About the MacDonnell Shire

In an arid desert environment, the MacDonnell Shire features many incredible and beautiful panoramic landscapes easily accessed from Alice Springs.

The picturesque swimming holes, magnificent flora and fauna, captivating mountain ranges with changing hues and red desert sands are reasons why the MacDonnell Shire is unique, beautiful and has a deep and powerful strength that can only be felt when travelling across the land.

 

 

MacDonnell Shire has a land mass of approximately 268,887km2. The Shire comprises of 14 major remote communities, many outstations and commercial enterprises such as Tourism, Mining and Pastoral properties scattered throughout the Shire.

The MacDonnell Shire Council officially commenced its operations on July 1 2008.  It was formed as a result of the Northern Territory Government’s Local Government Reform. As part of the Reform process, 14 major remote communities located within the MacDonnell Shire have Service Delivery Centres. These communities include:

•   Amoonguna
•   Utju / Areyonga
•   Kaltujatjara / Docker River
•   Apatula / Finke
•   Ikuntji / Haasts Bluff
•   Ntaria / Hermannsburg
•   Imanpa
•   Walungurru / Kintore
•   Watiyawanu / Mt Liebig
•   Mutitjulu
•   Warumpi / Papunya
•   Ltyentye Apurte / Santa Teresa
•   Titjikala
•   Wallace Rockhole

The total estimated population of the MacDonnell Shire is 6,571 (taken from the 2006 Census Data and NT Government formula to calculate population figures)