Maningrida's population has swelled from 2,600 to 4,000 because people have returned to avoid the threat of COVID-19 in towns and because the wet season cuts off their more remote tiny homeland communities.
"We're out until 5:30 in the morning each night and there are a lot of young kids that walk around at night because they're too scared to go home," Ms Brown said.
"There's a lot of overcrowding in houses. We need more housing. There's just not enough. There's not enough food, not enough beds for them."
She said when she has asked children as young as nine why they have broken into businesses and services they mostly cite boredom.
"There's nothing in the community for them, there's no activities," she said.
