Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Saturday I joined in the 11th annual Bush to Beach weekend, held at South Narrabeen Surf Life Saving Club in my electorate of Mackellar, and I was welcomed by Ken Passmore. The program, which I have been involved with since the beginning, enables Aboriginal students, 40 of them this year, to come from Brewarrina in remote Western New South Wales to visit the beach. For many of them, this is the first time they have seen the ocean.

Bush to Beach began in 2006 with Jack Cannons AM a driving force, together with South Narrabeen Surf Life Saving Club and wonderful people such as Beryl Driver OAM and many others. The idea is to encourage school attendance and participation and reward young Aboriginal children selected from Brewarrina who demonstrate a good school attendance record and overall good behaviour. After a 12-hour bus journey, they enjoyed learning water safety, basic first aid and surfing instruction, and had a wonderful baked dinner and entertainment prepared by the surf life savers. There were gorgeous kids like Tianna, Brett and Burra, 'Australian of the Year for Bre', who I am sure will succeed and become a paramedic. Missing was Aunty Joyce, who contributed so much, but her sister Aunty Frances is now included.

This program is so important as it enables these young Aboriginal children to expand their horizons and imagine what is possible if they continue to attend school and work hard. Benefits to individual children who have been in need of special help have been delivered as well. Congratulations to all who make this such an inspirational event.