The Whitsunday Islands: initial historical and archaeological observations and implications for future work

Abstract

The Cumberland and Northumberland Island Groups, more commonly known as the Whitsunday Islands, form the largest offshore island chain on the east coast of Australia. Between 20ºS and 21ºS latitudes there are 37 large islands ranging in size from 10,931ha (Whitsunday Island) to 100ha and a further 96 islands less than 100ha in size. Combined they cover an area of 35,296ha or 3,529km². Some of these were surveyed for archaeological sites in September, 1982, as part of a continuing investigation of islands off the Queensland coast (Rowland 1980, 1982a and 1984).