Pickataramoor

Pickatarmoor

There are two communities on Bathurst Island namely, Wurrumiyanga (approximately 1500 people ) and Wranku (approximately 50 people ). Melville Island has 2 communities, namely Pirlangimpi ( 500 people ) and Milikapiti ( 400 people ). Tiwi College is located at Pickataramoor. The school and its temporary residents now comprise the community of "Peaceful Picka".

The Elders of the Tiwi Land Council wished Tiwi College to be built at Pickataramoor as it was quite central to the 3 main communities of the islands. The Tiwi Land Council also has a new building at Pickataramoor where full meetings are held "overlooking the future of the Tiwi" – our college.

Thus Tiwi College is isolated from the rest of the communities of the islands. We pick students up each week – no easy task during "the wet", when monsoon trough deluge the islands with rain and turn some of our dirt roads in to shallow creeks! However we have the advantage of having our students on site and thus are able to be involved in a 24 hour learning environment, uninterrupted in order to help them be "work ready".

PICKATARAMOOR

Pickataramoor is the site of Tiwi College. Our community now comprises the community of Pickataramoor. What was once the site of a saw mill has been transformed for the education of the young Tiwi.

Map: Courtesy of Tiwi Land Council