ËÄÉ«AV

The ËÄÉ«AV Council is the principal governance organisation in the ËÄÉ«AV Lands. The ËÄÉ«AV Council’s administrative base is located in Alice Springs. The third week of each month, the ËÄÉ«AV Council hosts both a general meeting for all members and a Board of Directors meeting.

Each ËÄÉ«AV community is an autonomous, separately incorporated body as well as a member of the ËÄÉ«AV Council (Aboriginal Corporation). In the 20 years since the Council’s formation, membership has expanded from five original communities - Milyatjarra (Warburton), Irrunytju (Wingellina), Papulankutja (Blackstone), Mantamaru (Jameson) and Warakurna - to 12 communities (the original communities plus Tjirrkarli, Patjarr, Wanarn, Kanpa and Tjukurla, Cosmo Newberry and Kiwirrkurra. 

Prior to the incorporation of the ËÄÉ«AV Council on 24 March 1981, representation of ËÄÉ«AV people was through the Pitjantjatjara Council. The formation of the ËÄÉ«AV area was based on the historical association with the Warburton Mission, a common language, and the Western Australian state border.

The ËÄÉ«AV Lands have few obvious signs of human presence. According to archaeological evidence from excavations in the Warburton area, continuous Aboriginal occupation dates back at least 10,000 years. 

There has never been a pastoral industry and, apart from a few activities such as sandalwood harvesting, collection of dingo scalps and prospecting, there has been no other industry in the area. 

The Outback Highway (Great Central Road) bisects the ËÄÉ«AV Lands east to southwest, providing access to two major regional centres - Alice Springs (1,000 kilometres Northeast of Warburton) and Kalgoorlie (900 kilometres Southwest of Warburton). The 2,000 kilometre section of road from Laverton to Uluru National Park is unsealed and subject to wet weather closure.

All residents of ËÄÉ«AV communities who are of voting age and identify themselves as being of Aboriginal descent, have voting rights on the council. 

The ËÄÉ«AV Communities are some of the most remote communities in all of Australia. According to the Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA), which measures the distance of a settlement from an urban centre, each community is "very remote" and a significant distance from any urban centre.

ËÄÉ«AV Lands cover approximately 3% of mainland Australia(250,000 km2) and encompass sections of the Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, and all of the Central Ranges within Western Australia.

ËÄÉ«AV Council Board of Directors has 17 members. Each Chair from the 12 member communities governing councils, 4 female representatives plus a chairperson elected by the general membership (on an annual basis) are on the Board of Directors. 

The climate in the ËÄÉ«AV Lands is arid to semi-arid with average annual rainfall of 200-250 millimetres with a distinct summer pattern. During the summer, the mean daily maximum temperatures are around 37 C - days of 40+ C are common. Winters are cool with a mean daily temperature range of 6- 21 C; sub-zero temperatures are not often experienced. Periods of prolonged drought are not uncommon.