Official Visit to Tambo State School

Thank you very much for inviting me to your warmly welcoming and charming school. It is a pleasure to be here.

I at once acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands around Tambo, and extend respectful greetings to Elders and emerging leaders.

I was delighted to find out that reading is the main priority of Tambo State School, because reading is one of my favourite things to do, especially this week, Book Week! It is wonderful to see you all dressed up as your favourite characters!

Being Governor of Queensland, the representative of Her Majesty The Queen in our State, people ask me how I find time for reading. My answer is simple: I make time for it.

I prioritise it. My work requires me to travel a lot.

I have had the privilege, with Kaye, of visiting over 200 regional centres in my five years so far as Governor.

That averages to about a trip a week. Since the pilot will not let me fly the plane, I seize the opportunity to read.

I read for enjoyment, but I do not only read novels. I read for my work. Before I meet The Queen at Buckingham Palace, I read quite a lot!

Before I travel to a community, like Tambo, I do a lot of reading about it, because I really want to get to know and understand the history and the people of a place.

For example, what I already love about Tambo: you are the Teddy Bear capital of Australia! You have coloured chicken races every day! You are the oldest town in the Central West and your school was opened in 1876, so it was very much a pioneer in education in Queensland.

I know that you are a very impressive school! I knew that from reading, but also from being here and feeling the warmth of your welcome.  

So you see that reading opens up a whole world of knowledge to you, knowledge that is not just words on a page, but which is relevant and important to your life.

I encourage you to read at every opportunity – and teachers, that includes you! I am the product myself of two teachers – some habits never die!

Thank you for giving Kaye and me the opportunity to learn a little bit about your wonderful school. Thank you to Principal, Mrs MacDonnell, and staff for assisting with today’s visit. I look forward very much to shortly meeting student leaders, and to touring classrooms. I wish you a most successful and invigorating school year.