Historical story - Lombadina Mission
In 1892, Bishop Gibney, purchased a 100,000 acre pastoral lease named Lombadina
approximately 60 kilometres to the north of Beagle Bay Mission. The property included a dwelling
and a shearing shed, cattle, sheep, 2 horses and 2 schooners. The latter were important due to
the isolation of the property.
The Pallottine priests based at Beagle Bay Mission were finding it difficult to develop Lombadina
Mission due to lack of means and staff. The property was sold to a Manilaman, Thomas
Puertollano. Thomas Puertollano also met with difficulties as he was classed as "Asiatic" and
could not obtain a permit to either employ or exert any authority over the local Aborigines who
gathered there.
In 1910, Thomas Puertollano suggested that he run Lombadina as an outpost of the Beagle Bay
Mission. Subsequently Fr Nicholas Emo settled at Lombadina taking charge on 1 January 1911
and set to work to build up the mission.
Fr Nicholas was greatly assisted in his work when three St John of God sisters arrived at
Lombadina Mission in 1913. The Puertollano family vacated their small house for the sisters to
use until a convent was built for them. Paperbark huts served as a school and dining hall. The
early years at Lombadina Mission were hard, with food shortages, no doctor or hospital and
constant difficulties in communication with Broome and Beagle Bay, which could only be reached
by using a small boat or by donkey cart.
On 8 March 1915 Fr Nicholas died. His health had been severely affected by the strenuous work
and travels he undertook. Fr Thomas Bachmair, a Pallottine priest based in Beagle Bay, was
placed in charge of the mission at Lomabadina. Thomas Puertollano sold Lombadina to the
Pallottines and in 1918 moved to Broome to live.
By 1918, the health of Fr Thomas Bachmair had seriously declined and shortly before his death
he returned to Beagle Bay to see the nearly completed church he had designed (Sacred Heart
Church).
About this time the Pallottine missionaries were facing some opposition and it appeared they
would have to leave . As a result an invitation was extended to the Salesian Order. The
Pallottines remained at the Missions and worked with the Salesians. The Salesians stay,
however, was shortlived and they returned to Italy in 1928.
The bush church at Lombadina Mission was built in 1932 by Br Joseph Tautz. Br Joseph was
affectionately known as 'Ginger Joe' and had arrived at Beagle Bay Mission in 1929 from
Kunzendorf in Germany.
Timber for the Lombadina church was gathered from the surrounding bush by Fr Augustus
Spangenberg and Aboriginal helpers and then sawn by hand.
The Lombadina church was blessed by Monsignor Raible on the feast of Christ the King.
Following the end of World War 11 considerable work was undertaken on the roof of Lombadina
church. With Fr John Herold, who had been interned during the war, installing corrugated iron
over the paperbark roof which was left in place for insulation purposes.
By the late 1950's both Beagle Bay and Lombadina Missions were reaching a point of crisis with
many of the old priests suffering from failing health and no new missionaries to take their place. In
1959, Father John Jobst succeeded Bishop Raible and Beagle Bay and Lombadina Missions
entered a new phase of activity. New schools, hospitals and housing facilities were built while the
Lotteries Commission supplied equipment for the missions.
The Sisters of St John of God left Lombadina Mission around 1968. Their role in educating the
local Aboriginal children was significant and they are still remembered with great fondness today.
Many changes have taken place over the years. In 1984 the Lombadina Aboriginal Community
were granted the grazing lease and assets of many of the Mission enterprises. There are now two
separate communities side by side - Lombadina and Djarindjin. Both communities have their own
independent administrations. The catholic school, Djarindjin-Lombadina Catholic School, serves
both communities.
The connection of the Pallottines with both the Beagle Bay and Lombadina communities finally
came to an end in 2002 when the Parish Priest, Fr Eugene San, left to undertake further studies.
Fr Bernard Amah,CSSp is now Parish Administrator.
How the Faith came to the desert – Balgo
The following story was told by Veronica Lulu, Bessie Doonday, Rex and Anna Johns to
accompany the painting presented by the people of Mulan, to the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop
Canalini, on the occasion of his visit to the Kutjungka Parish, 20 May 2001. Painted by Veronica
Lulu.
Long time ago we didn’t know about God. That Bishop (Bishop Riable) was coming from Beagle
Bay trying to make a mission. Only little bit of road, dirt road, not tar road. He came from Beagle
Bay right up to Rockhole, near Halls Creek, trying to set up mission. Ngarpu (God) was talking to
him telling him to go out into the desert. Ngarpu was looking at the people. The Bishop came
preaching, long time ago people didn’t know Ngarpu
From Rockhole Ngarpu told him to go more further to the desert and he came to the Walmajarri
people. When the Bishop came to them the people were frightened. He came and showed them
holy pictures and read them the Bible. He told them about heaven too. People thought he was
talking about another house up in the sky. The Bishop had to go, but he was still looking for a
mission to build. Bishop had some sheep. He went to Comet and tried to build a mission but no
water so they had to go.
He drove all the sheep from Rockhole through Ruby Plains, along the river down toWolfe Creek.
He followed the Sturt River and ended up at Kiji, the fishing place today. The station owner didn’t
want sheep he wanted cattle. So they took all the sheep along Pangkupiti Creek to Comet Bore.
The Catholic Church first made contact with desert people in this region in the 1930's. The early
missionaries moved around with their sheep and goats, meeting Aboriginal people, and looking
for an appropriate site eventually establishing Balgo Mission in 1942.
In 1965, the Mission was relocated to Wirrimanu, along the Dreaming path of the Luurnpa
(Kingfisher). In the late 70's, Wirrimanu ceased to be a church-controlled 'Mission' and became
an Aboriginal community under an elected council. At the same time many Balgo people took the
opportunity to move back to their own lands. One group moved to Lake Gregory station, now
known as Mulan (the Walmajarri name for a gum tree found near the lake), and set up a
community there. Another group did so at Billiluna station, now also known as Kururrungku
(Walmajarri for Wallaby, the Dreaming for that site). In 1985, another group moved to Yagga Yagga ( a Kukatja word for 'quiet', a key word in the Wati Kutjarra Dreaming).
The people of this region live according to a tribal heritage in an isolated part of the Kimberley.
They attempt to adapt and to cope with changes introduced by a modern and dominant culture.
The staff working in this region support culture and encourage leadership which will empower and
enable local management of education, parish and health services.