Wadeye Health Centre
Location:
500km south west of Darwin at the mouth of the Fitzmaurice River, close to the coast of the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf.
Category:
Student and GPR
Population:
Approximately 2000
Major Language Groups:
Kardu Diminin people speak Murrinh-Patha, Kardu Piru Panguy speak Murrinh-Nuwanh, Kardu Yek Naninh speak Marti-Ke, Kardu Yek Thinti speak Amor, Kardu Darrinpirr speak Marringarr, Kardu Papa Ngala speak Murrinh Kura, and Kardu Thang Kural people speak Marri Jabin.
Road:
To Darwin (via Adelaide River): Approximately 7 hours (550km)
Air:
To Darwin: 1 hour
Seasonal Access:
The road to Wadeye becomes impassable in the “wet” season for about six months of each year. Daly River crossing floods also.
Outstations Serviced:
Kuy, Fossil Head, Yedder, Ditchi, Old Mission.
Description:
Wadeye (Port Keats) was founded by Catholic missionaries in1935. Before the first contact with white men, Maccasans from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi came by boat and traded for trepang (sea slug) with the Aboriginal people living along the coast. In 1941 the Catholic Missionaries started Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School. Today Wadeye is a vibrant community made up of different clan and language groups with a modern Health Centre, Traditional Credit Union, Community Club and an Arts and Crafts Centre.
Facilities:
Post office and bank agency, store, takeaway, clinic, police station and courthouse. A regular Barge service operates to Darwin for freight (approx 16 hours).
Links:
