History

Ngurratjuta/Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation was incorporated in August 1985 under the Aboriginal Corporations Act of 1976. It is an Association of all those Communities deemed to be have “affected” by the oil and gas mining operations at Mereenie and Palm Valley, and provided a body to receive and distribute the statutory royalties payable to the affected Communities and groups under the Northern Territory Land Right Act.

Ngurratjuta’s Founding Member Communities were:

  • Areyonga
  • Haasts Bluff
  • Hermannsburg
  • Jay Creek
  • Mount Liebig
  • Papunya
  • Wallace Rockhole

Ngurratjuta’s Founding Committee:

  • Alison Anderson, Chairperson and Secretary
  • Mick Waku
  • Daphne Puntjina
  • Graham Poulson
  • Bruce Braedon
  • Salamo Renkaraka
  • Alison Hunt
  • Joe Multa
  • Timmy Tjugadai
  • Barry Abbott
  • Frank Djana

See Ngurratjuta’s current Board.

Founding Purpose and Objectives

Ngurratjuta’s original purpose was to provide financially independent Aboriginal Communities with Inter-Community Corporations and utilise royalty funds to build an active investment base to protect accumulated royalty funds. It provided a growing income base for the Member Communities and stimulated job opportunities and venture activities for members, while actively supporting Community development activities and infrastructure improvements in member Communities.

Through investing a substantial portion of royalty funding, Ngurratjuta has been able to build several commercial enterprises, as well as acquire both businesses and investment properties. Learn more about the businesses Ngurratjuta operate, and the investments it holds.

These investments were made as Ngurratjuta’s governing members were able to identify that in order to ensure continuity of community development and social enterprise, it had to be financially self sustaining, which has meant that in the current days of very limited royalty funding, Ngurratjuta have been able to continue to grow its service base and gain real return on investment.

Further, Ngurratjuta has delivered services to its Member Communities, in addition to other communities over the past 30 years through delivery of various Government contracts including CDP.