Prime Minister Tony Abbott has wrapped his week-long stint in remote Queensland by calling on his opposition counterpart to follow in his footsteps.
Mr Abbott flew south from the Northern Peninsula Area on Friday after touring the region and the Torres Strait islands for five days and spending time with locals and elders.
As one of his parting messages, he urged Labor leader Bill Shorten to make the same pledge to spend one week every year in a remote indigenous community.
"It is important that we don't lose sight of the issues facing remote Australia," Mr Abbott told reporters.
He played down criticisms the trip had been a photo opportunity, saying no other prime minister had ever committed to such an extensive look at indigenous communities.
"I hope this might set some sort of precedent for future prime ministers," he said.
Mr Abbott's highlight was the improvement in schools and quality of classrooms and the enthusiasm of locals to have a go.
"We are transforming individuals, we are transforming communities and I think this is a change which is, in the coming years, going to sweep through indigenous Australia," he said.
Australians are expected to go to the polls next year but Mr Abbott reconfirmed his election commitment to book a similar trip next year.
He spruiked the government's revamped work for the dole program and hinted there could be more jobs in creating commercial-scale community gardens.
After kicking off his final day with a boot camp session with locals, Mr Abbott hopped on a boat and drove out to join rangers in their conservation and biosecurity work.
He said the region was Australia's front line, with the proximity of Papua New Guinea leaving it vulnerable to disease and foreign species.
The rangers showed Mr Abbott their efforts eradicating foreign termites and protecting turtle eggs from wild dogs and pigs.
Ranger co-ordinator Warren Strevens said the program had been the talk of the whole community since it was implemented six years ago.
"Just about every young man in each of the communities up here wants to be a ranger," he said.
Rangers are employed outside of the work for dole program and enjoy one of the few full-time jobs in the area.
Mr Abbott was joined by several ministers throughout the week, including Attorney-General George Brandis, Health Minister Sussan Ley and Social Services Minister Scott Morrison.
He visited the gravesite of land rights campaigner Eddie Mabo, held several community barbecues, visited local schools and attended a remembrance ceremony to honour Torres Strait Island veterans.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said locals had been delighted to have so much time to talk to ministers about their challenges and offer some solutions.
Just before Mr Abbott left the region, he was bailed up by a group of local primary school kids who thanked him for visiting their home.
"We are a remote indigenous community so don't normally get visits like this," one said to him.
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