Planes, Roads, Automobiles and Boats!
Mata Mata is a Yolŋu homeland in North East Arnhem Land, founded by Gatirri Burarrwaŋa and family around 1948 and supported by Marthakal Homelands & Resource Centre. It has no working vehicle. Homelands have a strong health record, but homeland programs do not fund a transport system, and private vehicles are a gap that families fill themselves.
The ISX’s role is micro-work: to pinpoint the vehicle gap and show how inadequate government funding and royalties leave families and supporters carrying it.
This background paper was written while living on the Mata Mata homeland from 28 Sept 2026 to 7 October 2026
Also see this analysis and history of planes as a transport option for homelands.
The case for a homelands barge service.
Where Gove's Money Went.. to Europe, to Canada, to Australians in general, to Territorians and a fraction to Aboriginal landholders.. virtually nothing to homelands.
Campaign ID:
18
Campaign link:
https://www.workingpapers.com.au/papers/planes-roads-automobiles