Parnngurr is a medium-sized Aboriginal community, located 370 km from Newman 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 ...

. Parnngurr was originally known as Cotton Creek, the name of the ephemeral creek that runs beside the community.

Local area

The community sits within

Karlamilyi National Park Karlamilyi National Park lies in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, northeast of Newman and north-northeast of Perth. Proclaimed an A Class Reserve on 13 April 1977, it is the largest national park in Western Australia. The park was in ...

. The park is the largest in the state, and one of the most rugged and remote in Australia. There are no park facilities outside the Parnngurr and Punmu settlements. The popular Desert Queen Baths lie about a half day's drive away along the Rudall River track; also in the area is Kalkan Kalkan Soak, Hanging Rock, Parnngurr Hill (Mt Cotton) and Parnngurr Rock Hole, as well as numerous bluffs, caves, creeks and bush tracks for the adventurous.

Facilities

The community shop provides residents and visitors with fuel, food, cold drinks, some camping and vehicle gear, and fresh fruit and vegetables. The community also supplies emergency medical facilities, accommodation, visitors' camping, caravan parking and laundry. Fuel supply is reliable and many visitors to 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 ...

and

stop in Parnngurr to refuel and pick up supplies. Staff and residents are very knowledgeable about the area and are happy to provide advice on road conditions and places to visit. Although permits are not required to visit Parnngurr, it is a dry community, meaning that drugs and alcohol are not allowed.

Native title

The community is located within the determined Martu (WG6110/98)

native title Aboriginal title is a common law doctrine that the land rights of indigenous peoples to customary tenure persist after the assumption of sovereignty under settler colonialism. The requirements of proof for the recognition of aboriginal title, ...

claim area. In 2002, the Martu were awarded native title rights to over 13.6 million hectares of the Western Desert, an area stretching from the Percival Lakes in the north to south of

Kumpupintil Lake Kumpupintil Lake (pronounced ''goom-bu-pin-dil''), formerly known as Lake Disappointment, is an endorheic salt lake located in the Little Sandy Desert, east of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Description Kumpupintil Lake is about lon ...

and from near Jigalong and Balfour Downs east to the

Kiwirrkurra Kiwirrkurra, gazetted as Kiwirrkurra Community, is a small community in Western Australia in the Gibson Desert, east of Port Hedland, Western Australia, Port Hedland and west of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Alice Springs. It had a popul ...

and

Ngaanyatjarra The Ngaanyatjarra, also known (along with the Pini) as the Nana, are an Indigenous Australian cultural group of Western Australia. They are located in the Goldfields-Esperance region, as well as Northern Territory. Language Ngaanyatjarra is a ...

native title determinations.

Education

Children of school age at Parnngurr attend the Parnngurr Community School. 2020 second semester enrolment was 18, from Year 1 to Year 10.

Governance

The community is managed through its incorporated body, Parnngurr Aboriginal Corporation, incorporated under the ''Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976'' on 6 December 1989.

Town planning

Parnngurr Layout Plan No.2 has been prepared in accordance with State Planning Policy 3.2 Aboriginal Settlements. Layout Plan No.2 was endorsed by the community on 18 April 2007 and the

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 ...

on 4 December 2007.

References

External links

* http://www.parnngurr.com
Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations

Native Title Claimant application summary
{{coord, 22, 49, 01, S, 122, 35, 52, E, region:AU-WA_type:city(104)_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Towns in Western Australia Aboriginal communities in Pilbara