Desert Knowledge Precinct
A welcoming environment that encourages learning, knowledge sharing and collaboration.
The Desert Knowledge Precinct is a 73-hectare property, which sits on Arrernte bushland, 9 kilometres south of the Alice Springs town centre. It was established in 2006, and its management is underpinned by an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA). DKA is the landlord of the Desert Knowledge Precinct, and is responsible for its management and development.
The Desert Knowledge Precinct in Alice Springs.
DKA proudly acknowledges the Arrernte people as the custodians and first knowledge holders of this land.
The Precinct was created by three key partners who share similar goals and values, and all work onsite:
- Desert Knowledge Australia (DKA)
- Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
- Centre for Appropriate Technology (CfAT)
It is also home to the Desert Peoples Centre, a joint initiative of Batchelor Institute and CfAT, created to support positive outcomes for Indigenous Australians through education and training.
Located on the outskirts of Mparntwe (Alice Springs), the Precinct’s location is significant. It occupies the space where, in the past, travelling Aboriginal groups or messengers would stop and light smoke signals as a way of requesting passage through Heavitree Gap (Ntaripe). It was here that Elders or other group members from Mparntwe would meet the travellers and hear their stories. The Precinct embodies the essence of the land on which it stands, promoting knowledge sharing in a place where everyone is welcome.
We work with the people, communities and organisations of Central Australia to connect people, knowledge, and opportunities.
The Precinct’s key partners have worked together to create a welcoming environment that encourages learning, knowledge sharing and collaboration. The space nurtures relationships that strengthen Central Australian communities, and supports advancing regional and remote Australia. From its key partners located onsite and local organisations who share DKA’s office space, to school groups and visiting delegations, the Precinct provides a place for enterprises, research, education, partnerships, and cultural activities. Its distinctive surroundings and noteworthy location provide a unique setting to share desert knowledge, both ancient and emerging.
In addition to the organisations located onsite, the Precinct also houses the largest multi-technology solar demonstration facility in the world, the famed DKA Solar Centre, which supplies approximately 40% of the power consumed onsite each year.
The Desert Knowledge Precinct, located between Alice Springs and the town’s airport
Locate us
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Stories
Spotted this Spring: Wildflowers at the Desert Knowledge Precinct
Oct 14, 2024
It's been a beautiful spring at the Desert Knowledge Precinct, our buffel management efforts meaning native wildflowers have been thriving and blanketing the site with colour.
Batchelor Institute celebrates new cohort of graduates
Sept 16, 2024
The Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education's inspiring graduation ceremony took place at the Desert Knowledge Precinct, Mpartnwe (Alice Springs) on Thursday.
40+ rangers trained in fire management over two-day ecological burn
Aug 12, 2024
Rangers, fire services, and organisations came together to carry out a controlled burn of two areas of land at the Precinct, part of Batchelor Institute’s Conservation and Land Management course.