Hosting a Health Action Team to Achieve Health Dividends

A Strategic Directions Compass was once, back in 2009, workshopped, designed, and adopted by Marilyn Wallace, Peter Wallace and family (assisted by Andre Grant from the Centre for Appropriate Technology).

This 'Compass' was workshopped, adopted and printed up into a a single page poster to be regularly referred to as a symbolic strategic guide picturing these cultural entrepreneurs key priorities and strategic direction,  in the ongoing pursuit of a vision of seeing Nyungkal families, lore and people restored to country.

On Wednesday, 27 August, (last week) multiple greyscale A4 copies of this poster were printed in preparation for a meeting with representatives of Cape York's regional Aboriginal health organisation (Apunipima Cape York Health Council), in the hope of Apunipima auspicing, and Bana Yarralji hosting Nyungkalwarra 'Healing on Country' type activities and programs

Looking at that Bana Yarralji's compass, then, Bana Yarralji is most clearly pointed in the following strategic direction as follows:

i.    [S]ocial/cultural:   Bana Yarralji's compass points first and foremost in the [S]ly direction, wherein Bana Yarralji is expected to favour. above all other activities, hosting [S]ocial/cultural activities on country -  in the pursuit of social/cultural dividends

ii.   [W]ellbeing/Healing:  where Bana Yarralji chooses to try to expand beyond social/cultural hosting services, then the compass clearly points them in the [W]ly direction, favouring [W]ellbeing/healing activities on country above other activities -  in the pursuit of wellbeing/healing dividends

The purpose of the meeting with Apunipima representatives, in the Apunipima board room was to explore the options with Cape Yorks premier Aboriginal health organisation for Bana Yarralji expanding into hosting Wellbeing/Healing activities from the Bana Yarralji base along Shiptons Flat Road in core Nyungkalwarra country.

Bana Yarralji therefore took their vision, and their hosting enterprise model (see earlier July post entitled 'Mikes Magic Doughnut') to Apunipima in the hope of their auspicing a Live Longer Local Community Campaign for Nyungalwarra in Nyungkal Country, and discovered that regional health organisations and regional health programs may not be well adapted to the cultural enterprise model!!

Within Apunipima and possibly Queensland Health, 'community control' over the delivery of health services and programs comes about by communities forming formally recognised 'Community Health Action Teams', and if Bana Yarralji wished to host publically funded health programs on country, they would first have to host a Nyungalwarra Community Health Action Team.

So, on the cultural enterprise journey, guided by the Bana Yarralji strategic directions compass .. while it is hard to see the income and profit in Bana Yarralji hosting a Nyungkalwarra Community Health Action Team .. that IS, never the less, exactly what Marilyn Wallace and Bana Yarralji have now undertaken to do in the persistent pursuit of their vision for the future.

Imagining Possible Dividends of Hosting Research on Country

Marilyn and Peter Wallace are in a hurry to form their cultural enterprise; register Bana Yarralji as a business;  actually make a start hosting whole range of people and activities on country, and move more certaintly towards obtaining their vision for Nyungkalwarra and Nyungkal country.

They may be in more of a hurry than they have been in the past as they have been getting a glimpse of some of the possible opportunities and potential arising out of hosting research institutions on country.   They can see a win-win-win all around;  students gaining  natural and cultural experiences; natural resource managers (South Cape York Catchments) gaining valuable data; and Bana Yarralji showing  themselves to be both hosts and emerging custodians of Nyungkalwarra lands and waters.

The editor of the local Cooktown newspaper came out on to Nyungkalwarra country to have a look at what's going on and seem to get caught up in all the excitement and visioning of the potential dividends of this kind of hosting into the future, writing a front page newspaper article entitled "The Next Big Thing"

As noted above, then, Marilyn and Peter are excited and in a hurry to actually form their business and really start trading as a cultural enterprise.   They are in a hurry, yet, being in a hurry:

i.   they've been running into hard questions being asked by business advisors from the Balkanu Business Development Unit (whom they have been seeking to recruit for assistance to properly apply business principles to their enterprise)    ..

ii.   they've been running into the hard questions like  "Is there really money in it?  Is there money in it, or is everyone going to be working hard for no profit??"

With opportunity, prospect and whole range of dividends sparkling in their eyes, on Friday 26 August 2011, Marilyn and Peter Wallace went to check to see if their nearest research institution ( ie James Cook University) might be interested in being hosted on country.

In particular, Bana Yarralji went to check out the School of Marine and Tropical Biology, and Professor Steve Williams (& Dr Yvette Williams) whom, they understood may be playing a significant role overseeing research programs mapping the expected impacts of climate change on the biodiversity of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (including Nyungkalwarra country)

Opportunity, prospect and whole range of dividends sparkling in their eyes, the outcomes of this initial visit to James Cook University can only be described as positive and encouraging

i.    Over more than two hours across a table in the new Australian Tropical Sciences and Innovastion Precinct (ATSIP) their was much that was shared, their was postive interest in all Bana Yarralji may have to offer as keen hosts; and growing range of possibilities and potential mutual dividends were identified.  

ii.    Over the more than two hours of generally rewarding discussion it also became clear that the possibility of research hosts (ie Bana Yarralji cultural enterprise) not only tapping significant knowledge and research resource but making income from playing hosts  .. is not going to be easy, and is likely to take some heavy investment in building partnerships before it might really pay

It would seem, then, that to suceed as a cultural enterprise, this whole journey is likely to be a possible strange and unusual mix of real impatience, strong faith, and a vision that looks, unflinchingly, into the longer term future with a clarity and certainty sufficient to look beyond more immediate prospect of costs (in money) outweighing profit (in money)

Seeking Security over Assetts Built on Aboriginal Land Trust lands

The Bana Yarralji vision is to see Nyungalwarra lore restored, and Nyungalwarra living and working on Aboriginal freehold lands that are promised to be transferred to an Aboriginal Land Trust (Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Land Trust)  as part of a local native title settlement

Key to the way Marilyn Wallace, Peter Wallace and Bana Yarralji have chosen to promote and achieve this vision of Nyungalwarra living, making a living, and working on country, is to lead by example, establishing an effective, viable enterprise on country applying business principles to generate the income and the means necessary to actually see Nyungkalwarra living, making a living, and working on country.

Initially Marilyn and Peter Wallace simply moved onto country setting up home, and setting up their proposed base on Aboriginal land.   They drew on extensive networks of relationships to procure water tanks, water pumps, assistance digging pit toilets, assembling used corrugated tin, and Lutheran church group assistance to cut Cooktown iron wood logs and build a shed to live in and operate from

Unfortunately, while Marilyn Wallace and family may have had every right under local Aboriginal lore, through her father, to set up home and base on the selected land  - in Australian law - everything Marilyn and co. put onto that Aboriginal freehold land automatically becomes the property of the Aboriginal land trust holding the land; and there is no formally recognised 'right' by Marilyn and co. to control and maintain the home and the base they built.

After setting up on country -  Marilyn Wallace, Peter Wallace, and Bana Yarralji, with the support and assistance of the Centre for Appropriate Technology, all worked to increase infrastructure on the block of land - starting with proper toilet blocks, warm showers, electricity, telephones, office, caravan parks etc.   (See previous posting on the building of tiolet blocks as the beginning of community development)

Again, unfortunately, while working to show the way, and working to increase quality of life plus infrastructure on Aboriginal freehold lands held by an Aboriginal Land Trust  .. all that they built onto the land automatically became the property of the Aboriginal land trust, with NO certainty or security for those who worked so hard for so long to see this infrastructure put onto this land. 



It turns out Bana Yarralji couldn't even themselves directly apply to the local council for necessary development approvals to put in the infrastructure; nor submit vegetation management plans clearing the way for infrastructure put in; nor apply for caravan and camping permits over the area.   In every instance Bana Yarralji was required to go to the Aboriginal Land Trust some distance away with fingers crossed in the hope that Land Trust would make all the necessary applications on Bana Yarralji's behalf

Hanging around Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation, there is a story that the Treasurer of a prominent Bank (Westpac?) visited Cape York to cast specialist eyes over some of the Aboriginal economic development issues,  and, within 5 minutes of touching down quickly concluded that ".. unless and until leases are able to be issued, nothings  going to happen.."

Whether the story is true or not, it seems the only cure to the whole problem of obtaining security and control over assetts and infrastructure necessary to run an enterprise is for the likes of Bana Yarralji to take the approach of businesses across Australian and approach the landholders to obtain a lease!

It turns out that while it is theorectically possible for Aboriginal Land Trusts under Queensland's Aboriginal Land Act to grant leases .. after more than three years of constant requests by Marilyn Wallace and co seeking a lease   .. and after an accumulating body of increasingly complex legal opinion has been collected .. the lesson being learnt is that;

i.   obtaining a lease from an Aboriginal Land Trust under the Aboriginal Land Act is not a simple matter of entering in to a business relationship for the conduct of business (there are almost no such commercial leases for Aboriginal Land Trust lands in the Cape)

ii.  obtaining a lease would seem to effectively establish exclusive private property rights for a few over lands that are held communally for the many ..  in a way that seems to challenge and run counter to the way most people conceive of native title plus associated tradition and lore

Very frustrated and running short of options,  Bana Yarralji's Marilyn Wallace now;

i.   wishes to 'host' an event at which relevant specialists plus land trust directors and elders are assembled, in the hope of bringing about some open discussion about the relative value, difficulty and need for families wishing to move onto country to be able to lease lands from their land trust.

ii.   wishes to 'host' such an event to coincide and occur together with a planned official opening of the newly constructed Bana Yarralji ranger base in a few weeks  (being a ranger base over which no lease has yet been obtained).   

There is also a bit of a wish that participants in such an 'event' might see that there need not be any necessary contradiction between:

-   the granting of private commercial property rights to a cultural enterprise like Bana Yarralji, and
-   the general promotion of the interests of a community of people who share a vision with that cultural enterprise

There is bit of a wish that it will be seen that support for a private, commercial lease may be one way for all Nyungalwarra to move closer, together, to seeing more people living and making a living working on their ancestoral lands (in their garden of eden)??

Changing Lifestyles and Living Longer on Country

Behind Marilyn and Peter Wallace's drive to try applying business principles to changing people's lives -  is a belief that it is healthy for Nyungalwarra to live with their ancestors in their own lands, and a faith that assisting bring Nyungalwarra back onto country will help Nyungalwarra heal as a people.

Knowing the above, it should not be of any surprise to hear that, while there was no profit in it at the time, the emergent cultural enterprise (ie Bana Yarralji) just leapt at the opportunity, earlier this year, to host a Department of Health and Aging 'Healthy Community Day' on Country (just up the road from the Bana Yarralji base, at a place with healing waters known in Kuku Nyungkal as Bangalnarran)

Arising out of this hosting venture was a Bana Yarralji Healthy Families Day in which large number of extended family of all ages camped on country, ate healthy food (including a kup-muri), engaged in healthy activity, painted the above 'Live Longer' banner, and generally explored the prospect and potential for a healthier lifestyle living and working on country.

The event was also recorded on digital video, and a brief 3 minute clip posted onto you-tube, including brief interview with Marilyn, plus images of Nyungalwarra on country here:

The Department's webpage describing this Bana Yarralji Healthy Community day confirms and explains this key motivation driving these cultural entrepreneurs as follows:

"Marilyn Wallace, of Cape York's Kuku Nyungkal people, has long held a dream for the return of her people to a healthy life-style on their ancestral lands. That dream came one-step closer in mid-May at the Bana Yarralji Healthy Families' Day at Shiptons Flat"

The whole Bana Yarralji Healthy Family Day was generally regarded as a successful event by one and all.  It was an event sufficient to inspire Bana Yarralji to strive to build more business like partnership with the likes of Apunipima Cape York Health Council to possibly repeat, extend, and more regularly host healthy, lifestyle changing events such as the Healthy Family day on Country.

Today Bana Yarralji may have started moving little bit closer to formalising the kind of relationships and partnerships with Apunipima and other possible partners needed to help realize this key aspect of the Bana Yarralji vision, and we'll see how things go at a proposed meeting in Cairns next week!!

Making and Distributing Profits as a Cultural Enterprise?

For some time now, ever since Marilyn and Peter Wallaces were first identified as cultural entreprenuers and the extended family (including younger generations) all met with Helen Murphy around a plastic table overlooking the Endeavour River and decided to apply business principles to achieve thier vision for the future .. ever since that meeting, Marilyn, Peter and family have been imagining Bana Yarralji as a Pty Ltd much like all the other mainstream Pty Ltds around them 

One of the key places from which Bana Yarralji has sought advice on what is involved in being a Pty Ltd, and sought assistance on incorporating as a Pty Ltd is Balkanu's Cape York Business Development Unit, particularly the Cooktown Business Hub, where Peter and Marilyn encountered some serious business planning for an Aboriginal hosting business on Nyungkal country by Westpac and KPMG secondees.

In the process of discussing their business wishes and seeking assustance to register their cultural enterprise as a Pty Ltd, it is amazing just how many people have asked Marilyn and Peter Wallace and others as to WHY they would want to register as a Pty Ltd where there are other less expensive, less onorous, and potentially better supported options around.   

The Balkanu Business Development Unit asked this; lawyers assisting Bana Yarraji draft leases for 873 Shiptons Flat Road asked this;  and most recently another Westpac/BTInvestment volunteer has asked this .. all asked the same thing  and almost all recommending incorporating with the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations  .. as an Indigenous Corporation.

Today's lesson, then, along the journey launching a cultural enterprise, after speaking to the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, was to find the recommended "indigenous corporation" option, will not actually allow Marilyn and Peter to trade and operate as genuine entrepreneurs ultimately receiving shares in profits  (being profits for which Marilyn, Peter and others might themselves committ to a cultural enterprise fund of some kind).

As an Indigenous Corporation profits need to be invested back into achieving the Corporation's objectives, where, as a Pty Ltd shares of profits can be distributed amongst the owners.   To operate as a genuine business, then, it seems Bana Yarrralji may still be imagined as bcoming a Pty Ltd, though it seems there may still be some ways to go yet!!

Moving towards the Vision of restoring Nyungkalwarra to Country

The vision of a future in which Nyungalwarra (Nyungkal people) are in charge, living and working on country .. being a vision shared by Marilyn Wallace, Bana Yarralji, and Nyunkalwarra more generally .. all moved a step closer this week!!

A long long time ago, it seems (back in the late 1980's & early 1990's) the Tropical Far North Queensland Institute of Technical and Further Education (FNQ TAFE) seemed to be leading the way in Queensland developing a Conservation and Land Management course especially tailored to the needs of the Aboriginal peoples of Far North Queensland.

Marilyn and Peter Wallace, had themselves previously had a very positive and empowering experience obtaining Certificate IV Conservation and Land Management (CALM) training and qualifications through the FNQ TAFE, and, earlier this year, in the pursuit of their Vision:

i.   they expressed wish to Gary Clark at FNQ TAFE to see the same FNQ TAFE training opportuntiy made available to other Nyungkalwarra and Eastern Yanji people;

ii.  they expressed the wish, and by some very good fortune, Gary and the FNQ TAFE were able to grant that wish!

Starting this week a group of almost 20 Nyungkalwarra and other Bama (local Aboriginal) students all met up on Nyungkal country, at Jirrandaku (aka Home Rule), to commence Conservation and Land Management training on country.

Marilyn Wallace and Bana Yarralji were only too pleased to have brought this opportunity to happen, and they were only too happy to be the hosts, starting first up, on the Tuesday morning, with the ironwood leaves and paperbark being collected, fire lit, called out to the old people, and all the students, 2 teachers, and visitors being smoked and welcomed, with all the best hopes and wishes as they embark on a journey into the future?!

Hosting International Biology Students from Glamorgan, Wales

By Friday, 5 August 2008, 8 International Biology students and one lecturer from the University of Glamorgan, Wales, had all arrived in Nyungkal country, with own tents, food, and sharing a single 4 wheel drive van.  

The students arrived from Glamorgan, Wales to be jointly hosted on country by Bana Yarralji and the South Cape York Catchments.  They were all ready to meet Marilyn and Peter Wallace (Bana Yarralji) and Jason Caroll plus Samanth Hobbs (South Cape York Catchments), commencing a six week stint being hosted to explore, survey, document, and describe some of the rich biocultural diversity in the Annan catchment (Nyungkal country).

Not far up the road from Lot 7, 873 Shiptons Flat Road (Bana Yarralji's base), located on the rich, red basalt soils, is a relatively healthy "complex, notophyll, vine forest", known locally to Marilyn Wallace et al as Jarrabina forest (Jarrabina being the Nyungkal word for the Bennetts Tree Kangaroo).

It had been determined the Jarrabina forest might make a wonderous place for biology and ecology students and scientists to explore, conduct surveys, and discover the tropical biocultural diversity of the northern Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.  It is exactly the kind of thing Bana Yarralji would like to be able to host into the longer term future.

This time hosting these students on Nyungkal country is not a commercial, business type venture, but rather an opportunity to trial this kind of hosting, and learn from hosting these students, what, exactly, might be involved in trying to host students and scientists from around the world on a more regular, commercial basis.

Already, just from one day, borrowing some camera traps and equipment from South Cape York Catchments; going for a short walk along the red road between the forests; discovering stinging trees. lantana, wait a while, large strangler figs, orchids, butterflies etc etc; followed up by a bit of a dinner with large t-bone steaks, cake, choral singing in Nyungkal language; other songs; and even some didgeridoo playing   ..

Already, following the above, Bana Yarralji has started talking, and started trying to find out from the lecturer and students about exactly what might be needed and required to offer such hosting as a commercial product.  After one day, everyone's enthusiastic!!   Will see how everyone feels after 6 weeks!?!

Seeking Support from Communal Landholders

The vision being pursued by Bana Yarralji is their personal vision, and, it has proven, a vision shared by many of the 1000 strong Nyungkal countrymen, plus the 5000 or more strong Yalanji nation (of whom Nyungkal are just one of approximately five groups).

Just as the Bana Yarralji vision is both a personal vision plus a shared vision; similarly, it turns out, the rights Marilyn Wallace et al have to occupy, use, and enjoy the ancesteral lands on which Bana Yarralji have been building their tiolet block etc are both individual rights and rights shared with as many as 1000 strong Nyungkal countryment, plus 5000 or more members of the Yalanji nation.

Not surprisingly, then, when Australian law and legal practices mix with local Aboriginal lore and legal process, there is much that gets entangled, even after the Australian Federal Court has determined what rights people such as Marilyn Wallace et al hold, and who holds those rights!!

The Bana Yarralji cultural entrepreneurs are seeking to exercise rights they are sourcing from within local indigenous lore; as individual rights to tell of their lores,; to host guests; to show off their lands and waters; to build a small family business; and to derive an income as their preferred means to achieve a more widely shared vision and dream.

Unfortunately the registered title holders of the lands on which Bana Yarralji is building it's toilets; establishing it's base; and striving to launch their small family cultural enterprise is, in fact, a corporate body and land trust charged by the Federal Court and State Government with holding the land on behalf of 1000 strong Nyungkal people plus greater than 5000 strong Yalanji nation

The challenge being reported in this post, then, is the challenge faced by Marilyn Wallace, Peter Wallace and Bana Yarralji of trying to win the support of the relevant corporate body and land trust, Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation, without whose support it is not possible for Bana Yarralji to obtain a lease for the portion of Lot 7, 873 Shiptons Flat Road they are seeking to operate from .. withou whose understanding, support and assistance the Bana Yarralji cultural enterprise might not ultimately succeed

On Thursday last week, then, 28 July 2011, Bana Yarralji cultural entreprenuers arranged a meeting with members of the Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporations board, plus senior staff within that organisations, to seek to explain exactly how it is that a cultural enterprise supported by a land trust can assist realize a vision and dream shared by the many.

The photograph  below, then, was taken in some spare space found around the Balkanu Cape York Development offices - at a table especially assembled for the purpose, showing the Bana Yarralji cultural entrepreneurs, Jabalbina Yalanji board members and staff, plus Cape York Instutitute staff and interns .. all having just met to explain, explore and begin building potential understanding and trust sufficient to actually see Bana Yarralji supported to apply business principles realizing a communally shared dream

Ancient Aliens: Hosting the History Channel

The future for Bana Yarrralji it seems, in the pursuit of their vision of seeing local Aboriginal people on country and local Aboriginal lore more fully respected and restored to country .. the future it seems is in their being distinctly Aboriginal hosts providing a distinctly cultural experience to wide range of visitors.

Just last week these proposed Aboriginal hosts were provided with a most interesting and unusual hosting challenge.

Located along the main road into Cooktown, just north of the Bana Yarralji block is Kalkajacka ..ie mysterious black mountains, known within local Aboriginal lore as the 'place of spears'  (during the heat of the day black boulders crack, and when vehciles are not driving past, one can hear the sound of spears)

[a look at the 6 minute utube video attached in earlier posting below will give glimpse of these mountains, plus Marilyn Wallace calling out to 'old people' or 'presence' within those mountains]

The hosting challenge presented to Marilyn and Peter Wallace, was a request form a television production unit associated with the History Channel to film Kalkjacka and learn the local Aboriginal stories for these mountains, as part of a series they have been producing entitled 'Ancient Aliens'

Promethius Productions seemed to wish to send in a film crew collecting possible evidence of Ancient Aliens having been on this earth, and Bana Yarralji had to weigh up the value of participating in an exercise of this kind.

Marilyn Wallace and co. advised Promethius Entertainment of the sacred nature of the mountain; they advised of long held beliefs in the presence of spiritual beings within the mountains; they sough reassurance that their beliefs would be respected;  they sought contribution for hosting them and/or their film crew (ie a contribution to their vision).

In the end Bana Yarralji seized the opportunity to perform before the cameras, teach a film crew and audience about cultural protocol for country, and tell of their lore before a production company and an audience who are more likely to pay some attention and give some heed to the need for strangers to be wary of places like Kalkajacka. 

A small film crew of two filmed Peter Wallace being warmed or smoked by custodians for the mountains; Marilyn Wallace called out to the old people or presence within the mountains in a language listed by UNESCO as critically endangers, and three sets of interviews were held sitting on two spare tires in an open paddock, with the sun setting on Kalkajacka. 

A good, pleasant time was held by all (see below), but still have to see if such hosting pays .. and still waiting to see what lessons may (or may not) be learnt out of such a hosting exercise!!

Forming a Genuine Business Development Partnership

Kuku Nyungkal country and Bana Yarralji's enterprise falls within Cape York Peninsula, for which a array of Cape York regional level organisations have been formed by Aboriginal peoples of Cape York to progress Aboriginal interests and aspirations.

Cape York regional organisations include Cape York Land Council, Cape York Institute, Cape York Corporation, Cape York Digital Networks, Cape York Health Council (Apunipima), Cape York Partnerships (Jawun) and more.   The Cape York regional organisation most significant to realising Bana Yarralji's hopes of establishing a successful, reliable cultural enterprise, has turned out to be Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation Pty Ltd.

In trying to record various steps being taken by Marilyn Wallace and Peter Wallace, plus the efforts being made by Bana Yarralji to launch a successful, reliable cultural enterprise  ..  Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation has recently drafted a template partnership agreement and Bana Yarralji has launched into the prospect of a partnership agreement sufficient to support thier cultural enterprise with full gusto.

Below are some photos taken from the Balkanu conference room, orginally taken closer towards the beginning of discussions with Balkanu's Caring for Country Business Unit new manager (Chris Hannocks), leading ultimately to meetings involving the funding body, senior Balkanu staff, and Caring for Country staff, with Marilyn in particular striving hard to push for and secure the maximum level of support possible from Balkanu to see Bana Yarralji realise their vision, stay in control, and most effectively launch their enterprise (against the odds?)

Hosting School of Earth and Environmental Sciences Students on Country

Bana Yarralji's future prospect of becoming a viable, sustainable cultural enterprise, it seems, is in Marilyn Wallace, Peter Wallace, their family and friends becoming good hosts on country.

(see previous posting about Mike's Magic Dougnut below)

A little earlier this year. back in June, Bana Yarralji were provided perfect opportunity to be the kind of hosts they are being encouraged to be ie providing a distinctly local Aboriginal cultural experience from their block of land, Lot 7, 873 Shiptons Flat Road (Kunawarra Estate, Nyungkal country)

James Cook University's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences lecturer, Sharon Harwood;

i.   heard Marilyn Wallace speaking out on local ABC Radio inviting visitors from around the world to come and visit her country in the hope of making income enabling Kuku Nyungkal people to  live, and make a living on Kuku Nyungkal country;

ii.  asked Bana Yarralji if they would be willing to talk to and host a block of students from around the world who would be keen to experience a bit of indigenous Australia as part of of a 'Planning for Sustainable Communities in a Changing Environment' course they would be doing.

Marilyn Wallace who has some past experience as a teacher or teacher aide, greatly valued the opportunity to host a group of students from around the world on her country .. and it wasn't long before they were all there, on Lot 7, being presented with Marilyn and Peter's shining vision of the future

Not quite a business venture at this point, but a valuable experience in what it's like to host University students on country; being an hosting exercise and potential beginnings of a new relationship with James Cook University's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences that Bana Yarralji would like to build upon and extend into the future.

A formal letter of thanks was recieved, some promise  of being forwarded some of the case study work the students produced has been made, Marilyn Wallace has been invited to meet senior officers in the Planning Institute of Australia, and enjoyable experience had by all!!