We are back for 2024 in the Bagai Barista cafe and we are so excited for what is to come this year. In Term 4 2023, Bagai Barista saw the window of our physical cafe finally open to the Ngukurr community. Students were eager to brew coffee each morning even through the heat of the ‘Build Up’ where we saw temperatures reach the 40’s everyday.

The start of 2024 has seen even more students begin their Bagai Barista journeys, as the new year 7 students start to learn from their senior baristas. Whilst we are still in our trial phase, not yet ready to be open for our proposed hours, we still have so many people supporting our venture everyday, through buying a hot or iced drink, or simply telling us themselves as they come by.

Like starting anything, there are always challenges to be faced and overcome. We are still awaiting the installation of continuous power and now with the Roper Highway flooded and closed for an uncertain amount of time, we will see our stock numbers start to diminish. We can only go with the flow during these times, and we are just happy to be able to serve drinks with a smile even if we are sweating out everything!

We are so grateful for our suppliers at Darwin Roasters, who have been amazing with getting our deliveries to us so quickly and providing us with high quality products such as our delicious coffee beans, beautiful coffee cups that always get compliments, bulk hot chocolate to keep up with the demand as well as essentials like cleaning products and drink trays. We look forward to continuing to work with Darwin Roasters during 2024.

In 2024, we are so excited to welcome on board the WANTA express, Rayshaun, who has gone through the WANTA Program at Ngukurr School and always said how he wanted to work for us. After successfully completing two weeks of Work Experience with the Ngukurr WANTA Team at the end of Term 3 2023, Rayshaun has been offered casual employment, and you can find him being Head Barista each morning at Bagai Barista.

Whilst the road has been closed throughout Term 1 and the number of visitors to Bagai Barista has lowered, we have been able to keep our skills high by rewarding students who have had great attendance and behavior at school with yummy hot chocolates. The other day we made 25 hot chocolates for the year 4’s and 5’s who have had the highest attendance at school each week of 2024 so far!

With a Barista Course on the cards for our staff and students, we can’t wait to see what this year has in stall for us, when we have continuous power which will allow us to operate longer hours and will see us starting to be able to serve food and even more delicious coffees and hot chocolates. Thank you all for the continuous support of Bagai Barista and helping our students achieve the goals they have created for themselves.

P.S Check out the small feature we have in the newest Women’s Weekly magazine, when they came to interview the incredible Ngukurr School Assistant Principal. The write up is about the importance of remote educators, something we strongly believe in, and we are stoked to have been mentioned.

Written by Indigo Drendel, Director Ngukurr Academy