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.
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
After school recreational program provided by school: BMX Bikes, Go-Karts; Hall games etc.
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.
There are currently 30 enrolments. Attendance is occasionally affected by cultural movements but otherwise is very good.
The primary 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.
Plans are also underway for Adult Education Classes (eg. Literacy, Numeracy, Computer Skills etc.) in co-operation with Community CDEP Training Program. Also plans for Parent-Teacher Supervised Homework Program.
Community Training Programmes
The community emphasises training of community members, and uses it as one of the strategies to promote management continuity for CDEP workers.
Training is an integral part of the community’s CDEP program, and is currently provided in the following areas:
Law/Order And Justice Services
Regular visits and patrols by police from Blackstone Police Station. Police patrols carry out investigations, vehicle registrations, issue drivers licences and gun licences. The Court of Petty Sessions at Warburton sits weekly, or when necessary, and offenders found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment are transferred to the Kalgoorlie Prison.
There are two Community Wardens and a Community Liaison Officer. Goal 10 of the Irrunytju Community’s Strategic Development Plan is: “To empower the Governing Committee to creatively manage all Community Law and Order matters so as to reduce the number of Members needing to enter the Justice System” To this end, a community court system has been established.
Community Court
Visiting police have co-operated with the community, where police discretionary powers permit it, to empower community leaders to deal with offenders within the community. The basis of this system is that the community seeks to assist offenders by analysis of their problems, provision of remedial care, and imposition of appropriate supervised community-based punishment. Wages from Community Based Work Orders go into a damages fund to enable to community to repair and pay for any wilful damage. Where necessary, offenders are dealt with by police in the orthodox way and summarily charged before the Court of Petty Sessions, Warburton, for judgement and sentencing.
Employment Programmes
The Irrunytju Community Development Employment Program is the major employment provider in the Community and has been operating since 1979.
Employment activities include: Municipal Works, Community Services, Land Management, Traditional and Cultural Activities, Housing Maintenance, Sport and Recreational Activities, Women’s Resource Centre Activities, Play Group, Community Construction Programs, Law and Order Activities, Media Centre Program 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.
Hall/Community Centre
Broadcasting
Irrunytju Community is one of three gazetted Broadcasting to Remote Aboriginal Communities Service (BRACS) in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. 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 CDEP 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 Library
There is a small resource library in the Administration Office at the community school.
Community Toilets/Ablutions
Toilet facilities in Community Hall and Women’s Centre.
Community Kitchen
There is a purpose-designed kitchen located in the Aged Care Centre, providing pensioner meals and occasional catering for community events.
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 workers start at 9.00 am and 2.30 pm. The store doors open from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm, and 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm on weekdays, and 9.30- 11.30am on Saturday. Half a day only on Wednesday.
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.
Community Women’s Facility
The Women’s Centre at Wingellina has been re-established and is managed by a Women’s Program Support Worker.
Aged Care Services
Services to the aged include Meals on Wheels, Sewing, Tie Dyeing, Fabric Painting, and Arts and Crafts
Aged People’s Facilities
The community has four pensioner units.
Community Family Services
A Children’s Centre is equipped to provide programs for children up to school age. The Children’s Centre is staffed by CDEP workers, supported by NPY Women’s Council play group trainer. The centre is located in the play group building south of the store.
Community Ambulance Service
The resident nurses troop carrier is equipped for stretcher-carrying.
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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