Internship Success – Hannah McCleary at Northern Land Council (NLC)

Hannah McCleary’s Aurora internship with the Northern Land Council (NLC) became a memorable one after she travelled to Gunlom Falls and attended a Board Meeting with Traditional Owners. 

“Being placed in Darwin, from Tasmania, I particularly loved being able to escape the cold for a few weeks. The team were inclusive, welcoming, and kind. I was lucky enough to be involved in a range of work the NLC were responsible for,” Hannah said. 

“Some daily tasks in the office included drafting contracts and submissions, writing memos to the CEO and Principal Legal Officer, writing letters, organising file notes from meetings, and a conducting a range of legal research.” 

Hannah also shared some of the highlights of her internship experience: 

“One of the Legal Practice Managers invited me to attend a Kakadu Board Meeting, held at Gunlom Falls. This was particularly special as the campsite has been closed to tourists for some time by Traditional Owners of the area.  

“We were able to camp overnight at Kakadu, and the night sky was the most beautiful I have ever seen. There were hundreds of stars and falling asleep to the quiet sounds of nature was something I will never forget.” 

Other highlights included attending consultation meetings with Traditional Owners. 

“I got to attend consultation meetings, where the NLC discuss land use proposals with Traditional Owners. This was a really rewarding experience, hearing from Traditional Owners firsthand about how they feel about activities proposed to be performed on their land.  

Connecting with other Aurora Interns and locals while in Darwin, Hannah made new friendships. 

“I connected with a few other interns in Darwin, which made the experience even more enriching the interns and locals I met and connected with in Darwin are people who I have made amazing friendships with which will last long after the internship experience. 

“I would highly recommend the Aurora Foundation’s Internship Program to anyone considering it.” 

Summarising her internship experience, Hannah said: 

“Before coming to the NLC I had no experience with land law and hadn’t even studied my property law unit yet. However, I learnt a great deal during my placement and lawyers at the organisation entrusted me with various tasks, despite my own self-doubt at times.  

“The whole experience made me realise I am more prepared for legal work and that I am capable of working and contributing to real change as a future lawyer.” 

The Aurora Internship Program offers full time internships for 4-6 weeks or part-time equivalents at organisations working to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Aurora supports Indigenous and selected non-Indigenous interns to develop practical skills, gain real-world career experience and build professional networks. Applications for internships are open now!

Aurora prioritises supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and graduates to secure funded internships that are relevant to the candidate’s study or career aspirations. Indigenous interns will be provided with a weekly stipend of $800 (pro rata for part-time internships) and up to $2,800 (incl. GST) to cover the cost of travel and accommodation.