Pipalyatjara vs Papulankutja

Pipalyatjara and Papulankutja are two small communities separated by about 88 km across the South Australian and Western Australian borders. There are significant differences in education and language, with Year 12 completion far higher in Papulankutja at 34.8% compared to 5.6% in Pipalyatjara. While both areas have many residents who speak a First Nations language, it is far more common in Papulankutja at 97.1% than in Pipalyatjara at 77.7%. The typical First Nations resident in Pipalyatjara is also noticeably older at 30, while the typical age in Papulankutja is 24.

Both communities have a similar number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and the typical First Nations resident in Papulankutja is about the same age as the national figure. Life in both places involves significant challenges, as First Nations unemployment is among the highest in the country in both areas. This trend is consistent across the border, with Pipalyatjara's rate at 36.7% and Papulankutja's at 33.3%.