Townsville soldier returns from Arnhem Land with lessons in culture and combat

Townsville soldier Private Bethany Dance is bringing back unique lessons in Indigenous culture, including traditional tracking methods, after her recent participation in Exercise Predator’s Run in the Northern Territory.

Private Bethany Dance. Picture: Evan Morgan

A Townsville soldier gained unique insights to Indigenous culture while on taking part in Exercise Predator’s Run in the Northern Territory in July.

As 1st Brigade’s main exercise ramped up, soldiers visiting some of Australia’s most remote areas shared their stories with Indigenous people and learnt insider knowledge in return.

Private Bethany Dance was one of three rifleman that lived on the remote island of Milingimbi, off the Arnhem Land coast, during Exercise Predator’s Run in July.

Private Dance grew up in Wandoan in central Queensland but these days calls Elliot Springs in Townsville, home.

Private Bethany Dance from Combat Training Centre with Milingimbi Island rangers during Exercise Predators Run. Picture: Supplied

She played ‘enemy’ for Battlegroup Goanna, one of two littoral forces in the NT made up of engineers, infantry, artillery and other soldiers.

Although there were former NORFORCE soldiers in the community, infantrymen carrying rifles was surely a strange sight for the town of about 1400 people.

Private Dance said there were concerns initially when they saw soldiers in town.

“They hadn’t had much exposure to blank ammunition before, because a rifle is a tool for hunting,” Private Dance said.

“We had to explain the concept of blank rounds and how it was like a cap gun.”

The soldiers discussed this when they visited the local school and thanked the community for welcoming them onto their land.

The children waited at a respectful distance when the soldiers spoke about their jobs and decision to join the Army.

They didn’t waste a second to check out the soldiers’ gear when the presentation was finished.

It was Private Dance’s first time in Arnhem Land.

“It’s beautiful out here,” she said.

“The people are welcoming and the land and water is stunning.”

In the exercise scenario, Private Dance and her team on Milingimbi were responsible for gathering intelligence about Battlegroup Goanna’s plan to seize the island’s airfield.

She said the locals were willing to teach her traditional tracking methods.

“We know that the battlegroup’s reconnaissance team are on the island,” she said during the visit.

“The rangers are going to take us down to the beach and show us how they would track them.

“The community has been so welcoming and it’s been a great experience. It’s not often that we get to come into remote communities and experience this kind of stuff – I love it.”

Originally published as Townsville soldier returns from Arnhem Land with lessons in culture and combat