Nhulunbuy lies on the Gove Peninsula in north-eastern Arnhem Land, about 650 kilometres from Darwin. It did not grow gradually from a farm, port or coaching stop. It was developed on Yolŋu country as a service town for bauxite mining and alumina production. In nearby Yirrkala, Yolŋu leaders presented the Bark Petitions in 1963 after land was opened to mining without adequate consultation. The town's history was therefore never only an industrial history.
The alumina refinery has ceased production, and Rio Tinto currently expects the last bauxite to be mined in 2029. Mining provided employment and also supported roads, electricity, port facilities and housing. When the dominant employer leaves, responsibility for managing those assets and paying for their maintenance will directly affect whether community life can remain stable.
Nhulunbuy makes the transition problem facing Australian resource towns unusually clear. The future cannot be reduced to finding another industry to replace the mine. Land rehabilitation, infrastructure transfer and new economic activity must place the rights and decisions of Yolŋu Traditional Owners at the centre. Mining can have an end date; the local society cannot be treated as what remains after a project.
https://www.riotinto.com/en/operations/anz/gove
https://eastarnhem.nt.gov.au/communities/yirrkala
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