I’ve just got back from another incredible IMA Cultural Immersion trip with the dhiiyaan community out at their property in Dalby, QLD.

dhiiyaan is an Aboriginal-led and owned community group committed to transformation, relationships, and hope. They provide retreats at their property, Bethel, to journey with young people on their path to restoration, healing, and wholeness.

For this trip, Indigenous Ministries Australia (IMA) was able to connect a secondary school group from the western suburbs of Melbourne, plus a few extras, to the trip. dhiiyaan also brought together an Elders group from Brisbane’s north and a group of Indigenous secondary students they mentor.

Over twenty of us, including the group of eight students and two teachers from Melbourne, slept in swags over the three days of cultural programs, horseriding, art workshops, and more. It was a brilliant and tangible expression of reconciliation, with non-Indigenous and Indigenous students joining together to share, learn, and connect.

A highlight was meeting at the river, which framed our cultural discussions over the few days. A river and two riverbanks represent how two cultures can affirm each other's diversity yet still create new and creative places to meet (in the middle!).

Other highlights included seeing the Indigenous young people and students from Melbourne connecting during the ‘downtime’ between program activities – it was generous, vulnerable, and healing.

IMA is planning further immersion trips for late 2024. If you’re interested in joining us on one of the trips, get in touch with me, Nick Wight, nick@gmp.org.au