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Umuwa SA

Umuwa

Postcode: 5710

Umuwa is an Aboriginal community in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in South Australia, serving as an administrative centre for the six main communities on “The Lands” (the others being Amata, Pipalyatjara, Pukatja/ Ernabella, Fregon/ Kaltjiti, Indulkana and Mimili), as well as the outlying communities.

Umuwa is located approximately 250km north east of Marla and 460 km south west of Alice Springs.

Umuwa was established in 1991 as the administrative centre for the APY Lands.

The Hon Robert Lawson MLC, a member of the South Australian Parliament Standing Committee on Aboriginal Lands, on 1 June 2004 in the South Australian Legislative Council referred to Umuwa as the “Canberra of the Lands”. It appears that Umuwa, by proportion of population, relatively recent history of establishment and tendency for administration to be centred there, is modelled on the Canberra style establishment of a capital for the Lands.