The Senior Australian of the Year 2012, Laurie Baymarrwangga (pictured above), is an extraordinary elder from the island of Murrungga, the largest of the outer Crocodile Islands off the Arnhem Land coast.

According to Joe Morrison, CEO of the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA), Laurie Baymarrwangga is a “true crusader for the environment, Indigenous culture and the nation itself.  Mr Morrison says that her recognition is a timely reminder to Australians of the enormous contribution made by the nation’s first people.

Now aged 95, Laurie has shown extraordinary commitment to maintaining her culture, the environment of her beloved Crocodile Islands and ensuring younger generations continue to keep their heritage alive.  Since the 1960s when she first created a homeland bilingual school on Murrungga, she has worked tirelessly to pass on the language, songs and customs of her culture, as well as knowledge of countless generations of intimate coexistence with the sea.

The Yan-nhangu dictionary project to document her language, a housing project that has benefitted generations of kin and a junior rangers group established with her own money, in which volunteer rangers pass on the skills of cultural and natural resource management are just some of her achievements.  Mr Morrison says that the Indigenous rangers play a profoundly important role in managing the intact coastal ecosystem of northern Australia.

In 2010, after a struggle stretching back to 1945, Laurie finally received back payments of around $400,000 for rents owed to her as the land and sea owner of her father’s estate.  The great-great-grandmother donated it all to improve education and employment opportunities on the island and to establish a 1000 square kilometre turtle sanctuary on her marine estate.

“She is a living reminder of the critical importance of cultural, linguistic and biological diversity to our future, and to social and ecological sustainability of Australia,” says Joe Morrison.

A free ride in a specially decorated Christmas tram is just one more reason to come to town and absorb something of the spirit of the festive season.  

Other features of the city’s festive garb include light projections on landmark buildings, the State Library of Victoria and St Paul’s Cathedral.  Melbourne Town Hall will be ‘gift wrapped’, Flinders Street Station will showcase giant presents and the Docklands pillars will light up with Christmas carols.  An exploration of the city’s famous hidden laneways will reward you with decorations representations of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and if you are looking for a chance to be caught under the mistletoe make for the Southbank pedestrian bridge.

In decking the bridge with mistletoe is the Melbourne City Council hoping to see a mass indulgence in the ancient Kissing under the Mistletoe tradition or should we expect an appearance from teen idol Justin Bieber?  The much awarded Canadian 17-year-old’s recent album Under the Mistletoe shot to number one immediately after its release last month.  So if you visit the mistletoe-decked Southbank pedestrian bridge, you might like to sing along:

It’s the most beautiful time of the year

Lights fill the streets spreading so much cheer

I should be playing in the winter snow

But I’mma be under the mistletoe…

(You’ll be thrilled to know that you can install Bieber’s ‘Mistletoe’ as a ring tone on your mobile phone!)

•  To all our readers we send warm wishes for a happy and safe festive season and an active, healthy and fulfilling 2012.  Our first issue for 2012 will be published on 3 February.