Monday 9 June 2025

On the bus at 8.45am

Nhulunbuy was built in the very late 60’s by Nabalco, to service their mine facilities and their workers. It was originally simply called Gove. The traditional name came later. The town is well serviced, with the aforementioned acquatic centre, a pretty nice yacht club, a golf course and no doubt lots of other facilities. And, of course, the Walkabout Inn where we are staying. That was the first building to be erected in Gove, in 1968. Complete with bottomless drawers. Some areas our tour included are currently inaccessible due to much sorry business. There have been three deaths amongst the Yolngu clan in the past weeks, two of whom were significant leaders, resulting in major grieving. So parts of the town are closed and the beach is inaccessible. Instead we head to Town Lagoon. It’s pretty ordinary

but we are treated to a wonderful, heart warming and uplifting welcome to country

The musicians were by the traditional water hole, and the dancers in traditional clothing

After the ceremony, which took nearly an hour, we were treated to a medicinal session. Local leaves (dementia prevents me from naming from which tree) are collected and immersed in hot water. Eager hands then squeeze the oil from the leaves and the oily leaves applied to parts of the body which are hurting. Everyone had a go. Knees, elbows, heads, necks and lower backs. Because she is only 70 nothing hurts on Cherrie. I nominated my lower back, which was indeed attended to but for some reason my medicine woman went to my head. Fancy her thinking I was sick in the head

This was Thelma, who we were informed was Manadwuy Yunupingu’s niece. Of course, that might not be blood relation, but clan relation. Anyway, she was wonderful and I thanked her fulsomely.

We were the delight of onlookers

and tree nymphs

This was a delightful way to start our day, and then it just got better when the bus took us to Yirrkala, specifically to the art centre. Called Buku Larrngay, this is one of Australia’s premier Aboriginal art centres. Housed in a very ordinary looking building, once the plain black doors are opened, one is truly gobsmacked by what’s inside. We have no photos of this, because we were so overwhelmed and somehow it seemed disrespectful to pull out the camera. Fortunately there is no room on our walls at home for any more artworks, but we do have plenty of works from Buku already.

Back to Town Lagoon for lunch, which was a delicious salad, and time for a stroll. For one of us. There’s no doubt that the only good cane toad is a dead cane toad

This is a mining town all right. We drive to where it all happens

It’s good to know our borders are safe. Building closed for the public holiday, so clearly if one wants to sneak into the Gove Peninsula, then best to do it on a weekend or on the Kings Birthday.

The mine, now operated by Rio Tinto, will close in 2030. The bauxite is running low. This will have an enormous impact on the town, which was built for the miners, and one can only assume that the Government has plans for it, as yet unannounced. A naval base is predicted by Greg, our verbose, all knowing tour guide. It’s just his gut feeling. He loves Nhulunbuy and had planned to buy a yacht to moor here and then sail away when his time to retire came. However, in his words “I now have a Filipino missus and she hates the sea so we’ll become grey nomads instead”. When later I asked Greg where his missus was based he said “the Phillipines. I haven’t seen her for two years”. He didn’t seem to appreciate my advice to buy the yacht and sail to her.

Another day in Nhulunbuy. A flight tomorrow. Small plane. Yikes