{{Short description|Island in Western Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Location map |Western Australia |label=Coronation Island |lon_dir=E |lat_dir=S |lat_deg=14.9927 |lon_deg=124.9221 |position=left |width=300 |float=right |mark=Cercle rouge 100%.svg |marksize=20 |caption=Location of Coronation Island }} '''Coronation Island''', also known as '''Garlinju''', is located off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia. It encompasses an area of {{convert|3817|ha|acre|0}}.<ref name=SPA>{{cite web|url=http://conservation.wa.gov.au/media/8919/final%20version_14april2010.pdf|title=Status Performance Assessment: Biodiversity conservation of Western Australian Islands |date=1 April 2010|accessdate=4 August 2014|publisher=Government of Western Australia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314234512/https://www.conservation.wa.gov.au/media/8919/final%20version_14april2010.pdf |archive-date=14 March 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It is located off Port Nelson in the Bonaparte Archipelago, as a part of the group of islands known as the '''Coronation Islands''', which were named by Philip Parker King, the first European to visit the islands in 1820, after the anniversary of the coronation of George III, who had died in January of that year.<ref name=SPA/>
The traditional owners of the area are the Wunambal peoples, in whose language group of Wunambal the name for the island is Garlinju.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://museum.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/WAM_Supp81_Internals%20pp145-181.pdf|title=Biodiversity values on selected Kimberley Islands, Australia|author=T. Vigilante|year=2013|accessdate=4 August 2014|publisher=Western Australian Museum|display-authors=etal}} </ref> The area holds preservation status.
During the Second World War, a military installation was established for Allied special forces under training purposes, later known as '''Station XIII'''; The station housed Allied commando force Z Special Unit for training prior towards the ill-fated Operation Rimau,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Sleeping Beauties |url=https://www.sea.museum/2013/08/28/the-sleeping-beauties |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=www.sea.museum |language=en-GB}}</ref> executed by Lt. Col. Ivan Lyon of the British Army.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Operation RIMAU: The tragic sequel to JAYWICK |url=https://www.sea.museum/2013/08/28/the-sleeping-beauties |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=www.seapower.navy.gov.au |language=en-GB}}</ref> Allied forces remained within the training station after the disastrous attack, where they experimented upon the grounds with underwater vehicles such as the Motorised Submersible Canoe, along with the Welman and Welfreighter submersibles utilised by special forces. Z Special Unit resumed participating within clandestine operations around the Southeast Asian theatre shortly afterwards. A pier provided to accommodate boatcraft was constructed by the Royal Australian Engineers, circa 1943, and was in use for the remainder of the war before it was dismantled.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Careening Bay, Garden Island, WA. c. 1943. Temporary pier, 120 feet long, constructed with cribs ... |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C300799 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=www.avm.gov.au |language=en-GB}}</ref>
'''Careening Bay''' ('''Wunbung-gu'''<ref name=wgc/>) is a bay on the island, where King careened his cutter, {{HMS|Mermaid|1817|6}}, to make repairs. While on the island, the ship's carpenter engraved the name of the ship on a Boab tree (known as the Bodgurri by the Wunambal<ref name=wgc/>) that is still visible today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.syc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/RR-Report-Week-23.pdf|title=R&R Kimberley Adventure 2014 Week 23|date=31 July 2014|accessdate=4 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808053250/http://www.syc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/RR-Report-Week-23.pdf|archive-date=8 August 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Collins 2020">{{cite web | last=Collins | first=Ben | title=Boab tree bears markings of Phillip Parker King, an Australian explorer you may not have heard of | website=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=7 October 2020 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-08/boab-tree-bears-markings-of-phillip-parker-king/12734916 | access-date=6 November 2020}}</ref> Parker did not observe any of the local people, but made observations in his journal on the other signs of life that they observed. He described not only bark shelters on the beach, but more larger and more substantial buildings on top of the hill. He also observed the remnants of sago palm nuts, which were commonly eaten along the coast.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/site/careening-bay|website=Parks and Wildlife Service (Western Australia)|title=Careening Bay|access-date=10 November 2020}}</ref>
There is a Makassan Islamic mihrab (prayer alcove) behind the boab.<ref name=wgc/>
Careening Bay is within the Prince Regent National Park and a permit is required to visit the site.<ref name=wgc>{{cite web | title=Wunbung-gu (Careening Bay) | website=Wunambal Gaambera Country | url=https://www.wunambalgaambera.org.au/wunambal-gaambera-visitor-locations/wunbung-gu-careening-bay | access-date=9 November 2020 | archive-date=9 November 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109104035/https://www.wunambalgaambera.org.au/wunambal-gaambera-visitor-locations/wunbung-gu-careening-bay | url-status=dead }}</ref>
Priority flora found on the island include ''solanum cataphractum''.<ref name=SPA/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{coord|-14.9927|124.9221|format=dms|type:isle_region:AU-WA|display=title}}
Category:Bonaparte Archipelago