Warmun With

After 24hrs in Kununurra, we met Mum and Dad, then Leanne drove up in the afternoon to do a shop and collect us. Leanne lives about 2hrs south of Kununurra, in Warmun (Turkey Creek) en route to Broome. We all had a late start and then made our way to the school for the parent teacher night. Lisa and I were employed as sauce dispensers for the parental feed. There seemed to be more dogs than people although the teachers said that it was a very healthy turn-out. Despite the headlines of the day, the community gave off a very 'healthy' vibe, with key members investing a lot of energy into the 'next generation'.





Dad and I borrowed Leanne's 4WD and headed north to Bow River (as in the song) and tried our hands at driving with the hubs locked in. I had a vague memory of sombody wise once saying 'don't stop' when on the sand. At one deep point I came to a stop with the rear axle fully extended in opposite directions. Moving forward dug the diff in further, so Dad quietly suggested (it was getting on in the day) that I reverse slowly. I did, we moved, and I continued to reverse right out of that sandy creek bed, leaving deep impressions all the way.

One afternoon, after school, Leanne arranged one of the Troopies to carry Lisa and some of the kids out to Winnipa Springs, on Texas Downs Station. I followed, with M&D, in Leanne's now familiar Jackaroo. When we arrived, the kids were picking which of us they were going to bless; coming from a Catholic/Aboriginal school, their are often overlaps of traditions. I was blessed by Emmy-Lou, a little girl who told me that blessed, I would not be disturbed by the snakes in the long grass. Reassured, we made our way up the little canyon, helping mum along the way through the 'safe thigh-height grass' and up to a rock platform off which Lisa was the first to jump. Most of the kids followed and I eventually eased my way in as if I was having hydrotherapy for my arthritis. Breath-stopping icy water near-paralysed me as Lisa continued to bomb with the crazy kids. I escaped to have an audience while the braver locals touched my white skin to see it go hypercolour - freak! As the sun faded, we were urged to get moving. Leanne explained that although sacred in a positive way by day, the site was to be avoided at night due to the winds (spirits) whistling through to harm us. Driving back up the highway, passing the caravan park, I knew our experience here was richer than had we not known Leanne.

As the week went by we...

...visited the school often, including an assembly:

...went on many walks out behind Leanne's house:

...practiced our picture perfect poses:

...admired the cat:

...and did a little woodwork at the school: