Galiwin’ku is the largest Yolŋu community in the East Arnhem region. It is located on the southern end of Elcho Island approximately 550km northeast from Darwin and 150km west of Nhulunbuy. Elcho Island is at the south end of the Wessel Island group with the Arafura Sea to the west and the Cadell Strait to the east.

The first research visit to Galiwin’ku was undertaken from 16th to 20th May 2022. The team worked with community research partner Yalu Aboriginal Corporation (Yalu) and co-researchers Yungirrnga Bukulatjpi, James Bayung, and Cyril Bukulatjpi, with support from Alice McCarthy. The team had a highly productive week engaging with local residents and agencies about telecommunications use, digital inclusion, and media use in Galiwin’ku and the Marthakal homelands located on Elcho Island.

This report is intended to assist local and regional agencies, including Yalu, East Arnhem Regional Council (EARC) and Northern Land Council, to better understand the key barriers to digital inclusion in Galiwin’ku. It is designed to provide a basis for a local digital inclusion plan through assisting in identifying infrastructure and program needs to enable a targeted approach for advocacy with government and industry stakeholders. The report will be updated following research visits in 2023 and 2024.