Ship of the desert
The ship’s company of HMAS Arunta sailed into the outback for their annual visit with the Arrernte people

TRIBAL: A player from HMAS Arunta, left, challenges his opponent for the ball in an Aussie Rules game against Aboriginal tribe Ltyentye Apurte during the ship’s visit to Alice Springs.

ON YA BIKE: A local woman joins HMAS Arunta’s working bee party with the bike that will be replaced thanks to a donation from the ship’s welfare fund.

Photos: ABPH Nadia Monteith

By LCDR Andre Clay

Thousands of miles from the sea, the ship’s company of HMAS Arunta recently visited Alice Springs to enhance their relationship with the Arrernte Aboriginal community and exercise Freedom of Entry to the town.
Selection of the Arunta name and original motto ‘Conquer or Die’ recognises the ship’s proud history and the ongoing and special relationship with the Arrernte Aboriginal people.

The annual visit by the ship’s company to Alice Springs community was a cherished memory for all those involved.

One of the highlights of the big day was meeting Australian tennis great Evonne Goolagong Cawley who won the 1980 Wimbledon title.
Led by the Commanding Officer, CMDR Luke Charles-Jones, the ship’s company exercised their privilege of Freedom of Entry and marched through the town streets with swords drawn, drums beating, bands playing and Colours flying.

“The ship’s comp any are extremely privileged to be back in our symbolic homeport, Alice Springs. It is always a special occasion for the ship’s company to join in community events and an honour to conduct the Freedom of Entry,” said CMDR Charles-Jones.

And while the Freedom of Entry was a spectacle of colour, it was a visit to St Mary’s Anglicare to conduct a working bee, in addition to a donation of $1500 from the Arunta’s Ships Welfare, which really made the ship’s company visit special.

The working bee enabled the ship’s company to really help the local community. St Mary’s Family Services is a division of Anglicare and is Arunta’s chosen charity.
On the day, the ship’s company was divided into work groups, where they relocated whitegoods between the disparate housing accommodation, as well as disposal of general rubbish, clearing of gutters, tree lopping and general grounds maintenance.

After a BBQ lunch at St Mary’s Anglicare, the crew met the locals and really get to know them – on the sporting fields.

Arunta took on the region’s best Aussie Rules team from Ltyentye Apurte Aboriginal tribe, who proved too good for the sailors taking the game 17.4.106 to 7.4.46.
The women then took to the softball field with the locals again too good for the visitors.

The weekend culminated in a BBQ hosted by the Alice Springs RSL before the sailors boarded a RAAF Hercules for the return trip to Darwin.

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