The Top Ender Magazine June July 2021 Edition

To the constitutes of Tindal RAAF Base,
Selena Uibo
SITTING DATES
Tales of a Top End Mum
Part 4
Firstly, as your local Member of Parliament, I would like to welcome you
to the Electorate of Arnhem, which covers Tindal RAAF Base,
Mataranka, Barunga, Bulman, Weemol, Beswick, Manyallaluk, Gapuwiyak
and surrounding homelands, Ngukurr, Urapunga, Numbulwar, Groote
Eylandt communities of: Angurugu, Alyangula, and Umbakumba,
Miliyakburra on Bickerton Island, Minyerri, Jilkminggan and Werenbun in
Nitmiluk National Park.
In addition to being your Local Member, I am honoured to be working
in the Ministerial Portfolios of Attorney-General and Minister for
Justice, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Treaty and Local-
Decision Making and Minister for Parks and Rangers.
March 23rd-25th
May 4th-6th and 11th- 13th
June 15th-17th and June 22nd-25th
August 10th-12th and 17th- 19th
September 21st-23rd
October 26th-28th
November 30th-December 1st-2nd
I succumbed to peer pressure and stuffed my city
slicker vibes into the back of the wardrobe so I
could go camping. Sorta.
Our family stayed in a tiny donga at Douglas Daly
which had creepy crawlies in it, so it’s kinda the
same thing – yeah?
If I am not in the Electorate Office, I will be on the road visiting
communities in the Arnhem Electorate, meeting with people, building
relationships and representing the electorate during Parliament sittings.
If you are in Darwin during the sitting dates (shown opposite), please
contact the Electorate Office to let me know as I would be happy to
say g’day if you visit Parliament. Also, Parliament House offer free
guided tours. Please contact us if you would like any further information.
My Electorate Office is based in Katherine at Shop 1, 27 Katherine
Terrace. The office is open Monday to Friday - you are most welcome
to come in for a chat or raise an issue. You can also contact my
Electorate Officers on (08) 8973 8780 or electorate.arnhem@nt.gov.au
I wish you all the best for 2021 and look forward to getting to know the
people of Tindal RAAF base as your local Member.
As the Local Member for Arnhem, it was a pleasure to visit Little
Geckos (Tindal) earlier this year. I donated flags and copies of Johanna
Bell and Dion Beasley's "Bigismob Jigiwan Dog" book, which has been
translated into Kriol language by liguists in Ngukurr Community. A big
thank you to Sarah who showed me around the childcare centre.
Recently, I was honoured to attend the Air Force 2021 Centenary
reception at Godinyayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre in
Katherine. It was a pleasure to celebrate 100 years of the Royal
Australia Air Force with Officers from Tindal RAAF Base and to learn
about the diverse roles of our servicemen and women in the Air Force.
At this time of year, the dry season in the Northern Territory is a
beautiful time to explore the natural surrounding areas of the Arnhem
Electorate. I encourage you to take the opportunity to visit some of the
stunning gorges and waterfalls in Nitmiluk National Park or have a
swim at the thermal springs at Bitter Springs and Mataranka
Homestead. The Territory is also home to some brilliant festivals,
including local events that are happening over the next few months;
Barunga Festival 11-13 June 2021 and Katherine Junk Festival 5 June
2021. Tickets for Barunga Festival can be purchased at
www.barungafestival.com.au or at the gate.
I look forward to being your Local Member for our four-year term in
Government and encourage RAAF Tindal residents to reach out to the
Electorate office for any support.
Selena presenting Tindal RAAF Wing Commander
Shane Smith with a bird carving from Beswick
Community from The Arnhem Electorate.
Selena with Tynisha Kodi
Douglas Daly was a 2-hour drive North/West of
Katherine, which made for a great start to the long
weekend after a short distance to travel with 3
kids onboard. We stayed at the Douglas Daly
Tourist Park, which was larger than I expected!
There was a pool so we could swim without the
danger of any ‘snap snaps’ and a communal
outside kitchen area which consisted of a fridge,
kettle, toaster, bench space and a large table with
chairs. They even had a small convenience store
just in case I hadn’t packed enough food!
Emphasise ‘small’ - I still fully recommend packing
everything you need.
We went with a group of friends which made our
experience even better. Most of our group had
4WD’s, so we were able to visit Crystal Falls and
check out the creepy croc creek which was
apparently safe enough for us to put our feet in
(and yes, it was terrifying). We also travelled down
to see the ‘Golden Arches’ - a picturesque river
with large rocks that created an ‘arch’ effect on
certain angles.
Across the little dirt road from our donga was
where all the ‘real campers’ hung out. Our little
kids roamed back and forth between the two
campsites, then out to the bunnies at reception
and back to the big patch of grass, which was the
perfect spot for running and playing while we
supervised from our camping chairs - the
opportunities were endless. They had so much fun
they didn’t want to leave!
Photo Credit: Katie B.
Our evenings were spent around the campfire
trading stories, winding down, toasting
marshmallows and discussing that maybe we need
to do this again and explore a new place. I don’t
even recognise myself anymore – who have I
become??
I can confirm the outdoor experience inspired me
to finally get out and see Edith Falls too. A
terrifyingly scenic swim, a grassy picnic spot, and a
lovely kiosk with an impressive range of ice creams
- a must do if you are ever in the area!
#teamtindal getting out and exploring... Who
knew?
Written by Katie B.
Community Contributor
Tindal
44 The Top Ender | Tri-Services Magazine Incorporated JUNE/JULY 2021 45