K’GARI
N 2023 FRASER Island in Queensland was officially renamed K’gari. The shipwreck came ashore on the island. They named the island after their captain, James Fraser – so, presumably, they didn’t blame him for the shipwreck! Tim Burstall’s 1976 film was based on the (highly romanticised) story of the captain’s young wife. The new name, K’gari (pronounced gurri), is, in reality, much older. K’gari is the local Butchulla people’s traditional name for the island. The word translates to “paradise”, and is derived from the Butchulla people’s creation story.
