A powerful new model for remote housing has come to life in Tennant Creek, with the opening of Wilya Janta‘s first Explain Home, designed by Warumungu people, for Warumungu people.

Snow Foundation joined Warumungu Elders, families and the Wilya Janta team to celebrate the milestone, which marks years of community leadership, co-design and innovation. Built using locally made mud bricks created from termite mounds and spinifex, the home has been designed around culture, climate and the way families want to live.

The Explain Home began with a simple question: How do you want to live? Every aspect of the design reflects the answers, incorporating cultural living patterns, family structures and local knowledge. The result is a home that is healthier, more culturally responsive and better suited to the realities of life in remote communities.

For Snow Foundation, the project brings together two long-term priorities: First Nations self-determination and eliminating rheumatic heart disease. Healthy housing is one of the most effective ways to improve health outcomes, and Wilya Janta is demonstrating what that can look like in practice.

Importantly, the Explain Home is more than a house. It is a demonstration of what becomes possible when Aboriginal communities lead decisions that affect their lives. As governments continue to invest in remote housing across the Northern Territory, Wilya Janta is showing the value of investing in Aboriginal-led design from the outset.

Congratulations to Norman Frank Jupurrurla, Serena Morton Nabanunga, Jimmy Frank Jupurrurla, Patricia Frank Nurururla, Dr Simon Quilty and the wider Wilya Janta team for their leadership and vision. Their work is helping create a future where housing strengthens health, culture and community wellbeing.

Photo credit: Andrew Quilty