It was formed on 1 July 1993 following a report of the Local Government Boundaries Commission in 1992. The Shire of Wiluna was divided with the eastern area becoming the new Shire.
It is a community of interest within the traditional lands of the Ngaanyatjarra people of the Central Desert of Western Australia. The 99-year leases held by the Ngaanyatjarra Land Council on behalf of the traditional owners also form the boundaries of the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku.
The Shire has 560 km (350 mi) of gravel road and is far from bitumen roads.
Ngaanyatjarra is the first language of most residents (65%, see below) with the other language significantly represented being Pitjantjatjara.
Population
The 2021 ABS Census indicated that the region's 1,358 residents comprised 48.5% males and 51.5% females, with 84.5% of the population being Indigenous Australians.
The Ngaanyatjarraku community has a greater proportion of younger people than the overall Australian population and a lesser proportion of older people, reflected by the median age of 30 years of age compared with 38 Australia-wide.[2]
9.9% speak English only at home (cf 72.0% nationwide)
Communities and localities
The Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku covers 159,948 square kilometres (61,756 sq mi) and is the local government authority responsible for the provision of services to the communities.[3] There are 10 small local centres within the Ngaanyatyarra Lands.[4]
The communities and localities of the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku with population and size figures based on the most recentAustralian census:[5][6][7]
^Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Ngaanyatjarraku (Local Government Area)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
^ a bAustralian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Ngaanyatjarraku (S)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
^"Our Shire". Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
^"Community information". Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
^"SLIP Map". maps.slip.wa.gov.au. Landgate. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
^"NationalMap". nationalmap.gov.au. Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
^Kral, Inge (2012). Talk, Text and Technology: Literacy and Social Practice in a Remote Indigenous Community. Multilingual Matters. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-847-69759-2.
^Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Gibson Desert South (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
^Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Irrunytju (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
^Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Kanpa Community (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
^Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mantamaru (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
^Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Ngaanyatjarra-Giles (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
^"Kiwirrkurra Campus". Ngaanyatjarra Lands School. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
^"Ngaanyatjarra Lands Directory". Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
^"Giles Weather Station". Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
^"Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
^"Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku State Register of Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 20 February 2023.