Bo bo Gunbalanya (so long Gunbalanya)

With every week of the wet comes new waterfalls, billabongs, bugs and predators. The transformation has been spectacular and after a big rain Gunbalanya looks like an island surrounded by flooded wetlands. This weekend I had the pleasure of going on my final helicopter adventure and it was the best! Simon, our pilot, took us on an epic flight that culminated in flying through a narrow gorge and landing at the top of a magnificent waterfall in Kakadu. It was extremely remote with no walking paths or roads passing anywhere nearby. We explored the rocky ledges and swam in the top pools before flying back along the escarpment and the East Alligator River home. Hopefully from my photos you will get a small impression of how magnificent and special this place is.

The last month has been extremely busy within the clinic and in the community. Gunbalanya has a profound absence of any regular sports and recreation. From a medical point of view it’s difficult to promote exercise and fitness when there are no options available. From a personal perspective I wanted to meet new people and find ways to feel fit and healthy. So since arriving I have been spruiking the sport that I’ve been playing for the last 14 consecutive years- netball. For those who may not know, netball has been genetically programmed into my family and any skills, knowledge or interest I have comes from my mum and her passion for the game. I have been sponging off her success for years and this trip was no different. I pulled in my contacts at Netball Australia, primarily the super talented Julia Symons. She helped me to network with Netball NT and Australia Post and we have spent the last month running netball clinics a couple of times each week. The first session had 8 people attend and the last one had 36. I targeted mostly school aged children and have been helping a few girls in their early twenties to become coaches and leaders. Last week two of the mothers even came down and it was fabulous for the children to see their mums or aunties playing on the team, explaining the rules and correcting technique.

The clinics have become a big success and I have a lot of people to thank who have helped make it happen. Not only Julia and Steph (from Netball NT) but also Catherine and Sharna (two local community workers). The children have a natural talent for sport with superb hand eye co-ordination. They are quick to learn the rules and have so much energy and enthusiasm that I have to call off the session at dinner time and send them all home! This week the team got together and named the team “Daughters of Ingana” after Ingana the mother of creation in local dreaming stories. It’s been really fun to start this up and I hope that it continues after I have left.

Last Sunday I also had the chance to do something different; I did a radio interview with Liz Ellis, host of the All Australia Program on ABC National. Now I’ve never had a voice for radio and was surprised to be asked but of course I said yes (as Liz is a difficult person to say no to). The interview was about living and working in Gunbalanya and if you have been reading my blogs then you are abreast of everything that was discussed. It’s was a good opportunity to talk about the great time I have had up here and shine light on the positive experiences to be had in Arnhem Land.

As this is my last blog I wanted to thank those of you who have been reading. Keeping a blog is similar to social media in that can see how many people have been reading, where they were reading it from, what browser they accessed the site from and the operating system like Windows, iPad, iPhone etc. It feels like checking how many “likes” you have but in a more in depth, nerdy, statistical kind of way. What I can tell you is that with almost 1000 views and from every populated continent on Earth except South America- I have been extremely flattered by the interest and the positive feedback I have received.

My last session at FAFT
(educating mothers about health and development)

I am really looking forward to coming home to the east coast and seeing my friends and family. I know though that I will miss being here and am hopeful that someday I will get to experience something like this again. I have been surprised by how little I have missed certain things like good food, Melbourne coffee and having the freedom to do whatever you want. It’s also been liberating not wearing make-up or turning on my hair straightener. Being surrounded by the beautiful and dramatic scenery and weather patterns that are unique to Arnhem Land and Kakadu has also been awesome. Thanks for reading along!

If you're interested in finding out a little more about Arnhem Land communities you can watch "Charlie's Country". This film was shot in Ramingining, a town about two-thirds the size of Gunbalanya. I think it is a realistic representation of life in these communities. Here's an IMDb review: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3244512/ and here is the youtube trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly8_7Su4m4c.

If you'd like four minutes of escapism you can look at a collection of my photos from the NT experience. By making a video I am hoping to win an iPad from NT GP so here is my entry: https://vimeo.com/118472730

        

New year, new life and new challenges

After two fabulous weeks away for the Christmas break, I felt refreshed and enthusiastic about my last month in Oenpelli. I flew from Darwin to Oenpelli in a Cessna Caravan aircraft and as usual I asked to sit in the cockpit. It was awesome to learn so much about flying this machine. I learnt about pressure systems, altitude, speed, navigation, take-offs and landings. I followed our route on screen, listened to traffic control in the head phones and assisted the pilot with safety checks. I'm pretty much ready to fly solo I think! 

Exhilarated from my flying experience I was a bit flat when I realised my lift from the airport hadn't arrived. It was 38 degrees, there was no shelter and my groceries were perishing with every minute that passed. Luckily the council mechanic drove by and offered me a lift. This is when I knew I was back in Gunbalanya. I jumped into a rusty ute with my toothless driver "Gringo" and his kelpie "Millie". I tilted my head to see out the broken windscreen while the dog drooled all over my French Connection pants. He drove me to my donga and I lifted my bags out of the tray now all covered in red dirt. I was back!   

The wet season has definitely arrived and Gunbalanya has been experiencing monsoonal rains. The sound of rain on the corrugated iron roof is often quite comforting but when raindrops the size of rocks pound the roof above your head; the ambience is not as pleasant. The thunder wakes me from my sleep and the lightning comes around my black curtains to light up my room like night-club strobes. I’m not usually prone to anxiety but sometimes I have to turn the light on, take a few breaths and reassure myself that I'm okay. My donga is elevated on stilts and supposedly “cyclone proof”; therefore flood risk is small and I shouldn’t blow away like the opening scene from the Wizard of Oz.

"Small waterfall"

The transition to the wet season has seen a dramatic change in the landscape. The red dust has become fertile soil for long, luscious, emerald green grass. Waterfalls are flowing with the “small waterfall” being only three kilometres from my door. We went swimming there on the weekend and it was beautiful and peaceful. My ornithology skills are improving as I recognise more of the diverse birdlife up here and with every rain more billabongs, creeks and puddles start to appear in and around the community. Locals are fishing for barramundi by the side of the road!

You could think that Gunbalanya was paradise; but that would be dangerous and foolish. The crocodiles are breeding and looking to claim their territory. They migrate between billabongs and pools sometimes via community roads. Also breeding are a variety of snakes (including king browns) as well as millions of terrible cane toads. The wet weather brings swarms of insects and I have discovered that I develop large welts and hives after NT mosquito bites. They look hideous but are thankfully not very painful.

Tuesday mornings at FAFT 

The profile of the patients at the clinic has changed as well. Itchy insect bites and scabies lesions are turning into nasty boils and abscesses. Walking bare foot through stagnant, muddy puddles leads to ugly foot infections. Plus a combination of factors such as locals walking all day in wet clothes, and sleeping indoors during monsoon weather, means that the number of respiratory infections are on the rise. But perhaps the most dangerous and threatening issue during the wet season has nothing to do with the animals, insects or the environment- it’s boredom! Isolated by road from everywhere outside of a few kilometres, the people here have little to do. As a result substance abuse and violence have become big problems. We’re hopeful that now school has returned some of this will improve.

Poster made with the mothers at FAFT

Speaking of school, this week saw me return to weekly education sessions at FAFT (“Families As First Teachers”). FAFT aims to give children the best start to life. It is run from a family centre where parents and their children (aged 0 – 3) can have morning tea and lunch and parents learn about caring and nurturing their children. Every Tuesday I go for a few hours in the morning and talk about a health related topic. We’ve covered topics like scabies, healthy lungs, brain development and “Well Children’s Checks”. At first the women were very quiet and reluctant to get involved. However after a few weeks they became less shy, started asking questions and now even suggest the topic for each week. The children are so friendly and affectionate. In Aboriginal culture parenting tasks are performed by many members of the family- siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great aunts etc. I think this often makes local children very trusting of others, unafraid of strangers and actively curious about the people around them. It’s been really lovely getting to know the families at FAFT. It’s given me a real interest in health promotion and education partly because it helps establish rapport with families so that when they are in need they can come to you as someone they know and trust.

The art of crafting a community

Glen, local artist using ocres and fine grass
to create line painting on French paper

Aboriginal culture in Arnhem Land is unique, incredibly interesting and unfortunately diminishing. In Gunbalanya we have the Injalak Arts Centre- a community owned, non-profit organisation that supports local arts and crafts. When you step inside the Injalak building it's like passing through the wardrobe into Narnia in Lewis’ “The lion, the witch and the wardrobe”. You enter into a modern, crisply painted, air conditioned, art gallery that could be found in Sydney or Melbourne. Works on French paper are professionally framed, canvases are hung neatly, baskets are elevated on tall white stands and long wooden totems stand elegantly in the corners. To read more go to injalak.com. 

Out the back you can meet the artists at work. Men and women are separated with the men working on paintings on bark, canvas or paper, as well as carvings and silk screen printing. Women will be basket weaving using local pandanas leaves that they’ve dyed using boiled berries and tree roots. They sit under trees or bark shelters in the shadow of Injalak Hill and the billabong- a really peaceful and inspiring setting.

A local man, Roland, gave me a tour of Injalak Hill last weekend. It is a sacred place where many of the older people lived as children (before houses, shops and the community). As we ascended into the sandstone country we discovered hundreds of galleries with rock art dating back 60,000 years. It was incredible with works depicting foods including thylacines, stories of spirits and creation, and paintings of people dancing and hunting. We also went to a sacred burial site and saw remains of human skeletons. The caves provided a cool, breezy shelter and a view of the flood plains surrounding us.

Typical gallery featuring local rock art 

Always quiet; Gunbalanya pool

After a hot walk up the Injalak Hill I felt like cooling down with a swim. Gunbalanya has a 25 metre pool that is only mildly refreshing as the water temperature is usually around 36 degrees. It was built by the Gunbalanya Sports and Social Club; the owner of which also owns Gunbalanya Air, the Gunbalanya service station and is the Gunbalanya mayor. He charges locals the exorbitant fee of $140 per person for 3 months use of the pool which precludes almost 99% of the community from actually swimming in the pool. This is a great shame as there is statistical evidence showing that an accessible public pool in remote Aboriginal communities decreases the incidence of ear, skin and respiratory infections and reduces antibiotic use. 

Keen to keep fit I went and inquired about purchasing a pool key. I was informed that as the community doctor I was entitled to a free key as long as I did not share it with anyone or bring any dogs into the pool area. I was annoyed by this preferential treatment and the discrimination being shown towards locals. My options were to leave in protest, pay for the key out of principle (and give more money to the wealthiest people in town) or not look a gift horse in the mouth - take the key, set a good example by exercising and keep fit in the safest way possible (cardio on land is limited by cheeky dogs and crocodiles close to the billabong). Perhaps because I wanted to stay sane and maintain some cardiovascular fitness I chose the third option- but it was a difficult decision and possibly not the right one. 

The pool is adjacent to the Club- the only place in town where you can legally drink alcohol- that is, the only place to legally drink if you’re Aboriginal. White people can apply for a liquor permit and bring alcohol into their homes for personal consumption (but that’s another discussion). The Club is open from 4.30-8pm three nights a week and serves mid-strength beer or soft drinks only. As I swim I see locals walk slowly towards the gates on Club nights. It reminds me of the Catholics in Spain going to 6 o’clock mass or the Muslims in Malaysia going to the mosque for prayers. Slowly, the people drift to the only place in town where they can regularly meet and socialise. I went in one day when I had questions about the pool and boy, didn’t I feel different! Sophie, Simon and I were the only white people there and as we walked through everyone stopped, stared and then spoke in language with us picking up words like “doctors”, “clinic” and “Melbourne”. Overall, people were very friendly- waving or nodding, introducing themselves and offering us seats. 

A hand woven fish trap

I wondered about the differences between me and my friends at home and this group of people. I realised how privileged I was to have the freedom to choose how, when and where I socialised. How would I feel if the government restricted my choices about going out and limited my consumption of alcohol to a couple of hours, three nights a week, in the Club setting only and limited to drink beer equivalent in quality to weak VB? Interestingly, less Aboriginal people drink per capita than non-Aboriginal people.

Some Aboriginal people are psychologically addicted to alcohol and go to great lengths to maximise the effects, for example not eating 24 hours before a Club night and only drinking Bushell’s tea with sugar. You can postulate reasons for drinking other than enjoyment like boredom, lack of fulfilment, disengagement, disempowerment, escapism or social pressure. But whatever the reason, for those who drink up here there are significant problems for both the individuals and the community. On Club nights property is damaged and destroyed, the clinic fills up with accidents and assaults, domestic violence rates increase and money is no longer available for essentials like food and power. The Club appears to act as a moral compass banning people from the Club like known perpetrators of domestic violence or pregnant women. But at the same time I witnessed them irresponsibly serving alcohol and noted that there is no food or water available at the Club. When you’re swimming laps alone in the tepid pool as the sun goes down, you can’t help but reflect on some of the moral and ethical challenges of decision making in Aboriginal communities.

Coburg Peninsula highlighted by red box!
Note Gunbalanya southeast of Coburg.

Black Point and rocks covered in oysters

On a lighter note, I had the opportunity to do an “outstation” visit to extremely remote communities on the Coburg Peninsula. Thanks to Whitlam and the development of Medicare, I had the privilege of traveling via Charter plane to provide medical care to some of the most beautiful and isolated communities in Australia. We were doing check -ups, blood tests and administering medications from the back of a ute next to the airstrip. We sat on verandahs looking through frangipani trees at the crystal clear Arafura Sea. We met people whose diet totally comprises of fish, oysters, mud crabs and crayfish. I thought this would be awesome until I saw the worst gout I’ve ever seen and that is possibly linked to the amount of seafood consumed. It was amazing and such extreme medicine. I hope I get another opportunity to go on a trip like this. 

That’s all for 2014- thanks for reading. I hope you all have a very merry christmas and a fabulous start to 2015. I’ll be in Sydney, Melbourne, Murrumbateman and Mollymook sometime before the 7th of January. Hope to see many of you then!

Pilot, plane, patients and clinic/ ute

Sunrise over Kakadu

Last weekend I had the most brilliant time exploring Kakadu National Park. I can understand why it was made a World Heritage Area for its natural beauty and cultural significance. Sophie and I boarded a sunrise boat cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong with our local guide Dennis. I learnt that the billabong is an estuary; meaning a place where saltwater from the coastline meets freshwater from rivers and streams. It is a rich breeding ground for many water species and its diversity attracts many birds and interesting plant life. There were mangroves, paperbark forests, flood plains and savannahs. It was beautiful! There were also loads of saltwater crocodiles discovering the rich menu on offer in the freshwater.  

 

Some of you may be surprised to learn that I have always loved school excursions and learning interesting facts. As such, I had downloaded the “Kakadu Birds App” and done a small amount of research prior to the trip. My study paid off that morning. We saw such an abundance of birds that even someone with no enthusiasm for nature would have been impressed! We saw forest kingfishers, willy wagtails, blue winged kookaburras, egrets, jacanas (Jesus birds), sea eagles, kites, jabirus and my favourites- the azure kingfisher. Now, I know many of you are rolling your eyes at my recent obsession but with over 1/3 of Australia’s birdlife found in Kakadu, it is difficult not to appreciate the diversity.

Jesus bird walking on water, intermediate egret and azure kingfisher

The other highlight of this week was our touch football grand final. Because we’ve had so much rain we are no longer able to drive across Cahill's crossing to Jabiru. The team were looking at forfeiting if Sophie and I weren't able to play; but luckily for us our team is full of pilots! After work a helicopter landed in the field next to the clinic and we were whisked away to the game. The final was thrilling with the game being tied at 6 tries all at full time. We played extra time and with 5 seconds to go the other team got in for a very lucky try. It was a disappointing loss but we came very close to a side who have been undefeated all year. We smiled for the press and made the back page of the Jabiru newspaper the next morning. Sophie and I also enjoyed a VIP helicopter into work the next day- it’s my new preferred method of transport. 

Finally, I want to send a big hello to my Aunty Ro; well known to many of you for her reading at our wedding. She’s spent some of her days this week in Hornsby Hospital and I hope she’s recovering at home being spoilt by her family. Get well soon!

!

A visitor

View from car window

Last weekend there was a very special guest in town- Mr. Ed Macartney. We had an awesome three days; combining a few touristy activities with relaxing and avoiding heat stroke. Driving to Darwin to pick him up was an accomplishment for me. It involved four wheel driving in a Toyota Hilux through crocodile infested waters! I felt very adventurous and pleased that both the car and me survived.

Edith falls

Our three days had many highlights one of which was travelling to Katherine to see Ed’s cousin James and his family. They’ve been living in Ngukurr, another small Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land, as James’ wife Bec works as a remote area nurse. They seem well adjusted to life in the NT wearing no shoes, growing dreadlocks and cruising around in a troupie. We haven’t seen them since our wedding so it was fantastic to catch up and see how much the kids have grown. As for the town of Katherine my highlight was the Brumbies bakery where they sold delicious, cheap mangoes as well as the usual bread. Apart from the mangoes there wasn't much more going for Katherine- I think the real attractions are the Katherine gorge and waterfalls. Ed and I spent a few splendid hours swimming in the freshwater pools of Edith falls. It was idyllic and well worth the hot, sweaty climb up to the top pools (as the bottom ones were closed due to crocs).  

Co-pilot Ed

It’s difficult to experience Kakadu and Arnhem Land in a weekend. The best strategy of course is to get an aerial view of the landscape and the wildlife. Lucky for us our wonderful friend Simon was happy to take us for a flight in his chopper. He even landed on a 100 metre high, narrow, rocky pinnacle that had sensational uninterrupted views. The landing was impressive by itself!

Red Lily Billabong

That night we enjoyed a unique culinary experience; our first taste of magpie goose. During that week I also tried two other gamey meats- wild boar and buffalo. I’ve learnt that marinading these meats, slow cooking and avoiding all the fat are the best ways to enjoy the local produce in Gunbalanya. Ed had only a brief chance to experience the community as most of our time was spent in Jabiru. He saw the clinic, met some locals and enjoyed the luxurious donga I like to call Chateau Fitzcartney. It was a pleasure having him come even for just a few days. 

"Bo Bo Sabies" 

Life in town felt pretty dull once Ed left but work quickly distracted me from feeling homesick. “Bo Bo Scabies Week” (meaning "So Long Scabies Week") began where we went to every house in the community educating them about the nasty mites that get under the skin and can cause serious heart and kidney conditions. 70% of the school children were found to be infected and the dense over-crowding here confounds the problem. We sat down on peoples verandas, under trees or in their yards and told them our “Scabies Story”. It was eye-opening to see the living conditions but a fun and rewarding experience speaking to the families in the community. I also sat down with some women to learn traditional women’s business- basket weaving from local, natural materials. The women were over 70 but some of them were agile and fit! I was inspired by them sitting in tight cross legged positions (think yoga-teacher crossed legs), jumping into 4WD troupies like children and lifting heavy buckets of boiling water as if they were weightless. It keeps you motivated to be working with women like these.          

It's not always sunny in Gunbalanya

The vibe in Gunbalanya is changing as the transition from dry to wet season has begun. Temperatures peak in the high 30's and the humidity is between 50-70%. In the afternoon dark clouds roll across the escarpment and fat drops of water fall from the sky cooling us down and flooding the streets. I was becoming accustomed to the the sight of a willy-willy (small twister of dust or ash) moving across the flats each day but now with the onset of the wet I see sheets of rain sweep across the plains and through the town. The clinic is quiet during the downpours but I’ve been told that with the rains come a number of infectious diseases so we’re bracing for business!

The Donga (aka Chateau Fitzcartney)

The medicine here in Gunbalanya is incredibly interesting and intellectually challenging. This is because the Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land have extremely poor health and are socially disadvantaged.  Overcrowding, poor hygiene, unemployment, malnutrition, illiteracy and lack of education are all big issues that affect this community. It makes working as a doctor here an excellent and unique learning opportunity but is also confronting at times. I'm not sure whether I could do this permanently but I am enjoying this three month stint. Here are a couple of examples that may help to demonstrate what I’m talking about. I've also included some random Gunbalanya photos to distract you if hearing about health inequality is not what you were after. 

Food in Arnhem Land is expensive and not fresh
so I'm slowly learning how to bake my own bread.

Acute rheumatic fever is rare in most developed countries and almost non-existent in non-Indigenous Australians. For non-Indigenous Australians this disease declined dramatically during the 20^th century due to improved living conditions and better access to health services. However, for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people today, rates of acute rheumatic fever are among the highest in the world. It is a life-threatening illness that can damage heart valves leading to rheumatic heart disease. Acute rheumatic fever is a disease I have never seen in Melbourne and am unlikely to come across again once I leave Arnhem Land. But here in Gunbalanya, 10% of the community have had acute rheumatic fever and as a result have developed rheumatic heart disease.

Acute rheumatic fever comes from a bacteria (Group A Streptococcus). Children, often between the ages of 5-14 years, get this bacteria from pharyngeal infections. These children are at high risk of developing these throat infections due to overcrowding, poor hygiene and passive smoking (80% of the population here smoke cigarettes). These infections persist and can develop into a serious bacterial infection that travels into the blood. This provokes an immune reaction where the body produces antibodies (too many in fact) and they start to congregate on heart valves and can also block up the kidneys (causing potentially lethal glomerulonephritis). This might be too much medical jargon for some or an over simplified explanation for others, but the point is that this serious disease affects one in ten here, is preventable with public health measures and totally treatable if people have access to and comply with medical intervention. The high prevalence of acute rheumatic fever has also led researchers to consider the possibility that the bacteria may also be via skin sores. Skin sores occur here due to scratching of itchy skin caused by head lice or scabies mites (conditions affecting more than 50% of the school children here).    

Oenpelli police station (yes, just the truck!)

As I learnt from being an OT, you can gain a huge amount of information and insight into the lives of your patients by doing home visits! In Gunbalanya, I learnt that you can also experience significant cultural shock by visiting patients and their families. Last week I arrived at an elderly man's house, jumped out of my troupie (literally jumped out of the clinic 4WD as it is so high off the ground!) and entered a dusty yard full of dogs. I counted 7 in total but was unsure if 3 were dead or alive as they didn’t seem to be moving or breathing. My learnt defence strategy is to call out “Shaa” and surprisingly, the dogs seem to leave you alone. The man’s children called me into the 2 bedroom house and here I found another 4 dogs and 5 or so people spread out on mattresses on the living room floor. There is no furniture in this home, only mattresses, two cupboards and a flat-screen TV. The people and their dogs were watching a movie and directed me into the bedroom to see the “Old Man”. On the way I remembered I needed to go to the kitchen for some water and I was shown to a room with two sinks and a shelf. No oven, no hotplates, no fridge and no appliances. I turned to the sink and had the fright of my life. An enormous buffalo leg lay in front of me with a big, bloody meat cleaver beside it! The family had been slowly eating the meat, cooking it on the campfire at night, but most of the leg was still intact with the hair, hoof and skin of the lower leg poking into the middle of the room. I took a deep breath, dodged the leg and filled up a cup of water for the old man to drink. The old man is a respected elder and dearly loved by his large family. He has a wide smile and a quick sense of humour that help you see past his frail frame and poor prognosis. I am learning a lot about the Aboriginal culture and traditions from visiting him and appreciate the value they place on family and caring for their elders.

Sunset across the billabong

After four weeks in the NT I can’t wait for Ed to come and visit tomorrow! I'm looking forward to introducing him to the people here (especially Sophie and Simon) and showing him some beautiful sites of Arnhem Land and Kakadu National Park. It is a really special place to be and I feel privileged to be working here.  

For more information on Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease see http://www.rhdaustralia.org.au/. 

Helicopter is the only way to travel

"Arnhem Highway" - the red dirt section is in Arnhem Land,
that leads to the East Alligator River crossing (low tide)
and onto the bitumen into Kakadu National Park
on the right (just below the smoke)

Gunbalanya Health Clinic has three doctors working currently and one of them is Sophie; a GP registrar who has just finished her final exams. Sophie is a fabulous doctor who has been very generous in helping me settle into work at the clinic and life in Gunbalanya. On day one she asked me if I was interested in playing for a mixed touch football team that night. Turns out the pilots in Jabiru have a touch team but struggle to find girls who want to play. Keen to make friends, I of course said yes, and that evening we climbed into the 4WD ute and drove back through Arnhem Land, across the East Alligator River and into Jabiru for touch.   

Simon, Sophie and me

This journey may seem simple enough however there is no bridge across the East Alligator River. Even at low tide you need to drive through shallow water to get to the other side. When the wet season comes the river will flood and there will be no way to drive back to Kakadu- our only option will be to fly. Now the East Alligator River is inappropriately named. It doesn’t contain alligators at all; it is actually home to large numbers of salt water crocodiles. It’s different to Darwin where you look out to the ocean and imagine the hundreds of crocs swimming out there. When you drive through the East Alligator River you can see the crocs all around you. They are terrifying! You can see pairs of eyes, snouts, a flick of a tail or a giant splash as they swim or run into the water. There’s always a sigh of relief when you get to the other side.    

Pelicans

I feel like once we cross the river I am closer to normality. On Mondays I have my regular touch game in a team full of super-fit pilots. Touch reminds me of my high school days at St. Leo's and the finely manicured grounds in Jabiru may not be the MCG but they do make me feel more at home. Sophie’s husband Simon is in the touch team, lives in Jabiru and is a helicopter pilot. If we have a late game or the tide is high we often stay at his place before heading back to work in the morning. On Wednesday afternoon Simon came to visit Gunbalanya. Sophie and I went to the airport to pick him up and he was in the middle of removing the doors from his helicopter. He put them in the back of the ute and asked us if we were interested in a flight. Interested? I’d practically jumped in the chopper before he’d finished the sentence.    

Wild brumbies

For about an hour we choppered around west Arnhem Land and north-east Kakadu. It was honestly one of the best things I’ve done in my life. It was early evening, the sun was low and the light was beautiful. We were open to the elements with the doors off and had an uninterrupted view of our surrounds. The temperature was a balmy 30 degrees and the wind was perfect for flying. We flew over dramatic orange and black sandstone cliffs painted with Aboriginal rock art. We saw wild brumbies, dingoes, boars, crocodiles and hundreds of birds like pelicans, jabirus, brolgas, magpie geese, whistling kites and eagles. The photos will not do the scenery or the exhilarating experience of flying in a helicopter justice. But trust me, it was amazing!       

Boar

Oenpelli