The Country
Lockhart River Aboriginal community is 850 kms north of Cairns and is nestled between Quintel Beach and nearby lush lowland rainforest, which has a magnificent bird life that draws watchers from across the world. The beach has panoramic views and features as a common thread in the artists’ work.
Lockhart River is accessible by air through Skytrans Airlines. Private charter flights and other operators also fly into Lockhart. The community is accessible by road during the dry season between May and mid-December each year. Wet Season starts between December and early May. It is advisable that road travellers check the Bureau of Meteorology for updated information prior to commencement of travel.
Fishing is the most popular past time activity at Lockhart River. Locals are skilled and they use various methods for fishing including the use of handline with bait.
The main Aboriginal languages of the Lockhart River region are a group of closely related dialects with Kuuku Ya’u, Uutaalnganu and Umpila from the coastal regions, while the inland dialects are Southern Kaanju and Northern Kaanju. There is also the Wuthathi language group from the Shelburne/Margaret Bay region. Lockhart Creole is the home language in the Lockhart River community.