A local Aboriginal corporation has bought and renamed the Captain Cook Shopping Centre in the remote Northern Territory town of Nhulunbuy, with its first act removing the long-standing signage.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the name of an Indigenous person who has died, used with the permission of his family.
British explorer James Cook never visited Nhulunbuy in north-east Arnhem Land on his voyages, but his namesake shopping centre has been a fixture in the town for decades.
The acquisition of the complex by the Gumatj Corporation comes as the town faces a crossroads, with the impending end of its biggest employer Rio Tinto’s bauxite mining project.
Michael Yunupiŋu says the Gumatj Corporation is “looking towards the future” after taking over the business. (ABC News: Tim Leslie)
The shopping complex contains Nhulunbuy’s post office, a hardware store and a café.
Gumatj Corporation director Michael Yunupiŋu said the former name represented a now bygone-era for the mining township, and removing the signs helped open a new chapter.
“It’s what makes this story sweeter, in a sense, that a Yolŋu corporation was able to take the sign down, change the name and is looking towards the future,” he said.
The latest acquisition forms part of the corporation’s history of economic development, including the Gunyaŋara timber mill. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)
Mr Yunupiŋu, the grandson of former Australian of the Year and late land rights warrior Galarrwuy Yunupiŋu, was at the helm of negotiations to acquire the centre.
He said it would help bring stability and economic independence to the community and his people as the region enters a period of uncertainty with the mining project’s wind down.
“For us, it’s empowerment,” he said.
“We’re able to have this business under our clan entity, and that just presents a huge opportunity for our local workers, Yolŋu workforce, to come in and pave the way.”A ‘defining moment’ for locals
Mr Yunupiŋu said he believed his grandfather, who died in 2023, would have been “really, really proud” to see his Gumatj people making further strides towards self-determination.
“The fact that we are thinking ahead — he was always a visionary,” he said.
“He was always thinking 50, 60 years ahead, and he would’ve been very proud that we’ve made this strategic decision that will support our community and anchors our future.”
The acquisition comes as the town prepares for its major employer’s exit in 2029. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)
Gumatj Corporation’s long-term chief executive Klaus Helms, who was a lifelong friend and business partner of Galarrwuy Yunupiŋu’s, said it was a “defining moment” for the clan organisation.
“Securing this significant community asset into traditional owner custodianship gives us the ability to shape the future of this precinct, grow local enterprise, create employment and ensure the wealth generated in our region stays in our region,” he said.
In the past, the Gumatj Corporation has been involved with other significant economic projects for the Gove region, including creating its own timber mill in the community of Gunyaŋara.
The new start marks the latest chapter in the Gumatj Corporation’s history as it looks toward a post-mining future. (Supplied: Gumatj Retail)
The centre’s acquisition also marks the end of another positive legacy for the peninsula, with the departure of long-term Nhulunbuy businessman Bob van Oostrum.
An official ceremony to mark the centre’s handover will be held at the complex today.