The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands (AP Lands) are located in the far North West corner of South Australia covering an area of some 103,000 square kilometres (see map below)

Permit approval is required to access the AP Lands under the Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act 1981. The Permits Clerk can be contacted through Anangu Pitjantjatjara Reception on Telephone 08 8954 8111 and Facsimile 08 8954 8110

The AP Lands are declared a Dry Area with no alcohol allowed, other permit restrictions also apply.

ACCESS

Access to the AP Lands from the South is approximately 1100 km from Adelaide. The turn off is approximately 47 km North of Marla on the Stuart Highway.

Access to the AP Lands for the north is via the Victory Downs Rd near the SA border approximately 295km south of Alice Springs. The Victory Downs Rd turn off is approximately 22 km south of the Kulgera roadhouse on the Stuart Highway. The main road onto the AP Lands is approximately 100km along the Victory Downs Road.

All Communities are on the main road network. Homeland Locations are accessed via secondary roads or tracks at varying distances from the main roads. Many of the Homelands can be visited on route to the major communities via secondary roads with only small detours and additional travelling distance. (refer to appendix for map for road network and community/homeland locations)

BASIC DISTANCE INFORMATION

Centres	Kilometers	Running Total
Marla-Indulkana	58	58
Indulkana-Mimili	60	118
Mimili-Fregon	77	195
Fregon-Amata	125	320
Amata-Pipalyatjata	207	527
Pipalyatjata-Watarru	140	667
Watarru-Pipalyatjata	140	807
Pipalyatjata-Kalka	12	819
Kalka-Pipalyatjata	12	831
Pipalyatjata-Kanpi	100	931
Kanpi-Nyapari	20	951
Nyapari-Amata	100	1051
Amata-Ernabella	140	1191
Ernabella-Kenmore	35	1226
Kenmore-Umuwa	38	1264
Umuwa-Fregon	31	1295
Fregon-Mimili	77	1372
Mimili-Indulkana	60	1432
Indulkana-Marla	58	1490
Marla-Walantina	34	1524
Walantina-Marla	34	1558

COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AND PROTOCOL

Each community and Homeland Group is an independent incorporated entity separate to AP Services and Anangu Pitjantjatjara Land Council. Each community and Homeland Group has a Council and Chairperson who make decisions about issues that affect the community and its residents. A Municipal Services Officer (MSO) coordinates the day to day running of the community in management capacity and reports to funding agencies and the council. The MSO is the primary point of contact and operate out of the Community Office. Individual homelands generally have between 1 and 6 houses and are collected into a Homeland Group or managed by a community. The Homeland Groups have an office in the nearest major community.

The MSO should be aware of all visitor movement in their community. Upon arrival and at departure visitors/contractors should announce their presence at the Community.

ACCOMMODATION

Not all communities have accommodation for visitors. The accommodation options available are varied ranging from basic housing, to caravan or works shed with basic services or remote facilities. Accommodation costs also vary; $20 to $40 per person per night is indicative for established facilities (caravans & houses)  

SUPPLIES

There are Community General Stores in Watarru, Pipalyatjara, Kanpi, Amata, Watinuma, Ernabella, Fregon, Mimili and Indulkana. These vary in size and stock selling basic food supplies and sundry items but may be considered expensive. Some stores incorporate takeaway food outlets.

Fuel is limited to Distillate and Avgas in lieu of Petrol (no Unleaded, Super or LPG fuel). Fuel is available in all the above communities with stores with the exception of Watinuma. Distillate is also available at Umuwa. Indicative cost is $1.50 per litre and most communities have an additional fee for out of hours opening. 

The closet regional service centre is Alice Springs approximately 450 kilometres to the northeast of Umuwa. This is the nearest source of hardware, parts and materials. Specialist items are not always kept as stock. Marla township to the south has a licensed roadhouse, motel facilities and a supermarket.

Most communities are serviced by a twice-weekly mail plane from Alice Springs. This service will carry small freight and passengers subject to capacity.

Truck and bus companies operate daily services on the Stuart Highway.

SERVICES

Health Clinics are located in the larger communities. These services are available for emergency treatment but will not provide management of ongoing medical conditions or fill prescriptions. Medi-vacs are undertaken by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Airstrips are located at the major communities.

Communities are serviced by diesel generation 240v supply with a local distribution network. Access to this supply is usually not a problem for basic usage. Homelands power is usually a combination of alternative energy (wind & solar) with small capacity diesel generation (240v). 

The quality of the water on the lands is considered good to very hard.

The road network across the AP Lands is unsealed with the exception of some internal community roads. Road conditions vary dramatically particularly following periods of inclement weather. Directional signage is also limited.

Climatic conditions vary with temperature extremes, as a guide temperatures in summer may vary from 25°Celcius up to 45°Celsius, winter temperatures can fall below freezing at night.