Jabiru Bombers held their 40th Anniversary celebrations in conjunction with their 2022-2023 season presentation night on Saturday, 18 February. It was a fantastic turnout with 180 attendees, including past and present players, life members (some of whom travelled from interstate) and valued sponsors. West Arnhem Regional Council was ably represented with Acting Mayor Liz Williams and Chief Executive Officer Paul Hockings joining the festivities.

President Tamara Spence used the evening to thank sponsors for their generous assistance of Jabiru Bombers this year, including West Arnhem Regional Council and the evening sponsors, iCutter and Ventia. Throughout the evening acknowledgements of season sponsors was made, including Kakadu IGA, ERA, Caulfield Grammar and the many others that have kindly assisted to make this season happen.

The evening was a celebrations of past and present players, with the Bombers Team of the Decade and the Best 40 in 40 announced, adding 10 new players to the list announced at the 30 year celebration.

All in all it was a fabulous night, especially with the addition of the women’s team who have put themselves on the map by making it to finals in their first season. Although they didn’t make it past the first round of finals, they have stamped themselves on Jabiru Bombers having a positive influence on the culture of the team.

All up from here with Jabiru Bombers men’s team leading the charge, finishing top of the ladder and playing this weekend for a spot in the grand Final. Fly High Bombers!

Visit the Jabiru Bombers Facebook page to find out more.

The Jabiru Library is known as a multi-purpose centre which not only functions as a resource centre, but it is also a popular meeting space for Kakadu residents, tourists, aged and disability clients and activities and events including the Youth, Sport and Recreation program.

To make the space even more inviting and comfortable for these regular visitors, the library has recently received upgrades including new, modern book shelving and table and chair furnishings.

Funded by the Northern Territory of Australia, care of Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade – Community Benefit Fund, these new furnishings support visitors who look to the library as a learning place and a location to meet and socialise on a weekly basis.

During their stay at the library, visitors are now able to sit at the new tables to browse the extensive Kakadu collection and utilise the WiFi and computer services.

The library continues to expand the space and is now the transmission location for TEABBA Radio 98.9fm.

The Jabiru Library welcomes the Jabiru community to come and enjoy the new modernised space!

On 19 February 1942 Darwin was bombed by enemy forces becoming the largest single attack ever mounted by a foreign power on Australia.  

The attack left hundreds of servicemen and civilians dead, and countless others injured.
On the 19th of February each year, we commemorate the Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin.

In 2023, the Bombing of Darwin Commemorative Service was held at the Darwin Cenotaph and Territorians and interstate visitors of all ages came together at the Darwin Cenotaph to honour those who lost their lives and remember the community who survived.
West Arnhem Regional Council Acting Mayor Elizabeth Williams and Chief Executive Officer Paul Hockings also attended this commemorative service on behalf of Council.

The Kakadu Triathlon will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Saturday, 29 April 2023!

Popular for its shorter achievable distances, the Kakadu Triathlon is also well-known for its ‘colourful nature and spirited vibe’ with people of ages and abilities joining in the fun.

In 2022, around 120 open and junior triathletes participated and more than $23,000 was raised for CareFlight.

To celebrate this year, the Kakadu Triathlon has extended the event program to include the following:

Junior Triathlon

for ages 13 years and under and distances are based on ability

Open Triathlon

For participants aged 14 and above who can compete as an individual or team of 2 or 3.
- Swim 250m / Bike 7.5km / Run 2.5km

5 kilometre Kakadu Run Challenge

A new event for 14 years and above

Colour Fun Run

This will be held the afternoon of Friday, 28 April around the Jabiru Lake for all ages

This special event was incepted in 2013 following a call from Jabiru residents wanting more activities in the community.

Since then, the Kakadu Triathlon has grown from humble beginnings to develop into a renowned sporting event on the Top End Triathlon calendar.

Over the last decade, more than $100,000 has been raised for CareFlight and we have been able to provide our eager triathletes 10 years of excitement and participation for an important cause.

Registrations will open later this month.

Visit the event website

The intersection that joins Barge Landing Road and Airstrip/Fletcher Point Road commonly known as ‘4 Ways’ in Warruwi now has a sign naming the iconic Bottle Rock and Fletchers Point, including Warruwi and the Barge Landing.  

West Arnhem Regional Council Services Manager Matt Griffiths said, “We often have contractors and visitors who are coming and going to the Barge Landing and most of the locals refer to different roads by the location names. This sign allows locals and visitors alike to have some sense of direction, which incidentally is also the highest point above sea level on South Goulburn Island. This is part of a number of traffic management strategies to improve community safety being rolled out across the Island.”
The sign was installed by the works crew and there is also other work being undertaken at the tip and Barge Landing to improve safety and access.

West Arnhem Regional Council has increased Council meetings to monthly in 2023. 
Alternating between in-person and video conference our Elected Members meet to discuss and make the important decisions that help influence and shape our region.  February also seen the kick off of our Elected Member workshops for 2023.
They met with the Local Government Department of Chief Minister and Cabinet to discuss the changes and implementation of the Burial and Cremation Act 2022.

Elected Members were warmly introduced to Wendy Forscutt the Acting Registrar and Mr Douglas Lovegrove from the Compliance team of the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) around the governing acts and requirements involved in ensuring we keep protecting protected areas and sacred sites. 

Last but not least, they heard from Maryanne Walley, Engagement Officer representing the Northern Territory from the Australia Electoral Commission to discuss ongoing enrolment drives and planning all things electoral roll.

West Arnhem Regional Council’s Youth Sport and Recreation team and Red Lily Health are working closely to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of Kakadu’s young people through education and awareness alcohol and other drug harms and positive choices.
Together, they are delivering a Jabiru Safe and Healthy Youth Project - a 12 week program focusing on AOD education and capturing the voices of Kakadu’s young people to create and spread positive messages about healthy living and wellbeing through creation of art and visual mediums.

Throughout the 12 weeks, young people aged 10 to 17 years will be engaged through program activities including: 

• Awareness presentations from the AOD team
• Brainstorming positive messages at the YSR chill space
• Educational resources about alcohol awareness and drug harm
• Incorporating healthy and positive messages learnt into different mediums - posters, banners, storytelling, music for a video
• Film a video with Wayne from SoundED, featuring Jabiru's young people and their own messages about making positive choices!
   

This program is funded by the NTG Alcohol and Other Drug Youth Grant

A little over three years ago Mala'la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation met with Orange Sky Australia who shared our vision to improve health outcomes for people in remote communities. 

Since the launch of the Manayingkarírra van in January 2020, our team have provided 
- 4,725 hours of connection
- 4,934 washing cycles
- 60,000kg of clean laundry 
To mark the van's 3rd birthday, community members were invited to join us for a celebration which opened with a welcome to country by Traditional Owner, David Jones. 

Mala'la's chairperson and Aboriginal health worker, Charlie Gunabarra then shared a few words about the important service the van provides to our community and encouraged families to keep using the free industrial size washing machines and dryers. 
A special thank you was given to our amazing Manayingkarírra Orange Sky team, Linton Nabegeyo and Gary Stewart, who were awarded with a Certificate of Appreciation for making it all happen on the ground. 
We would also like to thank Orange Sky Australia for their vision and support over the years. We look forward to the years ahead. 
Contributed by: Mala'la Health Service

A strong sense of pride resonated within us as we celebrated the learning journey and graduation of our Senior students from Gunbalanya Community School. 
The learning journey has been amazing, at times real tough and long, yet rewarding. 
We wish to acknowledge the commitment of our families, the Custodians of this beautiful country, our Teachers (past and present), Sue and Esther and the wider community of Gunbalanya. Congratulations to you all on such a wonderful collaboration.
To our Graduates, We wish you all so many more successes in your adventures through life. Stand Strong. Stand Proud. Take a bow.

For more photos, see the Gunbalanya School Facebook page. 

In support of World Wetland Day, Territory Natural Resource Management (NRM) would like to acknowledge the important work of Indigenous ranger groups and Traditional Owners across West Arnhem Land and Kakadu to protect internationally recognised Ramsar wetlands. 

The Djurrubu Rangers are working to better understand feral animal and invasive weed threats to the Magela Creek floodplain in their operational area on Mirarr Country in Kakadu National Park. 

TNRM worked with the Djurrubu Rangers to explore strategies to collect baseline data for wetland health assessments, and engage with Traditional Owners regarding treatment and management activities. This included an aerial survey via helicopter over the Magela Creek floodplain to assess damage caused by feral pigs. During the survey, the Djurrubu Rangers recorded how many feral pigs were sighted, level of damage seen and opportunistic sightings of other invasive species.

The rangers recently presented their findings to the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation Board of Directors (Mirarr Country) to enable them to make an informed decision on best practice management into the future. 

TNRM will continue to work closely with land managers and other stakeholders to ensure the health of priority wetlands are maintained and protected from key threats. 

This project is supported by Territory NRM through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.