Awards 2019

Michael (Mike) Bowden

From' Alawa

Nominated by Luke Gosling OAM MP

Seconded by Simone Gomez

Mike began his career as a priest but after only two years, left to play VFL football with the Richmond Tigers and complete a teaching qualification. Mike and his fellow teammates won the VFL Grand Final over Carlton in 1969.

While working as a high school teacher in Victoria, a young boy came to live with Mike and his family, when the boy's Mum fell ill with MS. To this day this young man is as much a part of Mike's family as his biological children.

Mike set up Emmaus House in Madura, which provided a place where alcoholic men and women could find a safe place to sleep and eat. 

Mike moved his family to Alice Springs in 1988 and learned to speak the Arrernte language fluently. Mike helped establish the Injarike Unit together with Father Phil Hoy. This is a successful two-way education model.

Mike completed his Masters and wrote a paper "Will They Be Aborigines As They Were Today?"

Mike and his family moved to Darwin in 2003 and by 2009 he founded the O'Loughlin Catholic College's Big Bike Ride'. This ride covers 122km from Mandorah to Karama and Mike encourages students to get involved and provides training. Over the years the Big Bike Ride has raised money for breast cancer, MS and many other causes.

This year it was to raise money to fight Motor Neurone Disease. Mike was diagnosed with MND in October 2018 and although he admits it’s a life sentence, he says, "It mustn't stop you from living. Don't go to bed and lie down - get out and live the best you can for as long as you can! Sound advice from a man who knows what he's talking about.