Borroloola and Bing Bong Brilliance

The trip has taken on a different feel here in Borroloola.  With school holidays and NAIDOC week, the community has not been the same.  We ended up staying at the caravan park down the road, rather than at the church, as the mission house has fallen into disrepair.  Being separate from “the action” and having more time to ourselves has meant we have been able to catch our breath, get laundry done and do some sightseeing.

On Saturday, we went to an Arts Centre in the morning and saw examples of local paintings, carvings, beadwork and other rock paintings and sculptures.  We also went down to the footy.  Lots of teams play in a shortened AFL game format throughout the day. Families sit under the trees, in the back of utes, and on the ground, barracking loudly and whole family seems to be present.

In the afternoon, we went for a drive.

 I said to Adam, “Come on, we’re going to the Gulf.”

 He replied, “Do I get to play?”

“Not golf... the GULF of Carpentaria.”

The section we went to was called Bing Bong and there’s a mine loading facility there.  A ship was being loaded up (Whether with Zinc, iron ore or some other metal, we weren't sure) and other ships were probably waiting beyond the horizon for their turn.

We also learned a bit about bush tucker. Having an Aborginal family on the trip has enriched our experiences. Mick showed us that a worm, called Cobra had worked its way through a tree/shrub and decimated it.  He opened up some of the rotting wood and found some still burrowed into it.  I ate one - it was salty and slimy; like an oyster in texture.

We still had devotion and sharing time around the fire at night, which was great.

Tomorrow is church and some of the local leaders may come out and share a meal with us.  I’ll write about that another day.