A major milestone is unfolding in Tennant Creek, where Wilya Janta (Standing Strong) is nearing completion of its first Explain Home — a culturally safe, climate-ready home designed with and for Warumungu families. Built using termite-mound mud bricks with high thermal mass, the home stays cool in extreme heat and incorporates solar, battery storage and rainwater harvesting to ensure long-term sustainability. 

The project is guided by the Right Way Housing Guidelines, co-designed with community members to establish clear expectations for genuine engagement, cultural safety and durable design. With the Federal and NT Governments committing $4 billion to remote housing, these Guidelines offer a powerful blueprint for community-led investment. As Wilya Janta’s leaders shared, this home is “proof of a better way to build across the Territory” — and a model that can be adapted across remote communities. 

You can read the Right Way Guidelines here.

📸 Andrew Quilty