The Red Centre

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Our time is almost up as caretakers of Hamilton Downs Youth Camp. This place has opened up a whole new window of opportunity for Kris and I for future employment. We have become involved in a Diversion Program for Aboriginal youths. The program is coordinated by NT family services and Kris and I applied to coordinate the next program in June and we got the contract.
Jake, Jasmin and Mia were here for the holidays and the last week of the diversion program. We were involved in lots of interesting activities with the kids. We went out for a day and cooked Kangaroo tails in the ground, spuds, sweet potatoes and made dampers. We looked for bush tucker and found bush bananas, which I thought tasted like green peas not a banana at all.

Jake, Clancy, myself and the boys hiked to Standley Chasm from Hamilton downs, a very challenging 6 hr walk. Two of the boys got lost and we had to file a missing persons report. They had run too far ahead and took the wrong turn on the Larapinta trail. Kris found them at Fish Hole at 6.30pm that night feeling a bit sorry for themselves.
That night we had 100 people here for a 50th birthday party and a friend I have made in Alice came out to stay.
Feeling a little tired and hung over we packed up our camper and 5 kids and headed to Aileron for the Bush Rodeo. We all enjoyed watching the Mexican Donkey race,
The following week we took off to Kings Canyon and Uluru. We had a fab night out at Kings Canyon, dancing and playing silly buggars. The kids slept outside and there were heaps of dingoes.
Ayres Rock is as awesome as I remember from an 8 yr old. Kassidy has just turned 8. We had a really great time here altogether and we did the 10 km base walk around the rock.

Sadly now everyone has gone home and things are nice and quiet again at Hamilton Downs.
Who knows where we'll be in three weeks time?

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Photos

The lads
Out looking for bush tucker!

Cooking Kangaroo tails
Sammy

Harvey, Clancy and Norman
Out bush

Standley Chasm
After a long hard 6 hr walk, we made it!

Uluru
The Crew and Uluru

Jake
Having Didgeridoo lessons

King of the castle
Shianne, Kassidy and Tammy

Glen Helen Gorge
The Dad and the Mum!