Focussed on young people, we deliver programs that support a sustainable environment, education, employment, healthy lifestyles and independent livelihoods for Aboriginal communities in the Watarrka region.

It is by investing in the children and young people of the area — and through their leadership — that we will achieve our objectives.

The Watarrka Foundation was instrumental in reopening the Watarrka Primary School in 2011 and has since played a key role in supporting the broader communities of (Utju) Areyonga, Ulpanyali, Wanmarra and Lilla, located in or adjacent to Watarrka National Park.

The achievements of the Watarrka Primary School have been impressive. Under principal Christine Munro and Indigenous assistant teacher Rayleen Limbiari, students have progressed from:

Reading at a five-year-old level to reading at a 12- or 13-year-old level
Writing simple sentences to writing multi-page stories
Struggling to count to 100 to confidently working with numbers to 1,000,000
Adversarial behaviour to being a cohesive team that supports their peers’ development
Lacking physical confidence to being fit and enjoying sports including fat bikes, walking, basketball, baseball and swimming
Students have been learning at the remarkable rate of approximately 1.5 levels per year and steadily closing the learning gap with city primary schools. The school has also maintained exceptional attendance rates, with core students attending whenever they are on country (except when genuinely unwell).

In 2017 the NT Department of Education recognised Watarrka Primary School as one of the best-performing remote primary schools in the Northern Territory and approved the Principal to teach through to Year 10. In March 2019 the Foundation opened a new classroom complex (classroom, kitchen, computer room, library and sick bay), allowing older students to remain on country for secondary education.

The annual Lilla Sports and Storytelling Festival (“It’s Cool to Go to School”) has become a cornerstone of the Foundation’s work. In 2026 the Festival celebrated its 10th year, bringing students from multiple remote communities together for sport, culture, storytelling and connection on Country.

Current projects we are fundraising for:

2027 Lilla Sports and Storytelling Festival — $75,000
Bus purchase for remote community transport and support — $50,000
Employment Trainee Accommodation on country at Lilla — $250,000
Your support helps us continue building strong, independent and culturally connected futures for young people in the Watarrka region.

Thank you for your support!