Pilot and passengers standing on tarmac in front of GA8 aircraft
Supplied

An MAF flight brought encouragement to some of Australia’s most northern communities where roads overland are a big challenge.

The rugged dirt roads of Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula are a world-class adventure destination for intrepid four-wheel drivers, but the small townships and indigenous communities of The Cape are a long way from each other and the rest of the world.

An air safari by two members of the CWCI Christian Women Communicating International (CWCI) bridges the isolation of distance to bring valuable encouragement to Christians and churches where visitors from the outside are few. 

“Normally, safaris travel by road, but when the isolation is so great, we need to take a plane,” said Mary Foster of Townsville, Safari Speaker for CWCI.

pilot and passengers in plaine, interior shot
Michael Lindsey
The Australian GippsAero GA8 Airvan is a tough aircraft well suited to the safari conditions of Cape York. L-R Isobel O’Neill, Mary Foster, Michael Lindsey.

By car, the 2000-kilometre air journey from Mareeba to Normanton, Kowanyama, Weipa and Napranum, Bamaga and Coen would blow out by hundreds of extra kilometres because the rough dirt roads in the region don’t connect communities directly. 

Without MAF, this wouldn't be possible.
—
Safari Leader Isabel O'Neill

Safari Leader Isabel O'Neill flew from 1700 kilometres from Brisbane to Cairns to participate in the Cape York National Safari.

“Without MAF, this wouldn't be possible,” said Isabel O'Neill. “The mileage to go by road is too great for two women to go out alone into these remote areas. It's simply not feasible.”

Cape York from the air
Michael Lindsey
The rivers of Cape York Peninsula flood heavily in the wet season, wrecking roads and cutting off communities from the outside world for weeks and months at a time.

For Mareeba-based MAF pilot and instructor Michael Lindsey, the six-day safari was an opportunity to serve outside of the aviation learning environment of the MAF Training Centre. 

“It was really good to get out and see firsthand the impact that MAF can have,” said Michael. “In the meetings that we have been a part of, there has been a lot of positive feedback, with people just loving the fact that Christian women are spending their time coming out to these remote places and encouraging women, which doesn't happen very often.”

Mary Foster said, “Because of MAF, and because of the ability for them to fly us to different places, we've been able to do this. We are very grateful that God's people work together to do God's task.”

Map of Cape York safari route
The route travelled by the safari across the Cape York Peninsula covered an area close to 200,000 square kilometres.

Watch the video below to see some of the Cape York Peninsula country travelled by Michael and the CWCI team.