Early years Located on Thangoo Station south of Broome, La Grange had been a government rations distribution post for Karajarri and
Ngungamada people. Being in the
pearling region, there was much contact between Asian
pearling crews and local Aboriginal women. In 1903 and a
constable and
tracker were stationed there. The WA administration prevented the local
Salesians from establishing a mission there. During
World War II, German Pallottines made enquiries, but Germans were not allowed on the coast by the
Australian Army. In late 1948, desert people from
Udialla were moved there by the government, and plans for a children's institution were mooted. In the 1950s, after two lay missionaries had started a school,
Frankfurt anthropologists
Helmut Petri and his wife Dr
Gisela Odermann began to conduct fieldwork at La Grange. In January 1956 the Pallottines, presided over by Fr. Hügel, took charge of the mission, and
dormitories, a dining hall,
hospital and other buildings were built. Other missionaries joined them, and prayers, a collection of
Bible stories, and an outline of kinship terms were published in the local languages. It was considered an "enlightened" mission. On 12 December 2002 the case known as "
John Dudu Nangkiriny & Others on behalf of the Karajarri People v The State of Western Australia & Others", or "Karajarri People (Area A)" (ref. WCD2002/001) determined that native title exists in the entire area. The claim to Area B was finalised on 8 September 2004, with "Nangkiriny v State of Western Australia [2004], FCA 1156", when it was determined that native title existed in parts of Area B only, giving the Karajarri non-exclusive native title rights over the land and waters in this area. ==Climate==