The RAAF transported six Olympians and four Indigenous Olympian Coaching Scholarship holders to Horn Island on a C-27J Spartan for two days of community and cultural interactions.

Thursday Island local and dual Olympic basketballer Danny Morseu was joined by fellow AOC Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) members and Olympians Patrick Johnson, Beki Smith, Kyle van der Kuyp, Olympic boxer and artist Brad Hore and AOC Athletes’ Commission member Rowie Webster, with AOC President Ian Chesterman and CEO Matt Carroll.

In an open community day, the four inaugural recipients of the Australian Olympic Indigenous Coaching Scholarship, supported by Toyota, and Olympians ran a basketball clinic for more than 50 young locals, with RAAF members also hitting the court before providing a BBQ for all attendees and their families.

Beki and Brad also delivered an “Olympics Unleashed” session, sharing their own Olympic journeys with the children to demonstrate the importance of goal setting and overcoming challenges to pursue whatever passion they may have.

As part of the day the RAAF took special guests on a flight over the Torres Strait. Kaurareg traditional owners Aunty Enid Tom and Barbara Miskin, were able to view their lands from a new perspective. Also on board were Olympians Patrick, Danny and Kyle, and AOC’s Chesterman and Carroll taking in the unique view of the Torres Strait from the back of the Spartan.

AOC President Ian Chesterman said this visit highlights the power of Olympic sport to inspire.

“It’s great to be here in the Torres Strait Islands to be able to bring Olympians into community, run the basketball day with Indigenous Scholarship coaches and work effectively with a new partner in the RAAF, showing what can be achieved with good teamwork to really make a contribution,” Mr Chesterman said.

“It’s so important we give kids the chance to dream – with Brisbane 2032 ten years away we’d love them to dream about those opportunities.

“Olympians are enormously powerful role models. They’re great in the way they give of themselves, the ideas they have and how they express themselves, they’re living breathing examples of what’s possible.

“It’s vital we have the IAC helping us as we work with our objective of reconciliation through sport. On this trip we had the IAC represented, our Athletes’ Commission represented. Together we will make real practical contributions to Torres Strait Islanders and other Indigenous communities right around the country.

“Our thanks to our partners, the RAAF, for helping bring this trip to life with our shared common objectives in our Reconciliation Action Plans,” Mr Chesterman concluded.

RAAF Deputy Air Commander Australia, Air Commodore Ben Sleeman led a team of RAAF personnel, including Avionics Technician, Leading Aircraftwoman Raba Nona whose family hails from Badu Island, and Indigenous Liaison Officers, to transport Olympians and coaches and help deliver the basketball clinic.

“It’s a pleasure for the RAAF to be up in the top of Australia,” Air Commodore Sleeman said.

“Thank you to Aunty Enid and the traditional owners of this land, it is a privilege to fly through the air and over the land and seas of this beautiful country.

“The Air Force is pleased to partner with the AOC on delivering this project, with a common focus on sport and fitness, combined with Indigenous strategy goals under our respective Reconciliation Action Plans.

“If you can see it, you can be it. That’s why we’re proud to be here in the Torres Strait community for this event.”

Dual Olympic basketballer and Torres Strait Islander Danny Morseu welcomed the guests to his traditional homeland.

“It gives me great pride to welcome the AOC, RAAF, IBA and my fellow Olympians to my home of Torres Strait Islands,” Danny said. “It’s historic to have the leadership of the AOC and the RAAF come up to the Torres Strait, it’s great for our community, this trip has given a great energy.

“It’s really good for our kids to be aware of the different pathways and that the Olympic movement is open to them. We want to see change and reform and the advancement of Torres Strait Islander people in this country, creating opportunities and pathways through sport – refereeing, administration, coaching, playing.”

“Wearing the green and gold is the proudest moment of my life as a Torres Strait Islander. Brisbane 2032 offers opportunities for people to understand us, come here and enjoy this beautiful environment. With tourism and pathways, working in partnership with government, to get some truly good outcomes for this region will be fantastic.”

AOC Indigenous Advisory Committee Chair and Olympian Patrick Johnson said sharing the Olympic spirit in Indigenous communities was powerful.

“Thank you to the community, we’ve had such a warm welcome,” Patrick said. “As soon as we got off that plane was just felt like we're home and that's always what we want to feel – that incredible sense that we belong.

“As a proud Australian and proud Indigenous man it’s really significant we can get to communities, because the Olympic Games is about having everyone involved. These visits showcase the Olympic Games and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is for everyone to be a part of and it's something that we should celebrate.

“We’ve had 60 known Indigenous Australians in the history of the Olympic Games and 16 at Tokyo. It’s great to look at the 10-year vision, look at Brisbane 2032 and the incredible opportunity.

“The 10-year runway is such an opportunity for budding athletes, not only as sports stars but every level of involvement. Seeing the Indigenous coaches here is fantastic and it shows the importance of having Indigenous people at every level of the Olympics and Olympic sport.”

12-year-old Carmen Dorante from Yam Island in the Torres Strait was inspired to chase her own Olympic dream.

“Basketball is my favourite sport, I’ve played since I was six and I want to be a basketball Olympian,” Carmen said. “My uncle Patty Mills played a lot, he worked hard to get there. I feel I can do what he can do.”

“I had fun today and learned a lot. I want to be playing basketball in the Olympics in 2032.”

You can find out more about the AOC’s Reconciliation Action Plan here.

AOC, Olympians and RAAF spread Olympic spirit in Torres Strait