Australia’s Melanesian Minority: Political Development in the Torres Straits Islands

Abstract

The Torres Straits Islands were the first part of New Guinea to come into intensive contact with Europeans. The Straits became an important waterway from early in the nineteenth century, and the field for a lucrative pearling industry from early in the second half of the century; soon after the State of Queensland annexed the area.¹ By the time Britain annexed Papua, in 1888, the Islands were already part of a European-dominated governmental, ecclesiastical and commercial system, whose local centre was the small but thriving settlement on Thursday Island. From time to time it has been proposed that some or all of the Islands should be transferred to the Papuan administration, but no change has ever been made:² thus it is that Queensland’s northern boundary goes to within two miles of the Papuan coast and Australia has a small but rapidly increasing Melanesian minority, which at present numbers about 7,000.