Being surrounded by people with the same passion for history was something special

 

We weren’t that far away from home, yet everything was so different by Tovie Hallion

Being accepted as a winner of the 2022 Premiers Anzac Spirit Award was honourable and thrilling. Not only was I given the pride of winning a title that meant so much to me, but also the experience of spending ten days with nineteen other individuals in a place filled with history. Being in Darwin surrounded by people with the same passion for history was something special, and a forever memory.

One of my favourite memories of the trip was swimming in the waterfalls, especially Florence Falls. This was special for me as I haven’t had the opportunity to swim in a waterfall before. At Florence Falls I felt grounded in its nature, from the sound of the crashing water to the luscious thick plants that grew alongside the rocks. Being in the presence of Darwin’s scenery it was a strange thought that we weren’t that far away from home, yet everything was so different. Swimming in the falls, I appreciated the cold water on a humid day and my mindfulness from the environment’s aura. I also had plenty of laughs within this memory, filled with the determination of trying to catch fish in the shallow water and all our quirky conversations.


Another memorable experience of the 2023 Premiers Anzac Spirit School Prize Study tour was the Adelaide River War Cemetery. As part of my research before Darwin, I learnt about Boyns Hedley Hocking and how he died in the bombing of Darwin. It didn’t seem as important at the time, but being in the presence of his death in Darwin Harbour was confronting. Then at the Adelaide War Cemetery there was something special about seeing his name engraved on a plaque and putting a poppy next to it. Looking at all the graves and names present in the cemetery I felt sympathetic and reflective. Knowing that these people had loved ones who mourned their loss. As a group we were all able to acknowledge this with Peter’s ceremony, which was quite sentimental.  


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