By Associated Press, 03/21/02

DARWIN, Australia -- Wanting to encourage safe sex within isolated Aboriginal communities, health officials have come up with a novel idea: hanging condoms in trees.

An indigenous health service official said Thursday that the initiative has reduced sexually transmitted disease among Aborigines -- many of whom gather in the shade of trees to socialize.

Patrick Davies from the Nindilingarri cultural health service at Fitzroy Crossing said the town once had the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases in the remote Kimberley mountains region in the north of Western Australia state.

But, partly thanks to the condom-tree program, infection rates are now falling.

Aborigines often congregate under trees outside the town's bar or at a popular area a few miles away to drink and catch up with friends.

The condoms dangle in canisters made from plastic piping slung from wire hooks in the trees.

Davies said when the program began three years ago, virtually no Aborigines were getting condoms from the only two outlets in town -- the supermarket and district hospital.

Now the valley's 3,500 people were using up to 3,000 condoms a month, he said.