World Heritage Fraser Island officially restored to Indigenous name, K’gari, supported by public

The world’s largest sand island off the coast of Queensland, formerly known as Fraser Island, has officially been renamed K’gari.

Pronounced “Gurrie”, K’gari means “paradise” to the Butchulla people.

K’gari will now appear on official maps and road signs.

Traditional owners say the name change symbolises something greater than labels.

“It’s been an eight-year battle to actually get [here] … the fight was a journey of strength and courage,” Butchulla elder Chris Royan said.

“As traditional owners, we have always called it K’gari – so for us to officially get the rest of Queensland and Australia to call it K’gari, is really important.”

In local Indigenous creation stories, K’gari is the name of the White Spirit who helped create Butchulla country.

The popular tourist destination was named Fraser Island after Captain James Fraser and his wife Eliza, who were shipwrecked on the island in the 1830s.

Historians say after Ms Fraser was rescued, she spread stories about the local Butchulla community that led to the dispossession and genocide of First Nations people.

“It’s time for the story of Aboriginal removal to be told.

“It’s a sad story but it’s the real story.”

Supported by the public

The World Heritage Committee officially changed the name of the World Heritage Area of the island to K’gari in 2021 – but Fraser Island remained the official place name.

The Queensland Department of Resources opened public consultation on the name change in August last year.

More than 6,000 submissions were received, with about 70 per cent in favour of restoring the name K’gari.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was a historic day.

“From now on, all Queenslanders should refer to it as its rightful name, K’gari.”

Four title deeds for more than 19 hectares of land on K’gari have also been handed back to the Butchulla people.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the handback was about recognising the people who had cared for the area for more than 60,000 years.

“It’s land with cultural significance, this land means they can bring together community and they can pass on cultural knowledge,” he said.

“One special condition of this is that the land can’t be sold, so it’s about handing it down from generation to generation.

Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation chairperson Gale Minniecon said she acknowledged the changes could be an adjustment for tourists on the island.

“People will feel that they can’t deal with the change,” she said.

“They will experience loss, but it won’t be anywhere near the loss that our old people experienced back then.

“They didn’t have their heart, their soul, their spirit broken.”