What a lovely day today has been.
My first trip out to one of the homelands MAF serves began by being weighed, every girls nightmare!
We were then escorted to our plane by Andy, our handsome pilot for the journey.
It was so nice to be able to spend some time catching up as last year we completed our orientation training with him, his wife and muffin, now known by the name of Theo and nine months old.
Safely off the ground the views were breath taking, flat plains of bush, scrub and eucalyptus trees.
Our first destination, Baniyala in sight. One of the larger Homelands in Arnhem land. Baniyala is perched on the edge of a beautiful cove.
A welcome sight!
The local, relatively new store at Baniyala is stocked with a viriety of items including; fish hooks, flour, clothing, two man tents, family favourites such as tins of baked beans. The list goes on.
Homes around the community of Baniyala.
Following a brief trip to the community school, it was a quick hop, skip and jump into a "troopie" for a 50 minute journey to Rurranala, our final designation.
Rurranala is a small remote inland community with a few houses, a one room health clinic, office and a school. At the School about ten children are taught by a wonderful Yolngu woman.
Just a ten minute walk away from the community runs a river, a vital life sustaining source of food and water for the locals.
Walking back from the river one of the children pointed out a buffalo horn fixed to a tree.His comment was "Cheeky Buffalo, came into our community"
All that is left of that cheeky roaming buffalo I think!
After a truly special day it was back into the plane, take in the views...
and then back on tarmac again, and the MAF hanger.
Thank you Andy!Thank you to all those Yolngu people I met and their warm welcome.
More at www.maf-arnhemland.org
Charley, Rachel
William, Alexandra, Georgie & Freddie.
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