The Magic of Camping on Country in North East Arnhem Land

Explorer Feather and a car load of friends spent time road tripping, camping, fishing, and learning about life on Country in the heart of East Arnhem Land.

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Yolgnu people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

They called me Banumbirr, meaning ‘morning star’ and we walked their land, echoing the footsteps of their ancestors. We ate from the rivers, cooked on the fire, weaved with the trees, and lived simply. We bathed in the unforgiving heat and wrapped ourselves in a blanket of stars at night, watching the wilipikayli/moon. The blessings of walking with the ancient ones, the ones that know their land so well, a way to learn what we’ve lost and are so disconnected from.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

The Magic of Remote Northern Territory

Years ago, one of my closest friends completed a teaching placement in Ramingining, a community in North East Arnhem Land. She was adopted by a family, and created lifelong friendships. A family who she promised to come back and visit one day. Insert six years, five friends, one dog, two chickens, and two cars, and we were bound towards a journey that was as unique in itself as it was in the environments we explored.

East Arnhem Land feels like another country. The distribution of wealth in Australia baffles me, and those who have explored this area will understand the disparity. Arriving in First Nations communities and exploring the Northern Territory felt like a world away from my usual existence. 

To board a plane on the Gold Coast and get off in Darwin, then drive south to Katherine, already felt like arriving in a different country, and this was before we even got out to community. Life is different out there, separate from our Western world, and functions in a completely different way to how we govern our lives. It feels like you’re no longer in the Australia that’s so familiar and easy to navigate. But really, this experience is probably the most authentic Australian experience that one can get.

Read more: Listen, Respect, & Connect – Understanding Culture in the Northern Territory

First Nations people have lived for thousands of years in symbiosis with the mythical and mystical ways of nature. A way that we could all learn from. How far and how disconnected we’ve become from this way of life – but a deep part of so many of us yearns to live like this.

The lessons from this place are simple – look, witness, be still, sit with yourself, breathe, listen, learn, be patient, walk gently, and most of all, find a place of contentment within yourself, within your surroundings, and be open to receiving whatever needs to be received.

On The Road Again

We started our journey in Katherine, where we picked up supplies for the next two weeks. Bonnie and I had both previously spent time in community (me in the Tiwi Islands) but the other three had never experienced community living before. Our destination was Gapuwiyak, which was over 500km away on the dirt Central Arnhem Highway.

We were driving pretty quick and broke it up into only two days. We had no destination in mind of where to camp the first night, but just to see where we felt like stopping. 

It was hot outside, like really hot, and the road was dirty, dusty, and bright red. We were all excited and anticipating our adventure together, as it had taken many months of planning to come together. 

Read more: Road Trip to East Arnhem Land

We drove for around ten hours, and along the way one of our cars got not one, but two flat tyres.

This would seemingly be a problem – except that we’d planned well enough to bring two spares. Still, it was important that we found somewhere to replace them before returning back to Katherine. The closest place for this was Nhulunbuy, another seven hours beyond Gapuwiyak (but that was tomorrow’s problem!).

We hadn’t seen much during the drive as we passed through small communities, except arid earth, dry shrubs, and trees. We passed a shallow river, and knowing full well we were in croc country, managed to get some much-needed relief from the dust by rinsing off before setting up camp for the night.

Read more: How to Stay Safe in Croc Country

Welcomed With Open Arms to Gapuwiyak

The next day we continued to Gapuwiyak. We arrived in the early evening and Bonnie had a beautiful reunion with her family. We were welcomed in as if we were already family. We met many people that night – children, mums, grandmas – we were the talk of the town, and that evening we had many visitors. We camped in the garden and sat around the fire, getting to know each other.

The next days were spent exploring and driving out to different areas. Our cars were full of children, fishing equipment, and cute old ladies. Our spirits were high and we were open to accepting all the stories and knowledge from those we were with. We visited stunning secret locations, camping out for days together, playing with the children, fishing with the men, weaving with the ladies. Many times it was overwhelming and exhausting, and a constant guessing game of who was related to who (First Nations family lines are very different from ours).

In between our various outings on the coast, we’d take turns heading back to Gapuwiyak to collect supplies, drop off new friends who’d become family, and collect more relatives. At times, it was intense and confronting. Sometimes we were hassled for money and tobacco. Often we were in deep reverence and surrender. Mostly we were all just fascinated by what was unfolding and the places we were visiting.

We attempted to learn the language of Djambarrpuyngu, a dialect of Yolngu Matha that’s still spoken so strongly in North East Arnhem Land. Unfortunately, one of the very few Indigenous languages still left today. 

Read more: Talking to Aboriginal Locals About Exploring Arnhem Land Respectfully

We cooked on the fire and listened to stories at night time. I could sense the strong spiritual connection to the land. I was visited by spirits a lot while the others slept soundly by the fire. I’d close my eyes and lie still, my mind and imagination going back thousands of years.

We spent many hours swimming with the children and hunting with the adults.

The women taught us traditional dance moves and we were each given a name. I was called Banumbirr, meaning ‘morning star’. The others were named after animals and totems to match their personalities. 

One day we all went out fishing amongst the crocs. Those mighty big giants, spying at us from the banks. We were close to them, but I knew our family knew what they were doing. We got stuck knee-deep in thick mud and cast lines out. We caught fish and put it straight on the fire.

I felt so blessed to be out on Country, at beautiful secluded and hidden spots that I otherwise never would have access to. We spent those weeks living as First Nations people have for thousands of years. I left feeling a deep sense of reverence to Country and culture. A feeling I wanted to continue carrying with me. 

There’s nothing quite like being out on Country, living with the bare essentials, the fire for warmth, the river for food, the stars as our blanket. Away from phones, distractions, and any technology. The opportunity to simply just be. I’ll forever be thankful to my sweet Yolngu family for having me in their sacred space. 

Please note! Visiting Arnhem Land requires permits from the Northern Land Council. These are easy enough to get if you know someone or have connections. It’s a little bit more of a process if you wish to visit without having contacts, but still possible.