| Amata South Australia | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Amata | |
| Coordinates | 26°09′S131°08′E / 26.150°S 131.133°E /-26.150; 131.133 |
| Population | 455 (2016 census)[1] |
| Established | 1961 |
| Postcode(s) | 0872 |
| Elevation | 690 m (2,264 ft) |
| Time zone | ACST (UTC+09:30) |
| Location | 1,407 km (874 mi) North West ofAdelaide via  |
| LGA(s) | Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara |
| State electorate(s) | Giles |
| Federal division(s) | Grey |
Amata (formerlyMusgrave Park) is anAboriginal community in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands inSouth Australia, comprising one of the six main communities on "The Lands" (the others beingPukatja,Kaltjiti,Indulkana,Mimili andPipalyatjara).
Amata is part of the Amata – Tjurma electorate. The people of theTjurma Homelands regard themselves as a separate community.
Due to its proximity to the border of theNorthern Territory, Amata does not observe daylight saving time unlike the rest of South Australia. The time zone observed throughout the year is Australian Central Standard Time (UTC+9:30), in line withDarwin rather thanAdelaide.
Amata lies about 115 kilometres (71 mi) due south ofUluru and 380 kilometres (240 mi) south-west ofAlice Springs, in the north-west ofSouth Australia, within the Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands. It is located at the western end of theMusgrave Ranges, about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south of the border with the Northern Territory.[2]
Being 700 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level, Amata is also South Australia's highest town.[3]
It lies within one of seven electorates within the APY lands, representing the Amata and Tjurma wider communities, which elect the Executive Board of Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara.[4] Tjurma appears to be or have been a separate community.[5]
Based upon the climate records of the nearest weather station atMarla Police Station between 1985 and 2015, Amata experiences summer maximum temperatures of an average of 37.3 °C (99.1 °F) in January and a winter maximum average temperature of 19.6 °C (67.3 °F) in June. Overnight lows range from a mean minimum temperature of 22 °C (72 °F) in January to 5.5 °C (41.9 °F) in June.[6]
Annual mean rainfall is 234.4 millimetres (9.23 in).[6]
Against the trend forAboriginal communities, the population of Amata grew for some years, from 180 residents in 1981, to more than 350 in the 1990s,[7] to 536 in 1996.[8]
Amata's population was 455 as of the2016 Australian census. 83.6% identified as Aboriginal, and 96% of the population were born in Australia. 364 (81%) spokePitjantjatjara language at home, and 3 theWarlpiri language. 53.6% of theworkforce were unemployed.[1]
The town of Amata services the Tjurmahomelands and other nearby lands. The population of the "Amata - Tjurma Homelands" in the 2016 census was 429, all of whom were Aboriginal: 377 (89%) spoke Pitjantjatjara, and 3 Warlpiri. 62% of the workforce in the area were unemployed.[9]
Amata was established under the name of "Musgrave Park" in 1961 by theSouth Australian State Government. The community was established to take the pressure off the increasing growth ofPukatja (formerlyErnabella). The aim was to use it to educate the Aboriginal people in how to work in the cattle industry. A school was opened seven years later, in 1968.[7]
The settlement was funded by thefederal government as anoutstation (homeland) during the 1980s.[10]
The Centre Bush Bus service offers services between Amata,Kalka and Alice Springs several times a week.[11]
Amata Airport is one of three sealed airstrips in theAPY Lands. The other sealed airstrips are located atKaltjiti andMimili.[12]
TheAmata Anangu School was upgraded between 2003 and 2005 and there was a commitment in 2007 by state and federal governments to improve the associated swimming pool facility. The swimming pool was opened on 24 June 2007 by thenSouth Australian Premier,Mike Rann.[citation needed] The pool reopened around 2024 after a period of closure, after much needed upgrades, including new rescue and safety equipment as well as new staff.[13]
In 2018, the school offeredReception to Year 12, had a total enrolment of 92 students of which 84% were indigenous and a teaching staff of 15.[14][15]
Amata has limitedTechnical and Further Education (TAFE) support. Community lecturers offer training in: preparing for work; literacy and numeracy; work skills; learner driver education and licence support.[16]
Obtaining fresh and healthy food has long been a problem for this and other remote communities. In early April 2020, the 1,000-square-metre (11,000 sq ft) Amata Aṉangu Store, opens next to the demolished old general store. With 600 square metres (6,500 sq ft) of storage space and 400 square metres (4,300 sq ft) of shopping area, it will stock "fresh fruit and vegetables, refrigerated frozen meat and other household goods... [from] TV sets to trampolines". Thenonprofit organization Mai Wiru Regional Stores Council Aboriginal Corporation was founded in 2000, to help establishfood security on the APY Lands, with a major aim being to supply healthy food at cheaper prices in order to improve nutrition and community health. In 2015 Mai Wiru established their own transport system, and supply fresh food fromAdelaide rather than Alice Springs, cutting costs by up to 25%.[17]
A permit from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara is required to access Amata, as the land is ownedfreehold by the corporation of resident Aboriginal people.[18]
The sale of local artwork plays a large role in the success of the Amata community.Tjala Arts, founded in 1999, exhibited the works of 7 Amata artists inCanberra in 2006.[19] In the 2007 State Budget, the South Australian Government announced $350,000 for a new arts centre in Amata.[20]
Tjala has nourished the careers of many artists who have gone on to be recognised for their work by prestigious art prizes, such asTjungkara Ken. TheKulata Tjuta (many spears) project has spread across the APY lands as well as featuring in a large installation in theTarnanthi Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art inAdelaide in 2017. Works by Tjala artists have been bought by private collectors and public institutions across the world, and are on display in theNational Gallery of Australia, theArt Gallery of New South Wales, theNational Gallery of Victoria and theArt Gallery of South Australia.[21]
Tjala Arts is one of ten Indigenous-owned and -governed enterprises that go to make up theAPY Art Centre Collective.[22]
Tjurma is a small, remote homelands community in the Musgrave Ranges, 500 kilometres south-east of Alice Springs... The Tjurma people are the people who have come from the Anangu Pitjantjatara Lands, and they are the traditional owners. There has been talk of merging with Amata, starting with our art centre. The Tjurma people do not want to merge with Amata, which is a larger community with a lot of problems. They want to keep their homelands lifestyle.
Refereed paper presented to the Australasian Political Studies Association Conference University of Adelaide, 29 September—1 October 2004
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