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People group profile · PG008118

The Wik-Ngathan of Australia

The Wik-Ngathan of Australia, numbering about 2,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Indigenous Australian Wik people of the western Cape York Peninsula whose traditional country lies along the Gulf of Carpentaria coast and who are associated with the closely related Wik-Ngathan and Wik-Ngatharr languages.

They are an indigenous people in the Aboriginal Australians people cluster of the Pacific Islander Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak English.

Pray for the Wik-NgathanPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Wik-Ngathan people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Wik-Ngathan

Fast facts

Country
Australia
Population
2,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Aboriginal Australians
Primary language
English (eng)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
20% or Greater but Less than 30%
GSEC
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority
Significantly Reached People Group
Region
Australia and New Zealand, Oceania
Location
Queensland: Cape York peninsula, west coast below Aurukun

Where they live

Gospel status

The Wik-Ngathan are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Wik-Ngathan

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Protestantism · Christianity

30% adherents

Primary language

English

100% speak English

Gospel resources in English

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories available

Films

  • JESUS (English, North American Indigenous)

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Wik-Ngathan

  1. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  2. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  3. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  4. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.

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