Australia officially renamed a vast Unesco-protected island off its east coast on Wednesday, replacing a colonial-era name with the Aboriginal word K'gari.
Fraser Island – home to a World Heritage site – will now be called K'gari, a Butchulla-language word linked to the island's creation story.
“I'm proud that today we can officially welcome K'gari home, and reinstate the name used by traditional owners for all these years,” said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
The island, a sandy ribbon nestled in turquoise-blue waters, is a popular destination for tourists, with more than half a million people visiting each year.
It is also prized by scientists for its large population of dingoes, native wild dogs, rich rainforests, freshwater lakes and complex dune systems.
In Aboriginal belief, K'gari was a white spirit sent by gods to form the land and seas.
A traditional “smoking ceremony” marked the name change.
Palaszczuk described the move as a step towards reconciliation and away from Australia's troubled colonial past, which saw the widespread abuse and murder of the continent's first inhabitants.
“While steps like this can't change the wrongs of the past, it goes a long way to building a future where all Queenslanders value, trust and respect each other,” she said.
The island had been named after James Fraser, a British captain whose ship was wrecked in the area in 1836.
It has become increasingly common for Australians to refer to places by Aboriginal names.
The famed Ayers Rock formation in central Australia is now better known as Uluru, while Melbourne is increasingly referred to by the name Naarm.
Australians will hold a referendum later this year to decide whether to recognise Indigenous peoples in the constitution and to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander body that would be consulted on legislation.
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
