Marpoon - Weipa

We are happily ensconced in Michelle's house in Weipa.

Swimming at Archer River Crossing

Marpoon - Bush Camping

This is us after our first night camping in the bush. The fire of course was still hot from the night before and just needed some dry grass and sticks to get it going again.

We had sausages, cornflakes, OJ, toast.  Tea andCoffee.

To make toast one had to first go bush and find astick suitable to use as a toasting fork.

After breakfast we walked up to Wujal Wujal falls andhad a look.  There is a separate photo of the falls.

This is camping the night before

Marpoon - Wujal Wujal Falls

This is Wujal Wujal Falls.

Very beautiful as you can see.

The name Wujal Wujal means the waterfall never stops.

These falls are known as a 'story place' and
apparantly this means that one does not swim here.  So
we didn't.  However we did swim down stream and in
various other picturesque locations.

Near these falls we also saw a Bayan.
This is a traditinal shelter constructed from laywer
cane and covered in paper bark.  The one we saw had
been built in the last few years to showcase
traditional dwelling places to tourists.

Marpoon Trip - Laura Festival

This is a photo of the Laura festival.

They had some big signs up saying "No Filming" so I was not able to take any photos of Aboriginal dances. I had been told that the Laura web site stated no filming and so that did not come as a big surprise. I had assumed that it was a spiritual thing. However the dances shared the performance areas with several very conspicuous camera crews. Presumably the official recorders however sometimes I wondered whether they were part of the dance group as they seemed to ne to be quite happy to get in the road and get up close. Right up close. So I guess it is not a spiritual problem.

 There were two performance areas. This one and a more standard stage. There was a food court that sold smoothies and hot food from various vendors. There was also a information side show populated by government agencies and ngo's like the flying doctor. I availed myself of a free apple from the flying doctor as that along with a very nice fruit smoothy was the only thing resembling fresh food available at the festival. Hot chips were in abundance as were the very nice beef curry and rice dinners.

Mapoon Letter

 

30 January 2007

 Dear Marcus and parents

 Thanks for your attendance at our last Mapoon meeting, with James Hughes.  I hope you came away feeling excited at the opportunities the trip will provide to experience a variety of cultures, lifestyles and of course the native wildlife of the far North of Queensland.

Flight Details:

Cheapest available as of today:

Flying Virgin Blue return Brisbane to Cairns - $129 Each way = $258

Flying Qantas (because they are the only ones who do)

Weipa – Cairns $168 ($2 each person for credit card booking)

Total flights $426

 Please can you deposit this amount of money per person, into the account on the attached, separate page by Thursday so that flights can be booked.  Please then destroy account details page by either shredding or tearing into little pieces if you make a hard copy, deleting if only email!

The urgency is so that we can make sure we can get seats on these flights or we will have to pay more.  Flight times I am planning on booking are as follows:

Flying Virgin Blue from Brisbane to Cairns: 5.15pm 20 June ’07

Flight No. DJ 783  Price quoted = Blue Saver fare

 

Flying Qantas Weipa to Cairns:  1.10pm 3 July ‘07

Flight No. QF2481  (no seats available the next day in time to make Cairns – Brisbane connection)

 

Flying Virgin Blue from Cairns to Brisbane: 1.25pm 4 July ‘07

I am hoping to speak with UC minister in Cairns about us staying in church/hall/etc for both our first night, and our last night. 

 

Other budget considerations:

Food - $200 ($14-$15 / day / person)

Fuel – exact cost unknown, depending on Weipa and Cairns diesel prices at the time.  Allow $150 max. – I would hope this has some fat in it.  We will however be doing a lot of miles.

Accomodation – Cairns : I would expect to at least pay a donation to a church if they were able to put us up.  Other options could be a youth hostel.

                    Laura : There is a fee to stay overnight at the Laura Festival, unfortunately the website is not up yet but you can register for newsletters.  I haven’t received one yet.  This will not be a huge cost.  I hope to find a phone number to investigate this week. 

                    Weipa : James and Michelle are happy to host us in their house and yard, and will provide tents.  This means access to cooking facilities, bathroom etc. 

                    Mapoon : James has accommodation in Mapoon, this will be a similar arrangement to Weipa as above. 

 

 

Spending Money – Parents and participants own discretion. 

                   

Other items discussed at the meeting, to remind you, were the expectation that all participants would do some research on the area.  To this end, check out the Mapoon website at www.mapoon.com and your first task is, after reading the info available on the website, what did you find most surprising about the Mapoon community?  Question 2 – see if you can track down a map area of Nth Qld, and plot our route from Cairns to the Daintree Rainforest – if you are extra tricky, jot down how many kms. 

 

From the Daintree to Laura, Laura to Weipa and into Mapoon, then back to Weipa.  Can you get a total of the kms we will travel?

 

As a final note, now that a costing of sorts is available, it is abundantly clear we need to get on with our fundraising.  At the meeting, I asked for each family to take responsibility for a fundraising event ie to organize that event, expecting participation from others.  Some ideas for events given were:

A white elephant stall held at the church

BBQ’s outside Oxley Foodstore (or anywhere else we can get a date)

Selling chocolates or something similar

A bus trip where we might cater lunch as well

Some people discussed car washes (not sure on water restrictions details)

Slave auction where young people do yardwork etc for a fee

 

Could each family let me know what fundraising event (either from above or other idea) they would like to take charge of, and when they would like to hold it? 

 

If there are any further questions that I haven’t addressed, please contact me, by phone will get you the quickest response, on 3201 8378.

 

NEXT MEETING 18 FEBRUARY 11AM (AFTER MORNING CHURCH) TO DISCUSS FUNDRAISING, AND INFO GATHERED FROM WEBSITES. 

 

 

Current Itinerary:

Wednesday 20 June  Fly out Brisbane – Cairns. 

Meet up with James Hughes.

                    Stay o/night in Cairns

 

Thursday 21 June

                    Travel to the Daintree Rainforest in James’ car.

                    Meet the Wujal Wujal community.  Stay o/night - tents.

 

Friday 22 June

                    Travel to the Laura Festival with James. 

Experience indigenous culture, meet friends of James. Stay o/night at Festival – camping out or in tents.

 

Saturday 23 June

                    Continue at Laura Festival.  Stay o/night.

 

Sunday 24 June – Tuesday 26 June

Travel to Weipa with James.  Stay at Weipa at James and Michelle’s place.  Explore Weipa, meet the aboriginal community, Napranum.

 

Wednesday 27 June – Monday July 2

Travel to Mapoon.  Stay at James’ house.  Visit Janie Crk Turtle protection project.  Participate in local children’s  program.  Visit Pennefather (coastal spot – maybe camp – croc proof fence).  Meet Tjunganji community, spend time with elders.  Participate in, prepare and help lead worship times where appropriate. 

 

Tuesday 3 July (or maybe Monday afternoon)

                    Travel to Weipa, fly to Cairns.

                    Stay o/night in Cairns.

 

Wednesday 4 July

                    Fly home to Brisbane

 

There will be a debriefing session held later this week, and also discussion on how to share what we’ve experienced with the congregation and others.