For decades, reaching the very tip of Australia has been a rite of passage for 4X4ers. After battling corrugations, river crossings and endless red dust, the reward is a photo under the famous Cape York sign, proof you made it to the northernmost point of the continent.
But the sign that’s been the centrepiece of so many trip albums has changed, and the update has sparked a wave of controversy.
The New Sign
The original marker read simply: “You are standing at the northernmost point of the Australian continent.” Earlier this year it was replaced. The new version acknowledges the traditional owners, reading: “You are standing on the land of the Gudang Yadhaykenu people ‘Pajinka’ at the northernmost point of the Australian continent.”
It didn’t take long for some visitors to push back. Photos have emerged of tourists covering the new plaque with homemade replicas of the old sign, then posing with their version for social media.
Outrage on Both Sides
For many 4X4ers, the old wording was iconic. They see the change as unnecessary, even politicising what should just be a bucket-list photo spot. Some online comments cheered on the makeshift replacements, asking for templates to make their own.
On the other side, traditional owners have called the act deeply disrespectful. Gudang Yadhaykenu man Michael Solomon said covering the plaque was not only offensive to Country, but also to the Federal Court’s 2019 native title determination that formally recognised 210,000 hectares in the region. Others online echoed the sentiment, calling the act inflammatory and dismissive of Aboriginal connection to the land.
More Than Just a Sign
The Cape York Tip has long been a flashpoint between tourists and traditional owners. Past incidents have included graffiti, unauthorised plaques and even nudity at the landmark. Now, there are calls for future visitors to be guided by rangers to prevent further clashes.
Where Do You Stand?
For 4X4ers, reaching Pajinka, Cape York’s Tip, is about adventure, achievement, and respect for this country. But this debate has made one thing clear: the sign means different things to different people.
Should the original sign have been left alone? Or is it only right that the traditional custodians are acknowledged front and centre?
We’d love to hear your thoughts, who’s in the right here?
53 comments
I believe that the updated sign should remain. We should be proud to acknowledge our indigenous custodians. The new sign serves a twofold purpose and should not be defaced by visitors. We are privileged to be able to access this area, so need to be respectful to those who take care of it.
Wokeness gone mad.This is divisive and unnecessary.We should all stand as one.Whoever thinks this is achieving anything is misguided.
I consider the replacement sign provocative.
The original sign made no reference to the State of Queensland nor the Torres Shire Council. Both those entities are legally recognised ‘custodians’ of the ‘tip’.
Maybe a way around the provocation is a sign stating “Future McDonalds site”.
Keep the updated sign. There is no threat to anyone by acknowledging traditional owners.
The original sign should have stayed as it was
Believed we are all one thus , all one nation – Australians
No need to be divisive
It’s wasn’t the original sign, even the one before was not.
The land has belonged to the TOs since before there was a sign or a road.
People covering it up need to know that their racism is showing.
My wife and I currently live and work in a remote community in the NT. (she is a teacher here) To those saying that “we’re one country”… come out here and see how the people here are treated by the rest of “the country”.
the new sign is simply an acceptance of the times and of the facts. I rode my mountainbike to the old sign in 1995 and look forward to drive to the new one one day as well.
Some very narrow minded comments on here. Respect the country, respect the TO’s.
If you don’t like it stay home, your bigoted views aren’t needed here.
Always was, always will be.
Should be kept as original sign. All this country has gone mad. We are ALL ONE.
I sat on a rock, then I moved from the rock, another person then sat on the same rock. Does that mean that I have the right to come back to the rock and say you can not sit there because it is my rock, I was there first. Just saying.
We are all only here for a short period in time so just forget diversive behaviour and be one people.
The original sign was for all people, just stating that you are at the tip of Australia
A sign acknowledging the traditional owners of the country is not a threat to anyone. Perhaps a sign not acknowledging the traditional owners could also be seen as divisive. Surely the point of adventuring in Cape York is to eventually make it to the tip, get the obligatory photo then move on and explore a bit more, no matter what is on the sign. The way things are going, some mindless buffoon will no doubt steal the sign again, such is a sign of “modern” times.
The joke is “ it’s offensive to cover the new one up “” . Who cares what the sign is put up whatever you want it’s OUR country not some individual group so let’s be proud of it
I agree with Dan. Show some resect. The To’s walked around here for thousands of years. Who do you think looked after it so you can bash up here in your 4×4’s and litter the place.
This white fella is on his way up there soon and I won’t be showing a bit of racism by covering their sign. Respect or stay out. Like you expect at your house.
I agree with Peter. We are all Australians and these places belong to all otherwise we will have signs popping up everywhere for all Nationalities that make up our great wide land. Because my Great great grandfather walked on some land doesn’t make it ours for all time. We all accept help from our elected government but we live by the laws and rules of Australia as should all Australians. Claiming land because my great great relatives walked there doesn’t pass the pub test.
I think its racist to all Australians
Its our country to.
I am over the constant pushing to recognise this or that. We are suppose to be one nation but it seems that there are people that constantly wants to seperate us. Enough is enough and leave the original sign.
We all live in one country, and that’s what it should be. But dollars seem to come involved with everything. Who owes who? This is my country. I was born here as well. If this isn’t my country, where do I belong?
Want rangers to guide you to the tip? Money money money it’s an indigenous world!
If the original sign needed replacing, then it should have been replaced with the same wording.
The claim to tribal lands can be on another sign, back along the road. This new sign is divisive as per so many comments, so let’s separate the message.
The new sign is surely in line with the recognition of the grant of Native Title by the Federal Court.
I didn’t realise what a rasist bigoted place we live in. I suppose you lot who think you can say and do what you like are sovereign citizens and probably a large number are one nation supporters. You show no respect for anybody but your own selfish selves.
I do understand those that happily accept it. However I cant help thinking all actions like this do, is actually grow the divide. We have so much & ever increasing restricted, or no access already & for many reasons. It will keep going the plans are made far earlier than any good economic plan this country has seen for a very long time.
Its really doesnt worry me, but itvis nice to know who to sue if something does go wrong whilst on the land.
The Indigenous Australians are already shown respect, with 60% of Australia under native title and many of these areas off limits to white Australians even if they show respect. Australia needs to be united some of these decisions aren’t helpful in my opinion.
It doesn’t really worry me but where will it stop. But where will it stop. Will every street sign one day say,” xxxx street, land of the ……people”
I don’t mind. But let’s just start getting on with each other. My ancestors were slay and tortured for more than 2000years. We should never forget but learn and move on.
It’s gone too far – the sign says that the land belongs to the Gudang Yadhaykenu people. I would say that the land belongs to all Australians and the original inhabitants have deep cultural ties to the land. This claim of ownership has gone too far. I am Australian, my parents were born here, I was born here, my children were born here and their children are born here. I’m over paying for permits to travel cross our country and over being locked out of our own country. It’s time to stop this nonsense of segregation. We are all Australians and we all own this wonderful land.
As with Ayers Rock 4% of the population (which is highly diluted) changed the name to Uluru. Now 96% of the population can no longer visit our once public landmark.
It is much easier to become ingingernous than argue the point. There will be 5% of us next year.
Easy fixed, get your phot at the tip away from the sign, you know you were there, you don’t need a sign to tell you.
Let’s take white fella roads and cars away. And just walk the country, my black brothers, to be fair.
F@#k OFFOver this woke crsp……
belongs to all Australians
I will not take a photo with that sign…
and if rangers want to escorts me there, not interested in going
I do not understand why some people cannot accept that there were people here, long before European Migration and Settlement began. I do not see an issue with acknowledging our traditional custodians on any natural landmark. Same as Uluru and K’Gari.
The land is owned by the Gudang Yadhaykenu people ‘Pajinka’ by lawful decree. If you own a house, you have the right to claim ownership of the land and put a sign on it that says it’s yours. Yes, we are all Australians. No one is debating that. Colonisation took the land of the people away without compensation. How would you feel if we were colonised now, and your land was taken, with no compensation? And not only that, your way of life, language, and children were taken, and you were either killed or made slaves. Other than acknowledging the landowners, you can still visit. Why not be grateful you don’t live in a country torn apart by dictators?
The first sign was just a geographical statement. Simple pure and elegant.
This new sign is fine. If it causes division, then the division is in your mind and you need to think again. In no way is the wording divisive by itself, it’s your mind that’s divisive. When (if ever) Australia does become “one country” then we can perhaps go back to the old sign. For now, it is serving a purpose.
The original sign clear and concise, a statement of fact.
Cape York the savage frontier by Rodney Liddell should be read by those going to the tip.
Who desecrated the graves as Somerset ?
Who destroyed Somerset?
Who destroyed the Pajinka resort?
I am ambivalent regarding the wording on the sign, and I don’t consider the new wording to offensive but I will say I’m glad I had my photo taken at the sign before some feeble minded redneck thought it a good idea to try and shoot holes in it. That’s the mentality of some of the visitors we share that beautiful place with.
Why can’t the sign just say “This is the furthest tip of Australia” and be done with it. The native animals were here before the Homo sapiens were here!
The original sign should have stayed- That is for all people – black white pink blue green etc –!!
Leave the indigenous sign, but everyone take their own sign but place the indigenous in the corner of photo, everyone is happy.
Respect the TOs, the country and this special place to the TOs!
No place for bogan 4x4rs who don’t respect the country!
Stay away if this sign offends!
Glad I visited The Tip when the original sign was in place. Glad I visited Fraser Island when all visitors called it that. Glad I visited Ayers Rock and climbed it while I still could, T/O’s can call any place or locality what they and so should we have the same freedom to do so, it makes no difference to either . Saddling the country with unpronouncable makes absolutely no sense to the vast majority of the population. and being forced to pay for the use of roads and facilities provided and paid for is completely wrong.
It’s only a sign- get over it people. We should all learn to respect each other regardless of race we are DLL visitors here be it from 100,000 years ago or lady week.
Respect / we live in the greatest country on earth and should be thankful to all those that came before us, for looking after it. Pity I can’t say the current crop have the same ethic and respect- sick of picking up other peoples rubbish.
The old sign was none political or divisive. I think it’s gone to far, acknowledgement is one thing, ownership is another. I was born in this country too as were my parents. I dont like the fact that I have to keep paying to go into public areas and additionally pay taxes and welfare to also help maintain these areas only to then be told it belongs to other people. Are we one country or not. I have respect for all people but it needs to be mutual.
The new sign has undoubtedly created an adverse reaction for many. This surely should have been anticipated. Why would traitional owners intentionally throw fuel onto the fire if they genuinely want reconciliation ? Or perhaps they actually don’t want it ? It is totally irrelevant for some to state that we should all respect the Traditional Owners. That respect needs to be earned but it’s blatantly clear that the opposite is occurring around the country. This political correctness continues to fail and is making society even more divided.
It’s the same as when Ayers rock was officially recognized as Uluru. There was a backlash from some in the community, I didn’t agree at the time either, but now as I approach retirement all I wish for is these places remain open. A sign is just a sign.
If you enter my land all I ask of you is respect.
If I enter someone else’s land (ie traditional lands) I will afford them the same respect I expected.
Both sides of the argument need to chill a bit .
It’s a shame a simple thing like a sign creates so much angst. The common sense approach would have been for the Indigenous Council to supply a sign with their message displayed next to, or in the vicinity of, the original sign. Keep the original, because it has history too. However, as long as it is “US ” and ” THEM ” in the conversation, nothing will change. And that is from both sides.
Just have both signs.
Trashing of an icon. It was a marker of the Australian mainland. Talk of tours only, what a joke. After you give a kidney for the ferry ride and permits to travel our own country. We give this land away not to be cared for, it comes with more permits and a way to scam an income for a few. The new sign is divisive and hopefully will not last.
The easiest way to stop all this, is to simple put up 2 signs one for each culture
Do we really need a sign?
“Sign, sign
Everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery
Breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that
Can’t you read the sign?“