in australia, an outstation is a small, rural settlement of aboriginal australians. they are usually built on or near the community's traditional country; the outstations are therefore also called homelands. the people living on an outstation are usually closely related, belonging to one or two families. the people will have a spiritual and ancestral relationship with the land. the number of people living in the settlement may rise and fall throughout the year, depending on events (such as deaths and ceremonies), but the permanent population is normally less than a few dozen. the definition of an outstation will vary greatly depending on the region, cultural group, history and state property laws. they are generally classed as residential areas on aboriginal-owned land. they are often located near sites that are culturally important. the average outstation consists of little more than one or more houses and a source of water. they are usually very basic, and constructed entirely by the people living there. most of these communities are located in the northern territory, western australia, south australia and queensland.