MUNGALLA STATION INGHAM

B read about Mungalla Station in the CMCA magazine so we decided to pay a visit.  The weekend we arrived there was no tours as they had a visiting group from Tweed. There was a church service and Kupmurri ( Hungi) so they asked us to join in.  Great Weekend..

Mungalla was handed back to the original owners in 2000.  There is a governing group of owners who make decisions and they ask experts in where they are needed.          (Homestead. no lives on property Tis Admin etc )

There was an administrative  Guy there at the time.  

They are breeding Droughtmaster cattle and are having reasonable success in the selling.  The main aim of the Station is to give the indigenous people an opportunity be self reliant and to learn new skills. Relevant Training courses are held here regularly. Most of the people attend the Assemblies of God church in Ingham.

The Nungalla group (from Tweed)  are also a  Christian training group.  Their aim is to train people from various areas ( indigenous or otherwise-  a guy fromWollongong was training at this time) for 6 months in Theology and Youth work then they return to their own areas to help the young and bring them to Christ.  There were young people from Moree Tamworth Wollongong,  & various other areas.  These two groups share info and support each other.

We went to the church service and joined in the Kupmurri.. Being an AOG church it was very Charismatic...... A little confronting for the "staid" ole  Farts (us) but an informative challenge. Pastor Willi was definitely into the laying on of hands .

The Kupmurri was beautiful food.  With every conceivable meat and various vegetables cooked under ground.  weeeell  ...  these days they use a big concrete tank above ground and fill it in with soil.  Also due to Health and Safety they must use Alfoil instead of the original Palm leaves.  Still tasted Great.... even if the timing is a little casual..

Several of the leaders are direct descendents of Tambo a Palm Island indigenous King taken by Barnum & Bailey circus and displayed as the "Australian Boomerang Throwing Cannibal" in America and Europe .  They also "encouraged forcibly " Tambo's wife and various other people who of course ended up dying in a few years as they could not survive  the European winters and lack of support.

2009 Winner of Australia's Got Talent - Indigenous section singing at Kupmurri               

                                                                                                                         Geri camped in Paddock 

It was a great sharing and informative Weekend...     They kept telling us that there was a Crocadile in the Creek behind the house BUT>>>>>   We didn't see him??