ERWIN CHLANDA AND KIERAN FINNANE COVER THE FOUR
DAY DESERT KNOWLEDGE SYMPOSIUM:
Getting the people behind you
Last week's Desert Knowledge Symposium, the first, was hailed as a
"remarkable step" Ð coming together to actually chart a course for
the future; and questioned as a "fantasy" Ð what would anyone,
looking at Australia's experience of desert management, want to take on
board?
Keynote speaker, Steve Wells of the Desert Research Institute in
Nevada, USA, at the end of the first day, commented: "I think you've
embarked on something I wish the United States had considered about 30
years ago, before larger developments and changes in our desert
landscapes had occurred.
"You are taking a step that is pretty remarkable É I've worked
in deserts all my life and to see people coming together to actually
chart a course and think about harmonious activities is something that
I've never seen really in the United States."
From the floor, Jocelyn Davies, based at Adelaide University and a
contributing researcher to the Desert Knowledge cooperative research
centre bid, challenged Australian credibility in desert management:
"There's the worst record of mammal extinctions in the world; there's a
huge disparity in wealth along racial lines; there are quite unresolved
land tenure systems, with two different systems now operating; there's
a crisis in Indigenous governance and health; we've been exporting the
wealth from these regions to the coastline; and the residents in these
desert regions don't pay the real costs of the natural resources they
use, particularly water.
"Are we really selling a reality here, or is this some kind of fantasy,
that there's something from desert knowledge, as we are applying it
now, that we've got to sell?"
Ms Davies's challenge points to a key task for Desert Knowledge
Australia (DKA): that of taking the community with them in this
"alternative futures" process.
The community needs to trust and believe in the process and to do that,
they need to understand it. Any definition would appear to be
multi-faceted.
Bruce Walker from the Alice-based Centre for Appropriate Technology,
said the DKA process acknowledges the mistakes and limitations of the
past: "We're owning that É we're saying that you develop good
things when you look back at what you have done and work out new ways
of doing it É We want to set up different processes, different
governance structures É
"[It's] unlike everything else that's impacted on Central Australia
Ð the decision to put communications through Central Australia, the
decision to put the Joint Defence Facility in Central Australia, all
those decisions were taken on the other side of the world.
"Desert Knowledge is a decision that's been taken by people who live in
Central Australia and we're pushing it out to the rest of the world.
"That is a fundamental difference."
But what is it that we're "pushing out"?
Is it the research and innovation capacity of organisations like CAT
and CSIRO? And if so, don't they do that already?
And because there are commercial opportunities in this kind of
activity, is that what you call a "knowledge economy", a brave new
world for the highly educated few?
In fact, the concept seems to be more inclusive, more all-embracing.
Ifor Ffowcs-Williams, of Cluster Navigators Ltd, New Zealand,
suggested: "Every industry, every activity that is under way right now
in the Territory should be considered as knowledge-intensive, even the
traditional pastoral [activity].
"[We should be] looking not just at the export of live animals, for
example, but the export of our knowledge, our skills, our systems
É finding different income streams that draw from the knowledge
we have here in the Territory."
Debra Amidon, from the University of Texas in Austin, USA, offered, in
her upbeat style: "Draw the circle around everyone and let the
discoveries begin!"
As knowledge is embedded in human beings, said Ms Amidon, a knowledge
economy creates a level playing field, for developing and
industrialised nations alike Ð read, for laymen and experts alike.
She had some nice examples that seemed to support that view: for
instance, that 72 per cent of ideas leading to innovation in enterprise
come not from specialists, but from customers.
In a paper she circulated, she quoted from a Special Millennium Edition
of The Economist: "Few of the inventors responsible for the astonishing
wave of innovation between 1750 and 1860 were scientists; most were
artisans or engineers with little or no scientific training.
"They were men of common sense, curiosity, energy and a vast ingenuity,
standing on the shoulders not of scholars but of similar practical
types."
That sits well with the image of people in the Outback as multi-skilled
and resourceful, able to think "outside of the box".
Tim Flannery, Director of the Museum of South Australia, gave an
example that was easy to relate to: a pastoralist in the New England
area of NSW who freed himself of the "encumbrance" of land ownership.
Now, as good seasons arrive, he buys cattle and agists them, then as
the El Nino weather cycle "starts to swing and the door closes", sells
them off at a great profit, and does something else while the drought
lasts.
"You couldn't do that if you owned land, he's actually freed himself
from this incredible European mindset that the ownership of land is
everything É
"Australia is now teaching us that isn't the only way you can make a
living."
However clever though, this is still just an isolated example.
"Connectivity" seems to be the key to being able to talk about a
knowledge economy.
Carlos Scheel, a professor from the University of Monterrey, Mexico
Ð the only keynote speaker at the conference from a developing
country Ð pointed to the success of India in the software industry,
in contrast to their incapacity when it comes to supporting a banking
system: "Ever tried cashing a cheque in India?" he asked.
At present, Central Australia manifests comparable sharp contrasts:
research scientists, innovative technologies, electronic communications
alongside, for instance, very low levels of literacy and high
unemployment in remote communities.
Similarly, there is an advanced understanding of how to live
sustainably in our desert environment alongside widespread practice of
the exact opposite.
Michael Ossipoff, Director of Capability for Telstra, dazzled with the
latest possibilities of disseminating knowledge, stressing though that
they can only be seen as "enablers", not solutions.
However Prof Scheel drove home a point about access: in Mexico, 90
people in 100 own televisions, but less than 20 in 100 own telephones.
That disparity would be even greater in our Aboriginal communities.
In 1999 Prof Scheel's university tried to set up a Masters program on
commercialisation of science and technology, in partnership with the
University of Texas.
"We had to drop the science because there is no science in developing
countries.
"So we started a commercialisation of technology program, although we
had to drop that word also because we couldn't find the technology."
Ms Amidon's paper ackowledges that "the ÔDigital Divide' could
exacerbate the gap between the haves and have nots", but in the very
next clause dismisses this point with the following: "the human (vs.
the information or technology) agenda will place the emphasis on all
people and all cultures Ð where it belongs!"
This important area of discussion is abandoned with the next sentence.
We have to take it on faith that there is a human agenda out there.
To be fair to DKA, though, they have put a "human agenda" at the heart
of their three-pronged vision of sustainability, harmony and wealth
creation.
Mary Ann Bin-Sallik, a PhD from Harvard and Dean of the Faculty of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies at NT University Ð
the first Aborigine to be employed in the higher education sector in
Australia Ð gave the keynote address on harmony.
She described the relationships between black and white Australians as
a "resounding cacophony".
To move towards a "symphony" requires trust, which for many Indigenous
Australians around the country had been shattered by the watering down
of the Native Title Act.
Said Dr Bin-Sallik: "At the time of the watering down, the silence from
industry was not only deafening, it was sickening to us.
"We've not recovered from that experience.
"I urge you to ask yourself if you'd recover from such an experience if
it was thrust upon your world from a more dominant and alien culture?
É
"Do you think you would then trust the dominant culture?
"How would you react if industry and scientists were silent during your
betrayal and then later came and said we want to explore working
relationships with you?"
Speaking further to the nature of working relationships with Indigenous
people, ATSIC Commissioner Alison Anderson, outside the symposium, said
intellectual property rights of Aboriginal people "need to be protected
so the rights remain with the Indigenous people".
She is calling on the government to legislate.
She said current laws, such as copyright, are not "real protection".
As Dr Bin-Sallik said: "Relationships or partnerships cannot be forged
on crumbs or symbolic gestures."
And that last sentence holds true for people generally.
It is quite easy to imagine DKA going forward as a CSIRO- or CAT-style
of organisation in its new Desert Knowledge Precinct and "creating
wealth" from, for example, "database development and measurement of
desert environments", as suggested by Dr Wells.
For the circle to go around everyone, considerable energy would need to
be put into "processes", as opposed to "structures", as suggested by Dr
Bin-Sallik.
In a desert knowledge "symphony", all the players would need to
understand where they fit in.
After the first symposium this is till an outstanding question. - K. F.
Sewage plant water waste: Alice is ideal for
recycling.
Is Alice too small to have an effluent recycling plant?
No, says one of Australia's top water resource experts, Perth based
CSIRO scientist Tom Hatton.
The town's sewage plant, using evaporation as a method of disposal,
currently wastes an estimated two billion litres of water a year.
Ground water Ð millions of years old Ð in the Mereenie basin is
dropping to unrecoverable levels.
The government is planning to open up a new bore field at a cost
estimated at $40m to $70m.
And earlier this year NT Minister Kon Vatskalis said while his
government is seeking commercial uses for treated effluent, a fully
fledged recycling plant is not an option because the volume isn't
sufficient and cost of water would go through the roof.
Dr Hatton, whilst saying he has no detailed knowledge of the Alice
situation, says new technologies offer recycling opportunities for
smaller communities.
"Given the major constraints and considerations on pulling more water
out of the environment, we're all looking for opportunities to reuse
water more than once.
"There are regions and municipalities around the world that reuse water
many times before they finally dispose of it" Ð as often as seven
times.
But only 10 to 15 per cent of water is re-used in Australia.
Dr Hatton says an economic method such as filtering waste water through
soil and allowing it to seep into underground basins from where it can
be recovered seems a system well suited to Alice Springs.
"Alice has some peculiar patterns for water use and disposal because
you have so many non residents at any given time.
"You have many visitors and that creates different times of peak
demands and peak disposal times.
"The particular combination of soils, need, climate and some of the
other particulars of The Alice make it very attractive, I would have
thought, rather than using the water only once and put it out to a
sewerage treatment plant in order to let it evaporate away.
"From what I have gathered you are overdrawing on your local sandstone
formation water supply.
"It's probably feasible to treat and store water from effluent for well
under a dollar a kilolitre."
Alice consumers are currently paying 66 cents a kilolitre.
But what do people think about reusing their effluent?
Mr Hatton says CSIRO surveys in WA Ð where supply has reached
crisis point Ð have revealed two responses.
The answer to where would you like to see new water to come from is "by
far and away" urban run-off and treated effluent.
"But when we ask the second question, what would you find an acceptable
use for that water, the last thing on the list is drinking.
"No matter what assurances they are given, people always think twice
about drinking treated water, particularly out of a sewage treatment
plant.
"They are happy for it to go on the golf courses and public areas Ð
and that's fine too."
The clear answer for Alice seems to be a dual pipes network in homes
and throughout the town.
"It costs a lot more to retro fit than to build them into new homes.
"One of the things we're advocating is that new homes have dual
reticulation systems built in, so that if and when a utility can
provide water of two different qualities it's there, it's ready to go."
However, there may be an opportunity in Alice to fix past mistakes.
Sewage pipes in parts of the town are seriously deteriorated and will
need replacing in the not too distant future.
When the pipes are dug up, laying dual water mains would be a
comparatively minor effort.
Have we got what it takes?
An inventory of what we need and what we can sell is fundamental to
the Desert Knowledge concept, says Barney Foran, former Alice resident
and now working for CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems in Canberra.
Speaking to the Alice News over lunch, he said: "If we prattle on about
sustainability, which is ensuring the place keeps going in the long
term, and is part of the theme of Desert Knowledge, the real themes are
the energy and material flows that underpin us sitting here, where this
fish comes from or this bread roll."
With the global sustainability issue now several decades old Ð and
the local Desert Knowledge focus now four years old Ð we still have
no comprehensive answers to these questions.
Says Mr Foran: "If the Desert Knowledge economy wants to look at being
a brain economy, rather than a sweat economy, then we need the
framework and the data to know how much we use.
"We export a huge amount of stuff out of the desert, a lot of it is
ore, but some of it is beef, some wine, grapes from Ti Tree and so on.
"Until we run our balance sheet and work out whether we're expecting to
be exporting more than we're importing, on the Ôsustainablity' of
Desert Knowledge we're having ourselves on.
"Just the same thing a banker would say: what are our inflows and
outflows?
"Without a dispassionate analysis of what the data is, there can be no
policy to redress problems of equity, fair share É all those
things.
"If you prattle on about knowledge, you'd better accumulate it."
Mr Foran says the basis of such a survey is population Ð
predictable because of five yearly censuses: "People are the main
drivers of demand for litres of water, tonnes of food, joules of
electricity and litres of fuel."
Having done a survey "you can start to project whether you need to make
revolutionary changes now or whether marginal changes will suffice."
So, what do we know about this balance so far?
Says Mr Foran: "There is a huge amount of transport involved in our
everyday lifestyle.
"A tub of yoghurt É where is that coming from? Yet we expect
Coles supermarket to be full of them.
"We need to know about the huge hidden flows [of] the goods and
services into the region, and only then can you identify some of the
key issues.
"We may run into energy constraints in 20 years.
"Our whole tourism may by then be based on aircraft, when we could have
made a decision to put in a very fast train network that has about one
fifth of the energy consumption per passenger kilometres.
"I think in Australia we're not prepared to take this long term punt
with these big infrastructure items."
Does it make sense that the Alice to Darwin railway under construction
won't be suitable for very fast trains?
"The question is whether, in time, we can have a reasonable speed train
going on there.
"You might be asking that question!
"The tourism industry might have to focus on some major restructuring."
Mr Foran says technology has one half of the answer and lifestyle the
other.
And on that score, says Mr Foran, Alice should be taking a leaf out of
Alice architect Brendan Meney's book. (Mr Meney has just been invited
as one of four keynote speakers to a major convention in Saudi Arabia).
Says Mr Foran: "The architecture of building in Outback Australia is
just a transplant from southern Australia.
"All around us we see southern Australia with mulga trees outside."
- E. C.
Nearly half the world's carpets come from a town like Alice.
The town of Dalton in the USA is much the same size as Alice
Springs.
"Dalton has 174 carpet mills and makes 45 per cent of the world's
carpets, both synthetic and wool.
"There is an even smaller place in Italy with just 7000 people and that
place makes 60 per cent of Europe's socks."
This is how Ifor Ffowcs-Williams (pictured) brought into focus one of
the symposium buzzwords, "cluster".
Says the founder and CEO of the New Zealand company, Cluster Navigators
Ltd: "Think of a cluster as a community of interest with a focus on
wealth creation.
"That community might be the engineering companies in Whyalla or the
tourism operators in Alice Springs.
"There is an important dimension here of being close to people, not
just firms being close to each other but also to the support structure,
like TAFEs and CSIRO, with specialist facilities.
"There are government organisations supporting the cluster.
"Think of the cluster community as a team with a particular focus.
"You have a number of clusters in Alice Springs. You don't need to
invent them.
"It's a question of understanding them.
"Tourism is one. Another one would relate to renewable energy, solar
and geo-thermal.
"It's important to think of the more technology intensive clusters
because that's where you create higher value jobs.
"In the broader sense Desert Knowledge is a cluster because it is
bringing together people who've got particular skills in working in a
desert environment, in a research and development sense but also in a
commercial sense.
"The key thing in moving a cluster forward is linkages.
"It's the dialogue, the quality of trust," says Mr Ffowcs-Williams.
"And it's because people know each other and can find each other, that
new things happen.
"That's part of what Desert Knowledge is about, putting people in touch
with each other.
"And that might be putting someone in Whyalla in touch with Broken Hill
É or with Nevada or Saudi Arabia or Marrakesh, who have
particular skills or even, hopefully, are becoming customers for the
skills we've got here in Desert Knowledge Australia."
So, what is it that a cluster could do for local tourism, for example,
that the Central Australian Tourism Industry Association (CATIA) isn't
doing right now and has been doing for years?
"Desert Knowledge is working at a higher level," says Mr
Ffowcs-Williams.
"Tourism organisations around the world are focussing on promotion, and
they do a good job.
"But they don't focus all too often on things like training, capacity
development, on increasing the number of attractions in a community.
"In a fragile environment like Alice Springs tourism development ties
in with other things, the design of buildings, for example.
"You can't look at tourism development in isolation."
Mr Ffowcs-Williams says Desert Knowledge isn't necessarily about
inventing new technologies but adapting existing ones to an
environment.
An example of that is putting renewable energy systems into remote
communities Ð a task currently undertaken by the local Centre for
Appropriate Technology.
"You can then take that knowledge to the Sahara Desert or to the Middle
East."
Mr Ffowcs-Williams says another example is the Alice Desert Park which
is "absolutely amazing, astonishing".
"I sense there are skills and knowledge that have been developed in
Desert Park Alice Springs that could be used in Marrakesh or in Dubai
[where they] perhaps don't do anything as sophisticated as what you
have got."
- E. C.
Desert schmoozing.
COMMENT by ERWIN CHLANDA
Last week's four day Desert Knowledge Symposium gave opportunities for
schmoozing, networking, brain-picking and getting a national or global
take on local Ð desert Ð issues.
An unprecedented number of top brains Ð and a few lesser ones Ð
were in town, joining the impressive line-up of local experts.
While some of the 15 minute talks from the "out of towners" lacked
local focus and had clearly been performed elsewhere, the relaxed
management of the event in the comfortable and well-equipped new
convention centre gave ample opportunity for extra-curricular
activities.
Clive Scollay and his team gave media excellent access to the "stars".
If you developed a serious case of brain lock during the official talks
you could readily get explanations and Ð more importantly Ð a
local angle on a string of global issues over lunch, coffee or a smoke
in the courtyard.
Says cluster expert Ifor Ffowcs-Williams: "The long lunch breaks, the
coffee breaks, were well timed. They were great.
"In a way you can look at formal presentations almost as excuses that
bring people together, to network.
"Video conferencing is OK but there is no substitute for eyeballing."
To tout the symposium as "international" was a little fanciful: by the
count of John Baskerville, Assistant Secretary of the Department of the
Chief Minister, there was one delegate each from Japan, Saudi Arabia
and Mexico, two from New Zealand and four from the USA.
Interstate delegates were also pretty thin on the ground: ACT nine, NSW
17, Queensland 21, SA 24, Victoria three, WA 11 and Ð roaring
applause at the convention dinner Ð 246 from the NT.
Mr Baskerville estimates about a quarter of these were public servants.
He says the convention cost the taxpayer around $150,000 Ð the rest
of the budget was raised from session and other fees.
But what the hell.
After four years of years of mostly inconclusive pottering Desert
Knowledge Australia, founded in The Centre, has now had its official
start.
Most pleasing of all, with the Desert Knowledge precinct (definitely)
and the $96m Co-operative Research Centre (hopefully) getting under
way, no-one in the far flung inland of Oz seems to be contesting Alice
Springs' claim to be the capital of an increasingly vigorous movement.
The NT Government has already committed $10m to the precinct. The CRC
will be worth $96m, operate across five states and the NT and will be
run from Alice Springs.
A funding application is before the Federal Government and if Mr Howard
puts his money where his mouth was, two weeks ago in Alice Springs,
we'll be home and hosed.
Says Mr Ffowcs-Williams: "I'm excited by what is happening. I sense
there are a lot of different things coming together.
"It is not easy to pull together different levels of government Ð
and we're talking about three levels here.
"Desert Knowledge has managed to work its way through that and is
adding value. And it's great.
"I'm impressed by the scale of it, by the vision.
"That's the opportunity, putting Australia, and this bit of Australia
that's being seen as the Outback, on the world map.
"Because of globalisation it is now possible to do that.
"Today it's Desert Knowledge Australia.
"Maybe tomorrow it is Australia as the desert knowledge centre of the
world."
What will she remember? Report by DICK KIMBER.
By the time that you read this many of you will have joined in the
celebrations that occurred when the Last Camel Train arrived in the
Alice.
However, here is my last installment on their journey.
Every morning as the camels set off, the women were striking in their
individuality. Perhaps they can be seen as representatives of all of
those many bush women who travelled the old camel, and later Ghan
railway, route.
There, walking all the way, was nursing sister Kase Connole of the
Royal Flying Doctor Service in the Alice.
She strode in the footsteps of Nurse "Lottie" Bett, in 1911 the first
nurse appointed to Oodnadatta, and sister J.C. Finlayson, who followed
immediately afterwards.
Liz Tier walked beside her, like the Alice's first school-teacher, Ida
Standley, of whom the late Mort Conway (one of her first students) said
with respect, "She was a woman-and-a-half!" Liz's family, and the staff
and students of St Philip's College, must be very proud of her.
Interchanging walking with riding of their own camels were Michelle
Smail and Jane Mitchell, like the generations of bush women who went
before them. Among women who come to mind are those of the Bloomfield,
Hayes, Tucker, Nicker, Johannsen and Coppock families, and the wives
and daughters of all of the Hermannsburg missionaries.
I recall generous-hearted "Topsy" Tucker making her husband Paddy and
me a cup of tea, and Paddy telling me of the tragedy which befell them.
They were coming with loading from Oodnadatta to the Alice, with Topsy
riding the lead camel, nursing her very young baby. Something, perhaps
a snake, frightened the camel, and Topsy dropped their child. She
instantly slid to the ground, finding to her horror that the following
camel in the string had placed its foot down on the child.
Her death-wail told Paddy the terrible news, and they buried their baby
beside the track in an unmarked grave. Although another son, Bruce, was
born and survived, the tragedy came to mind every now-and-again.
Paddy only told me the story once. It was triggered by the memory of
another tragedy of a century ago.
His older brother Jacky, who had been Paddy's best mate, had left home
on Owen Springs station to work on a station near present-day Finke.
He and another young lad had perished while searching for strayed
horses. The other station hands, and Mounted Constable Ernest Cowle,
never found Jacky's body, despite desperate searches with each day's
shade temperature in the 40s Ð and no shade to be had. No such fate
befell the members of "The Last Camel Train."
Rozane Cummings, handsome dark-haired grand-daughter of Mulladad,
walked much of the way too, but also rode the camels and had a spell in
the vehicles. Rosy represented the generations of Afghan-descent women,
like Vera Satour who, as a girl, travelled vast distances on camels; or
Sallay Mahomet's French governess mother, Adrienne Desiree (nee
Lesire). She and Sallay's father Gool set out from the Western
Australian goldfields country when Sallay was but a baby.
She nursed Sallay, shielding him from the burning sun, while Gool
steered by sunrise, moonrise, the Southern Cross and other stars,
trusting in his God.
They had had a hard time of it, but eventually struck the Old Telegraph
Line and made their home at Farina.
And then there was five month old Julia, snug and warm in her little
red outfit, and cared for by proud father Wayne Braszell when her Mum,
Jane Mitchell, was travelling with the camels. Otherwise she sat in her
mother's lap, as happy as any baby who ever travelled the route.
What will she remember of it, I wonder? I suspect the warm absolute
love of her mother and father, perhaps a sense of blue sky, red earth
and the moon and stars, and possibly a sense of warm flames and the
smell of smoke.
Maybe the sounds of gentle voices and laughter, or of camels rumbling,
will be part of a merged memory with other sounds of her childhood, or
the shadow and sunshine that touched her eyes as the ironwood and
desert-oak leaves swayed in the breeze.
In 100 years someone will ask her to recall the journey, and she'll
talk about her Mum and Dad and stories she has heard, and the
"memories" that have come to her through viewing photographs and old
films.
This little girl and these women are of the Outback, not just The Year
of the Outback. However there was that about this celebratory event
that was an adventure to be cherished.
Philippa Bridges, guided and assisted by Macumba Jack and his wife
Topsy, enjoyed such an adventure 80 years ago. Corrected extracts of
the last stages read:
"[As] the afternoon waned, we reached the Depot Sand-Hills ... The sand
was as red as brick dust, and the camels floundered about in it. We
went up and down some steep rises.
"Topsy alighted and caught a sand-devil, a little animal that looked
like a large toad, but walked like a lizard, and was clothed in a
patchwork of small squares, each with a soft but prickly spine. It
carried its little Ôswag' on its back, and thrust out its head
from a sockety head like that of a tortoise. It seemed to have no
weapon of defence but to make faces.
"Throughout my whole trip I had no more lovely camp than that in the
Depot Sandhills. The wind was cold enough to make me glad of a tent,
and the natives built a big fire.
"It was a clear night, with many stars; the Southern Cross tilted over
sideways, and Orion looked very remote. A light wind moved among the
casuarinas, and when it stopped the needles continued to sway with the
sound of waves upon the beach.
"Wind among gum-trees is seldom restful, É but a capful of
breeze among the casuarinas turns the whole of the Depot Sandhills into
a melody."
Just as Philippa Bridges and her Aboriginal companions enjoyed the
support of all others along the route, so too did the members of The
Last Camel Train appreciate the support of the NT Government and many
sponsors.
Ted Egan in his role as ambassador for the Year of the Outback, the
people of Oodnadatta, Pam Holland, Lorraine Braham, Bloodwood,
Australia Post, the Lions Club, Mayor Fran Kilgariff and the Alice
Springs Town Council led the way in enthusiastic support.
Without the equally impressive backing of Nic and Michelle Smail of the
Frontier Camel Farm, complemented by Neil Waters of Camels Australia,
Marcus Williams of Pyndan Camel Tracks and Jane Mitchell, the
re-enactment simply could not have taken place.
Other keen supporters included the NT Tourist Commission, SA Tourist
Commission, Warren Snowdon, Peter Toyne as a private citizen in
addition to his Government role, Richard Lim, Jodeen Carney, ABC Radio,
Imparja, Carlton United Breweries, Peter Kittle with vehicles,
Bojangles, the Alice Springs News, The Framing Place, W B Mobile
Windscreens and Alice City Tyrepower.
And then there were the song-writers, singers, musicians and recorders
of "The Last Camel Train" album, launched at CAAMA a week ago, and
worthy of being a prized item in all of the schools and homes of the
outback.
There was a generosity of spirit and heart in the donation of their
songs, time and skills that reflected a continuum of that outback
willingness to lend a hand. People proud of their Afghan heritage were
joined by mates who, whether Aborigines or Aussies of English, Scots,
Irish or other background, are all part of Central Australian society.
Now, though, there has been safe arrival of Scotty Balfour and all
other members of The Last Camel Mail team, as well as the safe arrival
of the mail.
They followed well in the footsteps of the old Afghans and all other
cameleers. And like them, they have earnt our respect.
PICTURED above right is Mayor Fran Kilgariff receiving a Quoran from Dr
Ameer Ali, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils.
At right in the photo is Eric Sultan, a descendant of Afghan cameleers
and Alice Springs identity, organiser of the Last Camel Train. ABOVE
LEFT is Jean Finlayson (front) and a woman believed to also be a
Deaconess with Australian Inland Mission (AIM), riding a camel
side-saddle in Central Australia.
A city girl from Melbourne, Jean was an AIM nursing sister and
Deaconess who spent 18 months at the AIM hostel in Oodnadatta (its
second nursing sister).
She was persuaded by John Flynn to volunteer to spend a year at Alice
Springs (then Stuart) to pioneer a nursing service here and to make
recommendations regarding the building of an AIM hospital (later to
become Adelaide House). She was to spend a little under a year here
from 1915-1916, having to return to Melbourne early to nurse her ill
mother. Photo National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame.
Whose brain is melting down? COLUMN by STEVE
FISHER.
I promise I'll stop reading them soon and do something more worthy,
but one of my Outback guidebooks says, "The thought of the Red Centre
can send chills up the straightest spine even in the most brain
meltdown heat".
I will try to remember that next time I'm standing in the checkout
queue at Bi-Lo.
Apparently, people come to the Red Centre to get their fascination with
it out of their system. I can't somehow see our town in the same
mystical light as, say, the Hindu temples of Kathmandu or the Inca
ruins of Peru. But there is no doubt that Alice Springs is an exotic
location, at least to those poor souls crammed on a Melbourne commuter
train in winter drizzle. And to visit here is a dream for many, and was
for me too.
Everyone has an obsession that they need to get out of their system.
For instance, the other day I awoke with a worry in my head about my
insurance policy. So I called the UK and spoke to a patently bored
woman in an insurance office in a dreary Midlands town. All these towns
have a rich history of mediaeval conflict and pageant that was followed
sometime in the sixteenth century by a one-way traffic system and a
parking problem that persists to this day.
Anyway, when I mentioned that I was calling from Australia, she sounded
just as glazed as before. No offence was intended, but to someone in
the Midlands of England, Australia means Melbourne and Melbourne might
as well be Manchester. They are just overgrown cities a long way away,
which you have no good reason to visit.
However, when I gave my address as Alice Springs, her tone changed and
her spirits soared as she eagerly explained to me how she had always
wanted to travel to the Red Centre ever since she read that novel "A
Town like Alice". Sadly, she had never been able to realise her dream.
Perhaps she couldn't get insurance.
Anyway, I finally managed to end the conversation and get the phone
receiver back safely into the off position (this was an international
call, after all). Then I thought some more about the emotions brought
about by an unfulfilled dream. The pain and the regret. The frustration
of an unrealised ambition. That little nagging something that you have
to get out of your system before you can find real contentment. Or so
the story goes.
I got one of my own fascinations out of my system recently. I had been
talking about taking a trip on a microlight aircraft for some time.
Probably years, if the truth is known.
Microlights are those machines that look like a big handkerchief with a
lawn mower engine tied on the back. Finally, I went to see a man who
was offering trial flights.
I gritted my teeth and I took the flight. I'll spare you the details,
but needless to say it was a gut-wrenching, windblown, 1000-metre high
opportunity to hang on for dear life and engage in no conversation at
all with the pilot. My advice to novice flyers is wear the right
trousers.
But back to the point. There's nothing wrong with satisfying an
obsession. And our town is one example. People come to Alice Springs
for greater reasons than to buy a foot long roll at Subway, even if it
can be annoying queuing behind them in your lunch break. They can look
confused and they can appear dazed. They want to see a part of
Australia that they have heard about since they were children and have
always wanted to visit.
So little wonder that many visitors meander around Central Australia
trying to make sense of the expanse of the bush, the bright lights of
the Alice, the dry Todd and the mountains behind. We should make
allowances for that. I will try to remember, next time I meet a
visitor.
All at sea after festival fever. COLUMN by ANN
CLOKE.
When David and I travel, I generally navigate and he drives, which
tends to contradict much of Allan and Barbara Pease's bestseller "Why
Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps", but possibly explains why,
when we were recently overseas, we ended up, quite by accident, on the
north eastern coast of England, in Whitby, the home port of Captain
James Cook.
The replica of the Endeavour (which was built in Sydney) sailed in on
June 20 Ð it was super to welcome the tall ship and her crew, quite
a few of whom were from Australia, and to join in homecoming
celebrations.
"Welcome Endeavour" banners lined the streets, and we noticed a couple
with "G'day Mates!!" on them. There was a bright festive atmosphere and
the media gave this "feel good" story exceptional coverage.
In July the English tabloid, Sunday Telegraph, ran another nautical
tale reporting on the progress of the voyage of the Windeward Bound,
marking the 200th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of
Australia by Matthew Flinders. The article was titled "Crew Abandons
Ship as Master Becomes Mistress"É all to do with health and
safety issues on board the vessel, but, in the main, with the crew's
reaction to the revelation that Captain Sarah (formerly known as Brian)
is having a sex-change operation.
Captain Sarah alternates between wearing the heavily starched white
uniform of the Merchant Navy and tight jeans or shorts with figure
hugging singlets and shirts complemented by stunning pieces of
jewellery.
A colourful character but possibly not the image that generally springs
to mind when conjuring up images of a ship's master called Captain
Brian Ð or is it?
An exciting evening at the Festival Club at the Alice Springs Resort: I
went with Libby, visiting from Brisbane for the first time, and we met
up with other friends, Lori, Liz, Franca, Sarah and most of Alice, and
spent a few hours sitting around the pool enjoying the night, a display
of fashion, feathers, voiles, nets, silks, satins, funky hair-dos,
scintillating stories, songs, dance and theatre.
That was days before the Samba street parade on Friday night when
hundreds of happy people, adults and children, filled our mall with
colour, innovative and elaborate costumes, pulsating music, laughter
and life.
I was lucky enough to have a drink before and after the Friday night
Wearable Art Ð Hair Extravaganza presentation with friends, Franca
and Philomena. They won the Recyclable Wearable Art section, with their
aptly named entry, "Old Bags", incorporating a dress made from used
tea-bags with matching hold-all, knitted plastic shrug and headpiece.
Alice Springs is full of talented people, and there were some
incredible entries Ð but only so many prizes.
On Sunday I saw a purple coach in the car park: it brought to mind the
lavender bus, Priscilla, and her Desert Queens. They would have adored
the excitement, flair, flamboyance and verve of our Alice Springs
Festival É
It's been a dynamic few days! Where to wear those slinky sequinned
little numbers Ð in storage, with Captain Sarah's nautical off the
shoulder frocks, until our next festive time.
Green cramming. COLUMN by GLENN MARSHALL.
Should environmental education become a core subject in Australian
schools?
There is a strong argument for it, simply because today's kids will
inherit and will have to fix serious environmental problems created by
past and present activities in Australia and elsewhere.
These include global warming, land clearing, erosion, salinity, river
declines, over-population, inequitable wealth distribution, the spread
of weeds and a host of other activities that will impact directly on
their quality of life.
We already invest billions in these areas, and by deliberately
empowering our kids with knowledge, they will be able to inherit and
understand the issues, the implications of continuing declines and how
themselves, governments and corporations can contribute to solutions.
Ultimately an informed population produces informed politicians,
informed company heads and positive actions (hopefully).
The current debate around ratifying the Kyoto Protocol is an example of
this. European awareness of global warming implications is high and
politicians have signed onto it, reflecting the will of the people, for
fear of being voted out of office.
Here in Australia and in America, polls show around 80 per cent of
people want our governments to sign the protocol, but because general
awareness and concern around global warming is not as high as in
Europe, our politicians are gambling that they will not suffer at the
ballot box because of inaction.
In Central Australia there are no specific environmental subjects
taught in schools, but students are exposed to environmental issues
through science and social education subjects. The NT curriculum
encourages teachers to use real life examples in their classes and this
is where the Alice Springs Environmental Educators Group is utilised.
It is a collaboration of teachers and external organisations such as
ALEC, Waterwatch, the Desert Park, Greening Australia, Junior Rangers;
the Parks & Wildlife Commission, Cool Communities, DIPE, Landcare
and the NT Minerals Council where ideas and resources are generated and
offered broadly.
Two weeks ago, a Science Fair was held at the Araluen Precinct for
hundreds of primary school students and featured numerous activities.
ALEC ran a "dump bugs" activity where kids made insects from recycled
materials to promote reuse of resources. Junior Rangers ran an event on
native animals; Waterwatch showed kids how to identify water insects;
DIPE ran a water conservation activity; the Desert Park had microscopes
for identifying the hair of various native animals; the Bureau of
Meteorology showed kids how clouds are formed and other groups did
other things.
When special events aren't on, organisations offer their help in other
ways. For example, Waterwatch conducts field trips into Ilparpa Valley
for middle secondary students to examine the impact of town-related
activities including the dump, the sewage ponds, weeds and motorbikes
on biodiversity and Ilparpa swamp. Waterwatch has tailored the trips to
fit within the NT curriculum.
A brilliant environmental education activity was held at the Desert
Park two weeks ago when the performance "Spencer, the voice of water"
was held by members of the Environmental Educators group in the Birds
of Prey amphitheatre at night.
Written by local Waterwise officer, Robbie Henderson, it featured a
young military dragon, mulgara and honeyeater who defy the advice of
Spencer, the wise old burrowing frog, and head off to a forbidden
spring only to be trapped there when drought arrives.
Full of music and action, it had the audience of about 150 kids, mums
and dads spell-bound whilst imparting lots of messages about living in
the desert, respecting water and learning how various native animals
cope with drought.
Due to popular demand it is going to be staged again so make sure you
get along to it. It is testimony to Robbie and the talent that lies in
Central Australia.
Many people might remember the highly successful Desert Park stick
insect project that was held in schools and homes in 2000. Kids were
provided with know-how and eggs and they took them home to rear them
and study their development. Over 1200 people participated in that
activity.
The NT government has environmental programs for students, including a
Waterwise Schools program that was successfully piloted at the OLSH
Sadadeen campus in 2001 and will start in other Central Australian
schools in 2003. It encourages teachers to incorporate a water theme
into various subjects to raise students' awareness of water and its
careful use.
For example art students could use the Todd River as a theme for their
creative works.
Of course there are many theme days, weeks and months including
Waterweek, Biodiversity Month, Science Week and Threatened Species Day
to name a few.
The Alice Springs Environmental Educators group can be contacted via
Robbie Henderson at 8951 9223.
MINISTER AH KIT TURNED OVER NEW LEAF, BACK TO
SCHOOL AT 27. Report by DOROTHY GRIMM.
The importance of education, both Indigenous and non-indigenous, was
stressed at the graduation ceremony held at the Central Australian
campus of Batchelor Institute last week.
"We are here today to honour the achievements of so many people," said
Gatjil Djerrkura OAM, Chairman of Batchelor Institute Council.
"These people have made the commitment to education and community and
the love and support of their families have helped them achieve their
education goals.
"Batchelor provides an unique opportunity to do so.
"Batchelor is a diverse place of education by our people and for our
people.
"Batchelor is a great success story and will continue to grow to
support the aspirations of our people."
Mr Djerrkura spoke of the hope for the Desert People's Centre on South
Stuart Highway and finding ways to continue to provide "both ways"
education, Indigenous and Western, for the people of Central Australia.
CHALLENGE
"The challenge is the need to meet the educational needs of the people
of Central Australia, to recognise the students' commitment and ensure
that their efforts for further education have not been in vain.
"Education and training provide the access to and quality of life of
future generations of Indigenous Australians."
Minister John Ah Kit also spoke on the value of education, citing his
own experience:
"I did not complete high school.
"I played sports and worked as a stockman.
"But here in Alice Springs things changed when I listened to Kumanjayi
Perkins talk, the way he spoke, the places he had been, the people he
had met.
"It was the stimulus to go back to studies.
"It was a challenge at 27 to go get qualified.
"I went to Adelaide and studied social work.
"I had the experience of education, learning to study and learning the
complexity of work.
"Education is of critical importance to our people; that is the message
for people to take back to their communities and families, while at the
same time do not forget the heritage of Indigenous people.
"The skills learned are of enormous value to communities and to each
other and people should continue and expand their education in the
years to come."
Awards were then presented to students who had completed various
certificate and diploma courses in the fields of Health Studies,
Community Studies, Education Studies and in the Community Education and
Training Division.
SPONSORED
Among them was young Alice Springs woman, Natalie Kopp.
Natalie received a Certificate II in Library and Information Services
and this week leaves for Darwin as a finalist in the DEET sponsored
Vocational Education Trainee of the Year Award, ATSIC Division.
In Darwin Natalie will be interviewed by a panel who will determine the
winner.
Natalie attended Bradshaw Primary School and Alice Springs High School.
She said she has always been interested in books and thoroughly enjoys
library work:
"I did trainee work at the Alice Springs Town Library, the Central Land
Council Library and the Batchelor Library."
The winner will be announced at a dinner in Darwin on Saturday.
GOSH, IT'S A DOG'S WORLD! Report by PAUL
FITZSIMONS.
Despite competition from jazz players and country singers, the Alice
Springs Dog Obedience Club steals the show every year at the annual Old
Timers Fete.
The "doggy" people magnetise fete-goers with their performances of
tricks and trials, exhibiting the close bond of understanding that can
be developed between handler and performer.
Although the club has been in operation for over 30 years, it was about
five years ago that the members decided to change their training
philosophy to one of positive motivation.
This is where the handler rewards the dog's response with a treat, like
cheese, bacon pieces etc, and makes a big deal out of every attempt
made by the dog to do the right thing.
The theory is that a rewarded behaviour will continue, while an ignored
behaviour will fade and finally cease. To this end a nationally
accredited training package, the Canine Good Citizens certificates, has
been developed and the Alice Springs Club has shaped and moulded its
program within the structure of these certificates.
After successfully completing an eight week beginners' course, members
are encouraged to continue their training with the ultimate aim of
trialling their dogs in competition.
The exhibition of the Obedience Club members' achievements at functions
like the Old Timers Fete entertainingly illustrates the value of
well-behaved canines in the community.
Indeed the hour-long performance at the fete revealed some true
characters in the dog world.
Sinbad, for example, is a two year old Tenterfield Terrier, handled by
Roxy. Sinbad has passed his basic obedience test and is now in the
pre-trial class. He may be small but he is tough and full of energy.
Jedda performed at the 2001 Fete as a four month old, and this year the
16 month old Kelpie showed just how far she has come in 12 months.
Jedda loves her food and when she grows up would like to work as a food
critique for dog food companies!
Sally with her handler Laura proved that cross-breeds are just as good
at obedience and agility as their pedigree counterparts.
Adding diversity to the exhibition were the five year old Vintage (Vin,
for short); Jessie, the German Shepherd; Shadow, an Australian
Shepherd; Bailey, the four year old Dalmation.; and Prue, the two year
old Staffy.
One by one the canines showed their skills in obedience by following
orders and responding to the delight of handlers and onlookers. Using
jumps, tyres, and a tunnel the dogs proceeded to demonstrate their
sporting prowess.
New members are always welcome and can meet at the Blatherskite Park
Clubrooms on the first Thursday of each month at 7pm. You too could be
a star at next year's Old Timers Fete.
Rules: only four left. Report by PAUL FITZSIMONS.
The minor round was completed at Traeger Park on the weekend, with
Aussie Rules fans left somewhat perplexed as to what lies ahead.
Federal have now bowed out of the 2002 competition but for the final
four the voyages to premiership honours will follow very different
courses.
West are sitting at the top of the ladder. With a season behind them
that rightfully puts them as flag favourites they are going into the
major round on a run of confidence.
To top off that preparation the last winning premiership players, those
from 20 years ago, have been wooed back to Milner Road for a reunion on
this Friday night and then a day at Mona's Lounge on Sunday. The
presence of these immortals will no doubt make an impression on the
babies of the West line up as well as the experienced players, many of
whom have come to the club from competitions where tradition plays a
much greater role.
Westies urge all supporters to join in the weekend, providing players
with "pump" from the sidelines.
On Sunday last West showed why they have gained favourite status. They
took on a somewhat depleted Rovers side and disposed of them by 169
points.
After the first bounce, coach John Glasson in playing across half back
was able to intercept the Bloods initial knock out from ruck and plant
the ball deep in the Blues' scoring region for only a minor score to
result. In fact a minute later he repeated the dose for the same
result.
In contrast West then settled and scored eight goals in that first
term, without a major being earned by the Blues.
An astute observer in the crowd summed it up at quarter time saying
"Rovers didn't came to play today". 8.7 to 0.4 said it all, with Daryl
Lowe having a real purple patch and booting three goals.
In the second term West applied real pressure and scored with ease.
They added a further 7.4 while the Blue boys battled their hearts out
to register 1.5. The major to put Rovers on the board came off the foot
of Russell O'Keefe, who took the loose ball off the pack in the goal
square to notch the pipe opener.
At the other end of the field West had a real winner in Jamie O'Keefe
who dominated aerial duals and produced four telling goals.
By half time the game had been run and won, with the Bloods 86 points
in front and running on adrenaline.
In the third term Wests showed little mercy and their charge was led by
the best afield, Karl Gunderson. The plucky wingman saw that three
goals came off his boot in the quarter, and by teaming with centreman
Jarrad Berrington was responsible for driving the final nail into the
Rover coffin. In the Rover camp it was the ever reliable Sherman
Spencer and then Leo Jarrah who were able to bolster the score by two
goals.
In the run to the line, the final quarter was played out with each side
playing at their own level. West were able to notch another seven
goals, thanks in a big way to the Gunderson drive and the effectiveness
of Steven Squires and O'Keefe in the forwards.
The final score lay at 30.24 (204) to West, as opposed to 4.11 (35) to
Rovers.
For John Glasson the voyage forward will be met with some influences
that are unavoidable. Hermannsburg is poised to celebrate 125 years
since the establishment of the mission, and in addition Western Aranda
are in premiership contention in the Country League.
Hence the "Moose" will be counting the numbers early on Sunday, hoping
for a full turn out. Given that he can run on with a full complement,
Rovers will be up against a tough opponent in South who almost toppled
Pioneer on the weekend.
South had only themselves to blame for not claiming the premiership
points, when in the last five minutes of play they had opportunities to
register the six pointer required.
Pioneer established early control of the game, with Aaron Kopp
providing plenty of drive out of the centre. Although he may not poll
well in medal or newspaper contests, Kopp is without a doubt one of the
consistent players in the CAFL and would be an early pick in a Team of
the Year.
The Eagles scored 6.2 to South's 3.3 in the first term and held that
lead through most of the game.
By half time Pioneer moved on to 9.7 to South's 6.5. South had a
defence that proved itself to be stoic, with Trevor Presley leading
from the last line. Up forward a promising sign from South was a
prodigious goal off the boot of Malcolm Ross.
In the Eagles' quarter Ezra Bray really came to the fore and in fact
finished off with the best game he has played for the club since coming
home. Also in the Pioneer backline, the "big boys" Lance White and
Kenny Cole honed their skills when it counted.
To start the third term Pioneer enjoyed the pleasure of playing in a
very open forward line, and by switching play regularly penetrated the
goal-scoring zone regularly.
It was good to see the old campaigner Ian Taylor in the action with an
early goal in a term when his team scored three. Whisper around the
ground was that Taylor is to move to WA in the near future, so to take
in a vintage Taylor performance in the finals would be one to add to
the many memories of a fine Centralian player.
At the orange break the Eagles were still seemingly well in control of
things, up 12.9 to 9.8. However, South did send a few signals out late
in the third term as they scored two points which normally would have
gone through the middle.
Shaun Cusack continued to keep the fire alive for the Roos as he took a
strong mark within scoring range from the opening hit out of the last
quarter. Alas he missed!
From that point however South really took control of things and scored
the next two goals thanks to Bradley Braun and Gilbert Fishook.
Suddenly Pioneer were under seige. Wayne Braun added fuel to the fire
with a vintage goal and only three points separated the sides, in
South's favour. In the last minutes Rury Liddle, who played a top game
in ruck and around the ground, made every post a winner and turned the
"budgerigars" back into Eagles, by posting a goal and so regaining the
lead.
In time on, the Roos didn't give up. Presley, now in the ruck, and
Cusack cleared the ball from the centre, only to see a turn over deep
in their scoring area. Then in a second wave of attack, Fishook had a
shot from deep in the South half forward flank, to see it fall short in
the goal square, and very nearly capitalised upon by Presley himself.
In desperation Pioneer drove out of the very last line of defence to
move the ball down field as the siren rang. The Eagles walked from the
field as victors, with South losers but far from disgraced.
South played well enough to be ranked favourites against Rovers in this
week's knockout final. They have gotten where they are without the
Adrian McAdam or Willy Cole influence. If Willy Tilmouth returned for
the finals his talent would be appreciated, but as is, Shaun Cusack has
a side that can progress at this business end of the season.
However their voyage is to be one of self belief. They have a team of
real triers going into the big games and confidence will play a major
part in the survival.
For Pioneer the second semi final will be a test. They meet West who
just got to the post over them a fortnight ago. The Eagles have a huge
tradition to uphold, and this will sink into each player during this
week and those to come. If they are to be real finals contenders they
have to lift, and back their coach and their team mates to the hilt,
both on the ground and at training. The Pioneer club can never be
written off at this time of the year and on Sunday they will be at full
throttle to gain automatic entry to the grand final.
Desert Mob getting better every year. Review by
KIERAN FINNANE.
The 12th Desert Mob, which opened on Sunday as one of the Alice Springs
Festival's last events and shows now till October 6, gives plenty of
evidence of the sustained vibrancy of the Aboriginal art movement.
A huge mixed crowd and rapidly formed long queue of prospective buyers
responded to the assured performance of leading artists and crafts
people, alongside some new directions and emerging talents.
The show fills to capacity two galleries, including the new one whose
high southern wall is used to good effect.
Large canvasses by Peggy Jones, including the one illustrated, dominate
this wall but don't overshadow. Have the creatures of the natural world
ever had a more affectionate interpreter? Possibly, but Jones work
continues to delight.
In the category of assured in the same gallery are works from Keringke
Arts, which include canvasses, for the first time that I have noticed,
by male artists, with Paul Williams' "Winter Sun on the Simpson Desert"
a beautiful contribution.
First time participants in Desert Mob, Irrunytju Arts from Wingellina
in WA, have made an impact with two acquisitions by Araluen. According
to the catalogue, this is a recently established arts centre Ð by
the efforts of women in the community starting a second hand shop!
Ð and painting on canvas has been only occasional until now. The
assurance then of a painting like Tommy Watson's "Walpa" is
astonishing.
John Cooley's snakes and the large bowl by Elizabeth Dunn continue
Maruku Arts' impressive record in works carved from wood, but this year
Maruku are also showing a canvas by Minnie and Eadie Curtis from
Mutitjulu.
The sisters have just had their first show in Darwin, from which they
sold 15 paintings to be hung in the new Parks Australia building there.
Maruku have built their identity on wood carving, but the pull of
painting is very strong. Once Ernabella Arts' silks were a signature
for Desert Mob, but now painting dominates. It's exciting though to see
a painting like Alison Carrol's "Stars and Moon", moving right away
from the classic Ernabella ornamental design, into a daring black and
white statement of dazzling optical effect.
It's exciting too to see yet another artist from Bindi Centa Arts
developing interesting work. Drawing in pastel with dye washes has
brought out greater expressive possibilities in Jane Gurney Mervin's
work and I was not surprised that her compelling portrait, "Manguka",
was snapped up.
Billy Benn is also using this medium to lovely effect in his
landscapes.
Figurative work seems to be gaining a little momentum: Bessie Liddle,
whose screen print "Walka" has been used in the exhibition's
promotional material, is also showing a pastoral scene, "Iltiltjari
Station", which was acquired by Araluen. This painting reads like a
statement of "two way" living: the foreground sets out the features of
station life Ð a fence, chickens scratching in the dust, people on
horseback, trees framing a house Ð while the background, with its
striated plains, deep blue range and weighty sky asserts itself as of
another, more enduring order.
In contrast, in the exhibition's most out of the way corner, is Gloria
Doolan's "Lost Souls", using a cartoon style of drawing to make a
statement on the misery of those lost to the grog. This subject is such
a dominant one in the discussion of Aboriginal affairs: it's
interesting to see an Aboriginal artist handle it, but the rest of the
show is a joyful reminder that so much else is also part of
contemporary Aboriginal life.