Gayndah Community Welcome Reception

North Burnett Regional Council Mayor, Councillor Les Hotz and CEO Ms Margot Stork; Councillor Dael Giddins; Wide Bay and Burnett District RSL President, Mr Neville Tarry; Gayndah RSL & Sub-Branch President Mr Stephen Adams and Vice-President, Mr Boyd Baker, and members of the local community.

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Gayndah and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people with us this evening.

It’s now a little more than two years since I began my term as Queensland’s 27th Governor. At my swearing-in in November 2021, I made a public pledge to support the people of our State by travelling widely to meet Queenslanders.

I’m pleased to say that Graeme and I have now visited well over one-hundred regional centres from Cape York to the southern border and the remote western plains. In each of them we’ve been delighted to discover the commitment and pride that creates and sustains cohesive, caring communities. This week, we’re adding Gayndah, Mundubbera, Eidsvold and Biggenden to the tally.

As Queensland’s former Chief Health Officer, I was committed to the health and wellbeing of Queenslanders, and this has continued through another of my declared goals when I was sworn in: to visit every public hospital in the State during my five-year term of office.

I was very pleased to visit the Gayndah Hospital today because small rural hospitals like this are critically important to the community and a vital part of the State’s network of healthcare services.

My visits today have also included the marvellous Heritage Room at Gayndah State School. It’s wonderful to see that school building preserved as part of our State’s heritage, and the first teacher,
Mr Hercules Smith, would certainly be proud to see that, after 160 years, his legacy continues to be embraced by the school and the community.

One of my most solemn duties today was to lay a wreath at the Gayndah War Memorial. Just three years after the Great War, in 1921, this exceptional monument was erected to honour the hundreds of Gayndah men – some 270 of them – who volunteered to fight for King and country in that conflict. Additional plaques recognise the hundreds of other service personnel who have fought, some of them giving their lives, in subsequent conflicts.

It is a sobering reminder of the price of war and, on behalf of all Queenslanders, as Joint Patrons of the Returned and Services League in Queensland, Graeme and I thank the leaders and members of Wide Bay district and Gayndah branch for their continued commitment to honouring and supporting those who serve.

My visits today, including a trip to the delightfully named Blue Cow Citrus Orchard at Mount Debatable, are much more than official, social occasions; they are important because they give me the opportunity to hear directly from the community about developments and successes, as well as challenges and concerns.

This is invaluable to me as Governor as it enables me to ask informed questions in my weekly Executive Council meetings with the Premier and his Ministers. It’s a vital part of our democratic system.

I thank you all for accepting the invitation to be here this evening. Graeme and I look forward to meeting you all.