By Siena Balakrishnan
I wake at 6am to drive to Derby about 215km from Broome. Four- wheel drive course – check, 100 series Landcruiser – check, Money Management Workers – check… and as we head off along the famous Gibb River Road, I think about how lucky I am to get out into such beautiful country.
I meet up with Johanna Kitching, the Team Leader in Derby and Bronwyn Callaghan, a Money Management Worker, they are lovely ladies – armed with butchers paper, MoneyBusiness kit and food for our two days “out bush”. They are also well prepared with their tunes – it’s not a road trip without tunes and the iPod is good to go playing a bit of country, a lot of R&B and a few random rock songs for me to sing along to.
It’s about four hours to the first stop, Imintji. As we drive into this quiet community we spot one of the ladies that we’ve spoken to on our previous visits – she asks us to go around to each house and gather the crowd. We knock on doors and chat to people as they sit on verandas… slowly a crowd gathers; it’s mainly mums and their children and a couple of blokes watching from the outer edges.
We introduce ourselves, and Johanna talks about the Derby Money Management service. People listen. We go on to discuss money and what we spend our money on – writing a list as people name items like fuel, food, clothes. From there we talk about how we prioritise our spending – we bring out the MoneyBusiness cards and distribute a couple around the group – you feel the air soften and people start to join in and have a laugh, they also start to talk about what’s on the cards – “New Clothes” these are not important but “Fuel” is very important.
We also work to draw up a budget – it’s hard as Winun Ngari Aboriginal Corporation provide a lot – housing, water, electricity, even cars. Johanna lets them know that the Money Management team can sit down and do an individual budget.
One lady asks about banks– she wants to get a loan for a car. Another lady mentions saving for Christmas and another lady wants to set up Centrepay to pay off $700 worth of repairs on her laptop. We work one-on-one trying to give information and get to the crux of these issues.
The workshop is successful and we leave Imintji on a high. After a night at Mt Elizabeth Station we head to Ngallagunda and Kupangarri – there are funerals that people are travelling for. The communities are quiet but the few people around will talk to Johanna and Bronwym as they have family in these places. Not wanting to intrude, we have a quick but slightly solemn chat, leave a few flyers, cards and brochures of the Money Management service and head back to camp.
It’s been a mixed trip. On our way home we stop for a swim at Manning Gorge – it’s beautiful; clear cool water and no crocs! It’s a good chance to talk to Johanna and Bronwyn about what’s going on in Derby and their worlds. Apparently there’s going to be a marsh party (Derby folk love to party on the marshes – they bring down tunes and drinks and dance the night away) and there’s talk of upcoming races and festivals – the dry season is in full swing. It’s these moments I really treasure – having the time and the space to hear and share stories.
We drive the six hours back to Derby chatting about similar things, and also enjoy the silence and the songs. A lot to think about and appreciate, a lot that also stays with you on the drive home. Still I think about how lucky I am to get out into such beautiful country.
