Yirara Happenings Term 3 2009

This year, rather than just watching the Henley on Todd (see earlier blogs from last year), Yirara took some fellas down and competed in the event. They built their boat, but then got really excited and entered other events. A good day for all the fellas and great publicity for the school. The single sculls.

Can't remember what this event is called.

Our boat flying along.

The parade through the Todd Street Mall.

The start of the parade with our ferious rivals "The Navy" in from. These blokes are from the ship "Arunta".

Kieran, Jason and Troy (Big St Kilda fan).

These girls were leading the Desert Festival Night Parade for Yirara. All the work done by the students.

A Spider made by the students and teachers. It took a whole term to build. The eyes glowed.

With the Footy Academy, we took 2 of my PE lessons for the term to cut, dice and make some soup. We then delivered to 3 of the Town Camps surrounding Yirara. The people of the camps were very appreciative and very good for the fellas to give something back. Quite confronting for some of them. Unfortunately, some of the conditions in the camps are not something you would expect in Australia and is part of the reason for the government offering to take them over ($110 million). It is not a time to blame (and there are many groups/organisations/people/departments to blame)...I think the problem just needs to be fixed and change the conditions these people are living in.

Dust Storm

I hope you people on the East Coast enjoyed the Dust Storm we sent over. I haven't had many emails or phone calls for awhile, so this was just to remind you we are still here. Here are some photos from Uluru.

Senior Class Sport and Recreation Camp

The beautiful surrounds of Hamilton Downs (1 hour from Alice Springs) was the location of the Sport and Recreation Camp I helped organise and run. With the support of Batchelor Institute we took the kids through a Certificate 1 in Sport and Recreation.

This is me "teaching" the girls how to cook Roo tail.

Awesome...nearly ready. Good meat. No vegetarians allowed.

Taking the skin off..indigenous style!

The Senior class with the teachers.

Modlin Tours

We have been very fortunate to have Jess Smith (ex Northside student) and her boyfriend Colin (affectionately known as Phil by Belinda) come and visit and spend a week with us. Here are just a few photos of their trip, some highlights as they travel around this great land and some things you might do if you come and visit and choose to go on a Modlin tour. No photos, but Colin and Jess also spent 2 days at Yirara, visited the Reptile Centre, had food poisoning from the Erldunda Roadhouse, picked up colds from the Modlin family, visited the Todd Mall markets, saw someone try and steal a bottle of Bundaberg Rum from Woolworths and hung out in the mall and the various shops around Alice. A note, it is important to always go to the toilet before the drive around tour of Alice Springs...it takes longer than 5 minutes.


What better way to start Modlin tours than fly 3 and a half hours from Brisbane, jump in a Mitsubishi Challenger, have a 9 and 5 year old in the car with you, and drive 5 hours to Uluru. You get a driver who is willing to debate you on any topic, 2 boys begging their father to turn on the DVD, and hear the father tell his sons, "I know you are hungry, but you will not die!!!" The two young fellas obviously love having their photo...it only takes about 4 shots to get one that looks anything remotely "normal".

On a Modlin tour, depending on the time of year, you can get caught in a traffic jam at the Old Timers Fete, and fight off the old ladies trying to get their fill of cakes, scones and knitted teapot covers. Your female host, Belinda, obviously looks impressed about the whole adventure, and your 9 year old host, Kurtis, is wondering why he had to pay $2 to have a go of putting balls into the mouths of clowns and only win a 50c slinky, which incidentally was broken only a couple of hours later.

Be impressed by Uluru. You just have to learn to get the famous rock in the background and have your 5 year old host, Elijah, hold the camera steady. We won't say what he had to do in the bushes just to the left of Colin, we will keep that story for his 21st.

A great looking shot of your host of Modlin tours. Drinks and nibbles at sunset. Just make sure you keep your eyes on the 2 creatures who try to steal all the cheese, dip and crackers while you are having photos. Kurtis and Elijah that is, not dingoes.

Should I make a comment about this? I think that is Uluru in the background.

No Modlin tour is complete without a visit to a restaurant (Bluegrass Restaurant- an incredible platter of emu sausage, kangaroo steaks and lamb cutlets is recommended) and arrive back at the Hotel Modlin for a sickly rich chocolate fondue.

Yirara Student makes All Australian Team

Jake Neade has been selected in the National School Boys football team.

IT is amazing to think that Jake Neade nearly missed out on playing for the Northern Territory at the Australian School Boys Football Competition and the honours that would follow. Following a stand-out performance as part of the Desert Storm team, Neade, 15, missed his flight to Maroochydore.In a frantic hurry a second flight was organised for the talented West junior, ensuring he would compete in what would turn out to be a break-out event for the youngster.Neade was named in the Australian School Boys team after a series of dazzling displays.He said: "It feels great and I'm really proud to be named in the team.''The reserved youngster is a success on and off the field, a pioneer for Yirara students looking to finish high school.Coming from the township of Elliott, 200km north of Tennant Creek, Neade boards at Yirara College, where he attended school until year nine and is heavily involved in the Clontarf program.Deciding to continue with his studies Neade has transferred to Centralian Secondary College, becoming part of growing number of students involved in the Clontarf program at Yirara continuing their education.Clontarf associate director at Centralian College Sean Cusack said Neade and his fellow Yirara classmates have blazed a trail for more students from Clontarf to make the switch.He said: "We've got heaps of guys from Yirara coming through now doing secondary education, which didn't really happen before."Jake's one of the best kids in our academy. He's one of the best footballers in our academy. He gets his school work done, which is half the battle with some of these guys, and he's just a pleasure to have around the academy and school.''Even though he schools in town Neade is still a vital contributor to the Clontarf program at Yirara, still working with many of the younger students after school.Recreation officer at Yirara College Keith Durham said Neade plays a big role in helping the younger students develop and grow on and off the football field.He said: "He's a real leader out there. "He always shares the ball around with the younger kids making sure everyone gets a go."You can just tell he loves being out there.''A member of the PowerWater talent development squad, Neade has set his football goals high, hoping to become involved in the Territory Thunder under-16 and under-18 programs in years to come

Gee...It has been awhile. More photos and stories to be published on Semester break.

What better way to start my update with Kurtis and Elijah bottling some (non-alcoholic!!!) "Rusty's Ginger Beer". I am the only one in my family who likes it. But, I have had it taste tested by other people and they like it!!









This is an end of Term 1 shot with Nico, Alex and Josiah. The good news is they all returned. Alex (black shirt) is from Mt Isa. A proud Queenslander.











If you don't know the bloke on the right you should hang your head in shame. "LEAPIN' LEROY LOGGINS". He visited Alice Springs and came out to the school. We reminisced about the glory days of the Brisbane Bullets. He is standing here next to my Sport and Rec apprentice, Glen.








Not bad for a 51 year old legend.


















Yes, this is an old shot of Elijah at "In2Cricket". Great stance.

















A very old shot of Joseph's baby dedication. I need to take the time to view the video. A great message preached by Pastor Mark just for Joseph (and us!!). Joseph is proudly dressed by Frasers of Albany Creek. (This is to check to see if they read my blog!)

Kata Tjuta- The Valley of the Winds

Start with the best picture. A King Brown (mulga snake). Did a bit of reading after this. These things are poisonous. I did have a go at cropping and making it look like we were closer, but this is definitely close enough. Kurtis froze and told us it was there. He was only a metre away. Elijah and I had already walked past it.
This picture not as good on here. The black dots are flies, but not as clear on this.

Tried to get a perspective shot. Kurtis is very tiny against this backdrop.

All Kurtis wanted to do was climb something. This was steep enough. Again, hard to get a clear perspective, but this was pretty steep.

Family trip to Uluru

Just enjoy the photos. I have tried not to comment too much....Although I do love having something to say. We took my Mum and Dad with us. I love this place. I can just sit, stare, contemplate and relax here just as much as I do staring out at the sea. I don't catch enough waves and so I do a lot of staring and contemplating out in the surf. Hopefully you will see the various fly nets my family wore. I spent the whole time bagging them for looking like a tourist. The 4 flies I swallowed while I was out here was worth it!

The rock always looks better with a glass of "Rusty's Pale Ale".

The photos that follow were taken over a half hour at sunset. Just thought they looked good with the different colour changes.