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Nine Nights on Country

In 2026, the Red Earth Immersion took students deep into the Australian outback, far removed from the pace and noise of the city. Red dust, campfire smoke and the quiet of the desert formed the backdrop for an experience grounded in connection to Country, culture and community.

Traditional Owners shared their stories with the group. Students dug for witchetty grubs, carved clap sticks, mended a shed against desert winds and sat still long enough to listen to what the land had to say. Skills such as leadership, adaptability and cultural awareness were developed not through lessons but through lived experience.

The Red Earth Immersion is a key part of IGS’s approach to cultural learning, a chance for students to step outside themselves, stand still in Country and listen. Below is a selection of highlights from the journey.

 

Day 1 – Arrival and Uluru Introduction

Group 1 and 2: Excitement filled the air as students departed Sydney for Uluru.Upon landing in Yulara, the group met their Red Earth leaders. For many arriving at camp, the swags, open sky and campfire setting made the experience suddenly feel real.


Day 2 – Travel to Homelands

Group 2: After the Mala Walk with Evelyn and Sasha, students learnt about traditional tools, the Tjukurpa (Dreaming) and why the rock is not climbed. The group then travelled to Kurku homeland via Mt Connor, where they were welcomed that evening with a smoking ceremony by John.

Group 1: A visit to the Cultural Centre preceded travel to Sandy Bore, where Syd and his family offered a smoking ceremony welcome and stories by the fire closed the evening.

 

Day 3 – Cultural Practices and Community Projects

Group 2: Students gave back to the homeland using tools funded by the Red Earth Barbecue to lay concrete and reinforce John’s shed – the same shed repaired by last year’s group. John later taught the group to make clap sticks from native timber which the students used soon after to perform the School Anthem.

Group 1: Syd and Carolyn led students through digging for witchetty grubs, clap stick making, a collaborative mural and the preparation of traditional damper, followed by kangaroo tail cooked over coals and a sunset walk.

Day 4 – Kings Canyon

Both groups trekked Kings Canyon, pausing at the Garden of Eden to learn about Dadirri – deep listening and stillness amid cycads and native birds. Group 1 reflected over dinner back at camp, while Group 2 enjoyed a well-earned shower ahead of their last night at Sandy Bore, in anticipation of the journey to come to the APY Lands.

Day 5 – Travel to Kulpitharra and Yunyarinyi

Group 2: A small group rose early to finish the shed project before being joined by the whole group to secure the walls and roof, then farewelled John, Lorraine and Paul ahead of the journey to Kulpitharra. Billy’s family welcomed the group and Billy spoke about staying safe on Country.

Group 1: The journey to Yunyarinyi in the APY Lands brought sightings of camels and salt flats, a stop to learn about issues facing remote communities, and an evening of footy, a shared meal and a breathtaking night sky.

 

Day 6 – Community Projects

Group 2: A smoking ceremony with Billy Snr, Tanya and Isiah preceded a search for maku (witchetty grubs) and a lesson in Luritja language, skin names and marriage customs.

Group 1: At Kenmore Park students installed solar lights and repaired windbreaks, joined a dot painting session, learnt about the medicinal plant irmaangka irmaangka and sat with Donald Fraser as he shared stories of reclaiming the APY Lands.

Day 7 – Honey Ants, Art and Language

Group 2: Students searched for tjupi (honey ants) with the family of Billy Snr, Raymond and Wayne before painting their experiences and taking an afternoon language lesson. 

Group 1: The Fraser family led a cave walk and lunch at the original Red Earth site, followed by a visit to the local school to learn about its work in preserving Pintupi language, before a final night of fire and reflection.

 

Day 8 – Farewell

With swags packed, students in Group 2 farewelled Billy and his family. Each student received a pair of clap sticks that were made and hand painted by Raymond – a highlight for many and a beautiful memory for all. Group 1 said goodbye to the Fraser family before journeying back to Yulara, where they set up camp unaided before gathering around the fire one last time to share what the journey had meant to them.

Thank You

We extend our thanks to the Red Earth team for their leadership in making this experience possible, to the teachers who guided the group and especially to Red Earth Coordinator and Head of Indigenous Education Jade Carr for the care and planning behind an unforgettable journey.

 

 

 

A group of people pose in front of the large red rock formation Uluru under a clear blue sky, with grass and small shrubs visible in the foreground.
Two teenagers kneel beside a handmade wooden sign that reads Welcome to Sandy Bore Talingalpa Campsite, set on red earth with dry grass in the background.
A group of people walk along a red dirt path surrounded by dry bushes. Two adults hold hands with a child in the centre. The scene is bright and sunny.
Three people stand outdoors smiling, wearing black red earth hoodies and hats, with arms round each other. The background shows tall grass, trees, and a pink sky at sunset.
A group of young people pose together outside on rocky ground at sunset, smiling and making hand signs, with trees and open landscape in the background.
A man in a blue shirt and hat kneels on red earth, watching children in hats as they work with small tools and wooden sticks outdoors, surrounded by trees and sunlight.
Five people wearing head torches prepare food at an outdoor table at night, surrounded by bowls and ingredients under bright lights and trees.
Three people in black hats and dark clothing kneel beside a young child in a tan sweatshirt with 34 on it, outdoors in a dry, grassy area with trees under a blue sky.
A woman smiles whilst carrying a young child on her shoulders outdoors. The child wears a wide-brimmed hat, and there are two people with their backs to the camera in the foreground. Trees and dry grass are in the background.
Six people in casual outdoor clothing stand around a campfire, roasting food on sticks over a grill. The scene takes place in a dry, reddish landscape under a partly cloudy sky.
A young person in a black T-shirt stirs food in a large pot outdoors, sitting on a camping chair. Camping equipment and a white vehicle are visible in the background.
A small brown lizard rests on a person's hand and knee, with sunlight highlighting the skin and the lizard's textured back.
Four people sit on the ground, painting a colourful mural on a wooden wall. Brushes and paint tins are visible. The mural features bees and flowers. The group appears focused on their collaborative art project.
A group of people in jackets prepares and serves food outdoors on a red dirt ground, with various dishes on a table and others sitting in the background under a shelter.
Three teenagers in black Red Earth hoodies and hats, wearing gloves, stand outdoors by trees. Two hold stones and smile at the camera under a clear blue sky.
A mural features a large orange rock, a tree in front, IGS 26 text, and a colourful sky. Paint containers and brushes are on the ground below.
Two people sit on the roof of a white SUV parked on a grassy track at sunset, with a dramatic sky of clouds above them. One person wears a hat, and the landscape appears open and natural.
A group of teenagers stand in grassy terrain next to a sign reading APY Communities Closed to Visitors. They are smiling and wearing mostly black hoodies, with blue sky and clouds in the background.
A young woman sitting in a camping chair holds a baby on her lap. Camping supplies and gear are visible in the background on reddish dirt ground. Both appear relaxed and smiling.
A smiling girl in a black hat hugs a younger boy with a dirt-streaked face. They sit together on red earth in a sunny outdoor setting, both wearing black clothing.
A group of people sits in a circle around a fire pit outdoors, eating and talking. They are dressed warmly, surrounded by red earth, bushes, and distant trees under a cloudy sky.
A group of people sit in a circle on the red sand, working on a project together outdoors. They wear dark hoodies and hats, with trees, a caravan, and a tarpaulin in the background under a clear sky.
A large group of children and adults pose and smile in front of a yellow welcome sign on a white building. Some kneel, some stand, and a dog sits at the front. The group appears happy and relaxed outdoors.
Three people pose outside at night, all smiling and making peace signs with their hands. The person in the middle is a child; the others are teenagers or young adults. They wear hoodies and jackets.
A boy sits at a wooden table, focused on painting a stick with a red brush. Paints, brushes, and art supplies are scattered around him.
Three people in winter jackets hug and smile at sunset in a desert landscape, with soft pink and blue sky in the background and sparse vegetation on red sand.
A group of people pose together outdoors on red sandy ground, surrounded by trees. Some are sitting or crouching at the front whilst others stand behind, all smiling at the camera under a sunny sky near a shelter.
Two teenagers crouch beside a wooden sign reading Welcome to Sandy Bore Tali Walpa Campsite, on red earth with dry grass in the background.

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