Quiet day in the office, then fishing time!!!

Last couple of days have been uneventful.  We've been head down, working on the plans and project.  We've been working out of the Local Projects Office, where the state and federal govt employees go - both permanently based here and the visitors.  They are a really good bunch of people there, and it's easier to get work done there, than in the kitchen at the guest house (which is the only place with a reasonably accessible powerpoint unless one wants to spend the day on the laptop in the bathroom - hmmm not so much)...
We met the CEO of the local council today and got some great insights into what's planned for the area.  They are the real key people in the community, the mayor is a local indigenous Aurukunian, as is the Deputy Mayor.  They all work pretty well to get stuff done, in a remote community, where no rates are paid (due to the land tenure/ownership structures).  It's all really fascinating to get some understanding of all the politics, cultural objectives, stakeholders etc etc. 

Our meeting with the Council went really late so we were late picking up our fishing buddies to get out to Oban - about 5km north of Aurukun. Daniel and I religiously threw out a line and caught loads...of seaweed.  Hersey and Kenlock (they took us last time) caught a few 'grunters' - we found out why they are called that.  It's the noise they make out of the water.  Ick. This time we also had Dallas (their daughter who is a couple of years younger than me), and her daughter Delilah.   They didn't have much luck either on the fishing front so it wasn't just the unlucky white folk who can't cast a decent distance with the hand line.  I did do a very efficient "Bait Bucket Biatch" - everyone has a role to play :-)  Mobile bait delivery is an important service when there are a few fishermen/women.

Now waiting for our dinner to cook in the communal kitchen.  We get to meet lots of great people travelling through, staying here.  They are from all over, doing really interesting stuff.  Learnt about Ghost Nets and the programs in place to clean up our waterways.  Learnt about brumbies, cattle stations and helicopter mustering techniques (always useful). 

We are heading up to the top of the Cape on the weekend.  Lots of hours of driving but worth doing since we are so close. 

Anyhoo, that's the latest and greatest from Aurukun

appow