25 July 2024
A long day of travelling more than 2000km into the Red Centre did nothing to wipe the excitement off the faces of the family members who caught multiple flights and a 4x4 bus along remote outback roads to visit their deployed loved ones in Amata, South Australia, last month.
Alighting from the buses that had collected them from the Ayers Rock Airport, the family members eagerly scanned the entrance to Camp Birt for familiar faces before the smiles of recognition and warm embraces commenced.
The camp is named after Corporal Ashley Birt, who was killed on operations in Afghanistan on October 29, 2011.
It’s the temporary home of more than 100 personnel from 6th Engineer Support Regiment, 19th Chief Engineer Works and supporting units that are deployed to the 2024 Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program (AACAP) in Amata, a First Nations community in the remote Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands.
After being officially welcomed to Camp Birt by the second-in-command of AACAP 2024, Captain Matthew Taylor, the families were given a tour of Camp Birt’s accommodation, gym, sporting facilities, mess and amenities.
“We had two different groups of families visit in early and mid-June and on both occasions the families arrived at Camp Birt right on knock-off time, just as everyone was returning from the work sites for the evening,” Captain Matthew Taylor said.
“As the families stepped down off the buses, partners were embracing and kids were joyfully running up to their dads.
“It was really heart-warming to see the families being reunited.”
As the visiting children explored their way through the games and activities that had been laid out for them at one end of the camp’s mess tent, the visiting partners and parents caught up with their loved ones before enjoying dinner and retreating to their camp accommodation for the night.
“Our orderly room corporal, Lucy Galbally, went to a lot of effort to source and organise toys and games to entertain the kids while the catering team cooked kid-friendly food,” Captain Taylor said, admitting that he also enjoyed the dino nuggets and sausage rolls.
“The kids’ food was really popular with the adults as well. This was a unique opportunity for the families and we wanted to make sure that everyone had a really good time."
After experiencing cool overnight temperatures, the families packed up and headed into Amata after breakfast for a tour of the construction site for the service provider accommodation and the flood management system upgrades before heading to Yulara for a night at Ayers Rock Resort and a flight home the following day.
'Seeing the difference the troops are making in the community is helping a number of the wives get through the absence. It's bigger than us.'
The service provider accommodation will be a hub for health professionals, contractors and other government and community service providers who visit Amata, while the 960m swale (surface drain) will direct floodwater away from the township, strengthening the community’s flood resistance.
“Visiting AACAP and seeing the incredible work the troops are doing is, hand on heart, one of the best things I’ve had the opportunity to undertake in a long time,” Karen Bayliss said after visiting her husband Lance Corporal Brett Tremain, a plant operator at AACAP.
“Seeing Brett jump out of the truck and come over with a big dusty grin for a hug is honestly my favourite moment of 2024.
“Whilst I am incredibly proud of the work that Brett and the other troops do, to be able to see first-hand the conditions they live in, the community they're working in and the construction they're undertaking has strengthened my pride and given me a far deeper appreciation.
“I know from my chats with the other wives that they feel the same way and, honestly, seeing the difference the troops are making in the community is helping a number of the wives get through the absence. It's bigger than us.”
Ms Bayliss noted the new connections and bonds that developed during the family visits as well as the effort the catering team went to.
“The cooks did an outstanding job with the food,” Ms Bayliss said.
“I’m vegetarian and my poke bowl on Friday night was exceptional.
“I really appreciate the effort they went to, and it was really sweet hearing the soldiers get excited about eating left-over dino nuggets.”
