During the early morning of Saturday, 2 September, an excited group of twelve Year 9 students and five staff members started their long 1600km journey by road to Parnngurr in the East Pilbara desert country, and what a trip it was.
On Monday morning, the Parnngurr students and St Mark’s students were introduced, and by Wednesday night, they were saying goodbye as good friends. In those few days, they had camped together on country, built humpies (shelters), swam in a remote rockpool, sung karaoke, learnt Martu words from an Elder and eaten kangaroo tail and grubs. They played, chatted, and learnt from each other.
The 2022 trip was the start of a strong friendship between our schools, and 2023 cemented that friendship. A huge thank you to the Parnngurr Community School, Chair of Council Mr Murphy Williams, Principal Mr Prem Mudhan and Elders Thelma Judson and Nola Taylor for their hospitality in welcoming us to their community and country.
Student Reflection
This camp will be something I remember forever. As soon as I heard I received the invitation at the end of 2022, I was overjoyed with excitement and anticipation. Nothing would stop me from going. Fast forwarding to Term 2 2023, 4 days from setting off to the middle of the outback, a shock meeting awaited us that Wednesday … the camp had been postponed for a term. This upset everyone, and as a result, people dropped out of the camp due to other commitments.
After a terms wait, the camp was finally getting closer, again. Everyone was filled with joy as we were leaving on a 20-hour drive up to the community. And yes, 20 hours might seem like a long time to drive, but without a doubt, it is something that I would do again just to see the kids and people from the community and spend time with them.
As soon as we arrived, the community was nothing like anyone was expecting, so much larger and more sophisticated than you would think from a town in the middle of nowhere. After a night in little shacks, we met the kids in the school that morning. Within the first half an hour of playing on the playground, kicking the footy, or shooting a basketball, we all had made such good relationships and bonds with the kids.
Finally, it was the time that everyone had been waiting for, going out on country. Over the two nights there, stories were shared, bush skills learnt, and relationships built. It was a bit of a shock as soon as we arrived; there was nothing but bush, dirt and hills, but so much to learn. Every minute, I was learning something new: how to make spears, find witchetty grubs and sand goanna, build humpies, make damper, cook kangaroo tail, and the list goes on. So many highlights were shared as well, swimming in the waterhole, humpy building or sitting around the campfire yarning on for hours.
When we arrived back in the community and said our goodbyes, it was a moment of sorrow for everyone. Who knew that some of us would be in tears, leaving the kids and the community after just 48 hours since meeting them for the first time. Nothing will ever break those bonds and friendships, and the community and its people will lay everlasting memories in our hearts.
When we arrived back, I was almost confused; the reality of school and normal life was so bland, restricted and orderly: wake up, go to school, get home and do sport or homework, and that’s it. Out there, it's so free; run where you want, do as you please and find a witchetty grub on the way. It really gave me a whole new perspective on indigenous culture and their values. Family is everything to them; it's their way of life and what keeps a community together. Their country is pristine and beautiful, providing them with everything they need. It is really so much more than a little run-down community surrounded by bush and dirt.
Charlie Anderson-Nicholls,
Year 9 Student
Video Snapshots
