ON DAY FIVE of Russell Robertson’s tour around the Northern Territory thanks to Tourism NT, he ventured to Tennant Creek alongside Mark Jamar, Rohan Bail and past player Aussie Wonaeamirri to run a clinic and educate children on how to eradicate the eye disease -  trachoma.

Although the one hour flight in a small plane from Alice Springs proved challenging for the big men like Jamar, it was worth it when they saw the joy on the faces of the children in attendance.

It was the first time in over 20 years that an AFL team has visited Tennant Creek, and the novelty wasn’t lost on the children who described the day as “awesome” and “so cool”.

Participants also received a Melbourne guernsey, courtesy of New Balance.

Jamar, Bail, Wonaeamirri and Robertson were presented with boomerangs by the traditional owners to thank them for their visit.

The clinic and trachoma education session were run with the assistance of the Indigenous Eye Health Unit, the University of Melbourne and AFLNT.

The Tennant Creek visit is part of Melbourne’s long term strategy to invest in communities in the Northern Territory.