Yungngora Community, Western Australia

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Yungngora Community
state = wa


caption =
lga = Shire of Derby-West Kimberley
postcode = 6765
est =
pop = 256 (2001 Census) [Census 2001 AUS|id=IARE26015|name=Yungngora (Indigenous Area)|accessdate=2007-06-30]
elevation=
maxtemp =
mintemp =
rainfall =
stategov = Kimberley
fedgov = Kalgoorlie
dist1 = 280 | location1 = Broome
dist2 = 100 | location2 = Fitzroy Crossing
dist3 = 255 | location3 = Derbycoord|-18.503|124.829|type:city(256)_region:AU-WA_scale:100000|format=dms|display=title

Yungngora is a medium-sized Aboriginal Community in the Kimberley region in northern Western Australia, situated approximately 280 km east-south-east of Broome and 100 km south-west of Fitzroy Crossing.

Background

The community is located on the Noonkanbah Station on the banks of the Fitzroy River between Camballin and Fitzroy Crossing. Yungngora is the gateway to communities further inland such as Kadjina Community and Yackanarra Community. The main access road is unpaved and so becomes inaccessible during the 'wet season'.

History

Some members of the Yungngora people were removed to Beagle Bay Community as part of the Stolen Generation.

The pastoral lease at Noonkanbah was purchased for the community in 1976. Great controversy surrounded the township when its citizens opposed the exploratory oil drilling at a sacred site on the station by the American oil miner AMAX in 1979.

Education

Yungngora Community has a school, Kulkarriya Community School, which was established in 1978 for students from pre-primary through Year 12 in the Western Australian education system. At present it employs five teachers, a principal and 12 Aboriginal staff, and in 2006 had an enrolment of 72 students. [cite web|url=http://www.aics.wa.edu.au/content/theschools/info/kulkarriya_community_school.shtm|title = Kulkarriya Community School|author = Association of Independent Schools (AICS Support Unit)|accessdate=2006-12-26]

Facilities

Electricity supply

Electricity is supplied by the Government of Western Australia and comprises the Australian standard three phase 415/240 volts system 24 hours a day. There are frequent power surges and interruptions.

Water

There are two bores next to the power station which pump into the ground tank. The bores pump the water from approximately 100 metres from below the ground level, despite the community being situated on the banks of the Fitzroy River. A transfer pump station then pumps the water into the high level tank. The water has been recorded as coming out of the ground at between 50 and 60 degrees C. It is this condition which has prompted the installation of cooling towers. There are occasional interruptions.

ewerage

There is a sewer system in place in the community which comprises one pump station near the football oval and treatment ponds on the northern outskirts of the community.

Recreation

The community has basketball courts and a football oval. Yungngora fields a team in the Central Kimberley Football League called the 'Noonkanbah Blues'.

Bush walking, some fishing and camping are the dominant pursuits for tourists visiting. Visitors are required to apply for a permit prior to entering the Community.

hopping

There is one store in town, owned and operated by the ALPA. All items are very expensive compared to major centres. Mechanical repairs may be effected at the mechanical workshop.

References

External links

* [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/hindsight/stories/2005/1342962.htm ABC Radio National]
* [http://www.dreamtime.net.au/indigenous/timeline4.cfm Dreaming Online: Timeline - Contact 1970 - 2000]
* [http://www.nntt.gov.au/media/1103775773_2536.html Central Desert and Kimberley groups reach native title agreements] (National Native Title Tribunal, 23 December 2004)