As the only scheduled regular public transport provider in East Arnhem Land, MAF plays a central role in connecting isolated people to health and housing services.
Story by Janne Rytkönen
Winding rivers and mangrove-lined creeks carve the East Arnhem Land coastline into a maze of islands and convoluted promontories, requiring long detours by track for travellers driving between communities that are relatively close as the crow flies. And those crossing to a nearby island may have to plan carefully to catch a periodic charter barge if one is available.
Today, Sharon Yunupingu, Operations Manager of a Community Housing Organisation (CHO) for East Arnhem Land Real Estate, is travelling to Milingimbi, an island surrounded by shifting sandbars and crocodile-infested, shallow tidal waters that can run like a river at peak flow.
“Without MAF, I can't get to my job because most of it is an island,” said Sharon.
“Galiwinku is an island. Milingimbi is an island, so I can't get there otherwise.
“I rely on MAF services on a weekly basis to get to and from my workplaces.”
MAF’s regular public transport (RPT) service allows residents to catch these flights like city-dwellers might catch a local bus.
Without MAF, I can't get to my job because most of it is an island.
However, this service is much more than just a convenient way to get from A to B in a region where land travel is over bone-jarring bush tracks that are often impassable in the wet season.
The scheduled routes and fixed prices enable community and healthcare organisations to consistently deliver a broad range of vital services to residents of the isolated communities in this remote corner of Australia.
“The funding would run out if we had to use charters, they're pretty expensive,” said Sharon.
In her role, Sharon doesn’t just let and manage houses. She helps to deliver the Northern Territory Government’s Living Strong programme, for which East Arnhem Land Real Estate is the local provider.
Living Strong is a tenancy support programme for indigenous housing in the remote communities of Northern Territory.
“We have a contract with the government, and we employ local Yolngu people,” Sharon said.
“It's my job, as the operations manager, to ensure that our work is being done to satisfaction, so I go out there to support our Yolngu people in the region.”
Sharon sees secure and clean housing as an important ingredient in the mix of public health measures in the region.
“It's really rewarding to see that the families are taking control and doing the right thing in their houses, because this is about their health, and we need to work on that,” she said.
“I'm not the expert in that area of health, but one thing I know is, you know, when we have a rough house, then we need to get it cleaned.”
Sharon will spend a week in Milingimbi before catching a flight with MAF back to Nhulunbuy.
Despite the fixed route and schedule, that flight might sometimes make a detour at short notice.
“MAF is a very generous place,” said Sharon. “When I'm out there travelling, sometimes the pilot will say, ‘Do you mind? We need to stop off at this outstation because these people need to get from A to B.’
“You really see what MAF does for people out here in a remote area. I've never seen anybody say, ‘No, we're not going there. That's not part of the travel plans.’
