Three people have been hospitalised after a violent disturbance at the remote Oak Valley outstation, south of Alice Springs, reignited concerns about an ongoing family dispute that residents fear could lead to further bloodshed.
The incident occurred last weekend at the outstation, located approximately 90 kilometres south of Alice Springs, where tensions between rival family groups have reportedly been simmering for years over access to housing within the small community.
According to relatives of those injured, the confrontation involved a group of people allegedly attacking members of another family while children were present at the scene. The violence left three individuals requiring medical treatment, with injuries described as serious.
Arrernte sisters Erin and Tara Liddy, who are traditional owners connected to Oak Valley, said they were away from the community when they received frantic phone calls from relatives seeking help during the early hours of Sunday morning.
"My brother... called me at 3:25 in the morning and said, 'I need help, you need to call the police'," Erin Liddy told ABC News.
The sisters said they later received videos of the alleged attack that had been circulated on social media.
According to Tara Liddy, the assault involved at least 10 people, leaving several family members with significant injuries.
One victim reportedly suffered a broken jaw, another sustained a fractured eye socket, while a 60-year-old woman suffered serious injuries to her eye. Family members said the emotional impact on children who witnessed the violence had been profound.
"We had to fly the children back to Darwin... they're all traumatised, having nightmares, they can't sleep," Tara Liddy said.
A spokesperson for the Northern Territory Police Force confirmed officers attended Oak Valley and launched an investigation into the incident.
Police subsequently arrested and charged two men aged 36 and 52, along with a 55-year-old woman, with several offences, including aggravated assault and engaging in violent conduct. All three appeared before the Alice Springs Local Court earlier this week.
Authorities said investigations remain ongoing and that those involved were known to one another.
Police also indicated they were working with other agencies and community stakeholders to facilitate education initiatives and mediation efforts aimed at preventing further violence.
The dispute is believed to centre on a disagreement over who has the right to occupy one of the limited number of houses available at Oak Valley.
According to the Liddy sisters, the conflict has persisted for approximately eight years, despite repeated attempts to seek assistance from relevant organisations.
However, Central Land Council (CLC) chief executive Les Turner said the organisation had offered mediation services but had been unable to secure agreement from both sides.
He stated that when family disputes are not directly related to land ownership matters, the council's ability to intervene is limited.
The sisters fear that unless a lasting resolution is reached regarding housing arrangements, tensions within the community may continue to intensify.
"We're stuck and the lack of help that our family has received has now ended in this and it could have been a whole lot worse," Tara Liddy said.
As police investigations continue, community leaders and authorities face increasing pressure to find long-term solutions that address both immediate safety concerns and the underlying causes of the conflict.
The incident has once again highlighted the challenges faced by some remote communities where overcrowding, limited housing availability and unresolved disputes can contribute to ongoing unrest.
