Overview
Coen's population is around 300 in the Dry season and more in the Wet, as people come in from Outstations or Homelands. Indigenous people make up over 80% of this number, composed of members of several language groups from the surrounding region. Coen was founded as a log fort beside the Coen River by Robert Sefton in 1876. The River's name, which it adopted, was chosen more than 200 years earlier by a Dutch explorer on the West Coast, after the Governer of Batavia (Dutch East Indies) who was Jan Pieterszoon Coen.
Sefton and William Lakeland had discovered the Batavia/Wenlock River goldfield in 1873. At the same time there had been a gold rush to Palmer River further South, and a track was cut from there to Coen in 1878-80. At first the gold was alluvial, and of poor quality, but reef gold was found and the Coen field was "proclaimed" in 1892. Additional finds nearby at Ebagoolah, 30 km South of Coen, extended the boom, but it was over by 1910.
Coen is 576 km from Cairns by road. Most people drive overland along the Peninsula Development Road or simply Peninsula Road. This runs from Lakeland, North of Mareeba, to Cape York, a continuation of the roads from Cairns, Port Douglas, and Mossman which are all good. Sections of road including Cooktown to Lakeland are sealed each dry season, but the Peninsula Road is largely unsealed, often stony, and can be treacherous. Often impassable in the Wet because of poor road condition and many water crossings which flood regularly. Can be quite good in the Dry after recent grading, but very dusty. So it is best travelled in a 4WD vehicle. Note that fuel, accident and repair services are limited; be prepared for all eventualities. An average road speed of 60- 80 km/hr can be expected. Average travel time from Cairns is therefore 8-9 hours with brief stops.
Coen has been working in partnership with Apunipima Cape York Health Council since 2006. Apunipima has worked in partnership with the Royal Flying Doctors Service to deliver training to the HAT Teams in Kowanyama, Pormpuraaw, Coen and Lockhart River.
Coen has completed the initial training programs that included: Good Governance Building Effective Volunteer Community Committees & Holding Community Meetings Strategic Planning & Evaluation Community Development Advocacy Conflict Management Communications Submission Writing Marketing & Promotion Service Planning Representatives from Coen attended two Cairns Health Action Team forums with the HATs from Kowanyama, Lockhart River and Pormpuraaw.
Health Action Team
The Coen Health Action Team (CHAT) meets monthly to work on community issues and issues with service delivery and at other times when quick action is needed. We have also begun program planning around some of the important health issues in Coen.
The measurement of capacity by the HAT team shows that there were existing strengths in participation, organisational structures and leadership. The HAT felt that participation in decision making by its members had been maintained, that this was promoted by the organisational structure of the group and that they had established mechanisms to share information. The HAT leadership was functioning well internally but did not have established links with other community leaders. In general, capacity was quite low, the HAT was in the early stages of development and had not established itself as a key community-based organisation. This latter issue was identified by the HAT as an important next step to build its capacity.
The Health Action Team members are;
- Ms. Karen Liddy (Chairperson)
- Ms. Georgina Coleman (Deputy Chair)
- Ms. Deanne Greenwool (Secretary)
- Mr. Roy Robertson
- Mr. Patrick Claudie
- Mr. Lindsey Bassini
- Ms. Elaine Liddy
- Ms Lavina Thomas
For more information, please contact Ramana Walker on;
Phone: (07) 4060 1166 Fax: (07) 4060 1151
Address: c/o Post Office - COEN QLD 4871