ðɪ ˈaɪlənd bɪkˌeɪm ɐ stˈɑːpɪŋ pˈɔɪnt fɔːɹ wˈɔːɾɚ ænd ɹᵻpˈɛɹz fɔːɹ sˈeɪlɚz tɹɐvˈɜːsɪŋ ðə tˈɔɹəz stɹˈeɪt ɪn tɹˈeɪdɪŋ ʃˈɪps, ænd ɡˈʌvɚnmənt ʃˈɪps fɹʌmðɪ ˈɜːli dˈeɪz ʌv jˌʊɹɹəpˈiən kˌɑːlənəzˈeɪʃən, ænd mˈɛni lˈɛft ðɛɹ mˈɑːɹks bˈoʊθ ɐlˈɔŋsaɪd ænd ˌoʊvɚɹˈaɪɾɪŋ ðɪ ɪndˈɪdʒənəs ɹˈɑːk ˈɑːɹt.
The island became a stopping point for water and repairs for sailors traversing the Torres Strait in trading ships, and government ships from the early days of European colonisation, and many left their marks both alongside and overwriting the Indigenous rock art.