Kunawarritji (also referred to as Well 33) is an Aboriginal community, located in the

Pilbara The Pilbara () is a large, dry, thinly populated region in the north of Western Australia. It is known for its Aboriginal peoples; its ancient landscapes; the red earth; and its vast mineral deposits, in particular iron ore. It is also a glo ...

region of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

, within the

Shire of East Pilbara The Shire of East Pilbara is one of the four local government areas in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. With an area of , larger than the Australian states of Victoria and Tasmania combined, it is the largest local government region in A ...

on the

Canning Stock Route The Canning Stock Route is a track that runs from Halls Creek in the Kimberley region of Western Australia to Wiluna in the mid-west region. With a total distance of around 1,850 km (1,150 mi) it is the longest historic stock route ...

Background

The Kunawarritji settlement (5 kilometres north-west of Well 33) was established in the early 1980s by a group of

Martu people The Martu (Mardu) are a grouping of several Aboriginal Australian peoples in the Western Desert cultural bloc. Name The Martu people were originally speakers of various Wati languages in the Western Desert dialect continuum whose identity coa ...

from

Punmu Punmu is an Aboriginal community, located 640 km south east of Port Hedland in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, within the Shire of East Pilbara. The Martu language, Manyjiljarra (pronounced Mun-dul-jar-ah), is the first languag ...

. The current population is made up primarily of Martu people, consisting of approximately 115 people. As the community is of cultural significance to all Martu people in the western desert, the population can increase up to 1000 during cultural business. Punmu and

Parnngurr Parnngurr is a medium-sized Aboriginal community, located 370 km from Newman in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, within the Shire of East Pilbara. Parnngurr was originally known as Cotton Creek, the name of the ephemeral creek t ...

are the other large Western Desert communities situated 165 km and 230 km west of Kunawarritji respectively. The Kunawarritji community frequently interacts with these and other communities in the area. Fuel (diesel and

Opal Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms ...

) and a wide range of supplies are available from the store.

Native title

The community is covered by the determined Martu native title claim area (WC 96/78). A prescribed body corporate named the Western Desert Lands Aboriginal Corporation was registered for the Martu land on 17 July 2003. Future development at the community requires the authorisation of the prescribed body corporate.

Governance

The community is managed by its incorporated body, the Kunawarritji Aboriginal Corporation, incorporated under the ''Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976'' on 30 May 1995.

Town planning

Kunawarritji layout plan No.1 was endorsed by the community and

Western Australian Planning Commission The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) is an independent statutory authority of the Government of Western Australia that exists to coordinate strategic and statutory planning for future urban, rural and regional land use. The authori ...

in 2004.

Notes

{{reflist Shire of East Pilbara Aboriginal communities in Pilbara Canning Stock Route