About

Kurungal Inc is an organisation situated around a group of communities, which are located about 120km to the southeast of Fitzroy Crossing in the central west Kimberley, northwest Western Australia (WA). The organisation is based in a reasonably remote part of Australia and provides specific government funded services to surrounding Indigenous communities. These incorporate the communities of Wangkatjungka, Kupartiya, Ngumpan, Gilly Sharpe, and a seasonally inhabited outstation, Ngarantjadu.

Kurungal Inc is an umbrella organisation, that is, it has five subsidiary organisations associated with each of these five communities as its members. The term ‘kurungal’ itself refers to the country adjacent to Christmas Creek, and incorporates Christmas Creek Station. It was also how the group of people who lived and worked on Christmas Creek Station, prior to the Pastoral Award decision of 1968, became known—the ‘kurungal mob’.

Kurungal Inc was established in 2001 under the Associations Incorporation Act 1987 (WA), Prior to the creation of Kurungal Inc, the communities of Kupartiya on Bohemia Downs Station and Wangkatjungka had no administrative connection, although they did have strong cultural and historic ties. Prior to 2001, Wangkatjungka Inc had itself been an umbrella, managing the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) of Ngumpan and Ngarantjadu, as well as the larger Wangkatjungka community.

Kurungal Council Inc. members

• Mr. Nelson Bieundurry-Chairperson-Wangkatjungka Community
• Mr. Greg Peterson-Vice Chair-Wangkatjungka Community
• Ms. Levinia Rogers-Wangkatjungka Community representative
• Mr. Douglas Hobbs-Wangkatjungka Community representative
• Mr. Mckenzie Lawford-Kupartiya Community representative
• Ms. Lilly Spinks-Ngumpan Community representative
• Mr. Darren Hobbs-Ngumpan Community representative

Ngumpan Community Committee members

• Ms. Lilly Spinks-Chairperson
• Mr. Darren Hobbs-Vice Chair
• Mr. Allister Hobbs
• Mr. Hector Hobbs
• Ms. Francine Steel
• Mr. Butcher Wise

Kupartiya Community Committee members

• Mr. Mckenzie Lawford-Vice Chair
• Ms. Tamara Lawford
• Ms. Erica Lawford
• Ms. Michaela Lawford