Yuendumu is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia, 293 km (182 mi) northwest of Alice Springs on the Tanami Road, within the Central Desert Region local government area.

Yuendumu was established in 1946 by the Native Affairs Branch of the Australian Government to deliver rations and welfare services;[9] the first superintendent was Francis McGarry.

Their paintings illustrated 36 ancient designs known as kuruwarri (also spelt kurawarri[17]), to teach the children their people's Jukurrpa (often translated as Dreamtime stories), and established the elders as important teachers of the youth.

[19] The painting of the doors started the whole Warlpiri art movement, and in addition became a powerful symbol of elders caring for children, and helping them in "two-way education".

[18] In 1985 the Warlukurlangu Artists Association was founded at Yuendumu by door painters Stewart and Sims, along with several other senior men and women, including Dolly Nampijinpa Daniels, Darby Jampijinpa Ross, Jack Jakamarra Ross, Samson Japaljarri Martin and senior women including Uni Nampijinpa Martin, Rosie Nangala Fleming and Maggie Napangardi Watson Incorporated in 1986, it is now called Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation.

[41] In 2007, Johnny Japangardi Miller "Hooker Creek",[42] Peggy Nampijimpa Brown[43] and Andrew Stojanovski[44] were awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for their efforts in founding the program and "for service to the community of Yuendumu and the surrounding region of the Northern Territory through programs addressing substance abuse among Indigenous youth".

[45] Yuendumu leaders who were awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001, which commemorates 100 years of Federation and recognises "citizens and other people who made a contribution to Australian society or government" include Wendy Nungarrayi Brown[46] and Rex Granites.

[53] The town is mentioned in the 1987 Midnight Oil song "Beds are Burning" (from the Diesel and Dust album): Four wheels scare the cockatoos/From Kintore east to Yuendumu.

[citation needed] In The 2005 PlayStation 2 Video Game Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, the second chapter "Rumble Down Under" takes place in a fictional Yuendumu in the Australian outback, which is a mining and digging site.