From Alice Springs to Kintore

Whilst in the NT for the Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG) Conference in Alice Springs, APNA Stakeholder Engagement Manager Lauren Doddo set out on a journey that blended work with discovery. Heading out on the long desert road to Kintore, Lauren drove seven hours west to visit Pintupi Homelands Health Service and see firsthand how care is delivered in one of Australia’s most remote communities. Her experience offers a powerful glimpse into the challenges and beauty of life in the Pintupi Homelands. Alongside her visit to Purple House on her return to Alice Springs, her visit highlighted the vital role of health services in supporting people in staying connected to Country. 

Here’s Lauren’s story in her own words:

Alice Springs to Kintore 

I went to Alice Springs for the AAG conference as a delegate. While in the NT, I took the opportunity to visit Pintupi Homelands Health Service in Kintore¹, about seven hours west of Alice Springs.

We placed two students there in September, and I wanted to see firsthand what they’d experienced. I also hoped to understand more about Purple House² in Alice Springs, as recent conversations had brought this service to light.  

 

Cultural insights 

When I arrived, Matt from the health service showed me around the clinic, accommodation, and some of their sacred sites. Matt has been there for a year and, despite not being Indigenous, has earned a skin name through his work in remote communities. Originally from Melbourne, he’s spent much of his career in rural and Indigenous health. 

Kintore itself is extraordinary. In 1984, the Pintupi Nine emerged from the desert, having never encountered white people before. The community remains deeply connected to culture and Country.  

Kintore landscape

 

Purple House celebration and the importance of health services 

On my last day, I attended Purple House’s 25-year celebration at Papunya Tula art gallery, where I bought a piece by Rosie Nampitjinpa (pictured below). Her painting tells the story of a thorny devil’s pregnancy forming Kintore’s rocky hills. I even sat on one of those outcrops during a storm, at a women’s sacred meeting place. 

Art of the western desert by Rosie Nampitjinpa

The AAG conference focused on dementia, but I attended sessions on helping older people age where they choose, with equitable access to services. That’s why clinics like Kintore’s matter—they enable people to stay on Country, which is like another mother. Purple House’s dialysis unit is life-saving. With kidney disease prevalent among Indigenous Australians and the nearest hospital seven hours drive away, this service has transformed mortality rates. The Pintupi people believe the spirit lives in the kidneys, making their protection even more vital. 

I toured both Purple House sites with CEO Sarah and visited their bush balm shop (I bought far too many gifts!). They plan to hire more nurses next year. This is primary health care at its best—bringing hospital-level dialysis to remote communities. I also met Natasha, the deputy CEO, who will step into the CEO role next year, supported by Sarah’s mentorship. It’s inspiring to see the leadership pathway for a local Indigenous woman. 

Left to right pictured at Purple House: Donna Wilson (Southern Cross University), Sarah Brown (CEO of Purple House), Lauren Doddo, and Jennene Greenhill (Southern Cross University).

 

Reflections and gratitude 

Now I’m catching up—three inches of brochures, research papers, and 352 emails, plus pages of notes to share with the team and add to our Aged Care knowledge hub. I look forward to chatting more about the details soon.  

For now, I can say I’ve visited one remote community. They’re all different, but this experience left me grateful. From my home with fast Wi-Fi, clean water, and a comfy bed, I’m reminded how much health outcomes depend on where you’re born. I’d go back in a heartbeat—and hope to visit many more. I’m thankful for my lucky life and the chance to help share the beauty of these communities. 

 

1 Pintupi Homelands Health Service is a Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Organisation serving the Walungurru (Kintore) Community for the past 40 years. Pintupi works with a range of organisations and its community to deliver care and promote health to those living within Kintore Community borders and beyond.

2 The Purple House delivers dialysis services in 20 remote communities across the NT, WA, and SA and a mobile unit called the Purple Truck.

 

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If you're interested in learning more about our National Nursing Clinical Placement program and our placements in rural communities, or have any questions - reach out to our Placements team at placements@apna.asn.au

The National Nurse and Clinical Placement Program is supported by funding from the Australian Government.