Following the record March flooding in mid-western Queensland the Innisfail - Fitzgerald Rotary Club and Innisfail Variety Queensland and their Innisfail supporters with support of Sisters Of The North have banded together to assist with the regions post flood recovery.

These amazingly community minded organisations jumped at the opportunity to assist the Daradgee Environmental Education Centre to host 34 year three to six students and their teachers from Julia Creek and Richmond State Schools for a week of Cassowary Coast hospitality.

This assistance came in the form of a fully sponsored camp for these students from 8th to the 15th of October this year.

This generosity assisted the Julia Creek and Richmond communities to get back to their routine after seven months of challenging recovery.

During an 11 hour bus trip the Mid-West Queensland students had plenty of opportunity to reacquaint just in time to spend the rest of the week mixing in on camp with another 43 year three to six students from Chillagoe, Mutchilba and Walkamin State Schools.

This exchange between these truly diverse groups of rural/regional students was a great experience - the socialising, problem solving and getting along experiences helped everyone build on life skills which they can rely on into the future.

During the week the students from the five schools worked in year level cohorts experiencing formal photography lessons, fresh water studies at Polly Creek and on the North Johnstone River and took on team challenges including Daradgee's Low Ropes Challenge Course and Indoor Climbing Wall.

These activities were backed up with movie, quiz and disco nights before the Tablelander's headed home on Friday the 11th.

From there the westerners visited Etty Bay, snorkelled at Frankland Island, experienced the Cairns Aquarium, took in a movie and went to the Babinda Boulders before returning west.

Importantly the Julia Creek and Richmond students played host to 30 members of the Innisfail Rotary and Variety Queensland for a thank you dinner and celebration the night prior to departure.

Both the students and the Rotary and Variety guests thoroughly enjoyed the interactions, speeches and photo and video displays.

On behalf of the Daradgee EEC staff and all of the students and staff involved in the camp experience thank you to the Innisfail - Fitzgerald Rotary Club, Innisfail Variety Queensland and their Innisfail supporters and the Sisters Of The North.

Having attended a couple of the meetings and reacquainting with many of the members of these groups it is amazing to see the levels of charity and generosity these individuals and organisations have.

These groups fully funded this experience which these students will never forget.

Thank you to the principals, staff and families of the students of Julia creek and Richmond and to Sam Pagano, Andrew Portelli and Alf Gullotta and your members.

This has been an invaluable experience.

Noel Cristaudo,

Principal

Daradgee Environmental Education Centre