Living life the traditional way

Young aboriginal children playing in the waters off Aurukun, Cape York, far north Queensland, Australia

A few years ago now I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a few days up on Cape York with Cathy Freeman, the world-famous aboriginal runner.

I was the stills photographer on a TV shoot where she would visit remote aboriginal communities and learn about the local culture. Our trip was to the remote western Cape York town of Aurukun.

It was wonderful to see the joy on the faces of the local people as a bona fide legend and role model appeared in the flesh. I took this photo of a bunch of kids running through the shallows after being told that Cathy had arrived. It really speaks to me of the intimate relationship between these kids and their, what would seem to us city slickers, wild environment.

A reminder that this is a people who have lived in their environment for tens of thousands of years and know it so well.