Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles says plans are underway to build a cyclone shelter at Warruwi in the wake of two evacuations since February.
On Monday 23 March, 427 Warruwi residents were flown to Darwin on 51 separate flights as Cyclone Nathan headed towards the West Arnhem coast.
This followed a similar evacuation on 19 February prior to Cyclone Lam.
On Monday March 25, the day after Cyclone Nathan crossed the coast between Maningrida and Warruwi, Mr Giles told ABC News it was ‘quite evident’ the island needed a cyclone shelter.
West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) Mayor Lothar Siebert welcomed the news.
“The West Arnhem Regional Council will bend over backwards to see this built with our help.
WARC Deputy Mayor James Marrawal backed calls from Warruwi residents to build the shelter before the next wet.
“The NT Government needs to talk to people who live on Goulburn Island, because we are the ones who suffer when a cyclone hits.
“Our priority is to see a good cyclone shelter built so we don’t have to keep flying up and back.”
He said the work should be done using local labour and provide Indigenous training opportunities.
WARC Community Services Manager at Warruwi Kupa Teao said police called on residents shortly before to assemble at the Recreation Hall for the emergency airlift.
“At approximately 5am the planes started arriving to evacuate everyone off the island.”
Residents were housed at the Darwin showgrounds, returning to their homelands on 20 flights two days later.
