Warburton, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Warburton Western Australia
Warburton Location in Western Australia
Established	1933
Postcode(s)	6431
Elevation	459 m (1,506 ft)
Area	[convert: needs a number]
Location	288 km (179 mi) west of Kaltukatjara (Docker River) 560 km (348 mi) northeast of Laverton 750 km (466 mi) northeast of Kalgoorlie 1,050 km (652 mi) southwest of Alice Springs 1,500 km (932 mi) east-northeast of Perth
LGA(s)	Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku
State electorate(s)	North West Central
Federal Division(s)	O'Connor
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 30.0 °C 86 °F 15.0 °C 59 °F 242.7 mm 9.6 in

Warburton, also known as Warburton Ranges or Milyirrtjarra (in the Ngaanyatjarra dialect language), is an Aboriginal Australian community. It is located in Western Australia, just south of the Gibson Desert. The town sits on the Great Central Road (part of the Outback Way) and the Gunbarrel Highway. In 2016, a count of the population showed that 576 people lived in Warburton.

History of Warburton

The settlement of Warburton began as an Aboriginal mission in 1934. A mission is a place where religious groups set up a community to help people. It was started by Will Wade and his family, working with the United Aborigines Mission (UAM). The town was named after Peter Warburton, an explorer who was the first European to cross the Great Sandy Desert.

The Ngaanyatjarra people, who lived in the Western Desert cultural bloc, were traditionally nomadic. This means they moved around a lot. When the missionaries arrived in 1933, many Ngaanyatjarra people came to live at the mission. By 1954, about 500 to 700 Aboriginal people lived there.

The mission had a school where children were taught in English. People also learned new skills. More people came to Warburton when a copper mine opened nearby. By the 1970s, most Aboriginal people in the area lived in settled communities, not as nomads. In 1973, the UAM gave control of the settlement to the Aboriginal people. The Ngaanyatjarra Council then managed the community.

In February 2011, Warburton experienced a flash flood. Water levels in some areas reached up to 2 metres (6.6 feet). About 60 homes had to be evacuated. Water flowed through 15 homes, reaching about 30 centimetres (12 inches) high.

Geography of Warburton

Warburton is the main town in a very large and isolated Aboriginal reserve called Ngaanyatjarra. This area stretches east to the border of the Northern Territory. The next big town beyond that is Yulara, which is close to Uluru. The nearest town to Warburton is Laverton, which is 560 kilometres (348 miles) southwest along the Great Central Road.

Warburton is built near Elder Creek. The land around Warburton is still explored for valuable minerals. People look for copper, nickel, uranium, and gold there.

Town Planning and Community

Warburton has a special plan for its layout called Layout Plan No.1. This plan helps guide how the town grows and develops. It was approved by the community in 2003.

The population of Warburton is similar to the overall numbers for the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku. In 2016, a population count (called a census) showed that 576 people lived in Warburton. About 84.9% of these residents were Indigenous Australians.

Arts and Culture in Warburton

The Indigenous people of Warburton are part of the Western Desert cultural bloc. This area is also known for the Papunya Tula art movement. This art style started in the early 1970s. Papunya Tula artworks are shown in many art galleries and museums around the world.

The main language spoken in Warburton is Ngaanyatjarra. In 2006, about 78.5% of Indigenous people in Warburton spoke Ngaanyatjarra at home. English was spoken by 9.2% of Indigenous people.

Wilurarra Creative Centre

The Wilurarra Creative Centre is a community place for young people aged 17 to 30. It has programs all year round. Young people at the centre work on many different creative activities. These include music, fashion, digital media, and art. They also learn about land and cultural practices.

The centre was built in 1994. It was the first music recording studio in the Ngaanyatjarra region. In 2007, a video made by young artists from Warburton won an important award called the Heywire Award. The Wilurarra Creative program helps young people feel strong and work together. It also uses online video platforms to share their work.

Tjulyuru Cultural and Civic Centre

The Tjulyuru Cultural and Civic Centre is home to the Tjulyuru Regional Arts Gallery. This gallery is said to have the largest collection of Aboriginal Australian art controlled by the community in the world. This collection is also known as the Warburton Collection. The gallery displays art from many local artist groups.

The Warburton Arts Project started in 1990 to help keep local traditions and culture alive. The new cultural centre opened in 2000. It has a place for performing arts and is a main centre for Ngaanyatjarra culture.

Rainbow Cave

The "Rainbow cave" is a special rock art site. Over many years, artists have painted new layers of images on the cave walls. These images are used to teach children. Artists like Stewart Davies and Tommy Simms painted in the cave in the early 2000s.

Facilities in Warburton

Warburton is part of the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku. You can find information about travel and tourism in the area on their website. The town has an air strip for planes. There is also a community store, a health clinic, and a school. Other facilities include a youth drop-in centre, an outdoor swimming pool, and a sports field. There is also a gallery and a coffee shop that opens on Sunday mornings. A roadhouse provides services for travellers. The town also has mail services and the Flying Doctor Service for medical help.

In 2013, a special unit for haemodialysis opened in the community. This unit helps patients with kidney problems get treatment. Patients can return to Warburton for long visits and receive care. This service is run by Western Desert Dialysis.

The Ngaanyatjarra Community College opened in 1996. It offers learning options for adults in the community. Currently, it provides a telecentre service, which helps people access computers and the internet.

Warburton is a "dry" community. This means that local rules do not allow alcohol to be used or brought into the town.

Tourists and visitors need a special permit from the Ngaanyatjarra Council to enter the town. They also need a permit to use the highways in the area.

Climate of Warburton

Warburton has a semi-arid climate. This means it is usually hot and dry. It has long, hot summers and short, warm winters. January is the hottest month. The average high temperature is 37.9°C (100.2°F), and the average low is 23.2°C (73.8°F). July is the coolest month. The average high is 20.9°C (69.6°F), and the average low is 5.8°C (42.4°F).

The average rainfall is 242.7 millimetres (9.56 inches) per year. February usually gets the most rain, and September is the driest month. This means Warburton gets more rain from tropical rain systems that come from the north of Australia. It gets less rain from cold weather fronts that come from Antarctica in the south.

See also

In Spanish: Warburton (Australia) para niños