Making an Impact on the Mitchell Yumba

Uncle Daen with the TGS group and the bark coolamon prior to treating it on the campfire Left to Right; Tom Betts-Jackson (Year 10), Patrick Able (Year 10), Robert Munn (Year 10), Uncle Daen Munn, Tristan Keeton (Year 11), Sam Gladwin (Year 11), and Mr Chris Stearn

On the first Monday of the July holidays five TGS boys and 12 Fairholme College girls, plus staff, assembled with anticipation at the RAW Impact offices in Toowoomba.

There was much excitement and anticipation surrounding the planned trip to the homeland of the Gungarri Nation, the Mitchell Yumba, for what would turn out to be a perceptionchanging week for all. This was a trip which clearly highlighted the power of shared experience in the process of reconciliation.

These young men and women proved to be an extraordinary group, approaching all that they experienced with a maturity far beyond their years, offering as much as they could to the Gungarri community, absorbing vast amounts of knowledge, and making a significant number of new, yet extremely close, friends.

From the very moment of arrival at the Yumba, when the group was welcomed by elders Auntie Sue and Auntie Saraeva, it was clear that this was an incredible part of the world. There was a palpable serenity, magnified by the area’s history; homeland to approximately 600 people of the Gungarri Nation until they were forcibly removed in 1968 simply because it was deemed too expensive to provide them with sanitation as was dictated by a new law.

It was not until the campsite was unpacked and swags set up that we all began to truly appreciate the value of a campfire in the Maranoa Region during mid-winter. This only added to the experience as the clear night skies revealed to many their first sight of the indigenous constellation of the dark emu. to help improve this region. The aim was to make it a more welcoming place for members of the Gungarri Nation to return to their former country for community gatherings or for respite and recuperation.

Significant progress was made with building bower sheds that are representing one of the aboriginal totem animals, along with improvements to the toilet and shower facilities and clearing old timber from a large fire pit where groups traditionally would have met for a yarn.

Such activities were interspersed with cultural experiences. The Aunties taught the girls some traditional skills, such as soap making and basket weaving, while Uncle Wayne and Uncle Daen demonstrated leather craft to the boys, as well as making what might be the first coolamon made on Gungarri country by Toowoomba Grammar School boys.

Whilst all this was occurring, Uncle Wayne amused and astounded us with tales of his time living on the Yumba with his family and the mischief he seemed to cause as a young boy – not to forget his enthusiastic tales of hunting echidna for dinner.

We enjoyed excursions to the ancient sites at Mount Moffat, to Major Mitchell’s Camp which is the site of first contact between the Gungarri Nation and European settlers, and to the many wonders of Carnarvon Gorge which were truly awe-inspiring experiences.

For the teachers and facilitators on this trip, the most rewarding aspect was undoubtedly listening to a group of amazing young boys and girls, around the campfire, discussing how their opinions have changed by what they had seen and heard in just a short space of time. There were mixed emotions of sadness, guilt, and disappointment, excitement, pride and wonder; but it was the sense of progress which was most impressive and the increased awareness of the need for integration and experience as a key part to moving the process of reconciliation forward.

“I gained an understanding of what preserving culture meant. Getting a taste of the vast knowledge and connection with the land that the Uncles and Aunties had gave me an appreciation of what needs to be passed on to the next generation and why it is so important that we do so.

While the racist laws that saw the Yumba bulldozed are gone now, there needs to be actions to help mend the pain that still is felt, such as rebuilding the Yumba and connecting more people to the land. I think, as Australians, it is our responsibility to learn about the wrong doings of the past as well as working together for a better future.” - Sam Gladwin, Year 11

It is such views in these young Australians which will make this a stronger nation for all its inhabitants.

Huge thanks must go out to the RAW Impact crew who made such an amazing trip possible, and it is hoped that both TGS and Fairholme College will be able to continue their collaboration on this project in the future.