Punmu
Punmu is situated in the very heart of Western Australia, 1310km northeast of Perth, in the Rudall River National Park. It is one of the most remote communities in Australia. The township is located on the most eastern edge of Lake Dora, a giant dry salt lake which reflects some of the most spectacular desert sunsets. It’s accessible location, amenities and stunning natural sites make it an ideal stopover for travelers touring the Canning Stock Route.
640km south-east of Port Hedland
Manyjiljarra people
population (ABS 2021)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders (ABS 2021)
occupied dwellings; 4.9 people per ATSI household (ABS 2021)
Research Partner
Punmu Aboriginal Community
The Punmu Aboriginal Community was established in 1981 and has developed consistently since that time. New houses have been built, a new store has come up, there’s a community office, a school and a mechanic’s workshop, not to mention a dedicated tourist precinct with powered camping and caravan sites, and self-contained dongas with communal kitchen and laundry.
Local Research Team
Community co-researchers are employed in each community to support research activities and contribute research findings between site visits. These roles provide local jobs and support capacity building.
Community co-researchers play a central role in the research, liaising between the research team and the local community, providing cultural guidance to the research team, acting as translators, facilitating research activities, identifying possible participants and communicating information to community members.
We’d like to extend our gratitude to the support of our Punmu co-researchers and research partners:
Edith Costello
Co-Researcher
Ronelle Simpson
Co-Researcher
Lloyd Biljabu
Co-Researcher
Photos from research activities
Mapping the Digital Gap
Mapping the Digital Gap is the first extensive study of digital inclusion and use of media and communications services in remote First Nations communities across Australia. Using qualitative and quantitative research methods, the project is providing data to help measure progress on Closing the Gap Target 17, which aims for equivalent levels of digital inclusion for First Nations people by 2026.
Mapping the Digital Gap is a partnership project between the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S) and funding partner Telstra, as part of the Australian Digital Inclusion Index research suite. The research team also partner with local First Nations organisations and co-researchers to undertake on-site research annually in participating communities.