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Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire
Queensland
Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire; Queensland
	Location within Queensland
Coordinates	15°17′46″S 145°06′43″E / 15.296°S 145.112°E
Population	976 (2021 census)
• Density	0.8660/km2 (2.2430/sq mi)
Established	1986
Area	1,127 km2 (435.1 sq mi)
Mayor	Jason Grant Woibo
Council seat	Hope Vale
Region	Far North Queensland
State electorate(s)	Cook
Federal division(s)	Leichhardt
Website	Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire
	LGAs around Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire:

The Aboriginal Shire of Hope Vale is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Queensland, Australia, north of the town of Cooktown. The majority of the Shire consists of Deed of Grant land that is held for the benefit of Aboriginal people particularly concerned with the land and their ancestors and descendants.

In the 2021 census, the Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire had a population of 976 people, of whom 863 (88.4%) are Indigenous Australians.^[1]

History

Guugu Yimithirr (also known as Koko Yindjir, Gugu Yimidhirr, Guguyimidjir) is an Australian Aboriginal language of Hope Vale and the Cooktown area. The language region includes the local government area of the Aboriginal Shire of Hope Vale and the Shire of Cook, particularly the localities of Cape Bedford, Battle Camp and sections of the Normanby River and Annan River.^[3]

The area originally was set up as a German Lutheran mission in 1885 by missionaries, at what came to be known as the Cape Bedford Mission, 25 kilometres (16 mi) from what is now Hope Vale. The residents were evacuated to Woorabinda during World War II in 1942, and the land was used by the army. Many of the people died, and the survivors were not allowed to return until 1949. In September 1952, the land was formally gazetted as an Aboriginal reserve.

In 1986, under the Community Services (Aborigines) Act 1984, a Deed of Grant in Trust was given to the Hope Vale community. Like other DOGIT communities of the time, Hope Vale had a Community Council elected by Aboriginal people living in the community.

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire had a population of 918 people, of whom 897 (92.0% are Indigenous Australians.^[4]

In the 2021 census, the Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire had a population of 976 people, of whom 863 (88.4%) are Indigenous Australians.^[1]

Responsibilities

The Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council operates under the requirements set out in the Queensland Local Government Act. However, in the township of Hope Vale the council is also the Trustee of the land and as such has added responsibilities that are quite different from a typical local government body. This includes responsibility for fisheries, alcohol management and employment initiatives.

The Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council operates an Indigenous Knowledge Centre (Nganthaanun-Milbi\Guugu Magubadaaygu), at the Jack Bambie Memorial Centre, in Hope Vale.^[5]