Milyakburra community is situated on the central eastern section of Bickerton Island, approximately 620kms east-south-east of Darwin, and 8 km east of the mainland, between Groote Eylandt and Blue Mud Bay. It is north of Numbulwar - 13 km west of Groote Eylandt and the mining town of Alyangula, which was established in 1965 by Groote Eylandt Mining Company Pty Ltd (GEMCO).

Milyakburra is approximately one hour by boat from Alyangula on Groote Eylandt. However, apart from the fortnightly Perkins Shipping freight barge service from Darwin to South Bay, Milyakburra is generally accessed by air. A sealed airstrip is located within 5 minutes walk of the community and can accommodate twin engine light aircraft. Travel time to Alyangula 15 minutes, Nhulunbuy 30-40 minutes. Milyakburra has no sealed roads.

The rare disease of Machado Joseph Disease has affected the population of  several Indigenous Arnhem land and Central Australian communities, but particularly those of Bickerton and Groote Eylandts. The disease occurs in small numbers in other regions and is known on every continent on earth. Machado Joseph Disease is a cruel and complex disease, robbing those who have it of their independence and dignity. It occurs in families, often starting in late adulthood with each child of an affected person at a 50% risk of developing the disease themselves, almost always at an earlier age than their parent.

It is an old disease, some strains are thought to be up to 4000 years old, and its worldwide spread has been attributed to the trading activities of Portuguese and Chinese sailors. This explains why it has affected so many Gulf of Carpentaria communities, who were regularly visited by Portuguese and Chinese sailors before the British settlement of Australia. In some of the Groote and Bickerton families, carers struggle to support three generations concurrently.