Haasts Bluff, Northern Territory

Haasts Bluff (Pintupi–Luritja: Ikuntji), is an Aboriginal Australian community in the Northern Territory. The town is about  west of Alice Springs. The closest neighbouring town is Papunya, about  north. In the 2006 census, 207 people were recorded to live in the town and in nearby outstations.

The town is named after the nearby rocky outcrop. The outcrop was given this name in 1872 by the explorer Ernest Giles, who named it after the New Zealand geologist, Julius von Haast. The name in the local Aboriginal language is Ikuntji, which means "where the creeks cross".

The town was established as a Lutheran mission in 1946. It is home to Western Arrernte, Pintupi and Pitjantjatjara people. Many of these people work as artists in the local artist co-operative, Ikuntji Artists.

References

Category:Towns in the Northern Territory
Category:Indigenous Australian communities
Category:Pitjantjatjara
Category:Pintupi
Category:1946 establishments in Australia