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Yuendumu, Northern Territory

 
Wikipedia: Yuendumu, Northern Territory
 
Yuendumu
Northern Territory

Location of Yuendumu
Population: 706 (2001)
Established: 1946
Postcode: 0872
Elevation: 748 m (2,454 ft)
Area: 7 km² (2.7 sq mi)
Time zone: ACST (UTC+9:30)
Location: 293 km (182 mi) from Alice Springs
Federal Division: Lingiari


Yuendumu (22°15′S 131°47′E / 22.25°S 131.783°E / -22.25; 131.783) is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is one of the largest towns in Central Australia, after Alice Springs and Yulara and has a thriving community of Aboriginal artists. Yuendumu lies 293 km northwest of Alice Springs on the Tanami Track, and is a community largely made up of the Warlpiri Aboriginal people, with a population of 706. The Community Council governs an area of 22,242 square kilometres which includes numerous outstations.

It was established in 1946 by the Native Affairs Branch of the Australian government to deliver rations and welfare services. In 1947 a Baptist mission was established there. By 1955 many of the Warlpiri people had settled in the town.

In the early 1980s the Yuendumu Warlpiri elders painted ceremonial designs on canvas, which begun the art movement at Yuendumu. The first painting there was on the door of the Yuendumu school (which later started the Yuendumu Doors series), painted by Paddy Japaljarri Stewart and Paddy Japaljarri Sims, who are some of the most well known artists at the community. In 1985 the Warlukurlangu Artists Association was founded at Yuendumu.

Warlpiri elders founded the Mt Theo Program in 1993 which has become a model for substance misuse prevention and youth diversion/development in remote Australian communities. In 2007, Johnny 'Hookicreek' Miller, Peggy Nampitjinpa Brown and Andrew Stojanovski were awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for their efforts in founding the program.

For over 25 years the community has also been home to PAW Media (formerly Warlpiri Media), most famously producing 'Bush Mechanics', and also 'Aboriginal Rules' which explored the social meaning of football in remote communities.

Yuendumu is home of the Yuendumu Magpies football team, who play in the Central Australian Football League (CAFL) (formerly playing in the Ngurratjuta 'Country' Cup). Yuendumu won the inaugural season of the new Alice Springs competition in 2008. Yuendumu player Liam Jurrah was drafted into the AFL soon after by the Melbourne Football Club. Liam is now playing a very exciting brand of footy and helping melbourne to develop and groome their younger players.

The town is quoted in the Midnight Oil song Beds are Burning (from the Diesel and Dust album): Four wheels scare the cockatoos/From Kintore East to Yuendemu.

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