Kintore - NT

Kintore was founded in 1981, when many Pintupi people who resided in the community of Papunya (about 200 km from Alice Springs) became unhappy with their circumstances in what they saw as foreign country, and decided to move back to their own country, from which they had been forcibly removed decades earlier due to weapons testing from Woomera in South Australia. Know locally as Walungurru, Kintore is situated 530km west of Alice Springs near the border with Western Australia in the Pintubi homelands. Kintore is now overseen by the Walungurru Council (now part of the Western MacDonnell Shire) and has a school, store, airstrip, health clinic and art centre. The population varies upon cultural requirements and numbers vary between 300 to 600 Aboriginal people, averaging a usual population of around 400. There is an average of about 20 non indigenous people living in the community. Most work at the Clinic, School, and Community Council Papunya Tula (Art Centre) the Police Station and the Women’s Centre. There are seven outstations, serviced by the council, with populations between 4 and 15. One of these, Ngutjul, is situated next to a dramatic set of red hills, a site of ceremonial significance and a good illustration of the label "The Red Centre". A family of 12 lives nearby. The road continues south west from Sandy Blight Junction near Walungurru to cross into Western Australia, linking up with the "Gunbarrel Highway", which used to be the first link between Western Australia and Central Australia.Kintore is found at the foot of culturally important hills, known as the Pulikatjara (Two Hills). The community is situated near Kintore Range (Perente), which includes Mount Leisler and Mount Strickland. The landscape is characterised by the iconic red sand and green spinifex grasslands.Kintore is mentioned in the Midnight Oil song "Beds are Burning" (from the Diesel and Dust album): "Four wheels scare the cockatoos/From Kintore east to Yuendumu".These days, the Kintore community is open for tourists who need to purchase fuel (bowsers open 24/7 via self serve card operated fuel payment). Since COVID, the Outback Stores supermarket now offers an excellent range of fresh food (including veg/fruit), hot takeaway food, and general provisions. There is no camping offered in the community and all travellers must have a permit to travel the Gary Junction Rd which is required to access the Kintore community. Camping regulations are outlined in the permit.NOTE: Kintore is a dry community and it is against the law for anyone to bring alcohol into the area.