Lombadina, Western Australia


Lombadina is a medium-sized Aboriginal community on the north-western coast of Western Australia on Cape Leveque, north of Broome. The name is derived from the Aboriginal word, "Lollmardinard". The community is inhabited by the Bardi people.
Lombadina is part of a single urban area that incorporates Djarindjin and Lombadina. At the 2016 Census, this single urban area had a total population of 397, including 312 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The Catholic mission was established with the help of Thomas Puertollano, a Filipino from Manila, in 191011. In 1916, to avoid it being taken over by the government of Western Australia, the land was bought by an Irishman, the brother of the controversial Redemptorist priest, John Creagh.

Native title

The community is located within the Determined Bardi Jawi native title claim area.

Education

Children of school age at Lombadina attend the Lombadina-Djarindjin Catholic Primary School. The school runs classes for students from pre-school to Year 10. The total number of students is approximately 90.

Governance

The community is managed through its incorporated body, Lombadina Aboriginal Corporation, incorporated under the Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976 on 16 July 1987.

Town planning

Lombadina Layout Plan No.3 was prepared in accordance with State Planning Policy 3.2 Aboriginal Settlements. It was endorsed by the WAPC in 2001, however has not been endorsed by the community and exists in draft format only.