Watarru

Camels | Clinic | Community Office | Essential Services | Land Management | School | Store

Watarru Community is located in South Australia near the northern edge of the Great Victoria Desert, adjacent to Mt Lindsay. It lies approximately 550 km south west of Alice Springs as the crow flies. Watarru is one of the remotest Aboriginal Communities in Australia. Sitting in the Shadow of Mt Lindsay, the community is surrounded by the Great Victorian Desert. The Community began to flourish in the early 1990’s, after being established by a small family group of Anangu who had returned from other established Communities Watarru is now well established, with an excellent School, great Store and a huge solar panel bank which provides the community with power. Watarru is also an Indigenous Protected Area I.P.A. which ensures that local Anangu maintain their knowledge with country and try to maintain the remnant native flora and fauna species. There is a large workshop at Watarru Community as well as a large play ground next to some well established shade trees.

The local store is provided with fresh produce by road train once a fortnight, a local workshop provides limited services, but only diesel and avgas fuels are available. Persons with petrol driven vehicles are advised to check with their mechanic regarding the use of Avgas in their vehicle.

There is a weekly mail delivery by air from Alice Springs on Thursdays; general freight is delivered fortnightly by road train.

Road access is from the Stuart Highway over approx. 650 kms of dirt road. During wet weather 4WD is essential. Air access is from Alice Springs on PY Air (tel. 8953 5000).

The community has a Watarru Community Council with the Lands as a whole being serviced by the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Council (AP) based at Umuwa. The Watarru Community office can be contacted on 8956 7626.