Arnhem Land safari (1)

Late last week I was invited to tag along with the CPL students' annual safari to Arnhem Land - an 8 day round trip of approximately 1600 nautical miles from Mareeba to Gove, the main base for the MAF Arnhem Land programme.

We left Mareeba on Wednesday morning 22 May and arrived late on Thursday. I had been scheduled to fly with each of the three students as they swapped around the different aircraft - two C172s and one C182. It was interesting to see some of the things they had been taught already at PPL level, and also how different their navigation training and procedures were to mine. Terrain and weather are big factors, and of course in this part of Australia, are completely different to New Zealand. The terrain is completely flat, and prominent features are few and far between, unless you are near the coast. Then, because there's hardly any clouds, you can choose your cruising level based on the most favourable wind and your aircraft climb performance. Then to get from A to B you just dial it into the GPS, take off, point your nose in the right direction, and wait. (Makes me very thankful that I did my flight training in NZ, where you always had something to do, in terms of negotiating cloud and terrain!)

Here are some photos - enjoy!

Pre-trip planning took the students several days

Refuelling by truck at Normanton

River systems near the coast of the Gulf of Carpenteria

Lawn Hill Gorge, near Adel's Grove (our overnight stop)

Early morning pre-flight inspections, day 2

Students considering directions from Hell's Gate

Estuary on the way to Numbulwar

C182 in flight

On the ground at Numbulwar, preparing for our final leg

Low cloud leaving Numbulwar - from Georgetown to here you would have gone blind looking for a cloud

Diverting inland to avoid rain showers

Arriving overhead Gove

This morning we were treated to a tour of Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala by Clare, our MAF contact who has been helping organise our trip at this end. Nhulunbuy is a bauxite mining town and the largest in Arnhem Land, while Yirrkala is an indigenous community nearby. MAF owns several properties in both towns and staff who are based here may be allocated a house in either one.

After our tour we made our way to the airport again, where the students were flown by MAF to two different communities where MAF has outstations - one student has gone to Ramingining and two to Galiwinku (Elcho Island). They will spend the weekend there and fly back sometime on Monday. In the meantime I am staying in Gove to study for my flight instructor theory exam. There's a chance I may get to take part in a church flight on Sunday, but it will be weather-dependent.

Beach at Yirrkala

Yirrkala Art Centre

Students' plane departing for their respective outstations