Ride like an ANZAC

At Emu Gully we are passionate about Shaping Great Australians and we achieve this by connecting young people with our history… our story! When we know our story we learn who we are and in turn, are often inspired to become who we were meant to be.

Unfortunately, there are many parts to our story that are either unknown, or have gone untold for decades. In recent times there has been an increasing sense of national pride in our ANZAC heritage with many previously untold stories coming to light. The indigenous involvement in WW1 is one of these stories. At a time when our indigenous brothers were not yet allowed to vote, many of them signed up to fight for their country. They were soldiers, they were ANZACs. Ride Like an ANZAC tells the story of Aboriginal involvement in the famous Charge of Beersheba, the first, and one of the most significant victories of the Australian Light Horse in WW1.

Barry Rodgers’ OAM (Chair of Emu Gully Adventure Education Group) message in the documentary is profound and captures the essence of both the ANZAC story and the Emu Gully story. He states that ‘we live in a world where we seem to be tied up with identity politics, dividing us up into groups according to race or ethnicity or gender or whatever, but there is no future in that. It is when we work together, when we are together as Australians, and looking out for one another, that’s when there is going to be some hope for our nation, that’s the ANZAC story. 

The Emu Gully experience provides the opportunity for people to connect with our story and to connect with each other. Individual growth and group achievement is not determined by difference but realised through difference. As each person engages in the process and uses their unique gifts and abilities, the whole team achieves.

You can watch this story here