Maralinga Tjarutja
South Australia
Oak Valley is a remote aboriginal community located on the southern fringe of The Great Victoria Desert, approximately 516kms northwest of Ceduna on Maralinga Tjarutja Lands. It is approximately 320km north of Yalata by 4WD track, crossing the Trans Australian railway line at Ooldea.

Oak Valley was established in 1985 as a community out station for Anangu people displaced from the Maralinga Lands for the British atomic tests. Oak Valley (Maralinga) Inc. has project managed the establishment and development of the community including the provision of housing, roads and other infrastructure. Oak Valley is now serviced with a store, mechanics garage, health clinic, aged care centre, a new school and an airstrip. The community also has a CDEP program and arts workshop for local employment and cultural development activities.

Bordering the Great Victoria Desert, Oak Valley boasts some beautiful scenery - brilliant red soil, native eucalypts and of course, the native Desert Oak which the township is named after.

The local population ranges from 80 -100. At times during special cultural activities the population has risen to 1,500 people, with visitors from neighbouring communities.

Temperature
The Temperature ranges from 6.5ºC in Winter to 44.7ºC in Summer
with minimum temperatures overnight -3º in winter.
Rainfall average .75mm - 1.25mm
Language - Pitjantjatjara
Neighbouring Aboriginal Communities:

Closest neighbouring community is Yalata which is south of Oak Valley.
Closest community over the WA border is Tjuntjuntjara.
Closest community north of Oak Valley is Watarru on the APY Lands.
 
 
Stay tuned to learn about some of our culture.....