Official Visit to Boyne Island State School

Mr Mayor; Principal, Mr Hurst; staff and students of the wonderful Boyne Island State School.

I too acknowledge the traditional owners of these lands, and extend respectful greetings to Elders and emerging leaders.

 Kaye and I are delighted to be here today. We are based in Gladstone this week for what we call Regional Government House.

 Each year, we relocate Government House – the official residence of The Queen’s representative in Queensland – from Brisbane to a regional centre. From there, I do everything I would normally do in Brisbane – signing important documents for parliament, visiting schools, and thanking people who make Queensland a better place to live.

We bring staff up from Brisbane, host community receptions like we would at Government House, and even bring the Crown number plates which go on the vehicle in which I travel.  

Our only regret is that we could not bring our official Vice-Regal Dog, Gavel the German Shepherd, along with us!

I think he would have enjoyed meeting Flame, your own special School Support Dog! Like Flame, Gavel wears a special uniform – a coat featuring the Queensland badge and the Governor’s Standard.

Kaye is very excited to shortly read a book about Gavel to the Year 1 class. 

While based in Gladstone, we very much wanted to visit some of the smaller towns of this region. That is why we are here in Boyne Island.

Like you, I grew up in small towns, and went to schools about the same size as Boyne Island State School – in Longreach and Maryborough.

Growing up in regional Queensland sets you up for a fulfilling life, especially when you are part of a wonderful school community like this one.

I was impressed to learn of your School’s wholesome approach to learning – as your motto states, ‘A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body’.

I know the School is very proud of its instrumental and music programmes – understandable, given the wonderful performance we have just witnessed; we look forward to shortly hearing the vocal club.

I was also impressed to learn of the full and busy curriculum on offer: robotics; many different sports; art and dance; and, of course, a focus on reading, which is very important.

Thank you all for welcoming us to your School. Kaye and I look forward to visiting classrooms and meeting many more of the wonderful students and staff of Boyne Island State School.