Catholic Education Northern Territory (CENT) have two schools on the Tiwi Islands, Murrupurtiyanuwu Catholic Primary School (Principal, Kellie McGinlay) and Xavier Catholic College (Principal, Rhett Bowden). These two schools and their staff, in partnership with the Parish and Catholic Care, offered truly remarkable service to their community during a recent NT ‘weather event.’
If you live on or near the coast in northern Australia cyclones are an inevitable reality. Recently in the Northern Territory we had cyclone Fina pay a visit on a Saturday afternoon and evening with the eye of this small but severe tropical storm passing through the Beagle Gulf close to Darwin and even closer to the Tiwi Islands. Thankfully, a direct hit did not eventuate, but these areas did experience cyclonic winds and heavy rain. While there was minimal damage to buildings the vegetation did not fare so well with many very large trees uprooted and falling across power lines and roads.
People and organisations in the NT are well used to calmly and appropriately preparing for cyclones and our Catholic schools are no exception to this. What was not expected as the cyclone intensified was that at very late notice and unplanned our two co-located Bathurst Island schools would be called upon to open as emergency shelters for members of the community. This was to offer safety to those who would otherwise have been sheltering in buildings which were not as well constructed, were in flood surge areas or were near large trees.
The CENT Mission Statement speaks of service to community and our two Tiwi Principals and their staff responded to this late request in ways that made this real. The school buildings were opened, people were welcomed and together members of the community and school staff shared in solidarity the experience of the passing cyclone. This service must also be understood in the context that for our Principals and staff they had their own properties, family and even pets to consider.
Thankfully there were no injuries and our buildings survived. The two schools were closed for two days while power and services were restored, some very unsafe trees were removed and a huge clean up occurred. It would be a stretch to suggest there was any highlights to the whole experience but if there was one it would be the BBQ on school grounds shared by the whole community on the Sunday morning after the cyclone had passed. Amongst the mess and while sharing food, stories of the experience were told and an appreciation of being safe together and hope for the future was acknowledged. A eucharistic experience some may even suggest.
By Director of Catholic Education Northern Territory, Paul Greaves