Kalka, South Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids KalkaSouth Australia |
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 Kalka
Location in South Australia
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| Population | 92 (2016 census) | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 5710 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 598 m (1,962 ft) | ||||||||
| Location | 700 km (435 mi) by road southwest of Alice Springs | ||||||||
| LGA(s) | Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Giles | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Grey | ||||||||
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Kalka is a small Aboriginal community located in the APY Lands in South Australia. These lands are special because they are owned by Aboriginal people under the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981. In 2016, about 92 people lived in Kalka. The community often uses services and facilities from the nearby town of Pipalyatjara.
Contents
Time in Kalka: Understanding the Time Zone
Kalka is located in the APY Lands. Because of its close ties to the Northern Territory and its location near the border, the APY Lands do not use daylight saving time. This is different from the rest of South Australia.
Instead, Kalka follows Australian Central Standard Time (UTC+9:30) all year. This means the time in Kalka is the same as in Darwin, not Adelaide.
Kalka's Location: Where is Kalka?
Kalka is found in the far northwest part of South Australia. It sits right next to the Gunbarrel Highway, an important road.
The community is only a few kilometres from Surveyor-General's corner. This is a special point where the borders of South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory all meet.
The community of Pipalyatjara is about 15 kilometres away by road. Kalka is also located at the base of the Tomkinson Ranges, which are a series of hills.
Kalka's Weather: What is the Climate Like?
The weather in Kalka is similar to what is recorded at the Giles Weather Station. This station is just across the border in Western Australia.
In January, which is summer, the average highest temperature is 37.2 degrees Celsius. In July, which is winter, the average highest temperature is 19.9 degrees Celsius.
At night, the lowest temperatures range from 23.5 degrees in January to 6.8 degrees in June. Kalka gets about 284.2 millimetres of rain each year on average.
Kalka's People: How Many People Live There?
According to the 2016 Australian census, 92 people lived in Kalka. The average age of people in Kalka was 25 years old.
Fifteen years earlier, in the 2001 Australian Census, the total population was 139 people. At that time, about 90.6% of the people living in Kalka were Indigenous Australians.
Kalka's Past: A Brief History
The Kalka Community is an important centre for the Pitjantjatjara Homelands Council (PHC). The PHC is an Aboriginal organisation that works to support the social, economic, political, and cultural interests of its members.
The PHC started because of the Aboriginal homelands movement in the 1970s. During this time, many Anangu people left missions and government settlements. They returned to live on their traditional lands.
Many Anangu had moved to these settlements in the 1950s and 1960s. This was partly because the Australian Government was conducting atomic bomb tests at Maralinga and rocket tests at Woomera.
Kalka was first planned as a place to provide resources for the surrounding homelands. But by the early 1990s, it grew into a small Aboriginal community. It then needed housing, services, and other important things.
In the 1980s, the federal government helped fund Kalka. It was set up as an outstation, which is a smaller community on traditional lands.
Kalka's Services: What Facilities Are Available?
Kalka Community has an airstrip, which is a place where small planes can land. The roads within the community are not sealed, meaning they are dirt roads.
Every two weeks, a truck delivers fresh, frozen, and dry food, along with other goods, to the community.
Kalka does not have its own school or health clinic. These important services are provided from the nearby community of Pipalyatjara.
There is a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) facility in Kalka. This facility helps people learn skills like how to run a store or office. It also teaches computer and Internet use and helps students get their driver's licence.
The Kalka community also has a small community store. This store is special because it is said to be the only store on the APY Lands run by Anangu people. There is also a craft facility, a children's playground, a basketball court, an administrative office, and a mechanic garage.
The South Australian Department for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation (DAARE) helps provide many essential services to the community.
Kalka does not have police officers living there all the time. South Australian police are based in Marla and regularly patrol the area. Unlike some other communities on the APY Lands, Kalka does not have a community constable.
For elections to choose members of the Parliament of South Australia, a mobile polling booth visits nearby Pipalyatjara every four years.
To visit any community on the APY Lands, including Kalka, members of the public need a special permit. This is because these lands are owned by the Aboriginal people.
