Pukatja, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pukatja (Ernabella) South Australia
Pukatja (Ernabella) Location in South Australia
Population	412 (2016 census)
Established	c. 1938
Postcode(s)	0872
Elevation	676 m (2,218 ft)
LGA(s)	Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Region	Far North
State electorate(s)	Giles
Federal Division(s)	Grey
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 26.8 °C 80 °F 11.8 °C 53 °F 274.3 mm 10.8 in

Pukatja (formerly Ernabella, Pitjantjatjara: Anapala) 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 Amata, Pipalyatjara, Fregon/Kaltjiti, Indulkana and Mimili).

Established as a Presbyterian mission in 1937 with enlightened practices which maintained the Pitjantjatjara language at the school and church services, Ernabella was handed over to the community in 1974 and was later named Pukatja. Ernabella Arts is Australia's oldest continuously running Indigenous art centre.

Time zone

Due to its links with the Northern Territory and proximity to the border, the APY Lands do not observe daylight savings unlike the rest of South Australia. The time zone observed throughout the year is Australian Central Standard Time (UTC+9:30), in line with Darwin rather than Adelaide.

Geography

Pukatja is in the eastern Musgrave Ranges, west of the Stuart Highway, about 30 km south of the Northern Territory border. The community sits at an elevation of 676 metres.

Pukatja is about 1400 km by road from Adelaide, including 200 km on unsealed roads.

Population

In the 2016 Australian census, the population was 412, down from 503 in 2011.

In the 2001 census, Pukatja had 226 residents, and was second only to sister community Mimili in having the lowest per capita income in South Australia ($174). Like a number of APY Lands communities, Pukatja boasted one of the highest proportions of Australian-born residents (97.5%).

History

Ernabella has been an Aboriginal community for a long time. It was established as a Presbyterian mission in 1938.

Anangu people started gradually to come in from traditional life in the desert to live at the Mission after its establishment. The mission respected Anangu culture and traditions and offered medical help and education, with no conditions attached.

Responsibility for the administration of Ernabella Mission was formally handed over to the Ernabella Community Council — later Pukatja Community Council — on 1 January 1974.

The historic former Ernabella Mission Hospital, Church and Manse are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.

Heritage-listed buildings

The former Ernabella Mission Hospital, Church and Manse are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.

Ernabella Arts

Established in 1948, Ernabella Arts remains in operation, as Australia's oldest continuously running Indigenous Art Centre.

During the 1950s and 1960s, art and craft using locally produced wool was the predominant artistic form produced by the Ernabella artists. Batik was successfully introduced after several Ernabella artists travelled to Indonesia in the 1970s. The Ernabella artists are renowned for their batik work and printmaking. A substantial collection of Ernabella art can be seen at the National Museum of Australia, including a range of fine ceramics also produced by the Ernabella artists.

In recent years, female elders have started to depict their Tjukurpa (sacred stories of country and law) in their art. Artists both young and old, including some very senior men and women, work at the centre. The award-winning Dickie Minyintiri was perhaps the most well-known artist to work there. Other artists associated with Ernabella Arts include Yilpi Adamson, Milyika Carroll, Malpiya Davey, Angkuna Kulyuru, Nura Rupert, Tjunkaya Tapaya, and Harry Tjutjuna.

Ernabella Arts is one of ten Indigenous-owned and -governed enterprises that go to make up the APY Art Centre Collective, established in 2013.

Facilities

A permit is required for visitors to any community on the APY Lands, as they are freehold lands owned by the Aboriginal people.

As of July 2019^[update] a major road upgrade, funded by federal and state governments, has been under way since 2016. 210 kilometres (130 mi) of the Main Access Road between the Stuart Highway and Pukatja are being improved to improve general road safety, communications, food delivery, emergency service access and community interaction. The airstrip access road is also being upgraded. By May 2019, a total of 54 kilometres (34 mi) had been constructed, including the Pukatja Airstrip Access Road, a 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) section from the Stuart Highway to Iwantja (Indulkana), and the 43 kilometres (27 mi) section (Stage 1) between Pukatja and Umuwa.

The Ernabella Anangu School offers Reception through to senior high school. Technical and Further Education (TAFE) facilities for the APY Lands are based at Pukatja and the other centres.

The old Pukatja police station, which was not permanently staffed, was in poor condition and due for replacement in July 2007. A month later the State Government announced that it would spend A$7.5 million at Amata and Pukatja for new police stations, court facilities and cells along with associated police housing and facilities. The new, permanently staffed facilities were opened in March 2010, staffed by one sergeant, three constables and a Police Aboriginal Liaison Officer. The police officers' duties include liaison with and participation in the school, football team and local Country Fire Service (CFS) activities.

There are telephones (landline and smartphones), ADSL internet access, and multiple television channels including SBS Television, NITV, Imparja and ABC, and mail is delivered twice weekly by air from Alice Springs.

The supermarket is run by the Pukatja Supermarket & Associated Stores Aboriginal Corporation.

The Uniting Church in Australia has a congregation in Pukatja.

Fauna

Warru

In October 2007 it was reported that the black-flanked rock wallaby, known as warru to the local population, faced extinction, and that 15 of the wallabies had been transferred from an undisclosed location on the APY Lands and also from Pukatja, to Monarto Zoo (now Monarto Safari Park). It had been estimated that there were only about 50 of the animals left in the wild. Work to monitor the species' survival was said to involve Aboriginal trackers and schoolchildren from Pukatja to help track the wallabies' movements.

Previously widespread throughout the ranges of central Australia, the warru is as of July 2019^[update] South Australia's most endangered mammal, primarily due to predation by foxes and feral cats. However Monarto Safari Park has had some success in breeding the wallabies, and has helped to establish a viable population (22) of the wallabies in a 1 square kilometre (0.39 sq mi) fenced area, known as the Pintji, in the APY lands. In June 2017 the zoo announced that 25 of the population bred at Pintji, along with 15 others, had been released into the wild. These will be monitored and feral animal control measures are in place.

Climate

Climate records for Ernabella/Pukatja have been kept since 1971. Due to its elevation high in the Musgrave Ranges, Pukatja is one of the coldest locations in central Australia. Minimum temperatures may drop below −5 °C (23 °F) with heavy frost and daytime maximum temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F) may occur each winter. Summers are still hot, however Pukatja does not experience the scorching 45 °C (113 °F) plus summer maximum temperatures typical of most of inland South Australia. Average January maximums are 34.5 °C (94.1 °F) and this drops to 17.8 °C (64.0 °F) in June. Overnight lows range from a mean minimum temperature of 19.7 °C (67.5 °F) in January to 3.3 °C (37.9 °F) in June. Annual rainfall averages 275.2 millimetres (10.83 in), which is typical of an arid climate, and mostly falls from brief summer thunderstorms.