So, we're going bush.

I can't begin to explain the feelings of anticipation and excitement when we saw the jobs advertised in the paper. Here was our chance, an opportunity to "go bush" with the kids, take the next step in our careers, and  put the 4WD to the test. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Thamarrurr Wadeye (pronounced Wad-air) was looking for a Head of Campus/Curriculum Coordinator and Head of Secondary School. We thought, "we can do that!" And, the school thought so too because they offered to fly us out for interviews, meet a few people and show us around the place.

Source: http://www.indiginet.com.au/wadeye/

Before we left, we did the compulsory research on the net. If you look up "Wadeye" you mostly encounter a negative perspective on life out there:

Gangs.
Violence.
Trouble with ganja and alcohol.
Low literacy.
Welfare dependency or "sit down" money.
The NT Intervention.
The list goes on.


But, we went out open minded. There is always another side to the story.

So, with Nanna looking after the boys, we took the early first steps of our new adventure.

Starting with flying on a 9 seater plane.

Now, neither of us are adverse to flying. It's just that since we moved to the Territory in January there have already been two light aircraft crashes close to where we would be flying, (I have to admit that I did say a "Hail Mary" on the tarmac) and the pilot gave us a timely reminder that "life jackets are useless up here" (taking into consideration we were about to fly over croc country)!!

The 50 minute flight SW of Darwin takes us over the mouth of the Daly River, wetlands that spread as far as the eye can see, and acres upon acres of eucalyptus trees.

The appearance of Wadeye, nestled in the bush comes as a surprise. It wasn't until that moment that I really connected with with word "remote". We were 500km from Darwin, in a community of 2500 people (and almost as many camp dogs), with only about 200 or so people being non-indigenous. It is the largest Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory, and could be regarded as relatively cosmopolitan as it has a shop (like an IGA), Post Office, mechanic (apparently not much chop with anything other than a Toyota), a butcher, a bakery, library, community centre, clinic, aged care facility, creche and school (P-12), swimming pool (conveniently located right out the front of the school!), 2 AFL fields and of course, the airstrip which runs directly behind the school. It is also a dry community, so alcohol can only be brought in with a permit. The barge runs every 2 weeks for groceries etc, and the only way out in the Wet (Nov-May) is by air.

Source: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2009/10/05/the-weekend-australian-nicolas-rothwell-and-the-art-of-fantastic-journalism/?wpmp_switcher=mobile

We were given the grand tour of town- one end of main street to the other in under 30 seconds?! We saw the house we will be living in, a short stroll away from work as we back onto the Primary school, and checked out what life would be like.

Expectations, not that we really had them, did not match reality. I had pictured Wadeye to be a cross between Coen in Far North Queensland and Bamaga in Cape York. I pictured the stereotypical Aboriginal community that we see so often on file footage whilst viewing the nightly news. Dilapidated housings, a sense of hopelessness in the community, rubbish, one million camp dogs, runny nosed children etc etc. We were met with mostly the opposite. But, the observations were made on a very short time frame and only after seeing a small section of the town. I heard that there is a "up market" part of Wadeye, will have to keep my eyes open for that next time I see it. And apparently things are a bit different at Creek Camp....maybe the Principal's Assistant deliberately omitted this place on our tour??

We really only scratched the surface.

But we have been given some advice from colleagues that are already out there:
* Bring a coffee machine
* Bring DVDs
* Connect the Austar (they only have 3 channels at the moment- SBS/NITV, ABC and Ch7)
* Get a dog
* Start gardening
* Don't drink/don't let others know you have alcohol/when you go on holidays put the grog on the kitchen bench so your house doesn't get turned upside down if someone breaks in
* Get back into Darwin every holiday
* Laugh!

Sounds like excellent advice to me!!!

So, we are three weeks out from the big move. We are making lists and remaking lists. What do you take to a place like this?