The flying chaplains say 'farewell, Mount Isa'

Simon and Natalie Steele moved to Mount Isa in 2008 with their two children, taking up the positions of the rural flying chaplains for north west Queensland.

The family were living in Tweed Heads when they had heard The Salvation Army were finding it difficult to recruit for a flying chaplain based in Mount Isa.

As Mr Steele had his pilots license, they applied for the position, and after they were accepted, they relocated to Mount Isa.

For the first nine years, they worked as the rural flying chaplains, covering a vast area from the Northern Territory border, into the Gulf of Carpentaria, down to Bedourie and Longreach.

"We had a plane and later a helicopter to visit people, schools and communities across the north west, visiting cattle stations and small towns across the region," Ms Steele said.

"Our job was one of chaplaincy, so we were available to hold services, weddings, funerals and we had also done some disaster relief; but mostly about building connections with people and providing spiritual and pastoral support."

The flying chaplains assisted during North Queensland's biggest storm in history, Tropical Cyclone Yasi.

"We did a lot during Yasi. We visit properties during that time and provided a listening ear to what people's experiences had been," Ms Steele said.

"I think that was valuable for people to talk through what they had experienced and were going through as the recovery unfolded.

"We also had financial grants that we were able to release funds to people that was provided through the Salvos so we also helped in a financial capacity as well."

The Steele family were also active in supporting rural communities, with Anzac Day services, community events and their annual Christmas drop.

"Simon would visit a number of schools in the region and he would fly in and drop off toys before Christmas. We did that at Urandangi, Dajarra, Bedourie, over to Normanton, Camooweal and as far as Mt Surprise sometimes," Ms Steele said.

"That was much more achievable when we had the aircraft to get out to those areas, currently now with the Corps in town we still do toys but it's more local; to Camooweal and Cloncurry."

In 2018, the Steele family were also appointed to looking after the Salvation Army Church in Mount Isa.

This included Serenity House (units for women and children experiencing homelessness), The Recovery Service (a residential rehabilitation facility for men and women seeking recovery from alcohol, other drugs and gambling), and the Rural Chaplaincy and the Salvation Army Corps.

"So, as well as our rural chaplaincy role, we were also running the Corps for the last six years.

"Through the Corps, we have run a few different things like Sunday services, a ladies group and a Hangar Night which was a men's group that we've held out at the airport, and then the last three and a half years we've been hosting the Crossroads Community Meal which is a combined churches initiative."

In 2021, the Salvation Army sold the aircraft stationed in Mount Isa and transitioned to a car and caravan service.

"The aircraft was sold during Covid-19, there was a lot of changes and transitions made within businesses during that time and the Salvos was no different," Ms Steele said.

"Next year there will be support from the Rural Flying Chaplain based in Dalby, that will come up into the north west during the year."

Ms Steele said she and Simon would relocate to Griffith in New South Wales to take up another rural chaplaincy role.

"We will have a much smaller area to cover then what we've had here and we won't have the Corps responsibilities that we've had here, so it will be a different pace," she said.

"We are looking forward to a change and the adventure and exploration of a new part of Australia that isn't familiar to us. I think it is that sense of adventure that brings people to Mount Isa in the first place, but it is also what is taking us away.

"The Salvation Army do often move their officers around, and I don't know of anyone else who has been in one appointment for 15 years, so we've been blessed to be in one place and raise our family in Mount Isa.

"It is an amazing community here and we will definitely miss the people, friendships and sense of community that we have here. We will miss the environment, the beauty and the heart, the colour and extremes of the environment.

"We are very sad to leave here and the friends and connections we have made."