Ngurratjuta/Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation

Providing employment services, investments, and advocacy in Central Australia.

DESERT FUNERALS

Creating a safe and affordable space for Central Australians to rest their loved ones

Desert Funerals is a culturally sensitive and not-for-profit funeral service created as a joint venture between Ngurratjuta/Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation and Centrecorp Aboriginal Investment Corporation.

Both Ngurratjuta and Centrecorp have witnessed the impact of funeral costs on Aboriginal families in Central Australia, with both organisations providing significant time and money helping families cover the costs of funerals.  Funeral costs often contribute to a never-ending cycle of financial burden for Aboriginal people in Central Australia.

Desert Funerals aims to deliver significant  positive  change and dignity to  the  lives,  and deaths, of Aboriginal people in Central Australia through providing a compassionate not-for-profit service for families during their time of need, rather than creating a significant financial impost which continues to impact families into the future.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

We deliver employment and training services through the Australian Government’s Community Development Programme.

The Community Development Programme (CDP) was previously called Remote Jobs and Communities Programme (RJCP) and is funded by the Commonwealth government. The current contract ends on 30 June 2018. CDP is focussed on employment services and job placement, motivating and supporting jobseekers through a framework of engagement and compliance. The programme comprises jobseeker activities, training, and pre- and post-placement support services.

Ngurratjuta is the CDP provider for the Far West Alice Region, which includes the communities of Haasts Bluff, Papunya, Mount Liebig, Kintore and Nyirripi, as well as outstations such as Mbunghara and Warren Creek. This is a remote region with limited infrastructure, mainly dirt roads and mobile coverage only in Papunya. The total caseload for this region fluctuates around 500 participants. Note that individuals have varying mutual obligation requirements and not all of these participants are required to attend work for the dole activities.

Wherever possible, Ngurratjuta CDP partners with other community organisations and services to deliver locally-focused projects. Previous projects include community clean-up competitions, tree planting, aluminium can and plastic container recycling, developing a men’s area at an art centre, building tables from recycled doors, screening off a morgue through innovative fencing, installing seating at a church, painting a recreation hall, cleaning out an abandoned building, and supporting an aged care service with infrastructure maintenance and development.

Ngurratjuta CDP has also worked with training organisations to support the remote delivery of Learner Driver Training, Drink Driving Courses, White Card, First Aid, Leadership Training, Forklift and Tractor Operations, Cert I in Foundation Studies, Cert II in Construction Pathways, and Cert I/II in Community Services. Ngurratjuta reviews training needs on a regular, including requests from employers and local industries.

TILMOUTH WELL ROADHOUSE

Experience the outback without sacrificing home comforts, at Tilmouth Well, the oasis on the Tanami.

Tilmouth Well is 2 hours North-West of Alice Springs, situated on the southern end of Napperby Station, a 2200 square mile cattle station which has been owned and operated by the Chisholm family since 1948.

Ngurratjuta purchased Tilmouth Well from Roy and Janet Chisholm in October 2016 and Ngurratjuta continue to operate the business with the same philosophy held by the Chisholms, being to create an oasis along the Tanami for travellers and locals.

‍