Kiwirrkurra Community, Western Australia

Kiwirrkura (also spelled Kiwirrkurra) is a small community in Western Australia, near to Lake Mackay. It is 850 km west of Alice Springs. It has been said to be the most remote community in Australia. It was established by Pintupi people as an outstation in the early 1980s. It became a permanent settlement in 1983. It was one of the last areas with nomadic, hunter-gatherer Aboriginals; the last group were settled here in 1984.

The town was evacuated in March 2001 because of serious floods. The population (about 170 people) were first moved to Kintore, then to Alice Springs and then finally to the Goldfields of Western Australia, over  south of Kiwirrkurra. At Alice Springs, the people drunk alcohol for the first time. This led to major conflicts and violence. The community moved back to Kiwirrkurra in late 2002. Though they had been evacuated and living in other places at the time, the Kiwirrkurra people gained native title over the area on 19 October 2001. The title covered  of the land and waters around the town. 

References

Category:Towns in Western Australia
Category:Indigenous Australian communities
Category:Pintupi
Category:1983 establishments in Australia