Warakurna
The Ngaanyatjarra Lands span approximately 250,000 square kilometres of the Great Victorian and Gibson Desert regions of Western Australia. Communication services have improved significantly across the region since a fibre optic rollout 15 years ago, with mobile services now in the seven larger communities. However, low levels of household access, affordability barriers for pre-paid mobile users, and low literacy and digital ability in some cohorts limit digital inclusion.
780km from Broken Hill
Ngaanyatjarra and Ngaatjatjarra people
2025 Digital Inclusion score
ADII scores range from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the greater the level of digital inclusion. ADII scores are relative: they allow comparisons across different social groups, different geographic areas, and over time.
2025 Dimension scores
We measure digital inclusion across the three dimensions of Access, Affordability and Digital Ability; identified as the key requirements of digital inclusion. Where early research on digital inclusion focuses on questions of access, subsequent work highlights affordability challenges, and shows the importance of digital skills or abilities as the use of online technologies has grown. To understand and address digital inclusion, it is important to pay attention to Access, Affordability and Digital Ability simultaneously.
Community Outcomes Reports
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Warakurna, WA 2025 community update report8 Sept 2025 Read PDF online |
Summary
This report outlines updated findings from the second and third research visit to Warakurna Community in Western Australia’s (WA’s) Ngaanyatjarra Lands. It outlines changes in First Nations digital inclusion over three years, updating the state and usage of communications and media services in Warakurna from 2023 to 2025.
The report is intended to assist local agencies, leaders and residents to better understand the barriers to digital inclusion, develop local strategies to address these barriers, and support planning and partnerships with government and industry stakeholders.
Key findings
- While communications infrastructure in Warakurna is among the strongest of the sites visited, the key barriers to digital inclusion now lie in affordability, digital ability, and the availability of culturally grounded support and learning pathways.
- Households are paying much more on their phone and internet, from a monthly average of $167 in 2023 to $292 in 2025, adding to cost of living pressures.
- There are more residents using the internet, with dedicated community training needed to support new users in using devices and online services.
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Warakurna, WA community outcomes report21 Dec 2023 Read PDF online |
Summary
This report presents research findings including survey results, interview analysis, an audit of communications and media services and usage, and suggested strategies for a local Digital Inclusion Plan based on community input. It is intended to assist community agencies, leaders and residents to better understand the barriers to digital inclusion, develop local strategies to address these barriers, and support planning and partnerships with government and industry stakeholders.
population (ABS 2021)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders (ABS 2021)
occupied dwellings; 2.8 people per ATSI household (ABS 2021)
Research Partner
Warakurna Community Council
Ngaanyatjarra Council supports the aspirations of approximately 2,000 Yarnangu (Ngaanyatjarra people) across 11 autonomous desert communities in Western Australia. Rooted in the principles of Ngurra Rapa, Tjukurrpa Rapa (“Strong Home, Strong Stories”), the Council provides essential services and empowers communities to lead their own development. With a focus on health, education, employment, housing, and land management, Ngaanyatjarra Council fosters sustainable growth while preserving Yarnangu culture, law, and connection to country.
The Warakurna community became incorporated in 1976 and a member of the Ngaanyatjarra Council in 1981.
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 Warakurna co-researchers and research partners:
Tracey Yates
Co-Researcher
Renisha Yates
Co-Researcher
Heston Newberry
Co-Researcher
Bernadette Newberry
Co-Researcher
Jeannie Pegg
Co-Researcher
Gina Livesay
CRC Coordinator
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 the 11 participating communities.