Escape the classroom and grow as an educator by connecting with Indigenous Australia through the people, their stories, and their land.
We have the experience, skills and local knowledge to organise a truly unique professional learning experience for you. Either organise an immersion just for staff from your school, or join a likeminded group of educators from across Australia on an open immersion. Our partner homelands in Cape York, Arnhem Land, and the APY Lands are waiting to welcome you to share in their stories, culture and way of life in a way that will help you grow as an educator.
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Learnings to take back to the classroom
Our professional development trips are a unique opportunity to get to know Aboriginal Elders and their families while staying on Country. Not only will you learn about the history and culture of the area you visit, you will also develop valuable tools for integrating Indigenous perspectives into the classroom to make change in your own school community.
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We organise everything
To minimise the stress on you and your team, we take care of everything from A-Z. Our immersions are all-inclusive, covering flights, ground transport, food, camping equipment, permits, and whatever else you might need to make your experience perfect.
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A unique and meaningful way to connect with Indigenous Australia
Our immersions are a truly unique way for you and your team or group to connect with the culture, land, history and future of remote Indigenous Australia. You will meet and stay with Traditional Owners and Elders on their own land and their own terms, to gain a deep understanding of the beauty and challenges of maintaining their way of life. A rewarding and enriching experience awaits you.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I Join a PD immersion as an individual?
Yes! We run several immersions a year made up of individuals or small groups of educators from different schools and organisations. You are welcome to join one of these groups to experience life in our partner communities with a group of like-minded individuals from across Australia. Contact us for information on the next available dates.
HOW DO ELDERS AND TRADITIONAL OWNERS FEEL ABOUT PEOPLE COMING ONTO THEIR LAND? WILL THE GROUP BE INTRUDING?
We are an organisation driven by our Indigenous partners in the homelands of remote Australia. Our mission is to give Indigenous people the help they need if they wish to welcome and open the hearts of young Australians to their country, culture, and way of life. We only make our resources available if we’re asked to help. Traditional Owners are the ones that decide if and when people should come onto their land, not us.
WHAT AMENITIES ARE AVAILABLE? WILL THERE BE SHOWERS AND BATHROOMS?
Every Homeland is different, but we ensure access to showers or a swim at least once a day, and flushing or drop toilets at every location. If you have particular preferences regarding amenities, just let us know!
WHAT FOOD WILL BE AVAILABLE?
While there will be opportunities for the group to forage bush foods, we bring all the food and catering equipment with us. We can cater for every kind of dietary requirement and allergy.
We a focus on fresh, healthy meals, and while the preparation of meals is usually a responsibility shared among the group we are happy to take care off all the meal preparation to allow your group to focus on other things.
What is the accommodation like?
There are no hotels and motels where we're going, but fear not - we camp in comfort. Large canvas tents and long stretcher beds keep you off the ground in Cape York and Arnhem Land, and in Central Australia we sleep under the stars by the fire in comfy heavy duty swags. Our immersions are certainly not 5-star luxury trips, but we make sure you're comfortable and safe so you can get the most out of the experience.
Can we contribute to a community project?
We have long-standing relationships with Traditional Owners who guide us in developing community projects that will help support and sustain their communities. We can include a small project based on the amount of time you would like to spend on a project and the amount of money your organisation would like to contribute.
Previous projects include installing water tanks, erecting fencing, establishing vegetable gardens, building chicken coops, building drop-toilets, painting, planting trees, and much more.
Who leads the immersion?
Every immersion is lead by Red Earth Leaders who are experienced in the field, and have an extensive knowledge of the region in which they work. Our leaders understand that every person will have a different experience on immersion, and are well equipped to ensure everyone is included, engaged, and getting the most out of the program. Our leaders are qualified in remote and wilderness first aid, life saving, and 4 wheel driving & vehicle recovery. The Red Earth leaders are there to work with your team to promote the safety and wellbeing of the group, manage all of the logistics, and utilise their relationships with your host Homelands to make your immersion a success.
What is the best time of year for an Immersion?
We run several immersions which can be joined by individuals or small groups between May and August, but we can also run a program at your preferred time during the dry season. Due to the extreme heat (Central Australia) and rains (Arnhem Land and Cape York) affecting our partner Homelands, it is not possible to go on an immersion during the Australian Summer. The best times of year to travel are between late-March and late-November each year for the most comfortable camping experience.
