Indulkana, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Indulkana is an Aboriginal
community in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands
in South Australia
, comprising one of the six main communities on "The Lands" (the others being Ernabella/Pukatja, Amata, Fregon
/Kaltjiti
, Mimili and Pipalyatjara
). At the 2006 census
, Indulkana had a population of 315.
and approximately 360 kilometres south of Alice Springs. By road it is 1,200 kilometres north-west of Adelaide
.
Annual rainfall averages 222.6 millimetres.
(ABS) finding that in 1991 the population of Indulkana was 317 and in 1996 that figure rose to 330. If the population had continued to rise at this rate, the population could be as large as 1,200 as of 2010.
.
PY Media states on its website:
ABS
research indicated in 2003 that the 2001 census data showed that Indulkana had South Australia
's highest proportions of Aboriginal
residents (90%). Unlike other APY
communities, Indulkana did not have one of the State's highest proportion of Australian-born residents, nor a high proportion of single parent families.
Like other APY
communities, Indulkana did have one of the lowest percentages of home personal computer use (South Australia's lowest, 5%).
Indulkana was a standout from other APY
communities in that it ranked in other categories that its sister communities did not. For instance, Indulkana had the highest proportion of 0-14 year olds in the State (35.0%), the State's third highest proportion of Professionals or Associate Professionals in the State (41.8%, following wealthy Adelaide Hills
localities of Summertown
and Bridgewater
). This is perhaps explained by the town being situated close to the Stuart Highway
and hence, perhaps, serving as a gateway to the APY Lands
and - thus - an attractive place for non-Aboriginal
professionals to be based.
Indulkana ranked as the clear highest category of proportion of residents employed in the retail trade industry (59.6%) compared with the next closest, Yorketown
(25.1%) and Cleve
(24.8%).
Indulkana was the birthplace of 1984 Australian of the Year
and former chairperson of the now-defunct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC)
, Lowitja or "Lois" O'Donoghue
AC CBE, who was born in the area. The State Library of South Australia records:
The Iwantja community now owns the horse and cattle station
, "Granite Downs
", at which Lowitja O'Donoghue
was born.
Interestingly, in 1997 (just a year after Lowitja O'Donoghue
ceased to be ATSIC
chairperson), ATSIC
cut funding for 6 major community initiatives for Indulkana due to allegations of rorting.
In the late 1990s, the Indulkana community invited the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (SA) Inc. to run a program to address the problem of petrol sniffing in their community.
There is an unsealed airstrip located close to the town.
"Iwantja Arts" provides an art centre operating with local artists. It has a gallery for sale of art work from across the Lands.
A doctor visits on a fortnightly basis and dental care (emergency) is available at Pukatja / Ernabella.
Indulkana is one of the two communities on the APY Lands
that provides an aged care facility for elders, the other being Ernabella.
The University of South Australia
runs an AnTEP program out of Indulkana, providing tertiary education in teaching with a view to people from the APY Lands
teaching in culturally sensitive way on the Lands.
The Indulkana Anangu School was established after 1971, recounted on the School's website as follows:
The school is supported by Aboriginal Education Workers and a computer facility with 24-networked computers with Internet access.
Indulkana has a community church run by the Uniting Church in Australia
.
Indulkana does not have a permanent police presence, though it has a police station. South Australian police are based at Marla and run patrols in the area. In the absence of police, the community is served by 2 community constables.
The Indulkana police station is considered by the Police Association of South Australia
to be a "disgrace", "dirty, ill-equipped sheds".
Indulkana has a community oval.
A permit from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
is required to access Indulkana, as the land is owned freehold
by the resident Aboriginal people
.
For State elections (i.e. to elect the Parliament of South Australia
), a mobile polling booth is taken to Indulkana.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
community in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, comprising one of the six main communities on "The Lands" (the others being Ernabella/Pukatja, Amata, Fregon
Kaltjiti, South Australia
Kaltjiti is an Aboriginal community in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in South Australia, comprising one of the six main communities on "The Lands" ....
/Kaltjiti
Kaltjiti, South Australia
Kaltjiti is an Aboriginal community in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in South Australia, comprising one of the six main communities on "The Lands" ....
, Mimili and Pipalyatjara
Pipalyatjara, South Australia
Pipalyatjara is an Aboriginal community in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in South Australia, comprising one of the six main communities on "The Lands"...
). At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Indulkana had a population of 315.
Geography
Indulkana (26.966667°S 133.325°E) is situated just 10 kilometres west of the Stuart HighwayStuart Highway
The Stuart Highway is one of Australia's major highways. It is a segment of Australia's Highway 1 extending from Darwin, Northern Territory, in the north, via Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, to Port Augusta, South Australia, in the south—a distance of...
and approximately 360 kilometres south of Alice Springs. By road it is 1,200 kilometres north-west of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
.
Climate
Based upon the climate records of the nearest weather station at Marla Police Station, Indulkana experiences summer maximum temperatures of an average of 37.1 degrees celsius in January and a winter maximum average temperature of 19.7 degrees celsius in June. Overnight lows range from a mean minimum temperature of 21.8 degrees in January to 5.0 degrees in June.Annual rainfall averages 222.6 millimetres.
Population
Indulkana's population is approximately 200-250 people. PY Media gives this figure despite the Australian Bureau of StatisticsAustralian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
(ABS) finding that in 1991 the population of Indulkana was 317 and in 1996 that figure rose to 330. If the population had continued to rise at this rate, the population could be as large as 1,200 as of 2010.
.
PY Media states on its website:
Indulkana is an AnanguAnanguAnangu, more accurately "Aṉaŋu" or "Arnangu" is a word found in a number of eastern varieties of the Western Desert Language , an Australian Aboriginal language of the Pama–Nyungan family, spoken in the desert regions of western and central Australia. Before the arrival of non-Aboriginal people in...
community, often referred to as the Iwantja Community, on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara LandsAnangu Pitjantjatjara YankunytjatjaraAnangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
in the northwest of South AustraliaSouth AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Although Indulkana is regarded as a Pitjantjatjara community, the majority of people at Indulkana refer to themselves as Yankunytjatjara, which is a group having its origins in the eastern section of the LandsAnangu Pitjantjatjara YankunytjatjaraAnangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
.
ABS
Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
research indicated in 2003 that the 2001 census data showed that Indulkana had South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
's highest proportions of Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
residents (90%). Unlike other APY
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
communities, Indulkana did not have one of the State's highest proportion of Australian-born residents, nor a high proportion of single parent families.
Like other APY
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
communities, Indulkana did have one of the lowest percentages of home personal computer use (South Australia's lowest, 5%).
Indulkana was a standout from other APY
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
communities in that it ranked in other categories that its sister communities did not. For instance, Indulkana had the highest proportion of 0-14 year olds in the State (35.0%), the State's third highest proportion of Professionals or Associate Professionals in the State (41.8%, following wealthy Adelaide Hills
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. It is unofficially centred on the largest town in the area, Mount Barker, which has a population of around 29,000 and is also one of Australia's fastest growing towns.- History :The...
localities of Summertown
Summertown, South Australia
Summertown is a town in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia. It adjoins Uraidla. At the 2006 census, Summertown had a population of 392....
and Bridgewater
Bridgewater, South Australia
Bridgewater is a town in the Adelaide Hills, southeast of Adelaide in South Australia.It is the former end of the Adelaide-Bridgewater railway line; this route was closed in 1987...
). This is perhaps explained by the town being situated close to the Stuart Highway
Stuart Highway
The Stuart Highway is one of Australia's major highways. It is a segment of Australia's Highway 1 extending from Darwin, Northern Territory, in the north, via Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, to Port Augusta, South Australia, in the south—a distance of...
and hence, perhaps, serving as a gateway to the APY Lands
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
and - thus - an attractive place for non-Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
professionals to be based.
Indulkana ranked as the clear highest category of proportion of residents employed in the retail trade industry (59.6%) compared with the next closest, Yorketown
Yorketown, South Australia
←Yorketown is a town in southern Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.Yorketown is in the District Council of Yorke Peninsula, the South Australian House of Assembly electoral district of Goyder and the Australian House of Representatives Division of Grey.-External links:*** Yorke Peninsula Visitor...
(25.1%) and Cleve
Cleve, South Australia
Cleve is a small agriculturally based town on Central Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It is 226 km southwest of Port Augusta and 143 km north of Port Lincoln...
(24.8%).
History
Little is recorded of the history of Indulkana's foundation as a fixed settlement for habitation. There is likely more history of the Iwantja homelands surrounding the settlement.Indulkana was the birthplace of 1984 Australian of the Year
Australian of the Year
Since 1960 the Australian of the Year Award has been part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day , during which time the award has grown steadily in significance to become Australia’s pre-eminent award. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a very prominent part of the annual...
and former chairperson of the now-defunct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives...
, Lowitja or "Lois" O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue
Ms Lowitja "Lois" O'Donoghue, AC, CBE, DSG is an Aboriginal Australian retired public administrator.She was named Australian of the Year in 1984 and 1990, and was inaugural chairperson of the now dissolved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission .-Personal life:Lowitja O'Donoghue was the...
AC CBE, who was born in the area. The State Library of South Australia records:
In August 1932, Lois O'DonoghueLowitja O'DonoghueMs Lowitja "Lois" O'Donoghue, AC, CBE, DSG is an Aboriginal Australian retired public administrator.She was named Australian of the Year in 1984 and 1990, and was inaugural chairperson of the now dissolved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission .-Personal life:Lowitja O'Donoghue was the...
was a bright-eyed brown-skinned infant newly born into the Yankunytjatjara tribeTribeA tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
in the remote North-West Reserve of South AustraliaSouth AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Her mother was a full blood of the tribe, and her father the owner of a pastoral station which later passed into the hands of the McLachlan family. This was not a casual relationship and Lois is the youngest of five children born to the same parents.
In 1934, members of the frankly paternalistic United Aborigines' Mission visited her Yankunytjatjara tribe at Indulkana, 200 miles north of Coober Pedy. They persuaded her mother it would be best for the child to be brought up at the Mission's Home for Children at QuornQuornQuorn is the leading brand of mycoprotein food product in the UK and Ireland. The mycoprotein used to produce Quorn is extracted from a fungus, Fusarium venenatum, which is grown in large vats....
. Without in any way approving such a policy, Lois acknowledges that she had a happy childhood there, and later at the Colebrook home at Eden HillsEden Hills, South AustraliaEden Hills is a suburb in the Mitcham Hills area, 12 km. south of Adelaide, South Australia in the local government area of the City of Mitcham.-History:...
.
The Iwantja community now owns the horse and cattle station
Cattle station
Cattle station is an Australian term for a large farm , whose main activity is the rearing of cattle. In Australia, the owner of a cattle station is called a grazier...
, "Granite Downs
Granite Downs
Granite Downs is a 9000 km2 former cattle station in arid northern South Australia. It is now part of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands.-Birds:...
", at which Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue
Ms Lowitja "Lois" O'Donoghue, AC, CBE, DSG is an Aboriginal Australian retired public administrator.She was named Australian of the Year in 1984 and 1990, and was inaugural chairperson of the now dissolved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission .-Personal life:Lowitja O'Donoghue was the...
was born.
Interestingly, in 1997 (just a year after Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue
Ms Lowitja "Lois" O'Donoghue, AC, CBE, DSG is an Aboriginal Australian retired public administrator.She was named Australian of the Year in 1984 and 1990, and was inaugural chairperson of the now dissolved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission .-Personal life:Lowitja O'Donoghue was the...
ceased to be ATSIC
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives...
chairperson), ATSIC
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives...
cut funding for 6 major community initiatives for Indulkana due to allegations of rorting.
In the late 1990s, the Indulkana community invited the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (SA) Inc. to run a program to address the problem of petrol sniffing in their community.
Facilities
Indulkana has a local community store with a fuel supply outlet.There is an unsealed airstrip located close to the town.
"Iwantja Arts" provides an art centre operating with local artists. It has a gallery for sale of art work from across the Lands.
A doctor visits on a fortnightly basis and dental care (emergency) is available at Pukatja / Ernabella.
Indulkana is one of the two communities on the APY Lands
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
that provides an aged care facility for elders, the other being Ernabella.
The University of South Australia
University of South Australia
The University of South Australia is a public university in the Australian state of South Australia. It was formed in 1991 with the merger of the South Australian Institute of Technology and Colleges of Advanced Education. It is the largest university in South Australia, with more than 36,000...
runs an AnTEP program out of Indulkana, providing tertiary education in teaching with a view to people from the APY Lands
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
teaching in culturally sensitive way on the Lands.
The Indulkana Anangu School was established after 1971, recounted on the School's website as follows:
Leslie Mingkilli wrote a letter to the South Australian Government on behalf of Indulkana Community asking for funding and help to establish a school. He wrote to the Government in the Pitjantjatjara language, insisting that a school be started at Indulkana. Leslie was educated at Ernabella (Pukatja) community where he learnt to read and write EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Pitjantjatjara. This dream finally came true when Leslie went to Adelaide and returned with David Emery, the first Principal and three teachers. The school began with tents and sheds made of timber and brush from the surrounding bush.
The school is supported by Aboriginal Education Workers and a computer facility with 24-networked computers with Internet access.
Indulkana has a community church run by the Uniting Church in Australia
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
.
Indulkana does not have a permanent police presence, though it has a police station. South Australian police are based at Marla and run patrols in the area. In the absence of police, the community is served by 2 community constables.
The Indulkana police station is considered by the Police Association of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
to be a "disgrace", "dirty, ill-equipped sheds".
Indulkana has a community oval.
A permit from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is a large Aboriginal local government area located in the remote north west of South Australia...
is required to access Indulkana, as the land is owned freehold
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
by the resident Aboriginal people
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
For State elections (i.e. to elect the Parliament of South Australia
Parliament of South Australia
The Parliament of South Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of South Australia. It consists of the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. It follows a Westminster system of parliamentary government....
), a mobile polling booth is taken to Indulkana.