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Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) communities held their Christmas parties this December in the lead-up to the big day.

Yuelamu had their Christmas party on 11 December. Attendees were from Childcare, Agedcare and the Municipal team. They had a spread of cold salads with ham, smoked turkey and roast chicken, along with a Christmas sponge cake with fresh cream. The staff enjoyed their lunch provisions sitting around the table telling yarns in language. Main photo: the Yuelamu Christmas cake.

Left to right: Mack Murphy, Dulcie Frank, Noressa Briscoe, Linda Marshall and Norman Hagan.

Anmatjere also had their party on 11 December at the Ti Tree Roadhouse. Staff gathered to share a meal and reflect on the year that was.  They enjoyed a meal of Christmas ham, chicken and salads – potato, coleslaw, tossed green salad, chicken and salad wraps and some cool non-alcoholic beverages, followed by Christmas pudding and custard.  “We look forward to what 2021 brings,” said Pane Komene, Senior Administration – Anmatjere.

Left to right: Michael Morozak-Smith, Elias Birch-Baird, Jason McKissock, Jason Canning (Local Police Officer), Shane McDonnell, Susan Lin and Pane Komene at the Ti Tree Roadhouse.

Nyirripi had their Christmas party on 16 December. “We had a barbecue in conjunction with Aged Care here at Nyirripi. There was only about eight of us, and we had plenty of food, cooked by our chef, Ben Campion. It was an excellent meal!” said Peter Campbell, Works Team Leader Nyirripi.

Engawala also had their party on 16 December, with staff from the office, Aged Care and the Works team attending. They ate a ham and barbecue lunch with vegetables fresh from Niny Owen’s garden. “It was really good,” said Eddie Owen, Essential Services Officer Engawala.

Atitjere combined their staff party with a community party, with extra funding supplied by Children’s Ground, who helped organise the event at very short notice. A barbecue was cooked with the CDRC barbecue trailer and music was played by local Raymond Reiff and band. The local children enjoyed a visit from ‘Santa’, each receiving a gift.

Atitjere children waiting patiently for Santa.

Lajamanu had their Christmas Party on 18 December. It was a simple affair, with a barbecue enjoyed by the staff that attended.

L – R: Frederick (Jake) Patterson, Stephen Kelly, Maxie Gordon, Sean Murphy, Heather Smith, Michael Erglis and Stewart Penn after the Christmas barbecue in Lajamanu.

Yuendumu also had their Christmas party on 18 December with a barbecue lunch attended by the CDRC Municipal Works Team, Roads Crew and Community Development Program. 

Salads were prepared, many varieties of steak, fish, and not quite meat sausages were barbecued and they even had vegetables and gravy. Everyone pitched in to help cook; one person even mashed his first lot of potatoes. Crackers were pulled, bad jokes were told and platters of fruit were had for dessert. “A good time was had by all; and the best comment was, ‘this was better than Tilmouth,’” said Deb Wearne, Community Services Manager (CSM) in Yuendumu.

The leftovers at Yuendumu.

Laramba and Willowra also had Christmas parties for CDRC staff.