Media Release - Office of Township Leasing

A Restriction of Entry to the township of Wurrumiyanga has been issued for Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March 2020. The Executive Director of Township Leasing Ms Pennie Weedon holds a lease over the whole of the town and at the request of the Tiwi Aboriginal Land Trust, Tiwi Land Council, which represents all Traditional Owners and the broader Tiwi community, has issued the Restriction of Entry.

The annual Tiwi Islands AFL Grand Final is the premier sporting and cultural event for the remote Indigenous communities of Bathurst and Melville Islands.

The Grand Final coincides with an art fair featuring artworks from all the art centres on the islands and generally draws thousands of visitors.

Regrettably, due to the risk to public health currently posed by the potential spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, attendance at the 2020 Grand Final will be restricted to local residents only.

The decision by the Executive Director of Township Leasing to restrict access to Wurrumiyanga has been requested by the Traditional Owners who are concerned about protecting their elders and others who are vulnerable due to health conditions.

The Restriction of Entry is currently in place for Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March 2020.

An exemption applies to officials, support staff and media outlets holding valid permits.

Entry to Wurrumiyanga and other Tiwi Islands communities is also permissible for the delivery of emergency and essential services at this time such as health workers returning to community.