Brunei to Bamaga
Rare treat for school kids in remote north

The Children of Bamaga Primary School with (L to R Back row) teachers Clare Dore, Beresford Domic, CO LCDR Jeff Williams and Reef Day with “King of the Kids” in the center, LSBM Pete Horne. Photos ABBMAdam Powell

The children of Bamaga Primary School received a rare treat when HMAS Brunei (LCDR Jeff Williams) visited the remote port of Seisia on the far north tip of Cape York recently.

The LCH has been conducting amphibious surveys off Cape York.

The children were given a complete tour of the ship and then loaded up with Navy pens, pencils, stickers and rulers.

The children had a ball and gave a resounding cheer when it was time to go, leaving Brunei to get on with the more serious task of amphibious surveys in the region.

Meanwhile, during the visit to the Seisia area locals could have been forgiven for thinking there was a warship; um, ... in the car park?

Well, not quite.

From her survey activity Brunei’s ship’s company believed that by beaching at Seisia they might set a record for the most northern beaching on mainland Australia.

Accordingly, she beached on a stretch of sand near the car park to prove it could be done.

“Brunei on the beach was a surreal sight when we saw her from the Seisia carpark against the famous Top End red dust,” LCDR Williams said.

“Later checks showed this was indeed the most northern point that an LCH could beach without being hazarded by the coral reef fringing the tip of the Cape.”

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