Lardil Contact History

The relocation of Burketown residents to Sweers Island after outbreak of "gulf fever"

Custom Officers shot at Kaiadilt people when they were fishing at Sweers Island

Due to commercial operators interest in the gulf region, visits by non-Indigenous peoples became more frequent.

The Government declared all islands in the Wellesley group to be Aboriginal reserves, an attempt to exclude recruiters from the southern gulf region.

In 1912, Howard appealed to the government to establish a "protectionist presence" on Mornington Island. In 1914, a mission was established. Missionary Rev. Hall arrived in May of 1914 to aid in the running of the mission.

Rev. Hall was killed by a Kaiadilt man in 1917, and was replaced with Rev. Robert Wilson in 1918 by the government.

Oral histories refer to the murder of 11 Kaiadilt individuals.

Dormitories were introduced as a way to isolate children for their education and Christian conversion from their traditional culture.

It was used to treat health problems at the mission including hookworm, whooping cough, gastro enteritis and mosquito-born illnesses.