new clinic was being built, in collaboration with the Australian Army and Western Australia Health. There is provision for a small dialysis unit, although staffing and equipment are yet to be finalized.
The RFDS land on the Kalumburu strip to the north of the town. There is also the old Truscott Airbase which can be used in cases of emergency.
Town Planning
Kalumburu Layout Plan 2 is the town plan for Kalumburu. It was endorsed by the Kalumburu Aboriginal Corporation (13 December 2004), Shire of Wyndham/East Kimberley (7 July 2005) and the Western Australian Planning Commission (4 October 2005). Since endorsement Layout Plan 2 has been amended in response to development proposals. The Layout Plan 2 background report and map-set can be viewed at: http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/2335.asp .Further reading
- Choo, Christine.(2001) Mission girls : Aboriginal women on Catholic missions in the Kimberley, Western Australia 1900-1950 Nedlands, W. A. : University of W.A. Press, 2001. ISBN 1876268557
- Peet, L. (1995). "Monks at War: Interpretations of the Kalumburu War Diary, 1942-1945." New Norcia Studies July 1995(3): 39-53.
- Peet, L. (2008). "A Very Convenient Location: Kalumburu Mission During World War II." New Norcia Studies September 2008(16): 4-10.
- Perez, E. (1958). Kalumburu "Formerly Drysdale River" Bendictine Mission North-Western Australia: A Golden Jubilee Publication (1908–1958). New Norcia, Service Printing Co Pty Ltd for Abbey Press:
- Perez, E. (1977). Kalumburu The Bendictine Mission and the Aborigines 1908 - 1975: The History of Kalumburu Mission in North Western Australia Kalumburu, Kalumburu Benedictine Mission:
- Perez, E. (1981). Kalumburu War Diary R. Pratt and J. Millington. Perth, Artlook Books: