Wingellina is within country known as the land of the Pitjantjatjara people, and it is often pointed out as an example of how the administrative divisions created by the ‘whitefellas’ were superimposed on very different indigenous cultural realities.
In this case, the western groups of the Pitjantjatjara people, who predominantly live on the SA side, are ‘hived off’ to the WA side and ultimately became members of the Ngaanyatjarra Council. However, family life and relationships are not much affected because people carry on regardless, and even though the administration of Wingellina is undertaken through the Ngaanytjarra Council, there is little conflict or difficulty arising from this.
▶ Watch video of 45 seconds of Irrunytju
Irrunytju or Wingellina is located close to the WA/SA border in the vicinity of the Wingellina Hills. Irrunytju is the name of a site in the hills to the south of the community. Like the Warburton Ranges, these hills are part of the Central Ranges region that stretches from Warburton in the west to the Mann Ranges in South Australia. The majority of residents are Pitjantjatjara speakers.
The development of a community in this area was initiated by Yarnangu in response to mining activities in the area during the late 1950s. Nickel exploration and chyrsoprase mining attracted several large companies including International Nickel and many illegal prospectors.
Individual and small groups of prospectors were travelling around the Lands as early as the 1900s. The relationship between the miners and Yarnangu was at times mutually beneficial (particularly for trading purposes) but it was also characterised by conflict and violence. Oral history, official mission and government reports, and the diaries of some of the early explorers and prospectors describe Aboriginal people being tied up and forced to lead groups to water with deliberate shootings prompted by fear or revenge for incidents of theft.
Despite the establishment of the Reserve in 1922 to protect Yarnangu interests, by 1955 a large area from Mt Davies in SA to Jameson in WA had been excised from the Reserve to allow for exploration and mining. This was returned to the Reserve in 1972.
Like the Warburton Mission, many people came to congregate around the Wingellina mining camps. Some Yarnangu were engaged in work, paid for in rations. Others came to work and ensure that sites of significance, in particular those associated with the Papa (Dog) Dreaming, were protected from exploration and mining activity. The existence of sites of significance was acknowledged by some companies who instructed their mining personnel to respect them or be dismissed and/or prosecuted. Some companies even went so far as to hire Yarnangu guides. There were many cases of site damage and feelings of great anxiety amongst Yarnangu.
Once the miners left, Yarnangu stayed and established a permanent community in the vicinity of the mining camps using the existing infrastructure (airstrips, shelters, windmills etc) and the funds provided by the Government. The community became incorporated in 1976 and a member of the Ngaanyatjarra Council in 1981.
Today the miners have returned. A large deposit of oxide nickel first identified by the mining company Inco has now been shown to be more extensive and deeper than originally thought. It remains to be seen whether it will be an economically viable deposit given the remoteness of this region.
Given Irrunytju’s status as a member of the Ngaanyatjarra Council, there is a team of lawyers and anthropologists whose job it is to negotiate with all prospective mining companies strong agreements that ensure Yarnangu interests are considered.
Yarnangu are once again concerned both for their country but also for their established community which they have proudly built from the remains of an abandoned mining camp.
Community Recreational Facilities
Community Clinic
A community health clinic is provided at Irrunytju by Ngaanyatjarra Health Service. The clinic is staffed by a registered nursing sister. The clinic provides primary and preventative health services to community members and has a Toyota troop carrier fitted with stretchers for ambulance service.
Emergency evacuations are done as necessary by RFDS Kalgoorlie. As the Wingellina (Irrunytju) airstrip is not safe for night operations, patients requiring evacuation at night are driven 70kms from Irrunytju Clinic to Blackstone airstrip, which is approved for night emergency operations.
Specialist Health Services
Specialist paediatrician and audiologists provide regular quarterly visits to the community, and an ophthalmologist visits Irrunytju annually.
Community School Facilities
The Wingellina Campus of the Ngaanyatjarra Lands School is staffed with a campus principal, three teachers and Anangu educators (AIEOs). The school has an administration block, two classrooms and an early childhood room, manual arts room, library, kitchen/home economics room, sports store room and gardener’s shed.
The school teaches children from 4 years – 19 years; preparatory to Year 12. High school students have, in the past, attended the Wiltja School in Adelaide, South Australia, but now attend Wongatha CAPS, Esperance.
Non-compulsory aged students who wish to further their education can stay at Wingellina Primary or go to Wongatha CAPS, Esperance.
Correspondence education is available at Irrunytju Community through School of the Air, Alice Springs.
Employment Programmes
A Community Development Program, in different forms, has been operating since 1979.
Employment activities include: Municipal Works, Community Services, Land Management, Traditional and Cultural Activities, Sport and Recreational Activities, Play Group, Community Construction Programs, Law and Order Activities.
The community CDEP also pays wages for community people who are employed in the community office, community store, community health clinic, and the community workshop (when operational), tourism.
Minyma Kutjara Arts Project
Minyma Kutjara Arts Project is the central creative hub of Irrunytju Community where artists, young and old, create artworks, share stories and pass on knowledge. Working in a diverse range of mediums, with a strong connection to culture, Country and community, artists continue tradition while creating a sustainable business model for future generations.
Broadcasting
Irrunytju Community is one of three gazetted Broadcasting to Remote Aboriginal Communities Service (BRACS) in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. Under the administration of NG Media, it has a well equipped radio studio, TV studio, editing suite, and is equipped to provide media training and support for other Ngaanyatjarra Communities.
The overall objectives of the BRACS project are to support the maintenance and development of Aboriginal culture and language through the use of video recording/TV and audio recording/radio. The program is designed to provide BRACS training to CDP media workers in all Ngaanyatjarra Lands Communities, plus Tjuntjuntjarra and Coonana. The Media Centre is located behind the administration complex.
Satellite Communication
BRACS satellite enables TV re-broadcast of the ABC TV (Western Australia), GWN TV and Imparja TV. Four radio stations are re-broadcast to the community through the BRACS facility.
Community Toilets/Ablutions
Toilet facilities in Community Hall and Women’s Centre.
Community Store
Wingellina has a community-owned store, run by the store manager, and stocking a wide range of grocery, fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy produce, hardware and clothing items. The store receives re-supply every week, of dry goods and perishables (fresh fruit and vegetables) on alternate weeks from Ngaanyatjarra Agency & Transport Service (NATS) in Perth.
Store hours are usually:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:30-11:30am, 2:00-4:00pm
Wednesday, Saturday: 9:30am-11:30am
The store sells diesel and Opal fuel, available during store trading hours. There is a $20 opening fee for out-of-hours fuel sales until sunset.
Aged Care Services
Services to the aged include Meals on Wheels, Sewing, Tie Dyeing, Fabric Painting, and Arts and Crafts
Community Emergency Evacuation
Due to rising terrain around it, Wingellina (Irrunytju) airstrip is unsuited to night-flying operations. At night, medical emergency patients must be driven 70 kms to Blackstone (Papulankutja) airstrip for evacuation by RFDS aircraft to Kalgoorlie or Alice Springs.
Community Fuel Depot
Fuel is available outside the community store.
*2021 Census Data (ABS)
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