Morning Tea to Open The Governor’s Courtyard

Thank you, Official Secretary for, if I may say, those very interesting and pertinent remarks.

Kaye and I were greeted to a magnificent scene upon our return to Fernberg last Thursday afternoon from personal leave overseas. The dusty worksite we had left only three and a half weeks’ before had been transformed into something that, frankly, eclipsed our most ambitious expectations.

Our delight was commensurate with the potential of this elegant space.

I join the Official Secretary in expressing appreciation for all involved with this courtyard project.

I am as mentioned especially delighted by the inclusion of the fountain, manufactured, I am proud to say, by a Brisbane company and aptly named Elegance.

This fountain is to my mind captivatinglycontemporary – and it will always refresh with its continuous gentle play of water – re-circulated water.

Kaye and I are very proud to have been the incumbents while a number of significant improvements to the estate have been accomplished: the relocation of the Dowie bronze statue of Her Majesty The Queen in 2016; the Sesquicentenary project with the equal access lifts and this porte–cochere, earlier on; the Rainforest Retreat opened by Kaye in 2016; the Bick and Bailey Corridor launched just last year…and always along the way the House interior has been both maintained and improved: it currently “gleams” in anticipation of those 20,000 Queenslanders who will likely pass through this year.

While in State terms our own brief time here tends to the evanescent, projects like these are of real, lasting benefit to Queenslanders who proudly acknowledge their Government House as an important symbol of statehood.  

I am sure to illustrate that, if canvassed, the 12,500 people who came through for “Christmas Lights” over those eight nights last December, over just 8-10 hours, would confirm that with alacrity.

We are, ladies and gentlemen, delighted you have joined us today. You are all wonderful Queenslanders, and per se, rightly part of the living heritage of this magnificent estate.

I think this will likely be the last “opening” here in my term – though there are still 18 months to run and one should not incautiously forecast.  While the Official Secretary thanks us for our cooperative approach, it is really important I acknowledge today the wonderful work of all who have achieved these developments over the last 5+ years. 

It is my great honour now to declare officially open the Gailey Fountain and the Governor’s (that is, ‘apostrophe ‘s’’) Courtyard – and may that placement be the source of spirited discussion for generations of pedants to come! Thank you.