Dunk

Geography

The named islands within the locality include (from north to south):

Mound Island (Purtaboi Island, 17.9253°S 146.1364°E / -17.9253; 146.1364 (Mound Island))

Dunk Island (Coonanglebah, 17.9453°S 146.1578°E / -17.9453; 146.1578 (Dunk Island))

Mung Um Gnackum Island (17.9511°S 146.1419°E / -17.9511; 146.1419 (Mung Um Gnackum Island))

Kumboola Island (17.9555°S 146.1421°E / -17.9555; 146.1421 (Kumboola Island))

Wolngarin Island (17.9689°S 146.1808°E / -17.9689; 146.1808 (Wolngarin Island))

Thorpe Island (Timana, 17.9821°S 146.1369°E / -17.9821; 146.1369 (Thorpe Island))

Bedarra Island (Richards Island, 18.0042°S 146.1486°E / -18.0042; 146.1486 (Bedarra Island))

Pee Rahm Ah Island (18.0062°S 146.1583°E / -18.0062; 146.1583 (Pee Rahm Ah Island))

Wheeler Island (18.0261°S 146.1667°E / -18.0261; 146.1667 (Wheeler Island))

Smith Island (18.0379°S 146.1999°E / -18.0379; 146.1999 (Smith Island))

Coombe Island (18.0400°S 146.1772°E / -18.0400; 146.1772 (Coombe Island))

Bowden Island (Budg-Joo Island, 18.043°S 146.1972°E / -18.043; 146.1972 (Bowden Island))

Hudson Island (Coolah, 18.0503°S 146.2017°E / -18.0503; 146.2017 (Hudson Island))

Many of the islands are entirely within the Family Islands National Park (from north to south): Mound, Dunk (partially), Mung Um Gnackum, Kumboola, Wolngarin, Pee Rahm Ah Island, Wheeler, Smith, Coombe, Bowden and Hudson.

History

The locality presumably takes its name from the largest island, Dunk Island.

HMS Paluma arrived in Brisbane on 7 May 1885. Construction cost 35,000 pounds sterling. The ship's name was the Aboriginal word for "thunder". Over the next eight years, Paluma conducted survey work on the Great Barrier Reef for the Admiralty. The European names of many of the islands reflect the names of the officers on the Paluma: Lieutenant G. Richards, commander; Lieutenants Wheeler, Combe and Bowden-Smith; Dr. Thorpe, surgeon, and Mr. Hudson, engineer.

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Dunk had a population of 21 people.

In the 2021 census, Dunk had a population of 23 people.

Education

There are no schools in Dunk. The alternatives are distance education and boarding school.