Zara

6.30 AM

Wake up and get packed and ready for a work trip to Gunbalanya, a remote community in West Arnhem Land up in the Northern Territory.
 
8.30 AM

Head into the Darwin office, check my emails and get organised for a few days out of the office. I’ve been working on a few different grant agreements, so I check for any updates from the providers and anything that needs to be sorted before we head off. Once we make sure the car checks are complete and head to the grocery store to stock up on meals and snacks for the trip, we’re all ready to go. 

10.00 AM

We’re on the road! A beautiful drive out of Darwin and through World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, on our way to Gunbalanya. 

1.00 PM

Time to cross Cahill’s Crossing! We drive across the East Alligator River through one of Australia’s most well-known water crossings – no crocs out today though.

 
1.30 PM

We arrive in the community in beautiful Stone Country, with Injalak Hill overlooking Gunbalanya. We drive by crocodiles and birdlife at the billabong, before heading to the local community store and then arriving at our destination. 

2.00 PM

Once at the NIAA complex, we unpack, catch up on work and make sure everything is ready to go for our site visits and stakeholder meetings planned over the next few days. A community visit is a chance to check in on projects we are funding and how they are progressing, and hear some good news stories about work on the ground. 

3.00 PM

With Wet season starting shortly in the Top End, we run through pre-cyclone checklists and the emergency management plan to make sure the complex is prepared and has everything it needs just in case.
 
4.30 PM

Once work is all finished for the day, we head down to the billabong for a final look at the crocs – and see 13 and counting.

7.00 PM

After dinner at the complex, time to relax before a big day of meetings and site visits tomorrow!

Thinking of experiencing life as an NIAA Graduate? Sign up to GradAustralia to receive job alerts for NIAA