Arnhem Land Trip 2018, Day 7: Next stop, Barra Lodge

And then it was on the road again, heading to Barra Lodge, near Maningrida, by way of Ramingining.

In Ramingining

En route to Ramingining, driver Ian told us a little about this community. Like Yirrkala, near Nhulunbuy, we were not allowed to wander around and photograph it – which is fair enough – except for the art centre and the general store across the road. Most were not tempted to wander far anyhow because we were to have some internet access while there!

Ian told us that these Yolngu communities have been working hard to improve school attendance and that they have the highest attendance rate of indigenous schools in Australia. In some communities, such as Ramingining, volunteers drive vans around homes in the morning to wake kids up. That’s impressive dedication I think. He told us that students must learn their own language as well as English, which is wonderful for so many reasons.

He also discussed the level of litter in the communities, which was rather shocking to us balanda. It’s not part of their culture, he said, which makes sense when you realise that their traditional litter was all bio-degradable. However they are now developing litter campaigns which are slowly having effect. He reminded us that it was not too long ago that there were “do the right thing” campaigns in our own, mostly non-indigenous Australian communities.

Sugar is a significant health problem he said. We had been shown previously how indigenous people would make sweets from a sap (I’ve forgotten which tree), but of course now sugar is easy to access …

Bula’Bula Arts Centre

We had a lovely time here, meeting and talking with some of the artists – though unfortunately we didn’t meet the one whose art we bought! The art here was really beautiful, as it was at Yirrkala.

When we arrived we were met by a welcoming party comprising indigenous TOs and/or artists, plus a couple of balanda workers. At most of these art centres it’s a balanda worker who does the intro, and then we talk with the locals. This has been a special part of the trip.

We particularly enjoyed talking to the women weaving mats and baskets on the verandah outside, about the process of gathering pandanus, drying and dyeing it, and then weaving it.

We had morning tea on the verandah here, with Outback Spirit providing an extra large spread to cover the workers and artists at the centre. It’s apparently a bit of a highlight. Outback Spirit works very hard to do the right thing by indigenous people – to respect them and their culture, and to help us do so as well.

Sitting up front for the Barra Lodge leg

Driver Ian chose the next leg to be the one he showed the Ten Canoes movie, because

• we had now seen where it had been mostly filmed,
• had met some of the actors, and also
• it would pretty much occupy the leg into Barra Lodge.

And to distract from the bouncing too, I’d say!

As Len and I had recently re-watched the film for homework – thanks to Barbara and Bruce’s recommendation – and as Len had already had a stint up-front, I took this leg as my turn to sit up front. A very interesting – and differently bouncy – experience. (The front seats have a very weird cushioning suspension for bounces that still bounce you but more softly apparently!) You get a great view of the road, though, including, for me, of the Blyth River crossing.

And I could hear the Ten canoes narration as we drove. Ian explained that Yolngu country ends around Maningrida, our next stop, as we move into central and western Arnhem Land.

Arriving at Barra Lodge

Once again we were met by the Lodge welcoming party, with cold, scented face cloths. The party comprised manager Dave, chef Serge, fishing boat guides Justin & Andy, and the young backpacking women who do the serving and housemaid duties! Then it was straight to the verandah, for a buffet lunch of salads and/or roast meat and vegetables. Delicious. Like Murwangi, drinks were run by setting up a tab for our rooms and paying at the end. The Lodge is located at the top of the escarpment and provides a view across the Tomkinson River floodplains.

By the time lunch was over, our bags were in our allotted tent-cabins and we had a free afternoon until the so-called “tackle talk” at 4.30pm. I did a quick walk back up the road to photograph a flowering Grevillea Pteridifolia I’d seen on the way in, and, as l discovered later, a pretty, baby ironwood.

Barra Lodge, like Murwangi and Seven Spirit Bay Lodges, is owned and operated by 0utback Spirit, a company based in Albury NSW and started about 20 years ago by brothers Andre & Courtney Ellis who are now in their late thirties, early forties! Our driver said they are good to work for – and from our experience of two tours now, it feels like it. It feels like a company that cares about its clients. And all the staff we’ve met work really hard but seem happy to do so, often going, what seems to us, above and beyond. If they’ve not been happy, they’re good actors.

Anyhow, unlike Murwangi, which closes for the off-season, Barra Lodge takes in fishing tourists for the fishing season, only closing for a couple of months over the deep wet.

End of day

The tackle talk was fascinating, even though we are not keen fishers. I’ve seen weird and wonderful lures in fishing shops but had no idea about their uses. Now I do, or, at least did for a fleeting moment in time. The idea of sports game fishing, though, doesn’t appeal greatly to us. It’s one thing to catch fish to eat, but another thing to see “fighting” a fish on the end of a line as a sport. But, we are all different, and I love learning about things like this that I know nothing about, about other people’s passions. And Justin clearly knew his stuff. He also told us a bit about the Liverpool & Tomkinson River system in which we would be fishing. The Liverpool River catchment area includes the Blyth River. The Tomkinson River merges with the Liverpool River in this area.

By the time this was over we stayed on the verandah for drinks and to watch the gorgeous sunset, and then for dinner. Entree was scallop with roe (not Len’s favourite part) followed by local mud crab (trapped by the staff fishermen), served with hokkein noodles (or rice for the two gf people) and black bean sauce. A few of the party took the steak option but most of us gamely went for the crab, with our bibs, crackers, mallets, and skewer forks. It was a hoot, with the steak-eaters having to watch out for flying crab shell, as diners attacked the crab pieces with suitable gusto. It was tasty though most of us felt the black bean sauce was a little strong for the crab. However, it probably helped us meld as a group as we tackled our crabs together.

Logistics

Here might be a good point to mention the impressive logistics involved in this remote region tour operation:

• the movement of food (mainly by trucks & plane);
• the use and movement of vehicles (coaches, boats, planes, plus various ground transport vehicles for smaller groups) which are kept in excellent condition for the most part;
• the variety of people involved, including people who love and have worked in the outback for years, and an army of backpackers from all around the world doing table and housemaid duties;
• the array of backup plans for when nature doesn’t play fair; and
• the negotiation of permits with, not surprisingly cautious, traditional owners.

It’s truly impressive …

Today’s pics …

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And movies

Women weavers at Bula’Bula Arts Centre

Crossing the Blyth River …