Bright future for Bourke’s children. First sod turned at site of new family hub

Maxine Mackay, Ujjala Koundinya, Jen Ruanne, Prue Ritchie, Leonie Brown, Sally Fall, Luca Willoughby, Lochie Ford, Alister Ferguson, Kate Washington, Tracey New, Emma Stephens, Julianne Carrol, Pat Canty, Alegra Luschwitz, Emma Gregory, Katherine Tonner, Stephen Lawrence, Margie Stewart, Laura Dern, Amanda Bell, Priscila Luschwitz. Insets: Artists impressions of the proposed Aboriginal Families and Childrens Centre (L) and the new Bourke Preschool (R). Photo: Beverley Callow/Supplied

Story by Tricia Duffield

The turning of the first sod on the site of a new Aboriginal Child and Family Centre was a deeply significant event during NAIDOC week, heralding a bright new future for children in Bourke.

The event saw Elders, families, staff and educators from Bourke and District Children’s Services (BDCS) and team members from Maranguka, as well as Minister for Families Kate Washington and Labor Duty MLC Stephen Lawrence in attendance.

The ceremony was the beginning of a new chapter for Bourke’s children, witnessed by those who had worked hard over many years to get the project off the ground.

The first sod was turned at the Yanmali site, adjacent to the Bourke golf course, with Minister Kate Washington given the honour of putting the first shovel into the ground. The site will eventually form a hub for early childhood services and a much-needed purpose-built preschool. […]

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