Through the eyes of a child
❝ Everywhere I look, it’s all the same. Nowhere to ride my bike or play.
— Reannon ❝ With no food out of town, kangaroos have invaded our school grounds and this means we cannot go out to play. Our grass is so much sweeter compared to the dust out of town.
— Ellie
❝When I walk along the path, all I see is dead trees and brown dirt.
— Cate
CHILDREN’S photography gives us a special insight into how they are viewing the world around them.
The Our Strength during the Drought project is giving students at St Joseph’s Catholic School, Barcaldine, the opportunity to express their experience in words and images.
School principal Annie Wachtel said the 13 upper level students at St Joseph’s had worked on the project.
“The older students have really enjoyed learning about photography through the project,” she said.
“It’s also given them space to think about how the drought has impacted families in the region.”
The school has a strong community focus, and welcomes involvement in projects such as Our Strength during the Drought.
“We do try to get out into the community, and be involved in community service and projects in any way that we can,” Ms Wachtel said.
Drought effects can take many forms and the small school of 24 students has found its maintained open grass spaces are attracting large numbers of kangaroos into the school grounds.
“It’s a real problem,” Ms Wachtel said.
“It has just been so dry, they are coming in to places like our school, where they can find green grass and water.”
One roo created great
❝This guy didn’t stand a chance.
— Enzo
❝even Drought – at its worst, this drought will never kill Barcaldine’s natural beauty.
— Anna
excitement among students when it raided the lettuce in the school’s vegie patch.
For child safety, parents have banded together to drive roos from the school grounds.