Tim's Bush Trip - September 2025

For various reasons I haven't visited the Utopia Region for quite a few months and I knew that I was very overdue for a trip. Throughout this time period different artists have been ringing us on very regular basis, enquiring when I might get out there next. Having said that, a lot of the artists and their families do in fact visit Alice Springs from time to time to do some shopping in town and will often bring in their finished canvases with them. We will then purchase it off them and give out new canvas, paints and brushes – all at no cost to them. Our very longtime Art Manager Tomoko Kuroda does a fantastic job with this.

So last Tuesday (Sept 16th 2025), with a vehicle loaded with canvas and paints, my oldest daughter, and our Website Manager, Terri van Haaren and myself departed Alice Springs at round 8.30am.

After travelling a total of about 240kms; north on the Stuart Highway, east on the Plenty Highway and then northeast on the Sandover Highway, we arrived at Camel Camp Outstation. We were enthusiastically welcomed by Elizabeth Mpetyane, Denisa Hatches, Angelina Ngale, Pauline Moss, Malanda Kunoth and her sister Doreen. They all came over to our vehicle and after initial greetings, canvas and paints were given out. I was hoping to say hello to Motorbike Paddy as we have been friends for many, many years – well before he ever started painting - but it was not to be. The ladies said that he had been in hospital in Alice Springs and was currently living in Alice at Hetti Perkins, Home for the Aged. The last time I actually saw and spoke to him was in December last year, and he was very frail then. I did think then that his painting days were more than likely over, or at the best, very limited.

The red dirt and bush land of Utopia

Malanda told us that her father (Dinny Kunoth) and mother Josie were at Apungalindum Outstation and would like us to visit them, so on leaving Camel Camp we slowly headed over there. There had been recent heavy rains and many of the roads still had lots of water on them and some were very boggy!

Enroute we were waved down on the Sandover Highway by Violet Payne and her partner. She had some completed paintings, which we collected and paid her for, then gave out some more canvas and paints to her, at her request.

Artist Violet Payne with her new large painting - purchased on the side of the Sandover Highway

We then continued onto Dinny's and arrived at Apungalingum with lots of mud splattered over the vehicle! We spent a good half an hour with Josie and Dinny, just chatting. Mostly about family and past family - many that I knew over 30 plus years ago! We chatted as far back as Sonny Kunoth, who was married to Wendy Kunoth, at the time living at Mulga Bore Community. And there were plenty more we remembered together – it was a really interesting conversation! And as a side note, everyone calls Dinny 'Old man' (including Josie!). The records say Dinny was born in 1954 and so I am the exception to all the others – I always call him 'young fella' - I was born in 1953 and he appreciates the humour and in turn calls me 'old man'!

Terri with artists Josie and Dinny Kunoth

Onwards then to Atnwengerrp Community arriving an hour or so later. We were met by Teresa Purla, the 3 Hunter sisters (Annie, Susan and Jessie), Lizzie Moss, Mary Lewis, Emily Pwerle and a few others. The temperature was perfect and there were NO FLIES! This makes the day so much more relaxing! And of course we had the normal chit chat with all these ladies. There wasn't much to collect as most of them had come to town last week with their completed works.

Emily is an old lady (younger sister to Minnie) and is very active for her age. Terri mentioned how good she is looking at the moment.

Emily with a couple of her new artworks

Canvas, paints and brushes were given out and we were then off to Rocket Range Outstation. A lot of the artists were out hunting however Katie Kemarre and Taralyn Morton were there. I have known Katie for 40 years and she was very happy to see us. She broke her hip a few years ago and now uses a walker. We had a good chat about it, it's her left hip which causes her some grief but she says she manages.

Tim with long time friend and artist, Katie Kemarre.

Katie is still keen to paint so we gave her some more canvas before heading off to Mulga Bore Community, which is some 100kms back toward Alice Springs. We arrived there about 4.30pm and received a terrific welcome there as well. Clifford Tilmouth, now his clans senior man, waved us over to his house on our arrival. We parked beside the fence and he came over for a chat, as did his wife Rosemary Bird, and Alvira Bird. We chatted for easily 30 minutes about lots of things (other than paintings), including his dad Kenny Tilmouth's recent passing and how he (Clifford) would like to get lots of family back living at Mulga Bore, including the young ones who spend a lot of time in Alice Springs.

He showed Terri and I an old video of his dad Kenny when he was a young man. Also in the video were others, including Harold Payne's father. Now Harold is still alive and well into his 80's (there is an old image of him on our web along with one of the remaining dot paintings we have of his) so that's indicative of how old this video clip is. We also chatted about the old Mbantua store truck that used to visit Mulga Bore (and other communities) on a weekly basis and how everyone loved it and looked out for it. So much history and 'we should be recording it' Clifford says. I'm pretty keen on this too so we have agreed to talk more about this in the not too distant future. And this recording of history would go hand in hand with our Mbantua Collection as well. (More on that too in the not too distant future I hope!)

Alvira and Rosemary asked me about sponsoring football guernseys again for next season which I have agreed to do. Our Mbantua Foundation has also put on the table an offer to purchase a dental chair at $33,000 for the Urapuntja Health Centre as well. This offer has been on the table for close to a year now but I am told that the logistics of getting a dentist out there (even a regular visiting one) and the money to run the enterprise is like 'Buckleys and none!' ('Buckley's and none', to you overseas readers, means extremely unlikely!) And yet a dentist and a dental chair are so badly needed out in Utopia, no doubt in other aboriginal regions as well!

I am looking forward to giving you some more on the Mulga Bore history in future blogs - I'll let you all know how it pans out.

Tim in the car chatting with (from left) Alvira Bird, Rosemary Bird and Clifford Tilmouth

We then popped over to say hello to Colleen Wallace who does those magnificent Dreamtime Sister paintings (visit our website and have a look!). She was busy fiddling around with getting some car parts off an old broken-down vehicle (to live out in Utopia one does have to be a jack of all trades!). With her was her gorgeous little 3 year old granddaughter Ayara, swirling around and around in a pretty little dress. I had to say to Terri 'no, you can't take her home!' Well, last trip out there Terri nursed Marie Ryder's little baby grandson for at least 30 minutes and I had to insist that she hand him back as we had to get back to Alice Springs before midnight!!

We eventually headed off on the 200kms journey home arriving at about 7pm and very tired.

Tim