Margaret May (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Tugun Bypass is the more important road, Bernie! On 2 February 2007 I launched a Green Corps project at Merrimac and congratulated a team of 10 volunteers who are taking part in restoring and beautifying part of the Merrimac State School grounds. Alex, Cameron, Clayton, Gavin, Jayson, Jo, Jess, Johnson, Rick and Victoria are led by team leader Ed Groweg, who is passionate about youth development and the environment. Ed’s enthusiasm is rubbing off on the volunteers and he is excited to see them developing as a team.

The project is officially called the Riparian and Environmental Area Restoration, Merrimac Green Corps Project, and the volunteers are currently in week 14 of a six-month project. To date they have cleared a significant area of weeds, mulched the area and planted approximately 3,000 native trees and shrubs. Repairs to the boardwalk are planned for the next stage.

At the launch two members of the Green Corps program, Victoria and Clayton, spoke about the program saying it was a ‘unique opportunity to make a difference to the environment, community, to themselves and to each other’. Teamwork is a strong factor in making this project successful; however, each individual’s strengths are encouraged and developed as they are discovered.

The enthusiasm of the team and their pride in their achievements to date were obvious at the launch, but what is quite unique about the project is that the team have joined forces to form a band playing the drums. One of their members, Victoria, an aspiring teacher, taught them the basics. They had only been practising together for two days and they put on a fantastic show. They have natural rhythm, and so impressed the young students watching the launch that the students requested the school principal to ask the band to play at one of the school assemblies. Their appreciation at being involved with such a great team was apparent when they presented chocolates to Ed’s wife, Di, who sewed the patches onto their uniforms.

Randall Pointing, the principal of Merrimac State School, is delighted with the results so far and very grateful for the funding of this project. Dr Pointing said the federal government helped out the school in 2000 when they were given a federation grant to do some basic work on clearing a small area and a track. Ian and Ross, the groundsmen, do a great job, but they have their hands full with work around school buildings. It was only in 1998-99 that the land was discovered to belong to Education Queensland—the school, too. It had been difficult to make proper use of the area before then.

Together with Gillian Ainscough, the project development officer from Job Futures, the school put in a submission to be part of a Green Corps project. Job Futures are doing a fantastic job with the ongoing coordination of the project, and Jaime Clark, coordinator of Green Corps at Job Futures, said they have had no trouble finding kids to take on positions in the team when changeovers have happened.

It is a shame that due to the classification of the Gold Coast as an urban area we are restricted to approximately six Green Corps projects each year. Halfway through the project, the benefits are clear. The kids from the school hardly recognised the area and were excited by the potential they saw for utilising the space. Ed and the Green Corps team have developed a resource and facility not only for the current students at Merrimac primary school but also for visitors, future schoolchildren and the school’s neighbours—users of the Lakelands golf course and the residents of Hill View House, who take daily walks through the area.

Hill View House is an aged-care home, and the project has provided a secure area for recreation for the dementia and aged-care patients, who can be escorted down to the peaceful clearing. The children of Merrimac primary school visit the residents of Hill View House on a daily basis and have their favourite ‘oldies’.

The project has the support of the local Indigenous people of the Gold Coast, and an Indigenous trail to celebrate Gin House Creek’s historical importance as a place for food-gathering will be built as part of the project.

I am amazed at the achievements so far and certain that many other local schools will want their own Green Corps team. Green Corps is one of the most successful Commonwealth government programs ever, with more than 16,000 young Australians participating since 1997. It is great for building skills, confidence, self-esteem and pathways to future careers. For example, some of the Green Corps members are considering taking up landscaping training and others are off to university. In addition, participants receive an allowance of $283 per week—that goes down very well. It is great to hear of young people doing so well when usually we only hear about what young people are not doing. I commend all those involved in the project. I know that at the end of six months we are going to have something that will last forever.