Major Island Off Queensland Coast Could Be Given New ‘Indigenous Name’

Great Keppel Island off the coast of Queensland could be renamed ‘Woppa.’

A photo taken on Sept. 22, 2014, shows fish swimming through the coral on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The 2,300-kilometre-long reef contributes A$5.4 billion (US$4.8 billion) annually to the Australian economy. William West/AFP via Getty Images

A move by the Queensland government to potentially rename a tropical paradise to reflect its Indigenous ownership has sparked debate about whether the change is unnecessarily divisive.

The 1,300-hectare Great Keppel Island off the coast of Rockhampton could be renamed by the Queensland Labor government should a development proposal be upheld, however, Labor has made no official announcement that the plan will go ahead.