In 1900, the Church of England created the Diocese of Carpentaria, based on Thursday Island. Securing a grant from the Queensland Government, Gilbert White (the first Bishop of the Diocese of Carpentaria), turned to Ernest Gribble for help in establishing a mission at Mitchell River. Gribble had considerable experience running the Yarrabah Mission near Cairns. The land was gazetted as an Aboriginal reserve on 10 January 1903. In 1905, Gribble, Bishop White and their staff established a permanent mission at Mitchell River.