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Timeline Ngaanyatjarra Council - Chronology of Key Dates 1873 William Gosse leads the first of numerous expeditions into the Gibson Desert. 1918 Western Australian section of the Central Reserves declared as part of 'protectionist' policy of the time. 1932-33 First missionary contact made with Ngaanyatjarra people by Wade & Jackson at Old Well near Warburton. 1934 Warburton Mission officially established by the United Aborigines' Mission. 1935 First motor truck taken to Warburton Ranges and a road is constructed from Laverton to the Mission. Warburton Ranges added to the Central Reserve in 1935. Beginning in the early 1930s many Ngaanyatjarra men adopt the practice of dingo scalping in exchange for rations at the Mission, meanwhile carrying on a traditional lifestyle in the hinterland. 1948 25% of the 198,094 km2 WA portion of the Central Reserve excised by the State Government for mineral exploration (not restored until 1972). 1953 Wilf Douglas, a missionary linguist arrives at Warburton and the first informal adult vernacular literacy teaching program began. 1954 Hospital opens at Warburton Mission. 1955 Lease granted to Southwestern Mining Company over more than 6,000 m2 in the Blackstone, Jameson and Wingellina areas. 1957 Visit of the Parliamentary Select Committee to follow up Grayden's public criticism of Warburton Mission. 1958 UAM Language Department set up in Kalgoorlie. Wilf Douglas is the first linguist to develop a basic orthography, making Ngaanyatjarra accessible in a written form. 1950s/60s Commonwealth Government (in co-operation with Great Britain) starts Blue Streak Rocket tests from Woomera and atomic tests at Emu Plains and Maralinga in South Australia. Giles Meteorological Station established in 1956 & an access road is constructed from Giles to Woomera. Patrol officers note people occupying such places as Mitika, Blackstone, Mt Davies, Giles, Ilpili, Makurrapirti, Wingellina. Many of the camps identified during this period became sites for homelands or outstations from the mid-1970s. 1960 Dormitory system discontinued by Warburton Mission and replaced by a dining room service for schoolchildren. Papunya settlement established in the Northern Territory as part of a 'desert clearance' program and many Pintupi families from the Gibson Desert are relocated there. 1961 Warburton men encouraged by missionaries to mine copper near the Mission. 1963 Missionary linguists Amee Glass and Dorothy Hackett arrive at Warburton and commence language work with yarnangu, a process which continues forty years later. 1965/66 DNW draws attention of copper find to Western Mining Corporation & in 1966 the company is granted permission to prospect over an area of approximately 1500m2 near Warburton. In 1966, the Central Reserves area is open to outside prospectors & a small mineral lease is granted to Warburton people near the Mission. 1968 A government settlement is established at Docker River. This lessens pressure on Warburton & gives some people the opportunity to live closer to their traditional country. Meanwhile, the Pintupi start to retreat from Papunya, gradually moving west to reoccupy their traditional country. 1969 Docker River provides resource support to people still living at Giles, Mt Fanny & Wingellina (stores & medical visits). Warburton Mission has available for Aboriginal payroll per year (excluding mining) less than Docker River for a fortnight. Ngaanyatjarra people residing at Docker River lobby government to provide minimal living services at Giles, Mt Fanny, Blackstone & Wingellina. 1972 Aboriginal Lands Trust (ALT) established under the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority Act 1972. 1972/3 At its own request, the UAM relinquishes control of Warburton Mission to the Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority & European advisers are employed by external agencies to assist the community. 1973 Warburton Community Council is formed & a Community Council is elected to run the Community's affairs. From the end of the year senior men and women again begin sending letters to members of the Federal Government asking for support for settlements at Jameson, Blackstone, the Clutterbuck Hills, Rurrur, Yapupaara & other locations. 1974 Administration of affairs at Warburton involves a complex and uncoordinated group of agencies. UAM still controls 100 acres of land and half of the buildings. DAA is the major funding body and grants are managed by WD Scott and accountants CP Bird and Associates. A bilingual program is initiated at Warburton School. 1976 First meeting of Pitjantjatjara Council is held at Amata. Representatives from Wingellina, Blackstone and Warburton attend. Irrunytju (Wingellina), Papulankutja (Blackstone), Parnamaru (Mantamaru or Jameson) and Warakurna Communities are incorporated. 1977 Community Development Employment Scheme (CDEP) scheme is created nationally and adopted by Ngaanyatjarra communities over the following few years. 1978 A delegation of 8 Ngaanyatjarra men are sent to Perth in June to urge that 'a working party be established to investigate means to transfer the Central Reserves area, plus additional areas of importance, to the Ngaanyatjarra people in freehold'. 1980 Ngaanyatjarra Communities in Western Australia form their own regional Council, reflecting a difference in political needs. Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women's Council is formed to provide a forum to address the priorities and concerns of community women. Ngaanyatjarra people demand to be involved in the Shell seismic survey to ensure that no areas of sacred significance would be disturbed or destroyed, a precursor to the 'work program clearance' model later developed. A.Lawson and Brian Jennings are the main informants for this project. An outstations adviser is appointed to be based at Warburton. 1981 Ngaanyatjarra Council (Aboriginal Corporation) is officially incorporated. Initial member communities comprise: Warburton, Mantamaru, Papulankutja, Irrunytju, Warakurna. Ngaanyatjarra Bible Project begins. Kintore Community established; the first permanent resettlement of Pintupi in their own country. 1982 Ngaanyatjarra Council organises a convoy to Perth in November. With assistance from various land rights groups over 500 people in 20 vehicles drive to the city and hold a 3 day meeting at Claremont Showgrounds. Ngaanyatjarra Air established. 1983 The Labor Party wins government in Western Australia and the new Premier Brian Burke institutes an Inquiry into Aboriginal Land Rights led by Paul Seaman. Kiwirrkura Community established. 1984 Local Government Act amended to provide full adult franchise at Local Government elections. For the first time the vast majority of Aboriginal people can vote in these elections, formerly restricted to ratepayers. A Pintupi family, having had no previous contact with Europeans, is brought into Kiwirrkura. 1985 A Ngaanyatjarra man (T.Newberry) is elected to the Wiluna Shire Council. Others are later elected and services increase in the eastern sector of the Shire, mostly reflected in improvements to roads. Ngaanyatjarra Services incorporated. Ngaanyatjarra Health Service established, initially operating clinics at Blackstone, Jameson and Warakurna. The first Aboriginal liaison officer, Bernard Newberry, is appointed and holds the position for 9 years. 1986 Ngaanyatjarra Air extends its service to Kalgoorlie. Ngaanyatjarra Agency Transport Service (NATS) established. Indervon Pty Ltd is created as a Ngaanyatjarra enterprise and purchases Ampol fuel franchises in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. 1987 Tjukurla Community incorporated. Tjirrkarli Community incorporated. 1988 As a result of the Seaman Inquiry, 99-year leases are granted to Ngaanyatjarra Council over the former Reserves and significant adjacent areas (vested in the Aboriginal Lands Trust), buffered by two 50 year Special Purpose leases. At a meeting held at Tjukurla Community in May, it is decided to establish a single land holding body, known as the Ngaanyatjarra Land Council (Aboriginal Corporation), to become the lessee of the lands vested in the ALT. Projects section of Pitjantjarjara Council proposes to undertake a water drilling program at several Pintupi homelands, including Jupiter Well, Nyinmi and Kulkurta. Kiwirrkura Community joins Ngaanyatjarra Council. Opening of the Ngaanyatjarra Air hangar at Alice Springs Airport. 1989 Wanarn Community incorporated. Cosmo Newberry Community is re-established with assistance from Ngaanyatjarra Council and Warburton Community. 1990 Warburton Arts Project established. 1991 The Commonwealth surrenders the land on which the Giles Meteorological Station is situated, again as a reserve vested in the ALT which is leased to Ngaanyatjarra Land Council for 99 years. In turn, Ngaanyatjarra Land Council sub-leases the land to the Commonwealth for the purpose of operating a meteorological station for a period of 10 years with an option for a further 10 year renewal. Dedication of the Ngaanyatjarra New Testament at Warburton. 1992 Petition for a new Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku presented to the Local Government Boundaries Commission by Ngaanyatjarra Council. Irrunytju Media established. Ngaanyatjarra Council appoints its own anthropological staff. 1993 Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku is created and the first elections held; however, despite a request to also include Kiwirrkura it remains in the Shire of East Pilbara. Submission by Ngaanyatjarra Council to have Karilwara Community living area excised from the Gibson Desert Nature Reserve. 1994 Ngaanyatjarra Council (Aboriginal Corporation) gains recognition as a Native Title Representative Body. Cosmo Newberry Community joins Ngaanyatjarra Council. NPY Women's Council separately incorporated. Kanpa Bail facility opens with the assistance of Warburton Community and a substance abuse grant. 1995 Patjarr (Karilwara) Community incorporated. 1996 Ngaanyatjarra College opens at Warburton. Ngaanyatjarra Council appoints its own legal staff. 1997 A Land Use Planner is appointed to Ngaanyatjarra Council, leading to the establishment of the Land Management Unit. 1999 Bitumen roads are introduced at Warburton, reducing dust in the community. Daisy Ward and David Brooks take community concerns about schooling in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands to a Ngaanyatjarra Council meeting at Blackstone. 2000 Opening of Tjulyuru Cultural and Civic Centre at Warburton. The area for which Ngaanyatjarra Council is responsible as a Native Title Representative Body is increased threefold by the Federal Government, to be known as the Central Desert Region. Irrunytju Media becomes Ngaanyatjarra Media in recognition of its regional role but remains based at Wingellina. Bitumen roads are introduced at Warakurna. Ngaanyatjarra Council decides to employ Inge Kral and Daisy Ward to undertake an independent review of education and training in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku contributes substantially to the review. The report is written and the recommendations sent to the Education Department of Western Australia. EDWA agrees to work with the Ngaanyatjarra Council and the Ngaanyatjarra Council Education Committee is formed, the first negotiation meeting held at Warakurna in November. 2001 Ongoing negotiations towards the establishment of the Ngaanyatjarra Education Area, jointly administered by the Education Department of Western Australia and the Ngaanyatjarra Council. Kiwirrkura Community members are evacuated due to severe flooding and, following adverse conditions at alternative accommodation, are housed at several Ngaanyatjarra Communities. Kiwirrkura Native Title Determination Hearing. Irrunytju Arts established. 2002 Ngaanyatjarra Land and Heritage Committee is formed. Kiwirrkura Community re-opens. Ngaanyatjarra Dictionary is completed for publication. Establishment of the Ngaanyatjarra Indigenous Protected Area. Karilwara becomes the last remaining Ngaanyatjarra Council Community to get its own school. Bitumen roads are introduced to Jameson. The first meeting of the Ngaanyatjarra Education Area is held – Ngaanyatjarra woman Lizzie Ellis is appointed the director (Community). In my walk of life I've seen many achievements which are quoted in this document. It only came about working together with one voice. To the people of the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, you have done well, you should be proud of your achievements for your own country. There's no place like home. Bernard Newberry |
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