Community Bushland Walk for International Youth Day, as part of Queensland Walks Month

Health and Wellbeing Queensland Chief Executive Officer, Dr Robyn Littlewood, Executive Director, Ms Gemma Hodgetts, staff and volunteers; Queensland Walks Executive Officer, Ms Anna Campbell; Deadly Choices Ambassadors, Mr Steve Renouf, Mr Petero Civoniceva and Mr Patrick Johnson; boys and girls; and, of course, all of our keen bushwalkers! Welcome to Government House.

I begin by acknowledging the original custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and pay my respects Elders, past, present and emerging. I also extend my respects to any First Nations people here today.

Graeme and I am delighted to welcome you to Government House for our third Community Bushland Walk, and our first as part of Queensland Walks month.

I would like to thank Health and Wellbeing Queensland for their ongoing support of these walks. I am very proud to be Patron of an organisation that is actively driving health and wellbeing outcomes for all Queenslanders to ‘make healthy happen’.

Today’s walk also falls on International Youth Day, with this year’s theme being ‘Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages’ – a reminder to us, of a basic truth: we need people of all ages, young and old alike, to join forces to build a better world for all.

Part of this essential collaboration is supporting young people on their health and wellbeing journey – both through the provision of a quality education, and through being positive role models by implementing healthy practices in our own day-to-day lives. Today is a wonderful ‘step’ in that direction – so thank you all for joining the bushwalk today.

Graeme and I do sincerely believe that Fernberg is very much ‘the people’s estate’, and we’ve enjoyed seeking out new opportunities to welcome Queenslanders inside the gates – from our Picnic Sunday last weekend to today’s community bushwalk, and our upcoming Open Day as part of Brisbane Open House, we are delighted to be welcoming so many of you to share in these beautiful grounds.

Before we set off on today’s bushwalk, I would first like to invite Health and Wellbeing Queensland Chief Executive, Dr Robyn Littlewood, to say a few words…