Remote clinics offer better health and happiness on the edge of the western desert
Two new state-of-the-art health centres in the Western Australia's east Pilbara will deliver new services to western desert Indigenous communities.
While some of the self-described 'bush people' have been heard to say jokingly "it's too flash for us", the buildings represent the first moves to modernise medical facilities 'on country'.
Parnngurr is 360km away from the nearest (mining) town of Newman, where facilities do not meet the needs of Indigenous people living in their home community, a safer environment due to no available alcohol.
As more and more Martu Aboriginal people are returning to remote communities where alcohol is banned and two-way culturally inclusive education is now provided to young Martu people, culturally appropriate health services are expanding.