Tassie family off to Cape for life lesson
THE Hughes family of Flowerpot is off on another adventure, this time to a remote Aboriginal community in Far North Queensland where they will live, work and learn.
Andrew, 42, and Nicola, 37, who are teachers, took their children Hope, 7, and Wilfy, 5, on a cycling trip around Australia in 2019, arriving home south of Hobart in December of that year.
With COVID ruining their plans for an overseas expedition, the couple sent their resumes to a bunch of schools around Australia and were offered roles at the Pormpuraaw State School on the west
coast of Cape York Peninsula.
They plan to stay for two years. “It’s very wet up there at the moment because of the cyclone and normally at this time of year you can’t drive. Anyway, it’s very remote, like being on an island,” Mr Hughes said.
He said the kids, who are going into Grade 2 and prep, will attend the school, where Andrew will teach a flexible learning class and Nicola will help the older children transition to high school.
“The school only goes to Year 6 and there’s a long tradition of the kids going to boarding school,” Mr Hughes said.
“I think from a personal point of view Nic and I want to contribute to the school and find out how remote education and communities work. At the same time we’re there to do a job, which is be part of kids’ education, help them make progress and create new opportunities with the community if we can.”
Having spent a month in Pormpuraaw, Mr Hughes said he was excited about the opportunities and challenges
that awaited his young family.
“It’s very hot obviously, and very humid and very flat compared with Tasmania, but the beaches are amazing,” he said. “They have the most abundant shell life I’ve ever seen and there are barramundi jumping out of the water, it’s a fisherman’s paradise.
“The kids up there are gorgeous and welcoming and friendly and I think Hope and Wilfy will run around and have a great time. They’ll enjoy not having to wear shoes to school”.
I THINK FROM A PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW NIC AND I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCHOOL AND FIND OUT HOW REMOTE EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES WORK.
ANDREW HUGHES