Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When you have the largest electorate on Sydney's outskirts, and your community is active and engaged, you know that weekends are going to involve clocking up a few kilometres. I want to share some of the wonderful events that occurred one recent Saturday. It began with the biennial Kurrajong Public School fete, where the P&C team, led by Vanessa Pilgrim, put together the biggest cake stall I've had the pleasure to indulge in for a while, a giant plant sale and a treasure trove of white elephant, plus plenty of fun for the kids. Principal Sean Montgomery, as MC, kept the energy high, and the community and generous local businesses made a big difference to this 300-student local public school.

I next had the privilege of being part of the ceremony to award Andrew MacCormick, from the 1st Glossodia Scouts, his Queen's Scout Award. These awards are hard to achieve, and Andrew's award is testament to his long commitment as a scout and his leaders' and family's support. The Glossodia Scouts made it a memorable occasion, and I look forward to seeing where this impressive young man heads as he completes his HSC and takes on the world.

My final daytime stop was an hour and a half away at the top of the Blue Mountains, at Megalong Public School. This little school, which averages around 12 students, is nestled in one of the most picturesque valleys in the mountains. It's a central part of the community, and its 125th anniversary showed just that: past students and teachers, current families and local Aboriginal elders coming together to recognise public education.