Sharp advice by elder

Aboriginal elder Louis Karadada offers some sound advice about Australia’s northern waters to ABCIS Adam Beakley.

By MIDN Hunter

An Aboriginal elder visiting HMAS Shepparton (LCDR Peter Mellick) has warned the ship’s company not to cook pigs on the beach because the smell will attract crocodiles.

The warning came after the elder, 74-year-old Louis Karadada, and senior custodian of traditional Aboriginal lands around Napier Broome, went ashore with members of the ship’s company at Cape Talbot.

They were discussing tide camp safe practices.

However, Mr Karadada should not have worried because LCDR Mellick assured him there would be no cooking of local wildlife.

The safety session with the elder was just part of activities undertaken in recent months by the hydrographic ships HMAS Benalla (LCDR Stuart Dunne) and Shepparton.

The pair of RAN vessels have been deployed to Australia’s northwest to survey waters surrounding Aboriginal tribal land.

Prior to sending personnel ashore in Napier/Broome Bay, Shepparton was required to liaise with the traditional Aboriginal owners of the area.

This saw Mr Karadada and Mr Wayne Howard, the CEO of the Kalumburu Aboriginal Corporation visit Shepparton on June 29.

The main purpose of the visit was to confirm that the areas in which the hydrographic team was to be conducting their surveys were not sacred sites.

Several members of the ship’s company stepped ashore with Mr Karadada at Cape Talbot and Guy Point and it was here that he warned of crocodiles.

It was an enthralling discussion.

During World War II, when aged 16, he piloted converted pearling luggers carrying personnel and stores through the numerous isles and inlets near his tribal home.

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