Ilkurlka Community, Western Australia facts for kids
Ilkurlka (sometimes spelled Ilkulka) is a special place in the middle of the Great Victoria Desert in Western Australia. It's a small stop along the Anne Beadell Highway. Here, you'll find a roadhouse, a tiny community, and a cultural center. This important spot belongs to the Spinifex people, who are the traditional owners of this land.
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A Long History in the Desert
The Spinifex people are an Aboriginal Australian group. They have lived in the Great Victoria Desert for a very long time, possibly up to 25,000 years. In the 1950s, they had to move from their homes. This happened because of British nuclear tests at Maralinga in a nearby area.
Years later, the Spinifex people received money as a form of payment for what happened. They used this money to build important things like water bores and airstrips. These were built in places like Tjuntjuntjara and Ilkurlka. By 1989, many Spinifex people had returned to live in these areas.
In 1995, the Spinifex people made a native title claim. This means they asked for legal recognition of their traditional ownership of the land. In 2000, they were granted native title over a huge area. This area is about 55,000 square kilometers (5.5 million hectares) of the Great Victoria Desert. Ilkurlka is right in the middle of these lands.
What You'll Find at Ilkurlka
The main buildings at Ilkurlka are the roadhouse and a visitors' center. Inside the visitors' center, there's an art gallery. This gallery shows amazing artworks made by local Spinifex artists.
The Spinifex people built the roadhouse in 2003. Its main job is to help the Aboriginal communities nearby. One important community it serves is Tjuntjuntjara. The Ilkurlka Aboriginal Corporation manages the roadhouse. They do this for the traditional owners of the land. All the power for the roadhouse comes from the sun, using solar-powered systems. There's also a generator for backup power if needed.
As of January 2023, a person named Philip Merry runs the roadhouse. He is from Britain and has been in charge for 12 years.
Art and Culture of the Spinifex People
Near Ilkurlka, there is a large, U-shaped rockhole. It is known as Ikurlka rockhole. A local artist named Simon Hogan painted this rockhole. His painting is now displayed in the famous British Museum.
Simon Hogan has traveled around Australia and Europe. He went with art exhibitions that showed his work. In 2015, he visited the UK for the exhibition at the British Museum. A picture of him shaking hands with King Charles (who was then Prince Charles) hangs in the roadhouse gallery.
The roadhouse is also a place where you can buy art from the Spinifex Arts Project. Many well-known local artists sell their paintings here. Most of these artists live in Tjuntjuntjara.
Location and Services for Travelers
Ilkurlka is a very remote place. It is about 165 kilometers (103 miles) west of the South Australia border. The roadhouse is the only place to get fuel and supplies. This is true for a long, 1,300-kilometer (808-mile) desert track. This track is called the Anne Beadell Highway. It stretches between Laverton and Coober Pedy.
Ilkurlka is about 600 kilometers (373 miles) east of Laverton. It is also about 750 kilometers (466 miles) west of Coober Pedy. The closest community is Cosmo Newberry, which is 200 kilometers (124 miles) to the west. This makes Ilkurlka the most isolated roadhouse in all of Australia.
Travelers can find places to stay here. There is a studio built on top of a hill. There is also a campsite with a hot shower, a toilet, and a covered barbeque area. If your vehicle needs simple fixes, you can do basic DIY mechanical repairs. There is also an airstrip. It is mostly used by the mail plane that comes once a week.
Because the roadhouse is on the land of the Spinifex people, no alcohol is sold there.
