Santa Visits Place Without A Postcode
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday December 6, 2008
FOR children of one of Australia's poorest and most remote communities, Santa Claus wears a pilot's uniform and arrives in a plane.
Children were on their best behaviour when Simon Steele, a "flying padre" from the Salvation Army's Outback Flying Service arrived in the remote western Queensland town of Urandangi this week armed with Christmas gifts for the children.The town is one of the poorest in Queensland. Once an overnight stop on a stock route, it is almost 200 kilometres south-west of Mount Isa, towards the Queensland border with the Northern Territory, and has a population of 60, no power, sanitation or postcode.It was in the headlines recently because of its poor living conditions; indigenous and white residents live in humpies, caravans and rusting cars. They wash in outside sinks, eat off open fires and hunt to supplement the fare from one local store.One of the largest crowds in recent memory lined up in an orderly queue at the airport to await the Salvation Army's arrival on Monday. The children's faces lit up as they unwrapped trucks, clothes, dolls, Lego, puzzles and sporting equipment."There were three or four vehicles with about 20 adults as well as some of the teachers from the school and all the children in the town," Mr Steele said. "We gave them their presents and before we knew it they were all unwrapped. They were all carrying around the presents for the rest of the day; they seemed very happy." For these children the Salvos' visit is more of a highlight than Christmas Day. Parents can only buy gifts from the Urandangi Hotel, which doubles as a general store, government office and petrol station, where a litre costs $1.89.With his family, Mr Steele has been busy dropping into disadvantaged and remote areas across north-western Queensland.Last week he visited towns on the road between Mount Isa and Townsville. "I'm a pilot and love flying but I consider this to be the best job in the world. It's fantastic to give opportunities to the families and children that they normally wouldn't have." While the main service was delivering Christmas presents to the towns and stations, locals also enjoyed the social interaction. "A lot of the kids on the remote stations don't get to see other kids very often. The greatest thing about it is not just the gifts we give but everything else we can do to help. The gifts provide an open door to be of help to someone. If people need a hand we can be there."
© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald