Page title

The new dry community, which lies about 40 kilometres east of Port Hedland, voted to implement the restrictions for an initial five years, until June 2029, to ensure the safety and welfare of community members and students at the local school.

The addition of Strelley brings the total number of dry communities in Western Australia to 30.

The Aboriginal community Tjuntjuntjara (Spinifex) in the Goldfields has renewed its alcohol ban for a further ten years, until July 2034. This community is located in the Great Victorian Desert, 690 kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie.

The bans are allowed under Section 175 of the Liquor Control Act which prohibits a person from bringing into, buying, possessing, or consuming liquor in the restricted area. Fines for breaching the regulations are $5000 for licensees, managers of licensed premises and directors of a body corporate, and $2000 for others.

While approved by the Minister for Racing and Gaming, the bans are usually the result of requests from local Aboriginal communities and involve extensive consultation with community, police, local government, and other relevant stakeholders.

The regulations also authorise the police to seize and dispose of opened or unopened containers of liquor suspected of being brought into the dry communities.