Thursday Island - Day 64

THURSDAY ISLAND, AUSTRALIA
Thursday Island was once home to a thriving pearl fishing industry. From the late 19th century, divers came from Japan, Malaysia and India to harvest these precious stones. The diving has declined, but traces of Asia's diverse influences remain. The island's Green Hill Fort was built during the 1890s with growing concerns of a potential Russian invasion. The fort was shut down just 30 years later and reactivated during World War II as a wireless station. Many islanders, still to this day, abide by a no-footwear policy out of respect for the spirits of their ancestors. Aboriginal flag’s design consists of a colored rectangle divided in half horizontally. The top half of the flag is black to symbolise Aboriginal people. The colour green is for the land. The dharri or deri is a symbol for all Torres Strait Islanders. The black represents the people. The blue is for the sea. The five-pointed star represents the island groups. Used in navigation, the star is also an important symbol for the sea-faring Torres Strait Islander people. The color white of the star represents peace.Read more