Media Release
Robinson River kids prepare for big city adventure
Wednesday 17 August 2005
Students from Robinson River School in the Northern Territory’s Gulf Country are packing their bags in preparation for an adventure like none they’ve had before. It will be the first time the students have left the NT, and they are bound for the bright lights of Melbourne as part of a reciprocal exchange program with the Carey Baptist Grammar School.
Robinson River School Teaching Principal Helen Webber said the exchange program aims to help break down the distance and cultural divide. “Our students are really looking forward to reconnecting with their city friends – friends that really do come from a vastly different community and culture.”
The exchange program is the collaboration of Ms Webber and also the Head of Junior School at Carey Baptist Grammar, Sue Ramsey. The two principals have arranged to bring their students together to develop friendships, communication, understanding and respect for each other's way of life and culture.
The eight Indigenous Robinson River students aged 10-13 years, and their two teachers leave Robinson River today to begin their great adventure. After overnighting at Mataranka, they fly from Darwin for Melbourne on Friday 19 August at 12.30am (on Qantas flight QF 817).
“The students are unbelievably excited about their trip to Melbourne. Aside from being the first time out of the Territory for all of our students, it will be a ‘first’ for so many of the things they will do – like seeing snow, riding trams, and seeing exotic animals, which they’ll do at the Melbourne Zoo,” Ms Webber said.
As part of their trip, the students will visit the Melbourne Museum, the Rialto Tower, the Melbourne Aquarium, and the Victoria Markets. They’ll see an AFL match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, will visit the beach at Williamstown, and will travel to Lake Mountain for an alpine experience.
“We’ve arranged for the kids to take a water taxi to the docks to see the loading and unloading of transport ships, and will also visit a factory to examine the processes of manufacturing and enterprise,” Ms Webber said.
The students will stay in accommodation on campus at Carey Baptist Grammar School where they will take part in sports coaching sessions, along with language based and cultural exchange activities.
Ms Webber explained the initial idea for the exchange program was borne when Sue Ramsey visited the NT and realised what her city students were missing in not having the opportunity to meet Indigenous people, and learn about their ways and culture.
“Sue appreciated that staff and students in her school had much to learn from Indigenous Australians, so raised the idea of establishing a link between our students,” Ms Webber said.
Students from the two schools have since traded letters and postcards, and first ‘visited’ each other via the internet and a webcam. The students’ first real face-to-face occurred in June this year, when a group of students and staff from Carey Baptist Grammar School visited little Robinson River School for a nine-day NT adventure.
“The exchange program is all about the sharing of knowledge, and developing reconciliation between cultures,” she said. “The recent visit by the city kids to our community enabled them to engage in cultural activities, learn about the land, the people, their language and their customs. Now it’s time for the kids from the bush to learn something about a life very different to theirs.”
Ms Webber acknowledged the support from Qantas, which has funded the flights for the exchange program. “The Carey Baptist Grammar School community and parents association have also assisted us with travel bags and warm clothes for the trip, and even arranged for Nike to provide the kids with new sports shoes.”
Melbourne based Gozer Media has embraced the story and are making a documentary on the exchange.
Robinson River School
Robinson River School is a small two-teacher school located
about 80 km west of the Gulf of Carpentaria and 150 km from Borroloola.
Wet
season rains can cut access to Robinson River for up to five months
each year.
Carey Baptist Grammar School
Carey Baptist Grammar
School is situated in the leafy suburb of Kew in Melbourne. It
is a large private school with about 2000 students from Prep
to Year 12.