Island adventure entrances Inverloch, Kongwak children
THE chill of a crisp autumn morning in Inverloch was a far cry from the tropics of the Northern Territory, but Sarah Luck is one to relish new experiences.
The student teacher recently undertook a placement at Inverloch Primary School and enjoyed time with her parents Paul and Moira Luck, who run Inverloch Garden Supplies, before returning to her home on Milingimbi Island off the NT’s Arnhem Land coast.
“I just feel so lucky to be there and have such a unique experience,” she said.
Ms Luck relocated to Darwin with her partner Simon Bish in August last year, inspired by the adventures his parents had while working with indigenous communities for 10 years.
“Simon is a carpenter and got work up there after the cyclones came through,” Ms Luck said.
She remained in Darwin while Mr Bish was a fly in, fly out worker on the islands near Arnhem Land, but not content with moving to the top of Australia and then not see her partner for four weeks at a time, Ms Luck relocated to Milingimbi Island to be with him.
There she is studying teaching via correspondence through Charles Darwin University while working in hospitality, prior to living in Melbourne where she worked in advertising and marketing, looking after such clients as Kmart, Origin Energy and Brown Brothers.
“Teaching was something that I always felt I would have a look at but it was not until later in life that the opportunity came up,” Ms Luck said.
She is now approaching the end of her final year after working and studying full-time, and enjoyed her experience at Inverloch, having spent childhood holidays in the seaside town with her late grandparents Mary and John Devine while growing up in the Yarra Valley.
With a population of up to 1000 people, Milingimbi Island has a school ranging from preschool to Year 12, and an enrolment of 350 students.
“It’s a very welcoming, friendly community and it is close knit being an island community,” Ms Luck said.
“The traditional ways are very important and there is a lot of ceremony. It’s very hot, with a lot of rivers and fantastic fishing.”
Ms Luck has joined her partner and rangers to repair houses – she now knows how to mix a batch of concrete, even in a climate with 98 percent humidity – and worked with Crocodile Island’s rangers to retrieve nets and other marine debris, and teach children about boating.
The journey there is just as exciting as the destination, entailing a flight to Darwin, then a 2.75 hour drive to Cahills Crossing and a crossing of a causeway while crocodiles drift in the river, followed by more driving and a barge trip to the island.
The pair will remain at Milingimbi Island until the end of this year and then plan the next phase of their lives.
While at Inverloch, Ms Luck worked with Adam Foster’s Grade 3 and 4 class, and visited Kongwak Primary School to give a presentation about island life.
Down south: Sarah Luck met Grade 4 students Jas, Archie and Sabine while undertaking a teaching placement at Inverloch Primary School recently, during a trip home from Milingimbi Island off the Northern Territory coast.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on May 31 2016. Filed under Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
