A Town Like Alice

Hey Oprah,

I just wanted to go over some other things that I think you should know before you visit. Now I know most people will be rushing to go and buy their Lonely Planet Guide Book before travelling anywhere, and these books usually give you quite a good run down on the general history of the place, but to be honest I skim these parts and try to get to the "fun" stuff that I can do while there.

I think that for your visit, that for you to understand Australia and to fully appreciate the people and the place, that some more in-depth research will need to be undertaken. Oprah, please don't worry, I am not going to suggest text books for you as we are luckily enough to have some excellent novels and movies that will not only educate but entertain.

So, for some movies I'd recommend for you.
Rabbit Proof Fence
Sampson & Delilah
10 Canoes
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Australia
Their a weird mob
Charlie & Boots
Gallipoli

Some books to read
A Town like Alice (this is also a movie) by Nevil Shute
S'pose I Die: The Evelyn Maunsell Story by Hector Holthouse
Fortunate Life by Albert Facey
My place By Sally Morgan
No place for a Woman by Mayse Young & Gabrielle Dalton

There are a few more that I will advise of as we go, but these movies and books give quite a good insight on Australian culture.

Why did I think to bring this up? Well I'm reading A Town Like Alice at the moment and I am hooked. I can't stop reading nor stop thinking about it. The book is written in a language from a time gone by, that kind of English that our grandparents spoke and also the was society presented then. The way men and women interacted and how World War II affected people’s lives and in come cases, bought the best out of people. One major aspect of this book that adore is that how one encounter can change your life. The two main characters (He's Australian and she's English) meet briefly in terrible circumstances in Malay in WWII.  But this encounter leads to a bond that neither can escape as they then try to find each other from across the globe.

I also love how Joe (the Australian) describes Alice Springs as his "happy place" - when the times are tough and he is a prisoner, the Alice is where he dreams of.
After Jean (the primary character) enquires about what 'the Alice' looks like, Joe replies:

"It's red,' he said "Red around Alice and where I come from, red earth and then the mountains are all red. The Madonnells and the Levis and the Kernots, great red ranges of bare hill against the blue sky. Evenings they go purple and all sorts of colours. After the wet there's green all over them. In the dry, parts of them go silvery white with the spinifex.' he paused 'I suppose everyone likes their own place," he said quietly "the country round about the Springs in my place..." (pg 100, A Town Like Alice)

As I have been in Alice Springs numerous times I can understand the Joe's longing for the lovely outback town. When life gets super busy and stressful, the Alice can take you back to "reality".

I know you may be thinking, 'what do you mean my reality?' and what I mean is, that sometimes we get so weighed under the worries in our lives. Sometimes these worries can be as small such as....will I get through all my emails, I have $20 to last me for 4 days until pay day, my bus pass has run out and I need to buy another one, I hope I can buy another one on the way to the bus and I'm sick of going to the gym but know I need to...blah blah blah. You know it's small but they all add up and then you get out to a place like Alice, where the living is a little simpler and the beauty of the landscape is humbling. It makes you stop and reflect and actually appreciate the fact that you have a job, you can afford a bus pass, you can afford and enjoy a gym and that you have $20 in your pocket.

I know that isn't the premise of the book, but that's how the 'Alice' speaks to me when I visit it.

Have a read and watch some of these movies. I know you will enjoy some interesting stories...

Uluru (aka Ayers Rock), you really want to visit it while in Australia... I know that you'll regret it if you don't...

Hi Oprah,
I know that a lot of people will be talking about visiting Uluru (Ayers Rock) and yes, I will be agreeing with all of those people. I'm not going to tell you about what hotel to stay at or even what tour to do, but I am going to tell you why I think it's one of the most sensational places on this planet.
I have travelled to Uluru twice and would go again in a heart beat. Now I know that a lot of people say "so what do you when you get there, seriously once you've seen it….you've seen it. What am I going to do the other 2 or 3 nights I'm there?" This is my response to them:
Uluru is not simply a "rock" it is a feeling, an emotion that is almost impossible to describe. The first time you see it on the horizon you will fall silent. The company you are travelling with will also fall silent as you grasp the magnificence of actually seeing it. Over the next few days you will be driving around to visit other places such as Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) or perhaps going to do a workshop and as you drive around you find your eyes scanning the horizon, constantly searching for Uluru and once you do find it, your eyes are locked. I find the feeling is like a connection to the land and you place in it. The closest I can to describe my experiences there is that is takes me back to the place I consider home. The place that Uluru had me reflecting upon was a place on my parent’s farm where I grew up. There is a hill called Lone Pine Hill (as there is...suprise suprise, a lone pine tree on top of the hill) and that it the place I always walk to when I am visiting my parents. You gaze out over the view and listen to the wind whispering through the pine needles of the tree and just simply…exist. It may not be considered to be the most beautiful place to other people, but for me it is a place of complete happiness, reflection, comfort and where I feel connected to this earth and an understanding of my place on it. Well, that is the feeling I get when I visit Uluru. It is something that is so personal and can only be derived from your own experience which is why I think it could be different for everyone. I can understand why the Aboriginal people (the Anangu) live there and why it draws so many people to gaze upon it and feel it's amazing power.
I have heard from people that Uluru is meant to be a place where energy lines meet. I really don't have any idea about this, but I kind of understand it as so many times I have tried to explain why Uluru is so special and being short of finding the right words.
Oprah, I really don't want you miss this experience when you visit because I know you will regret it if you do. To put that on your list of "must dos" and make sure you see it at sunrise. When the first rays of sunlight hit the red earth of the rock, it turns a vibrant red and is something spectacular to see for yourself. Once you see it, you will lock it away in your memory cabinet that is reserved for only the really special memories.

I've included a photo I took when I was visiting last year. When the rainbow extended right across Uluru, my jaw literally dropped.

Generation One...a new beginning? I hope so......

Hi Oprah, I want to keep you up to speed about something that happened here in Australia last night that you may find interesting. On TV across all free to air channels as the same time, we were addressed by a 13 year old Indigenous girl names Madeleine Madden from Sydney. She told the people her dream that there would be equality in Australia for Indigenous Australians by the time she is 30. Her key message was that we have the power to change attitudes and opportunities for the aboriginal people in one generation. Her message was delivered on behalf of Generation One.
The whole goal of this organisation is:

 “Our goal is to bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians together to provide equal and real opportunities in education, training, mentoring and employment. All Australians have the chance to make a difference and be a part of the generation for change.”Why I wanted you to know about this as it is something that is close to my beliefs and something that I have been trying to assist in doing through my job.
An example is that lately I have been developing with my team an itinerary for High School students to tie in with the subject of Aboriginal Studies. I also am looking after other subjects however I am weaving cultural content through these interaries regardless if it Visual Arts or Biology, and trying to ensure that there is an element of access to Aboriginal communities and learning about their way of life. I am hoping that the more young people we educate about Aboriginal Culture the more understanding can be fostered in our society.
This is part of my dream and actually one of the reasons I come to work each day. I feel like I have the unique opportunity to contribute to change and really assist the local Aboriginal Tourism operators in developing their businesses as well has giving them the opportunity to share their story.

So today Oprah, I am going to tell you another place I think you should visit. I think you should go out to some of the remote communities in the Northern Territory (such as Santa Teresa, Black Tank, Utopia in Central Australia or one of the many communities in Arnhem Land) and actually meet the people and learn their stories. I can only contribute a small amount to change, but you Oprah, can really make a difference. You can spread the word; stimulate interest in people wanting to know more and get them out here to learn for themselves.
And that, for me is the key.
Knowledge grows understanding.
Understanding facilitates change.

You can have a look at Madeleine's address here http://generationone.org.au/

Why I am completely taken by Arnhem Land and why I am doing everything in my power to get back there....

So today Oprah, I am going to go tell you about a  place is special not only to myself but to many Australians. I am going to tell you about Arnhem land. I know you may be questioning where this place and is and why it is special, and I am going to tell you why.

Arnhem Land is in the top most part of the Northern Territory band is Aboriginal owned land. It is vast in its landscapes and deep in history. More than 16000 aboriginal people live in the land and live their lives as close to the land as they can.

In case you are a visual person, here are some maps to give you an idea of the magnitude of this place.

Why do I think it’s special?

I was lucky enough to have a taste of Arnhem Land last year and it has been on my mind since, particularly in the “how do I convince my boss that I need to go back” category. Not only is the natural beauty of this place astounding, but the history of the people is spellbinding.

I was taken there as a host on a famil trip (I was taking my best UK client around) and we visited Gunbalanya which is a small community not to far from the border of Kakadu (it listed in the map above). We stopped at the Injalak Arts & Crafts centre and I got meet some of the artists who were shielding from the harsh sun under the veranda. Now I have seen quite a lot of aboriginal art, but the piece I saw that day was the most impressive I have ever seen. It had a series of bats hanging upside down along a gum tree branch. The artist told be that he was painting the branch over there while pointing at a knobbly old gum tree not less than 20 metres away. The bats, he explained, “flocked there each night and make such a noise”. His hand was so steady as he drew intricate white lines impossibly thin on the black background. Between each bat he detailed twigs heavy with gum nuts. I was mesmerised but the beauty of this piece of art being created before my very eyes. He told me that a big gallery down south was paying him to create this piece. I stared intensely at this masterpiece knowing that I probably wouldn’t see anything like it again in my lifetime.

I was soon in the 4WD heading back out of town. We stopped at the base of a steep hill and was met my Wilfred, a traditional owner. On this very hot day we began our ascent up Injalak Hill. 

Now I have seen my fair share of rock art on my travels, but nothing prepared me for what I saw. The rock face was filled with clear intricate paintings - of turtles, barramundi & kangaroos! No matter where you looked on that sheer wall you found something new to engage you in wonder. I was completely spellbound. Wilfred explained "This was a place of learning. Where we would teach our children stories of the ancestors". This is just like a classroom, I thought to myself, and what a view!

In the distance I could see a plume of smoke from the edge of the billabong. I asked Wilfred what it was. "The women are hunting for turtles" he explained, "What they do is light a fire along the edge of the banks of the billabong. The turtles are buried deep in the mud and the fire fill their air holes. The turtles have no choice but to come to the surface for air where the women are waiting. They then spear them and take them home for dinner. The women all hunt together as they will feed the whole community". I asked "Do you eat the turtles? What are they like?" Wilfred replied "Turtle is my totem, I can't eat him". I found this intriguing that this was the case. Similar to the Native North Americans that they had a similar value system with totems to assist in sustainability of particular species.

We moved further into the hill to where Wilfred became quite sombre. "No photo's in the next place that I take you, it's a burial place". He took us to a dry cave where scattered on the ground was remnants from the burial ceremony. The body was wrapped up and placed deep into one of the crevices (you couldn't see it). Wilfred didn't know how long it had been there, before his lifetime though. He explained that the burial ceremonies were different in each region depending on the landscape. Some places where there were lots of tall trees, the people would place the bodies of the dead high up in the trees for the ancestors to welcome them. But in his country, where the landscape was littered with craggy hills, so this was the way for his people.

We moved on quietly. Soon we began to clamber over some rocks and around the other side of the hill to be met by Sab, our guide on our trek who had bought lunch with him (talk about luxury!! - Notice that you can see the plume of smoke from the turtle hunting in the background).

After lunch we ambled back down the hill before driving Wilfred back into town. We had to head back to Darwin that night so we turned back towards Kakadu to begin the drive back. Can you see now why I am desperate to get back there? I learnt so much about Aboriginal culture and history in that one day than what learnt at school! I keep seeing images of other places in Arnhem Land such as Mount Borradaile and Gove that look just as intriguing and beautiful. Some of my colleagues from work have been lucky enough to travel to these places and they have all come back with such praise and love for these destinations that I know, that I must get there too!
So Oprah, that is my story on Arnhem Land and why I have this compelling desire to get back there. The access to Aboriginal culture and history is a must do and probably Arnhem Land is one of the most authentic places in Australia to actually meet the people and hear what they have to say. So there you go, pop Arnhem Land on you list for "must do's" for your upcoming trip to Australia. Be sure to say "Hi" to Wilfred for me when you get there. 

Where do you think Oprah should visit?

So it's count down time to when Oprah herself will visit these lovely shores of Australia. So let’s see, what immediately springs to mind when you think of Australia? Hmmm lets see - Bondi Beach, Sydney Opera House, Great Barrier Reef, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Barbeques, Thongs (Flip Flops to everyone else out there!) and what else? Beer maybe?
Now for me, being an Australian and luckily enough, one who has travelled extensively in this country, when asked this question my mind springs to hot sunny days, four wheel driving along dirt tracks, weekends at the beach, ancient rainforests and ancient rock art, landscapes that go on forever and ever and ever and ever, feeling the breeze in your hair watching the sinking sun and taking a moment to realise that what you are seeing is real, and not a picture.

So, you may wonder why I started this little blog – well, having worked in tourism my entire career I have learnt that to really get into a destination, you need to dig a little deeper. You need to look beyond the brochure and find those experiences that can truly showcase the stories of the people and the land. Many of these little gems are small tourism operators who live in the destination. They have started their business as they are proud of where they live and have a genuine desire to share their home and history with visitors. But how do you find these places? Normally you need to sift through google (as they are small operators, if they do have a website I can assure you they don’t optimise their site nor pay the big dollars for search engine marketing) Or you can find travel companies who specialise in destinations that look after these small tourism operators.

For example; I grew up on a sheep farm in south west New South Wales. My dad is a farmer and we sell wool. Each year during our shearing season we would have at least one group of people from the USA who would visit the shed. They were interested in seeing a working shearing shed which can be viewed as an authentic Australian experience. There was no “tourism showcase” here at all and trust me as I was a 16 year old girl standing in my grubby farm clothes dying of embarrassment at the time.

The great thing is most regional tourism offices have the ability to build a website for their community and develop marketing plans to include all these great experiences allowing greater access for travellers. That’s what I do in my job now, only I specialised in a big chunk of Australia, that being the whole of the Northern Territory (useless but interesting fact:  Australia’s Northern Territory is six times the size of Great Britain, two and a half times the size of Texas). Yep…big, I know!

So, Oprah, I am going to give you some suggestions on where I think you and your audience can gain some insight into our beautiful land. I specialise in the outback but I know this is there is some great and different experiences in the other states in Australia also. I hope people from around Australia feel free to add on this blog suggestions of their special places that they think showcase their hometown. Oh, and Oprah, if you’re interested? My dad is shearing in December while you’re here, so feel free to pop in for a visit!