Tjukurla is in the "tali" (sandhill) country on the edge of Lake Hopkins, a large salt lake, halfway between Warakurna in WA and Kintore (Walungurru) in the NT.  It is about 760km by road from Alice Springs. Tjukurla was originally established as an outstation and when a bore was put down in the early 1980s providing permanent water, people moved there from Docker River, Warakurna and Kintore.  By 1986 the community was permanently occupied and in the following year it became incorporated and a member of the Ngaanyatjarra Council.

Tjukurla has a health centre which is visited by staff from Warakurna, a Ngaanyatjarra Lands school, women’s centre, community store, and recreation hall.