The Djiru people are the Traditional Owners of the Mission Beach region.
Djiru country extends from Maria Creek in the north to Hull River in the south, and from Dunk Island in the east to El Arish and East Feluga inland. This landscape, comprised of rainforest and coastal areas, has sustained the Djiru people for thousands of years, offering them everything they needed for survival—food, medicine, materials, and spiritual connection.
Artwork by Leonard Andy, C4 Indigenous Coordinator / Djiru Traditional Owner
Djiru people have an intimate connection with their environment.
This connection is not just spiritual but also practical; their traditional knowledge was essential to managing and preserving the delicate ecosystems of their Country.
Culturally significant practices such as hunting, fishing, and ceremonial gatherings were central to Djiru life, particularly at key locations like Clump Point, which remains a sacred site today. Through practices such as selective burning and seasonal harvesting, they helped maintain the balance of the region’s biodiversity.
Colonisation brought devastating challenges to the rainforest.
The period of Djiru history from the 1880s onward was marked by massacres, forced displacement, and profound cultural upheaval. Along with other indigenous groups in North Queensland, the Djiru were violently removed from their ancestral lands to places such as Palm Island, separated from their families, and disconnected from their sacred Country.
After this dispersement, new settlers set about clearing vast areas of rainforest to make way for agriculture, obliterating vital resources and causing lasting cultural damage. For the Djiru, the land was far more than a physical space; it was the foundation of their cultural and spiritual identity. The rainforest’s ecosystems were deeply intertwined with their traditions, ceremonies, and way of life. Its destruction not only erased sacred sites but also made traditional practices tied to the land impossible to sustain, severing a connection that had been central to the Djiru people’s existence for generations.
Djiru now lead local conservation and land management efforts, alongside regional and national organisations.
Key environmental projects have focused on restoring endangered littoral rainforests and protecting the habitats of species like the cassowary (Djiru: Goondoye).
By actively engaging in collaborative partnerships, Djiru people continue to protect the environment while also ensuring that valuable ecological knowledge is passed down to younger generations.