We arrived in Alice Springs on Sunday which happened to coincide with the Red Centre Nats a major car event a which certainly pleased Co Driver Marjorie who, between spending some time in the Camp Laundry and attending to other domestic issues, was seen wandering around the site looking at some of the vehicles that were on display or had featured in the “burn out” competitions.
We needed the break as the 800klm journey the day before was a little taxing to say the least.
With the Melbourne v Collingwood AFL final being played on Thursday it was necessary to travel more kilometres than planned as I had anticipated the game would have been played over the weekend. There is no doubt about the AFL, they place TV rights first and the supporters second. My special thanks to David Rush who performed a miracle and secured me a ticket. That is a great humanitarian gesture as David is a Collingwood supporter and to help a Demon fan like me in my hour of need is extraordinary, particularly if the Demons triumph!
As we will be home soon it seems timely to reflect on some of the interesting people we have met on our journey whether it be sharing a meal, brief meetings in caravan parks or in shopping centres, they have all contributed to making our time away so enjoyable. To us the experience of engaging in conversation with those from many diverse avenues of life adds to a great holiday experience. Those we met have indelibly etched in our memories experiences which have enabled us to have a wider view of the world in which we live.
Our first meeting with Kerry, originally from Gippsland, was at the Kulgera Roadside Caravan Park in the Northern Territory Kerry was widowed a few years ago and I guess she would be in her sixties. Early days for her were hard as she lost her parents early and had to manage the farm milking, attend school and be the remaining head of the family to her sisters. She and her husband enjoyed caravanning and she decided to continue on after he died two years ago. A courageous lady who has had many challenges along the way and it was humbling to meet a person who intends to live her life to the fullest extent.
A special shout out to all the marvellous backpackers we met along the way. They are so enthusiastic about being in Australia and they add an extra dimension to outback tourism. We have met English, Irish, Scottish, Argentinians, Americans and French all of whom were delightful whether working on charter boats or at isolated outback roadhouses. It is difficult to imagine how we could cope without them.
In Cygnet Bay on the Dampier Peninsula we enjoyed a conversation with a young marine science graduate from Perth who decided to learn the practical aspects of the pearl industry. She was engaged in heavy work in cleaning the pearl cages each day but she was enjoying the experience and clearly had a commitment to making the most of her qualifications and starting a career.
How could we ever forget Marika and Tony, both proudly indigenous, who manage the caravan park at Lombadina. They demonstrated how with commitment they were able raise the standard of living in this remote community where the people feel safe and have great pride in the beautiful environment that surrounds them.
I had also enjoyed meeting an indigenous fellow by the name of Kooka, short for Kookaburra, in Katherine. I was suffering from sciatica at the time and decided to sit down in the shopping centre. Kooka was on the other end of the bench and I struck up a conversation with him as Marjorie shopped.
I learnt he suffered similar a similar condition caused by his sporting background Kooka was formerly a semi professional rugby league player but found his way to Katherine where he was originally with the education department as a teachers assistant which meant he was required to keep unruly elements under some control. Kooka made it abundantly clear that he felt the department was too soft and decided to apply some Kooka discipline which consisted a few brutal rugby league tackles which was in his opinion the most effective way of applying control. What infuriated him most was when he was called a yellow fella which means he was not a full blood even though his mother was full blood.
He did not feel that the punishment meted out to criminal offenders fits the crime in most cases. His solution is to insist young offenders undertake apprenticeships in prisons to ensure there are job opportunities down the line. Interesting fellow who used an expletive every second word in conversation but we had a good rapport particularly when he learnt Noel was my name and his second name. As I left he said “nice to meet ya brother”!
Our guide at Berkley River Lodge was one of those characters with whom you can never spend enough time. Hailing from the Gold Coast he has a mariners licence which qualifies him to take tourists on a boat and he provides an outstanding commentary. Bruce is so passionate about the Kimberley and lives in fairly primitive conditions all year round along the coast. He is well read on the geological structures and their formation. He has an incredible knowledge on the exploration and history of settlement over the centuries along with a unique understanding of how the flora, fauna and marine life interact. Berkley River Lodge are very fortunate to have such a committed tour guide on their staff.
We met so many interesting people along the way but I felt sharing dinner with Glen Travers was a highlight. Glen commenced his career with Price Waterhouse before eventually moving to the U.K. Clearly he has been very successful starting in Perth and later living in the UK he built a $700 million venture capital operation. He was a European and International Board Member of the Young Presidents AssociationHe specialises in taking medical breakthroughs to market. Our conversation involved the Rotary Club of Hawthorn project with BOAB Health which confronts the issue of diabetes and indigenous health. He was particularly interested as he has set up a company Diabetology Limited which has won awards for its development of capsule version of insulin in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. We agreed there may be potential to progress the BOAB project further with Rotary involvement and hopefully further meetings will be held.
Travelling from Cadney Station Roadhouse to Nhill, distance of approximately 1600klm in two days is tiring but we will recover quickly particularly if Melbourne win.
So that is the last of our reports. Thank you to all who have read about our adventure.
Best wishes,
Noel and Marjorie