JourneyOnline
DURING THE first week of July The Gap Uniting Church’s Rev Richard Cassady was accompanied by 40 members of the congregation as they journeyed to the Ingham region in Far North Queensland to go ‘Walking on Country’.
The group was welcomed as family and hosted at cattle station and tourism location, Mungalla Station, which is owned
and managed by the traditional owners of the region, the Nywaigi Aboriginal people.
During the week the group spent time with the Nywaigi people associated with Mungalla Station, with the Girringung Aboriginal Corporation based in Cardwell and also with the traditional people of Palm Island.
A highlight of the trip was travelling to Palm Island with local Indigenous elder, Walter Palm Island, and being a part of
his first ever ‘cultural experience tour’.
The trip coincided with NAIDOC Week and was a time of celebrating the richness and diversity of the Aboriginal culture.
The Gap minister, Rev John Ruhle, said, “The group was able to join with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we celebrated together more of what it means for us to live as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Christians in this great land called Australia.
“The trip was all about relationships,” he said.
“As we have come to know and love Richard it seemed like the natural thing to do for our congregation to journey together
with him as he introduced us to the land of his youth and also his people and for us to go ‘Walking on Country’ with him.”
For more information visit www.thegapuca.org.au
Photo : Rev Richard Cassady. Photo courtesy of John Ruhle
