Another inspirational and rewarding visit to the Kimberley! This time we were able to spend 12 action-filled days travelling across the vast East, Central and West Kimberley region. Each year we journey to the area’s different communities to speak with students, teachers and parents about the WEST scholarship program. We visit schools large and small – from 8(?) to 500 students – 15 in total this time.
The WEST program is having an intake gap year in 2019 but we visited the Kimberley anyway to look towards potential students for 2020. We love to visit the schools, and of course it’s a wonderful chance to catch up with the families of current students, including up-and-coming sisters and brothers who may be inspired by a sibling’s experience in Melbourne.
We were fortunate to visit Yiyili school, our first time visiting an AICSWA, (Aboriginal Independent Community Schools of WA). This is a third category of school in the Kimberley after Education Department and Catholic schools. The independent schools were established around 30 to 40 years ago by local communities with the specific focus to be on-country schools using the local language and culture. But at the same time they are registered/licensed with the Education Department and must meet performance and accountability standards set by the Department each year. The curriculum that is taught is the standard one. The schools do not finish at primary level but can go on to secondary level right through to Year 12.
We were also able to spend the morning at Purnululu school, one kilometre off the Great Northern Highway on a winding dirt road up the Frog Hollow Creek valley. BEWARE trying to find it! The turnoff is almost impossible to pick. It is 500m south of the Frog Hollow Creek crossing, notable because it is a one way, single lane bridge. A worthwhile visit to a very small school that is nevertheless growing (currently at 48 students).
The insights and quirks of the journey (REMEMBER! TURN RIGHT AT THE SIGN TO GO-GO STATION FOR BAYULU SCHOOL!) are invaluable, there is nothing like this trip to understand and appreciate the unique challenges and particular adversities that local communities can face. We’ve been going to the Kimberley for nine years and are now meeting many familiar faces on our travels, forging relationships and understandings around the WEST program.
June of 2016 marked WEST’s annual trip to the Kimberley to visit communities and schools in search of scholarship candidates for the following year, 2017 in this case. We have been doing this since 2010, seven years! The trip usually lasts for ten days to two weeks, depending on the time available. On several occasions, staff from The Peninsula School – now called Peninsula Grammar (we must remember the name change) – have accompanied us. It is always a trip that we look forward to.
This time, Judy came with me and we drove over 2000km in 8 days and visited 14 schools. It was pretty hectic but as stimulating and challenging as ever. For the first time we drove right across the Kimberley, from west to east and it was the first time that we had been to the Fitzroy Crossing region. We visited four new schools: Looma, Fitzroy Valley District High School, Wangkatjungka, and Ngalipita (pronounced Nallabida).
There is absolutely no substitute for visiting the Kimberley and the schools. It provides an insight into the way of life and the challenges that remote communities face that simply could not be obtained otherwise. For example: Two and a half hours to drive to Fitzroy Crossing or Derby just to go shopping. To get to Ngalipita you must ford the mighty Fitzroy River. They take their cars out in November and don’t bring them back until the river has gone down in March or April! The teachers are awesome – tough, resourceful and dedicated.
And it was a successful trip. Stevon from Looma was awarded a WEST scholarship starting in Year 8 in 2017 and many potential candidates were identified for future years.