A new 10-bed respite centre has officially opened in the remote Aboriginal community of Jigalong, assisting sick, disabled and elderly people from the Martu and Western Desert communities to stay on country and access medical care.
The Jirlpimili Ngurra centre (which means Elder’s Camp) is the result of an East Pilbara Independence Support (EPIS) project to repurpose an existing pensioner complex to provide respite care at Jigalong – 165 kilometres east of Newman.
The pensioner complex was originally built in 2009 with funding of $1.7 million from the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing.
The refurbishment began in February this year and was completed in May. EPIS contributed $100,000 to cover the cost of renovations, with an additional $20,000 from the Department of Communities.
EPIS, a not-for-profit Commonwealth-funded body, manages and operates the centre.