Black Star Radio NPA

Frequency: 91.9 FM

Site Location : Bamaga

The combined serviced at Bamaga commenced in 2009 and connected to the Black Star network on 24 August 2011.

Bamaga is the administrative centre for the NPA and is close to the tip of Cape York, 921 km north of Cairns and 35 kms southwest of Thursday Island. The traditional lands of the Injinoo people extend from the Skardon River on the west coast and Captain Billy’s Landing on the east coast up to Pajinka at the top of Cape York. The community is the homeland of most of the traditional owners of the land that makes up the 5 Northern Peninsula Area communities : Anggamuthi, Atambaya, Wuthathi, Yadhaikgana, and Gudang.

the Five communities are Bamaga, Injinoo, New Mapoon, Seisia and Umagico

Radio service were upgraded alongside the amalgamation of the councils in 2008-9. QRAM upgraded the 5 original services in each community to a single service area site in Anu Street Bamaga in 2009. The original 5 BRACS each had a different frequency and low power transmission, so you had to change frequency as you drive a few k’s up the road!

The new FM transmitter has a 250w ERP (power) and the service now covers all of the communities in the NPA,and also extends to some of the Torres Strait islands.

On August 24, 2011, QRAM launched it’s broadband pilot program Black Star in the NPA. The popularity of the service and new format lead to its extension across other rremote stations in the Cape and Gulf regions as Councils saw the benefit and elected to join. Read more about Black Star here.

Bamaga is the administrative centre for the NPA and is close to the tip of Cape York, 921 km north of Cairns and 35 kms southwest of Thursday Island. The traditional lands of the Injinoo people extend from the Skardon River on the west coast and Captain Billy’s Landing on the east coast up to Pajinka at the top of Cape York. The community is the homeland of most of the traditional owners of the land that makes up the 5 Northern Peninsula Area communities : Anggamuthi, Atambaya, Wuthathi, Yadhaikgana, and Gudang.

The NPA has an area of 1063 square km and a population of 2164 (Bamaga 869, Injinoo 463, New Mapoon 381, Seisia 184, Umagico 267). In 2008, the 5 communities of Bamaga, Injinoo, New Mapoon, Seisia & Umagico amalgamated as the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council. Languages spoken by NPA residents include English, Torres Strait Creole, Kriol, Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Kalaw Lagaw Ya, and Mauritian Creole

The Queensland Government established a settlement at Somerset (Pulu) in 1864. Over the next 40 years, introduced diseases decimated the Aboriginal population in the area. The 5 major groupings – Anggamuthi, Atambaya, Wuthathi, Yadhaykenu and Gudang – created their own settlement.

Seisia is the main port for the NPA. Bamaga is the area’s commercial & administrative centre, and major government services are located there. Bamaga’s community services include a hospital, health centre, ambulance service, family resource centre, healing centre, healthy lifestyles centre, home and community care, women’s shelter and crisis shelter. There is also a pre-school, primary & secondary schools, and a TAFE college.