Farewell, East Kimberley Kununurra

And so, after nearly five weeks, my time in Kununurra is over.

Here at the other end of my secondment, I have experienced a great number of things I wasn't expecting.

Firstly, and most importantly, I'm the proud owner of a 40-page, 10,000 word strategy that sets out a way forward to develop and support leadership amongst Aboriginal people in the East Kimberley. That's practically a thesis. But better than a thesis, I actually think it's achievable.

I have at least 937 tropical-strength mosquito bites.

I have survived Wolf Creek, explored the Bungle Bungle ranges in Purnululu, driven a manual 4WD, camped (and more surprisingly, actually enjoyed it), worked up to running 9.5 km in one go, swum in crocodile-infested waters, seen rock art in situ, eaten goanna, met amazing people and made new friends, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal.

I even have - wait for it - a tan. I don't think I've ever had a tan before in my life.

Best of all, I've lifted my eyes to the sky in a way I haven't done before. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to be here and experience all this.

Before embarking on this secondment I didn't know very much about Aboriginal affairs. Now, I have a much better understanding of the way white settlement has impacted on first Australians, and I have some things to work through as a consequence. I struggle with what colonisation has wreaked on their society -and what we continue to perpetrate today - and I am convinced we need to work together to set that right.

How? I don't know how. But I am hoping that my being here has made a difference, albeit a tiny, infinitessimal one, and that I will continue to carry that difference with me as I go ahead.

Me and the Governor-General

Did I mention that I met the Governor-General last week in Halls Creek? I didn't?

Well, I met the Governor-General in Halls Creek last week! She came to visit the school there, and the kids were so excited - they sang and danced for her. Take a look at this photo:

I felt a bit like singing and dancing too, she's that kind of woman.

Quite incidentally, Quentin Bryce gave the speech at my graduation from university (many, MANY years ago now) - she was inspirational then and is still inspirational today. 

And how lucky is this: I was due to meet with Doreen Green afterwards, the local woman who really spearheaded the grog restrictions, and because Doreen had a lunch appointment, Doreen casually invited me along to said lunch appointment, which I didn't realise was the Official Reception for her Excellency; so quite by chance I got to go to lunch with them both! Here is a picture of Doreen.

At the conclusion of the event, the GG came over to speak with Doreen and I, and I had the opportunity to introduce myself and explain that she gave my graduation speech. I told her that I was so pleased when she was appointed to her current office as she is the embodiment of what can be possible for women who have determination, intellect, support and opportunity. I believe I may have blushed a little at that point.

She was very kind and gracious, as Governors-General should be; and asked me what I was doing in Halls Creek. So then, like the communications professional I am, (never one to let a good spruiking opportunity go by) I took the reins and explained that I'm lucky to be in Halls Creek and Kununurra on secondment, due to a partnership my company has with an organisation called Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships (IEP); and that under the terms of the partnership, secondees from large corporates spend between 1 and 3 months working for indigenous organisations; on specific projects that require skills which can't be sourced internally from those organisations.

I told here how I was working with Wunan  in Kununurra on developing an Aboriginal leadership framework and development model to catalyse change in communities across the East Kimberley - how it's truly fascinating stuff, and really gives me the chance to feel that I can help make a difference in people's lives, even if it's just in the tiniest of ways.

She was very interested in the program and we had a good conversation about it - and she has that knack of making you feel like you are the only person in the room and that she is fascinated by every word that comes out of your mouth (no matter how fluttery your heart may be in its chest.....)

Gosh. Afterwards, I felt like I'd had a brush with royalty. The world needs more women like Quentin Bryce.

(And quite separately, here is my favourite photograph from the day. I took about a thousand, too, so that's saying something.)