About Torres Strait

The Torres Strait Islands are located between the tip of Queensland and Papua New Guinea.  They are a part of Queensland.  17 of the islands are inhabited and Thursday Island is the administrative center of the Island group.  Torres Strait Islanders are indigenous Australians of Melanesian origins.

There are several traditional languages, each language belonging to an Island group.
The Near Western Islands speak the traditional language of Kala Lagaw Ya.
The Top Western Islands speak Kalaw Kawaw Ya.
The traditional language of the Central Islands is Kulkal Gau Ya.
The Eastern Islands speak Meriam Mir.


There are 4 main types of islands - 
1. Flat deltaic = Saibai & Boigu Islands
2. Submerged ranges = Thursday, Horn, Hammond, Prince of Wales, Moa, Badu, Yam, Mabuiag & Dauan Islands 
3. Extinct volcanoes = Stephen, Darnley & Murray Islands
4. Flat sand cays = Yorke, Coconut & Warraber Islands.

(Referenced from Tagai State College Local Accommodation Committee Handbook, 2012, 
with information originally by John Singe, 1987)