Groote Eylandt

Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the fourth largest island in Australia. It is the homeland of, and is owned by, the Warnindhilyagwa who speak the isolated Anindilyakwa language.Groote Eylandt lies about 50km from the Northern Territory mainland and eastern coast of Arnhem Land, about 630km from Darwin, opposite Blue Mud Bay. The island measures about 50km from east to west and 60km from north to south; its area is 2,326.1km2. It is generally quite low-lying, with an average height above sea level of 15m, although Central Hill reaches an elevation of 219m. It was named by the explorer Abel Tasman in 1644 and is Dutch for "Large Island" in an archaic spelling. The modern Dutch spelling is Groot Eiland.AdministrationTogether with Bickerton Island and a few smaller satellite islands, Groote Eylandt forms Anindilyakwa Ward of East Arnhem Region. It contains the communities of Angurugu, Alyangula, Umbakumba, Yadagba District, Uburamudja District and Sandy Hill (Groote Eylandt) and Milyakburra District (Bickerton Island).Outside the local government subdivision is the mining company GEMCO town of Alyangula, which is unincorporated territory within the Northern Region of Northern Territory.