PHOTO: Goat Island, Sydney. FILE
A significant step has been taken towards the return of Goat Island, a heritage-listed island located in the center of Sydney Harbour, to its rightful Aboriginal owners. NSW Premier Chris Minns marked the occasion by signing a Memorandum of Understanding alongside the Me-Mel Transfer Committee. A funding commitment of $43 million has already been made to restore and rehabilitate the island within the next four years.
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Goat Island, also known as Me-Mel, holds great cultural importance for the Aboriginal community and is considered the heart of the Sydney cultural narrative. It is situated northwest of Barangaroo Reserve and is currently accessible to the public only through guided tours. The Premier emphasized that the island’s return would serve as a powerful symbol of reconciliation in Sydney Harbour.
Acknowledging the historical significance of Me-Mel, Nathan Moran, CEO of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, highlighted its role as the center of Sydney’s cultural story. The island was once inhabited by Barangaroo, a renowned Cammeraygal woman who played a crucial role in early interactions between Indigenous communities and European settlers. Throughout the 1800s, Me-Mel served as a home for convict work gangs and as a storage site for gunpowder, housing approximately 30 buildings.
Among its notable structures is the Queen’s Magazine, a sandstone building constructed by convicts in the 1830s to store explosives. In that era, members of the Wangal, Gadigal, and Cammeraygal clans were forcefully removed from Me-Mel. Other historical features on the island include a barracks, cooperage, and kitchen.
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In recent times, Goat Island has been utilized as a shipyard, concert venue, and filming location. However, the signing of the agreement signifies a commitment to honoring its cultural significance and restoring it to its Indigenous custodians. The Premier expressed gratitude to the previous government and former premiers for their long-standing dedication to this project, emphasizing the government’s pride in continuing the collaborative work with the Me-Mel Transfer Committee.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL