A sole for every surface

Computers, cameras and mobile phones ain't the only things 'ruggedised' in remote Indigenous communities - in fact, all the magnesium, titanium and triple-seals in the world are no match for the feet of Aboriginal kids across the Territory.
In the two months I've been up here, I'm yet to see one kid wearing a pair of shoes in any of the three communities I'm working with. That's not to say that things are so bad there's no shoes for the children; rather, that like singlets, shirts and most other clothes, shoes are just another burden getting in the way of going outside.
It doesn't matter what sort of track, trail or surface - it's bare feet all the way. Bitumen road at midday in the middle of summer? No worries! Broken shale that will slash the sidewall of a reinforced truck tyre? Bring it on! 10-foot tall spear grass with who-knows-how-many brown snakes slithering through it? No problem!
Is it any wonder these kids give me a funny look when I tell them I'll be ready to come outside in five minutes, or as soon as I've laced-up my Vibram-soled, double-stitched, Gore-Tex-lined hiking boots with reinforced heavy-duty tread?