Mark Coulton (Parkes, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to bring to the attention of the Australian parliament a wonderful project that's happening in my electorate in the village of Hermidale. Hermidale Public School has seven students. Due to the generosity of a neighbouring farmer, they are now growing a crop of wheat on 85 hectares adjoining their school. Through this process—and through some very generous donations of machinery, fertiliser, chemicals and the like from the local community—these students are learning about a whole range of things: agronomy, budgeting, the fact that something worthwhile takes planning and time to develop, and the rewards that come from hard work.

I was really thrilled to be out there a couple of weeks ago in the paddock with these kids. To have a kindergarten lad tell you about how a GPS works is a bit of a thrill, really. They are genuine country kids. Hermidale is about 50 kilometres west of Nyngan in the Central West of New South Wales.

I'd like to mention the Hermidale Future Farmers: Ruby Mudford, Oliver Sheather, Abbie Smith, Marlie Jensen, Matilda Mudford, Jimmy Smith and Ned Gunning. They're doing a great job. They're real country kids. The skills they learn will not only set them up to be future farmers but set them up for a future as whatever they want to be. (Time expired)