Friendship is the only cement that will hold the world together
In 1999, following his release from house arrest in Jakarta, and on his way back to Timor-Leste, Xanana Gusmao visited Northcote and proposed a process to ‘explore the building of a friendship relationship between the City of Darebin and the City of Baucau.
Five young people and three adults, all residents of Northcote, took up his offer to spend Christmas with the orphans of Venilale and Laga - with fundraising support from many people and institutions across Darebin.
They carried with them an invitation from Mayor Chris Kelly to the UNTAET District Administrator of Baucau to create a formal partnership.
The report from the visits notes, that ‘the offer was greeted with genuine enthusiasm by all those spoken to’.
About Baucau
The municipality of Baucau is situated 129 kilometres east of Dili, and is the second largest district in Timor-Leste with a population of 111,694. The municipality is divided into six sub-districts: Baucau, Laga and Vemasse along the coast and Venilale, Quelicai and Baguia inland.
Our friendship arrangement is with the sub-district of Baucau itself, which includes the eleven sucos of Bucoli, Triloca, Gariuai, Uailil, Bauibau, Samalari, Seical, Buruma, Bahu, Caibada and Tirilolo.
Administration
Mr. Antonio Guterres is the President of the Municipality of Baucau. Mr. Guterres and his staff administer political and developmental initiatives in Baucau and the sub-districts. In addition, village leaders, both traditional and elected, play a role in organisational and social structures. There are many local and international organisations working in and with the community in Baucau. The Catholic Church plays a significant role as the major religious organisation in the country. Economy
The main economic activity in Baucau is agriculture, including the production of corn/maize, rice, peanuts, coconuts and vegetables.
Small businesses have grown in the time since independence with shops, restaurants, internet cafes, Baucau also has a fresh food market in town and smaller markets in the villages.
Unemployment, especially for young people, is very high in Baucau. Yet, some basic industries are emerging. The iron-roofing rolling mill, established by Doncaster Rotary and now the East Timor Roofing Company, is in production and is also used as a training facility for ex-FALINTIL fighters.
There are also many proposals to develop local handcraft production as well as a range of micro-economic activities in areas such as health and hygiene, food production and processing, transportation, small retail businesses and small-scale tourism.
Infrastructure
Baucau is the second largest city in Timor-Leste and has a population of approximately 16,000. It has both an airport and a port facility.
Baucau was both an administrative and trading centre under the Portuguese administration, and the architecture in the town reflects this colonial period, as well as the era of the Indonesian occupation that followed.
Sadly, during reprisals following the 1999 Referendum for Independence, much of Baucau’s basic infrastructure and assets were destroyed and many buildings and schools were looted, damaged and burnt.
Significant rebuilding has occurred in the last 20+ years, but still today basic infrastructure, including power and water, remains a challenge across the municipality.
Tourism
After 450 years of foreign occupation, Timor-Leste is a new and exciting country to discover. It has a stunning mountainous landscape, untouched beaches and beautiful coral reefs, along with fascinating history that is well documented in musuems around Dili as well as a rich and diverse culture.
Timor-Leste is an intriguing place to explore. People visit for amazing scuba diving and snorkelling experiences, as well as for trekking and mountain climbing, whale and dolphin watching and to experience traditional village stays and demonstrations of local crafts and customs. Baucau is a popular tourist spot for travellers, just an short flight from Darwin or Bali.
The three-hour drive along the coast from Dili to Baucau is magnificent and when you arrive you can enjoy the cool climate, the historic spring water swimming pools, alongw with stunning beaches and fresh ocean breezes.
There are a number of hotels and restaurants in the city at various price-points, including the upmarket recently opened Pousada de Baucau, which is a hospitality training facility promoting a high standard of service in food and accommodation.