On the Road with Rural Chaplain, Phill Matthews

This is a sunrise shot. It was dark when I left home!

“ Come look at this,” Aunty Josie tells me, so we drove up to the cemetery.
 She showed me the re-covered shade house and then we went in.  Across to the far side stands a group of well-kept graves, with colour bursting out in the sunlight. “This is my family - Aunty, uncle, brother and brother-in-Law”. 

Around the graves, as you see in the photo, bottles are turned upside down to mark out the grave. They then cover the top with glass. The glass is collected from around town and then washed and cleaned. Then they boil it all up in a tin and add cold water. This change, from boiling to cold, explodes the glass into the thousands of shapes we see. Some vases are also used.  There are also toys, statues and other momentos on the graves. 

Alongside those there were a number of graves with no markers on them. They will get the treatment too - Josie knows who they are.

She then took me over to the far corner to the grave of a young man from New Zealand who drowned in the river close by many years ago. The other group of graves was related to the other families from the camp. 

There are plans to do some more work from both sides of the Community.  Land Council people are looking to do it as a project.

The small villages or camps sprang up around homesteads, on or close to tribal sites. The history is held by a few, mostly in their heads.  One of the projects I am looking at is getting this history recorded in some form. Fixing up the cemetery is a way of making that happen.





With the help of DPI worker, Ellen Day, we are seeking to start out at Wanaaring. This will be done by both European and Indigenous people in that area. Looking forward to following this up.  It will also hopefully, help build resilience for those facing the drought.

All good 'til the power pole truck came round the corner!

I also talked to the School staff picked up a wayward hat I left behind then   I asked is  there a “quick” way from Weilmoringle to Lightning Ridge via Goodooga as I was meeting with the school Principal and his wife to do some local champion work with them, and hopefully, a new school chaplain.
This connection grew from a meeting at a drought recovery program run few weeks back.  I find it rewarding how, if when we give time to people, many connections grow from these meetings.



 I also wonder why every time I go to The Ridge there is a “big event” on - Melbourne Cup and this trip, State of Origin. "Go the blues, or Reds." This close to the border you have to cover your back. I took the back road home - very interesting road too. The roads get fun after a bit of rain and a lot of drought!

PS    Remember the Murray Darling Blog?     

 Applications for the bus tours are opening for those who would like to find out for themselves the full stories from farmers, scientists and Indigenous people. I am driving one of the mini buses and taking photos (not at same time), as well as being Chaplain for those involved.

Tour details and information about events being co-ordinated by the Murray Darling Basin Group are on the website. https://ucansw.goregister.com.au/mdbtours2014/registration/