Arnhem Land Hike for Health
Update
30 Sep 2025
Thank you to everyone who supported my 2025 Hike for Health to Arnhem Land including trek companions @George Wolf and @DonMcMillan seen here with traditional owner and songman Buwathay and granddaughter Emily. Donations end at 11.59pm Tuesday 30th September and currently we’ve raised $5,942. Do you know anyone who can donate to push the total beyond $6,000 please? I led a small group to East Arnhem Land with the objectives to support community enterprise, promote cultural awareness, and raise awareness and money for the charity @Drug ARM which works to reduce the harms of alcohol and other drugs. Alcohol is a huge contributor to our health and justice bill, and yet we don’t even have mandatory warning labels:
• Alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen alongside tobacco and asbestos, which means it causes cancer in humans and is linked to 7 difference cancers.
• It’s involved in 65% of all police-reported family violence incidents and more than 50% of intimate partner homicides.
• Every day, 15 people die from alcohol-related harm in Australia.
• In Australia 6,000 babies are born every year with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), and 80% of children in the criminal justice system have FASD.
• Alcohol contributes to the development or worsening of mental health concerns.
Please help here before it’s too late.
See you next year, God willing.
Update
21 Sep 2025
On our last day together in East Arnhem Land, here's Dhalinybuy traditional owner and songman Buwathay with Bunol honouring me with three songs, about water, wind, and the clever fish that couldn't be caught. My visit was for a number of reasons, including to raise money for the charity Drug ARM which works to reduce the harms of alcohol and other drugs. Alcohol is involved in 65% of all police-reported family violence incidents and more than 50% of intimate partner homicides, and yet there aren’t even restrictions on sports sponsorship watched by our children. Donations close at the end of this month, I've passed my target but more is needed. Please help me exceed my fundraising goal by asking more friends to make tax-deductible donations here before the end of this month 30th September.
Update
07 Sep 2025
Damien considered the head and neck of the turtle to be the best part, so when he offered to share it with me, I happily accepted. He then proceeded to tell me how his people in cities and towns are being killed by the temptations of alcohol and other drugs, and the only people to survive will be those who come back to country for the healthy food and protection of community. Alcohol is involved in 65% of all police-reported family violence incidents and more than 50% of intimate partner homicides, and yet there aren’t even restrictions on sports sponsorship watched by our children. I was visiting Damien's Dhalinybuy Homeland in remote East Arnhem Land for a number of reasons, including to raise money for the charity Drug ARM which works to reduce the harms of alcohol and other drugs which is exactly what Damien is so concerned about. Please help me reach my fundraising goal (I’m still $1,308 short) by asking more friends to make tax-deductible donations here before the end of this month 30th September.
Update
22 Aug 2025
This week the South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence concluded that alcohol is a key factor in violence towards women and children. We must reduce these awful harms so please share this page to your friends with a recommendation to donate. Here I am being welcomed to the beautiful Dhalinybuy homeland in north-east Arnhem Land. You can see more photos on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/arnhem.land.hike.for.health/
Update
06 Aug 2025
Another day on the Dhalinybuy Homeland. Traditional owner and songman Kevin Buwathay who carved his new clap sticks for ceremony, his brother and Yirralka ranger David Banul who took us to cut the wood, and young Clifton and Claud who wanted to see every square inch of the truck.
In Australia 6,000 babies are born every year with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), up to 80% of children in the criminal justice system have FASD, and yet there is still no compulsory alcohol warning label. If you value our children, please help fix this by making your tax-deductible donation to the charity Drug ARM here. If you've donated already, then please share with others.
Update
03 Aug 2025
I met one of the most powerful women in the country. Janet Guypunura Munyarryun was catching barramundi outside of her Dhilingybuy community. She has travelled the world, performed for Queen Elizabeth at her Diamond Jubilee, enjoyed tea with the Queen, years later Prince Charles sort her out on her homelands, and today she shares her dance and cultural knowledge with the young ones.
Every day, 15 people die from alcohol-related harm in Australia. Please help fix this and create a culture of caring by making your tax-deductible donation to the charity Drug ARM here and now, and follow the Facebook site https://www.facebook.com/arnhem.land.hike.for.health
Update
01 Aug 2025
Permits in hand, we explored East Arnhem Land, NASA’s area 51 its Northern territory launch site, rarely visited beaches and sacred sites, while sending a trek member wading through croc-infested waters to check the depth before driving the 4WD through.
Every day, 15 people die from alcohol-related harm in Australia. Please help fix this by making your tax-deductible donation to the charity @DrugARM here and following and sharing the whole trek on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/arnhem.land.hike.for.health/
Update
29 Jul 2025
Visiting the Yirrkala community famous for its Buku-Larrnggay Mulka art centre, I met the celebrated artist and a wonderful woman Yalmakany Marawili. I watched Yalmakany work, we talked for ages, and I came home with one of her beautiful bush medicine bark paintings which is now one of my favourite things. I also met some of the young warriors there loving life.
Alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen alongside tobacco and asbestos, which means it causes cancer in humans, and yet wrongly there are no compulsory alcohol warning labels in Australia. Please help fix this by making your tax-deductible donation to the charity Drug ARM here and now and follow more photos on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/arnhem.land.hike.for.health
Update
27 Jul 2025
Charter fishing off Nhulunbuy in the Arafura Sea produced days of fresh fish on the BBQ, I’ve never eaten so much! Tuna, mackerel, red snapper, not to mention the sharks, trevally and more that got thrown back.
More than 50% of intimate partner homicides involve alcohol use, there’s education to be done, so please make your tax-deductible donation here and now and follow more photos on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/arnhem.land.hike.for.health
Update
25 Jul 2025
I visited Bremer Island which is in the Arafura Sea in the northwest of the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the northeast corner of Arnhem Land. I dived for clams, found indigenous artefacts, and enjoyed the stunning remoteness. Please follow the Facebook page and share the posts https://www.facebook.com/arnhem.land.hike.for.health/
Alcohol contributes to the development or worsening of mental health concerns, and yet there’s very little acknowledgement of this to the point of denial. There's work to be done so please, please make your tax-deductible donation to the charity Drug ARM here and now.
DONATIONS41
Anonymous
Tue, 30 Sep 2025
$ 58
$ 58
KM
Sun, 7 Sep 2025
$ 2000
Harold mate you are doing great work, keep pouring out the love into this country and its people!
Harold mate you are doing great work, keep pouring out the love into this country and its people!
$ 2000
Benjamin Whitehouse
Mon, 11 Aug 2025
$ 500
Brilliant cause Harold - stay away from the crocs.
Brilliant cause Harold - stay away from the crocs.
$ 500
Ailsa Becconsall
Mon, 4 Aug 2025
$ 30
Well done Harold. Your journey has been very interesting & all for such a great cause. I enjoy reading “my cause” updates. Thanks & best wishes once again. Ailsa Becconsall. A friend of Lynda & Boopy.
Well done Harold. Your journey has been very interesting & all for such a great cause. I enjoy reading “my cause” updates. Thanks & best wishes once again. Ailsa Becconsall. A friend of Lynda & Boopy.
$ 30
