Indigenous family moves into climate-smart, culturally designed home in Tennant Creek

Norman Frank Jupurrurla, a Warumungu man, and his wife Serina Morton with their three daughters have moved into a newly built, $1 million prefabricated home on his grandmother’s land north of Tennant Creek. The residence was constructed by Wilya Janta, an organisation that partners with communities to create climate- and culturally-appropriate housing for First Nations people, after the federal and Northern Territory governments announced a $4 billion remote-housing program.

Designed with input from Morton, the house features dual kitchens and toilets to accommodate visiting relatives, mud-brick walls made from crushed termite mounds, a sacred-objects room, and a verandah that connects occupants to the surrounding country. High ceilings, wide windows and an off-grid solar system keep the interior cool, while ramps and an accessible bathroom suit Frank’s wheelchair use. Wilya Janta’s chief operating officer Simon Quilty says the project shows it is possible to deliver Indigenous-designed homes at comparable cost to government builds, urging officials to adopt the model. Local politicians, including Marion Scrymgour, have called for broader funding of such designs to improve outcomes for remote Aboriginal communities.