Northern Territory Town Profiles

Transcription

1 Ngukurr

2 Northern Territory Town Profiles Our thanks to Paul Kelly, Gangajang, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Warumpi Band and The Castle for the inspiration for Alongside s chapter headings. Thank you to the rangers, community members, shires, NTPFES employees and their families who shared their experiences and expertise with Alongside in the creation of these profiles. Copyright 2017 Alongside All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of authors. To obtain permission contact: Paige Hobbs paige@alongside.org.au Phone: Level 16 The Charles Darwin Centre, 19 Smith St, Darwin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following book may contain images of deceased persons. hello@alongside.org.au Design by One Idea

3 Ngukurr Ngukurr

4 One of the many tracks in and around Ngukurr.

5 Moving to a new location can be stressful and overwhelming for several reasons, not least because you may be moving to a remote community, or a town you have never been to before. Partners and families of Northern Territory Police are often required to move around the Territory to support a loved one in the job and while Alongside cannot make some of those changes go away, we can help reduce some of the unknowns for you. We understand that moving somewhere new can be daunting. It is our job to offset those feelings the best we can by providing you with as much information possible on the community you are about to call home. The Alongside town profiles are here to help. Designed to provide Northern Territory Police, their partners and families an overview of each location in the Northern Territory, the Alongside town profiles detail everything from the nuts-and-bolts essentials to suggestions of great things to do on the weekend, how to assimilate into local cultures and the general vibe of a place. From all of us at Alongside, welcome to Ngukurr! Ngukurr

6 FROM LITTLE THINGS, BIG THINGS GROW Town Overview The township of Ngukurr is located on the Roper River in South East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Ngukurr is an Aboriginal Community built on hilly ground, it is situated 650 kilometres southeast of Darwin via Katherine, which is the closest regional centre, some 310 kilometres away via the Stuart and Roper Highways. The river country is spectacular, featuring rich growth, billabongs and wetlands, weathered sandstone formations and alluvial valleys. Ngukurr is in the Yugul Mangi ward of the Roper Gulf Council. Heritage The Traditional Custodians of the area around Ngukurr are the Ngalakan speakers, giving their name to the hill on which the town is centred. Explorer, Ludwig Leichhardt named the Roper River in 1845, after one of the members of his expedition. In 1872, a depot was established on the river to unload materials for the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line. For a time, the depot was home to some 300-people making it the largest European settlement in the Territory. Northern Territory Town Profiles

7 Paddle steamers brought supplies to the men working on the Telegraph and later to newly established cattle stations. The depot was the destination of the first overland cattle drive from Queensland and the Coast Track stock route was vital to pastoral development across northern Australia. In the 1880s and 1890s the area gained a reputation as a wild outpost and in response police established a permanent presence in There was extensive Aboriginal-European conflict and in 1908 the Church of England established the Roper River Mission, site of the present town, as a refuge for the many different language groups. The Welfare Branch of the Commonwealth Government took responsibility for the mission in 1968 and the Yugal Mangi Community Government Council was formed in 1988, the same year the Ngukurr Community Education Centre was built. Indigenous communities The principal Aboriginal groups prior to contact with Europeans included the Alawa, the Binbingka, the Marra, the Ngarnji, the Wilangarra and the Yanyuwa people. However, the Traditional Custodians are members of the Ponto clan, with Manbilila clan members also represented. Ngukurr

8 WITH DIFFERENT LIVES, IN DIFFERENT PLACES Climate Ngukurr has a tropical climate which is characterised by a wet or monsoon season between November and April and a dry season from May to December. Ngukurr is prone to cyclones during the wet season due to north-westerly winds drawing in moist air from the ocean, so be sure to invest in a cyclone kit. All The Essentials Ngukurr is a dry community, alcohol must not be brought into, or consumed by visitors or residents of the community. A permit is required to enter the private land and waters around Ngukurr. Depending on the purpose of your visit, you will require either a Work, Transit, Recreational Fishing and Tourist Permit; a Research Permit; a Media Permit; or a Commercial Filming Permit. The Northern Land Council permit system is designed to help protect the privacy of Aboriginal communities, preserve Aboriginal culture, safeguard the natural environment and promote visitor safety. Northern Territory Town Profiles

9 Ngukurr General Store stocks a good selection of food during the dry season. During wet season, deliveries can be delayed and sometimes there is less fresh or chilled food options. Store items can cost twice the price of a typical urban supermarket. It s a good idea to stock up on dry goods before moving to Ngukurr. It is possible to order food deliveries from Roper Bar store they will deliver to your door each afternoon. The store sells diesel and opal fuels. The nearest town is Mataranka, however the closest shopping hub is Katherine, located 320 kilometres away. There are no cafes or restaurants in, or close to Ngukurr, therefore the only option for takeaway food is the Ngukurr Store. Mataranka has an excellent Roadhouse, 200 kilometres away. Ngukurr

10 The Ngukurr Store has an ATM and is a branch of the Traditional Credit Union. Otherwise, there are no banking or bill payment facilities in the community. Mail comes in, and can be collected, once a week from the council office, though this can be delayed during wet season. The Darlala Motel offers air conditioned accommodation in Ngukurr and is nestled on top of a ridge with spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. The location provides a magnificent sunset vista. The Ngukurr Health Centre is managed by the Sunrise Health Service. The centre is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm. Staff remain on-call after hours for medical emergencies. A doctor visits the community up to four days per week. There is no pharmacy available within the community, however the Health Centre will dispense medications as required. Alternatively, you can visit a chemist when in Katherine or Darwin. Northern Territory Town Profiles

11 Urapunga Outstation, 25 kilometres from Ngukurr has a Health Centre which is also managed by the Sunrise Health Service. Urapunga has a population of around 60 people. Health Professions visit from Ngukurr Health Centre. The centre is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm. Staff remain on-call after hours for medical emergencies. A doctor visits the community one day every fortnight. Plugging into the outside world can be done via Telstra 3G telephone and internet coverage and there are currently two public telephones in the community. Digital television is connected to all homes and local radio is provided through Roper Gulf Regional Council s Remote Indigenous Broadcast Services (RIBS). Ngukurr news is available on the Ngukurr News Facebook page with regular monthly editions. Ngukurr Community Education Centre caters for preschool to secondary school students and a crèche and playgroup are also available. In the 2016 census there were 313 students enrolled. School of the Air correspondence school is available. An exciting development in 2011 was the commencement of the VET horsemanship, providing desirable and realistic training for employment in horse and cattle work. Operating out of a newly created horse yard, middle year students can learn how to ride and other associated skills. Ngukurr

12 IN CONVOYS OF SILENCE THE CATTLE GRAZE Sport The council runs a youth, sport and recreation program in the community and there is a sports oval and swimming pool available for public usage. Made possible through the KickStart program Ngukurr has an under 16 s AFL team, The Ngukurr Bulldogs. The team competes in the Katherine District Football League. Recreation Fishing is the favourite recreational pastime. Throw a line in at the Roper River and try your luck at arguably some of the Northern Territory s largest Barramundi. Bring your fishing rod and lure or buy a hand line from the Ngukurr General Store. Hunting is another past time, specifically feral pigs and buffalo. A little way east from Ngukurr is the Saint Vidgeon Homestead ruins. The ruins portray a story of hardship in the outback. Built in 1960, it is the last of three homesteads to be built and lost at this outpost since The Lomarieum Lagoon, 100 kilometers to the east is covered in water lilies. There is a bush track that winds its way along the southern side, perfect for hiking and enjoying the superb wildlife and abundant bird life. Northern Territory Town Profiles

13 Ngukurr

14 The annual Yugul Mangi Festival, held in June, encourages community members to share their music, sporting and cultural successes with all those who attend. Entry is free and no alcohol is sold, or permitted into the festival. Arts Ngukurr Arts Centre produces everything from traditional, to the new wave of contemporary Aboriginal art. The artists predominantly paint on canvas but other mediums include prints, carvings, necklaces, weaving, batik, clothing, bags, pottery and photography. The centre operates as a studio and gallery. People paint on the verandah and inside the studio. The diversity is reflected in the subject matters and the variety of styles at Ngukurr Arts. Northern Territory Town Profiles

15 Ngukurr

16 I M TOLD I M GOING PLACES Ngukurr is accessible by road, air and water. The gravel section of the Roper Highway (approximately the last 60 kilometres into Ngukurr) is well maintained and can be used by conventional cars during the dry season and four-wheel driving during the wet season. Travel time by road is approximately three and a half hours from Katherine. Only during severe flooding at the Roper and Wilton Rivers does the road become inaccessible. Plans are in place to replace the bridges over the Wilton and Roper Rivers in mid Darlala Motel has hire cars available however they are quite expensive. Flight time is two hours from Darwin, or one hour from Katherine. The airstrip is an all-weather strip and sealed. There is also a landing at Ngukurr for Barge travel. Distances out of Ngukurr; Bulman...260km Numbulwar...153km Darwin...650km Katherine...310km Mataranka...213km Northern Territory Town Profiles

17 PLACES TO START The Roper Gulf Regional Council site has information on the town of Ngukurr and the other communities in the region, as well as services, photo gallery and useful links. The Darlala Motel is an economic development project of the Yugul Mangi Development Aboriginal Corporation under the direction of the leaders of the seven clans of Ngukurr. Their website not only offers online accommodation bookings but also a look into what else is around Ngukurr and the many spectacular views. The unique arts culture within the community is well worth getting involved in. Ngukurr Arts website has information on upcoming events and artist profiles, including pieces for sale. Ngukurr

18 Northern Territory Town Profiles

19 Ngukurr

20