Volume 1, Issue 6

September, 2013

PaCE Matters Facebook: www.facebook.com/PaCE.Cherbourg

Webpage: www.cherbourg.qld.gov.au/

Phone: (07) 4168 2330 - Mobile: 0403 002 306

PETRO Civoniceva’s parents

brought him to Australia for a bet-

ter life and found it.

His father, Petero (snr), flew

from Fiji with his wife Tima, so he

could play for the Redcliffe De-

mons rugby union side.

It was strictly an amateur role in

the 1970s but the couple brought

their six-month-old son Petero

(jnr) because they believed he’d

have a better future in the land

Downunder.

It was a great risk to break from

their family and friends but it paid

off.

Petero (jnr) and his following sis-

ters of Lily and Lusi flourished in

the bayside town.

They went to school every day on

time and it was at Humpybong

State School that Petero found his

love for rugby league.

As a boy he was scrawny and

nothing above average until he

made his first representative side

at the age of 16.

Continue page 3 →

Footy star’s message: school will

give strength for deadly future

Who’s that with Mayor Ken Bone? Footy star Petero Civoniceva dropped in to Cherbourg to say ‘g’day’ and urge children to make the most

of the opportunities school will give them.

Page 2

Say 'g’day’ to Waverly for me: Petero Civoniceva caught

up with Grace Stanley, the mother of his former friend

and Yalari founder, Waverly. Waverly was also an inspi-

ration to Petero when he played with Redcliffe Dolphins’

A Grade side while the Australian rugby league great

was still going to school. Yalari organisation offers qual-

ity, secondary education scholarships at Australia's lead-

ing boarding schools for Indigenous children.

Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council CEO, Warren Collins, Ration Shed

Museum cultural administration officer Rocco Langton and Shaftsbury’s

alternative schooling deputy principal Bevan Costello were only too happy

to trade stories with rugby league great (second from left) Petero

Civoniceva.

Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek gets a lesson from

Ada Simpson about what the Ration Shed Museum provides to its resi-

dents and visitors.

Grace Stanley, Sandra Morgan, Rocco Langton, Ada Simpson and Alzira

Conlon were gracious hosts to footy star Petero Civoniceva and Queens-

land Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek.

Only too happy to help: Queensland Educa-

tion Minister John-Paul Langbroek helped

promote the Ration Shed Museum’s educa-

tion resources for schools.

Volume 1, Issue 6

Page 3

From page 1

From there Petero flourished and went on to play

front row prop in 40 games for Australia, more than

30 for Queensland and won three NRL premierships

with the Broncos.

He officially retired after playing in the Redcliffe Dol-

phins side that was knocked from the Queensland

Cup a few weeks ago.

Petero is now grateful for his daily schooling. He

can read, write, add up and developed strong social

skills. These allow him to co-own the Pacific Cleaning,

Brisbane-Sydney, firm and work as an NRL commu-

nity engagement officer.

Making school deadly cool

It was in the latter role Petero travelled to Cher-

bourg-Murgon on September 3 with the Queensland

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek.

Petero brought the NRL’s Tackle Bullying to the

local schools.

He also delivers Rugby League Reads and Eat Well,

Play Well, Stay Well programs for the NRL.

“I’m passionate about it,” he said of his work.

“Being a rugby league player I’ve always been

aware I can have a positive influence on young people

and be a role model and mentor to our young support-

ers.

“I look back my father’s decision to come to Austral-

ia and my own life and tell people ‘don’t doubt your-

self, go out there and grab those opportunities that

are there’. Nobody is going to give you those opportu-

nities for free. You have to work hard for what you

want in life.”

And Petero said failure is usually part of the jour-

ney.

“You’re going to get some knocks, take some falls,

but you have to bounce back and keep going,” he said.

“That’s part of the life experience and it starts with

school.

“It’s about getting up every day, putting in the effort

and the rewards will come.”

“You can do anything if you’re prepared to work for

it and I’d encourage parents to send their children to

school every day on time, so they have the best chance

of achieving their dreams and leading a productive

life.”

Petero makes school

count for his future

Petero Civoniceva with South Burnett Junior Rugby League

life member and Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council CEO War-

ren Collins was able to swap some on-field war stories

A giant between roses: Ada Simpson and Sandra Morgan were stoked

to host Petero Civoniceva at their Ration Shed Museum in Cher-

bourg.

“It’s about getting up every day, putting

in the effort and the rewards will

come.”

Page 4

CELESTE Purcell hates 3pm on Wednesdays.

It’s when she has to pack her things at Graham

House Community Centre’s transport service office.

“And I don’t want to go,” the Murgon State High

School, Year-12 student said of her weekly work expe-

rience.

She loves her day of laminating faxing, filing, mail

sorting, computer work and liaising with clients.

Celeste, 16, was nervous on her first day but settled

when colleague Amanda List said “that’s just because

you care”.

“And I did,” Celeste said of her wanting to impress

fellow workmates.

She has thrived in the job and believes it could be

the launch of a career in administration.

“I love working here,” Celeste said.

“I thought it would be very rigid like school but you

do things at your own pace, just as long as you get

them done.”

Celeste said her work colleagues also made her feel

comfortable.

So does she go home with a smile on her face?

“I do,” Celeste said.

Celeste finds love of

work through school

Neil Simpson

Sure thing, no worries: Graham House Community Centre workers

like Amanda List have made Murgon State High School student

Celeste Purcell’s weekly work experience a joy.

JACHAI Purcell and Elgan Saunders loved

their work experience at the Cherbourg

Farm and Murgon’s IGA.

Jachai has always wanted to become a

ringer on a station and spent a week moving

machinery, whipper snipping and labouring.

“I loved the hard work,” the Murgon State

High School, Year-10 student said.

Elgan is in the same grade and spent his

week unloading trucks, scanning goods at

the checkout, filling shelves, mopping and

sweeping.

He’s now been offered a school-based

traineeship at the store where he will work

one-day a week. “It was all fun and we did

loads of different things,” he said.

Hard work leads

to greater things

“It was all fun and we did

loads of different things.”

Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 5

CHERBOURG has moved towards having people own

their businesses in town.

Twenty employers, council and government officials

met on August 15 to discuss how to make this a reali-

ty.

It will involve Cherbourg people being involved in

the development of enterprises.

Should they prove their capabilities they will be giv-

en a chance to take the reigns as owner-managers.

“It will be a hand up, not a hand out,” Cherbourg

Aboriginal Shire Council economic development man-

ager Sean Nicholson said.

“It will take a while but we want the school kids to

graduate into employment where they can succeed.

“We don’t want CDEP (work for the dole) to be a

destination job. We want it to be a transition to a ca-

reer or a job people love to do.”

The first project is scheduled to be handed over next

month.

This will allow a local man to be promoted to the

ownership of a cutting edge agricultural project.

It will involve planting vegetables in charcoal and

controlling seed temperatures so the produce comes to

market earlier and fetches top dollar.

While the land and equipment will always be Cher-

bourg Aboriginal Shire Council’s the business will ef-

fectively become the current worker’s, who has earned

his stripes for the past three years.

The Yurri Muntha Café, cattle farm, joinery and

other council businesses may be operated in the same

manner at a later date.

It’s hoped success will bring other projects to the

fore.

“It’s a 20-year plan,” Mr Nicholson said.

“There are some great opportunities being devel-

oped.

“At the moment we’re in the people building stage

but laying the platform for a great future.”

Cherbourg goes to work for great future

Building people, building a future: Qld Government’s Indigenous

employment and training program coordinator, Petrina Villaflor,

and Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council’s economic development

manager, Sean Nicholson, are working with local businesses to

provide a happier working future for Cherbourg’s people.

Bright future ahead: (centre) Cherbourg Farm supervisor Duncan

Hegarty is set to run the business with the help of workers Jer-

maine Waterton, 19, and Clem Fisher, 29. A day on the farm can

have the men welding, fencing, building, driving heavy machinery…

It’s never dull and there’s heaps of variety.

(right) Cherbourg Farm Supervisor Duncan Hegarty tells Ackin-

close plumbing irrigation supervisor Derek Sander where he wants

things placed.

Page 6

KATHLEEN Hopkins feels calmer since she be-

came a classroom mentor at Cherbourg State

School more than two years ago.

The grandmother has had to overcome a form of

Lupus and family tragedies during that time but

comes to help the students almost every day.

She began assisting pre-prep children but has

moved to the cultural education room.

“It keeps me busy,” Kathleen said with a big

smile and a quiet voice.

“It makes me a lot less stressed. I’m not think-

ing about bad things. I’m thinking about positive

things.

“With the children’s education, you don’t want to

disappoint them. You have to keep strong for

them.”

Woman’s gift of giving

to children helps self

Kathleen Hopkins has gone to great lengths to help Cherbourg State

School children with their learning. She’s pictured in the Cultural

Education Room.

MARIAH Saltner was thriving as at the Cherbourg State School

pre-prep room.

Mariah spent each day helping children with play dough, play-

ing cricket and footy, singing, dancing, reading, counting and

sounding out letters, among other things.

“It’s fun,” Mariah, 18, said.

“I like playing with the kids.”

Teacher Shelley Miller said Mariah did an excellent job.

“She gets in and helps out and it's great to have her set of eyes

and hands,” Miss Shelley said.

“She’s built a positive, strong relationship with our students.”

Mariah makes children's day

Mariah Saltner pictured as a Barambah PaCE mentor

with (clockwise) Shari Dynevor, Erwin Carlo, Mary

Aubrey and Rosetta Sandow at Cherbourg State School.

THE QLD Government’s Indige-

nous Schooling Support unit has

put $35,000 towards a TV adver-

tisement that will encourage par-

ents to send their children to school

every day on time.

This was after Melbourne’s John

Lyons offered his international

award-winning television commer-

cial expertise to the Barambah

PaCE program at Cherbourg for the

cost of expenses only.

He’s recruited award winning cin-

ematographer Wayne Aistrope to

the effort.

The objective is to build an educa-

tion culture within communities.

Casting for potential talent will be

done in Kingaroy, Murgon, Cher-

bourg and Moffatdale schools from

October 14 – 18.

It’s hoped filming will occur on

November 11-12 before the ad is

aired early next year.

Work to make the ad go viral and

gain further sponsorship for wider

airing will also be done by the Ba-

rambah PaCE team.

Barambah PaCE coordinator Mar-

cus Priaulx said the support from

Mr Lyons, Mr Aistrope and the

Queensland Government was great-

ly appreciated.

“Most parents send their children

to school every day but far too many

don’t,” Mr Priaulx said.

“They can make all the excuses in

the world but their failure to do so

is harming their children.

“We’ve now got the best expertise

and government support to get the

message across that everyday does

count and every child’s future starts

today, every day. Every minute

missed from school is a wasted op-

portunity.”

Search for TV talent about to begin

Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 7

NEIL Simpson had no idea what he wanted to be when he left Murgon State

High School as a 17 year old.

He became a wood machinist for seven years before he was offered his current

role as a community education counsellor at the school he became educated in.

Neil spends his days liaising with students, staff, parents, communities and

government agencies to help with the smoother running of the school.

“It’s about forming partnerships and finding pathways for better student out-

comes such as further studies, employment and helping students find their

right direction,” Neil said

“I love doing it. I’ve had to overcome challenges in my life but my faith in the

father Yahweh now has me feeling happy.

“You never know what you may end up doing when you’re young.”

Neil finds himself back at school

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. William James (11 January 1842 – 26 August 1910) was a pioneering American psychologist and

philosopher.)

CLIFF Bell knew he wanted to be a

carpenter from an early age.

He would make various items in

his Murgon State High School

woodwork classes and got better

and better and better at his craft

each week.

At age 18 Cliff began to go to Nur-

underi TAFE and do work experi-

ence on Cherbourg building sites.

He then began to work on them

through CDEP before Cliff took the

a job of a Cherbourg Joinery cabinet

maker’s apprentice.

“I wanted to see what it was like,”

Cliff said.

The constant need for precision

had Cliff struggling to stay positive

about the work as “everything had

to be perfect”.

He was often told how to improve

his work, began to doubt his ability

and thought of quitting.

But he wanted that qualification.

“I wanted to be able to help other

young fellas that came through once

I was qualified,” Cliff said.

He achieved that milestone last

month and a weight came off his

shoulders. He was instilled with

pride.

“I feel I’ve achieved something,”

Cliff said.

He now encourages others to find

a job they love to do and stick with

it, no matter what challenges they

face.

“If you work hard and concentrate

it’ll pay off in the end,” he said.

Cabinet maker builds great future for self

Cherbourg’s Cliff Bell overcame many self-doubts and hurdles but stuck to his guns to be-

come a fully qualified cabinet maker last month.

Page 8

By Marcus Priaulx

CHERBOURG school students should not think there

isn’t any opportunity. There's heaps. I went to an em-

ployment meeting last month and there are jobs for

truck drivers, mechanics, construction workers, cabi-

net makers, health workers, doctors, nurses, police,

chefs, teachers, teacher aides, Barambah PaCE coordi-

nators…

Then you have the South Burnett where you have

the Meandu Mine, or just about any job you want.

Then you have Australia and the world.

It's been said Cherbourg teenagers who are strug-

gling to stay at school have said "what, you trying to

be white?" to their mates who are trying to make

something of themselves.

They’re wrong. Doing the right thing and searching

for something that makes you feel happy is a human

condition, no matter where you're from.

To me, being black is about being barristers like

Mick Dodson and Noel Pearson, educators like Chris

Sarra, Bevan Costello and all the Cherbourg teachers,

politicians like Warren Mundine, writers singers ac-

tors like Leah Purcell who's all three, Jessica Mauboy,

Archie roach, sports people like Adam Goodes, Preston

Campbell and all the people who go out there every

day to contribute their bit to make the world a better

place like all the UsMob radio crew, Cherbourg council

workers, health workers, day care workers, teachers,

medical staff...

Small things make a huge difference:

The work they do is as important as that of insects.

As people we don’t see insects, have little regard for

them but if we didn’t have them the world would

starve and be buried in human waste faster than you

can say “pass the Aeroguard please”.

Within in about four days things would start to go

very pear-shaped.

It’s the same with people who work every day. If we

didn’t have these heroes the world would go to pot. It

would be empty and we’d have nothing but squalor

and anarchy like in the story Lord of the Flies. We’d

be nothing but animals fighting for survival.

So I’d like to congratulate all everyday heroes who

get up, go to work and support their family to give

them the best life they can.

It’s not about being black or white.

It’s about being the best human being that you can

be.

Fulfilling potential not a

black and white matter

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where

they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by their character…”

Martin Luther King when outlining the horrific discrimination negros faced in the USA in his I

Have A Dream speech 50 years ago. Today his country’s president is black.

Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 9

NEARLY 50 Cherbourg State School students found

how deadly cool the University of the Sunshine Coast

(USC) is when they visited its campus to boost their

digital literacy.

The group had been studying three stories involving

an island, a beach and an Australian theme with the

USC’s pre-service, student teachers.

The children had compared various swimming sites

in the stories to that of their home Barambah Creek.

They used iPads to take photos and recorded their

sounds and thoughts to help them create a poem.

Dr Anne Drabble from USC said the aim of the

HEPPPs funded project was to improve the students’

literacy and lift their education goals.

When the students visited the university they did

cultural activities with Kerry Neill and headed to the

nearby Mooloolaba Beach.

They will now write their poem to complete their

work.

“We want the students to see attending university

as a real possibility,” Dr Drabble said.

“The children thought their visit was fantastic. They

were so focussed and a brilliant group to work with. I

feel they’ll go back to their parents and talk about the

wonderful learning experiences they had, just as we

will talk about their time here at USC.”

Students Uni visit a hit

University of Sunshine Coast’s Buranga Centre’s Indigenous ser-

vices officer Carly O’Brien is a huge supporter of Cherbourg State

School students efforts to gain the best education they can. She’s

pictured with William Saltner.

It’s not all work. Uni is a lot of fun: Students made beach bags

before hitting the waves during a visit to the University of Sun-

shine Coast.

COME walkabout at USQ and find out how to make

your dreams a reality;

Hosted by Australia’s best Aboriginal comedian

Sean Choolburra you will:

• Get a feel for what university is really like;

• Meet Indigenous students from other schools;

• Listen to some Deadly motivational speakers;

• Choose from a variety of fun and cultural;

Activities.

Time: 9.00am–2.30pm

Date: Thursday 24 October 2013

Where: USQ Fraser Coast, Old Maryborough Road,

Hervey Bay

For more information contact Linda Wondunna-

Foley

Email: FraserCoastCAIK@usq.edu.au

Phone: 07 4194 3119

University of Southern Queensland Open Day

Page 10

PETRINA Villaflor’s fear of wide open spaces and ducking

under the ocean ended her ambition to become a marine

biologist.

She was plonked on Lizard Island with a heap of Ameri-

cans to experience the job in all its glory as a 15-year-old

high school student.

Today, the 40-year-old single mum of three children is

kicking down barriers to get Indigenous people employed

in a job they enjoy.

She travels to remote communities as a Queensland Gov-

ernment Indigenous employment and training coordinator

to identify, support and inspire people wanting work.

“Just this week I assisted a mine outside Mackay recruit

45 people,” she said.

“What I enjoy doing is breaking down stereotypes that

often make assumptions Indigenous people don’t have the

skills, desire or capacity to engage successfully in main-

stream employment.”

Petrina said Indigenous people could impose the same

negative stereotypes upon themselves because they often

had barriers put in front of them.

Power of Self Belief

But she has overcome many life obstacles to reach her

position and loves being a mum.

“It’s what I do best,” she said.

Her 21 and 16-year-old sons and 19-year-old daughter

are doing well and lead productive, independent lives.

“I think I’ve contributed to nurturing three young people

who will go forward and play a productive role within soci-

ety and their own lives,” Petrina.

She, herself, is a perfect example of how stereotypes

stand for nothing.

“I was a young Indigenous, single mum but I’ve come

through and ensured my children were a priority,” Petrina

said. “When they came of age I was able to move forward

too.”

She did this in volunteer roles at hospitals and schools

before her strong abilities led to Petrina being offered a

first job within the employment and training field.

Petrina believes her life experience enables her to relate

to clients’ mental barriers to their success.

“I feel I’m able to give them strategies to move on and

keep moving,” Petrina said.

School + Effort = Success

Having children go to school every day, she said, was a

great strategy for preparing them to lead independent free

lives in which they could choose where they wanted to live

and go.

“It’s your learning ground for a job,” Petrina said.

“You have start times, a dress code, standards of behav-

iour, key performance indicators (exams)…

“The school environment now very much models what

your work life will want of you.”

And work, Petrina believes, is vital for people wanting to

feel fulfilled.

“It’s something people can identify with just for them-

selves,” she said.

“It’s not their parents’, their children’s, their partners’;

it’s just theirs.

“It’s their contribution, their success, something they’ve

done entirely on their own.

“To see the faces of my boys in the Cape when they’ve got

their first pay cheque and haven’t missed a day….

“I get teary.”

Petrina said more employers needed to let Indigenous

people succeed or fail in their own right, hold high stand-

ards and not mummy-coddle negative stereotypes.

She thinks back to her marine biology days on Lizard

Island and laments, “I tried it, didn’t like it and came back

as a teenager not knowing what I wanted to do for a couple

of years.

“I think we need to realise that as a teenager, you rarely

know what your destination job is going to be.

“You’re going to have changes but you need to remember

when you fail you learn and all work is honourable.

“You can do anything if you’re prepared to work for it

and I’d ask all parents to encourage their children to use

school to chase their dreams.”

Woman's life work smashes stereotypes

Petrina Villaflor is leading by example.

Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 11

If you can dream it, you can do it. Walt Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American business magnate, anima-

tor, film producer, director, screenwriter, and voice actor.

LEAH Purcell looked in the mirror of her Perkins

Street bedroom in Murgon at age 18 and said “who are

you, what are you doing?”.

Her mother Florence had just passed away and Leah

could only worry about putting one step in front of the

other and breathing.

“Then a little voice in the back of me said ‘what

about your acting?’. It could’ve been my mother talk-

ing to me, I don’t know,” she said.

But Leah, who had given birth to a baby daughter

just one month before, headed to Brisbane with her

child to pursue the dream of earning a living from the-

atre.

Today she is a star actor, author, playwright, singer,

director and producer.

But Leah’s still passionate about her hometown and

said one of her career highlights was beating Kingaroy

State High School in the netball grand final.

“I was the captain, maybe the vice-captain, but I

always had the mouth and did all the talking,” she

said with a regular laugh at the Nurunderi TAFE

grounds in Cherbourg.

Leah had returned home to open Murgon’s new

skate park on August 23 but seized the opportunity to

do what she could to inspire young Murri kids.

Home is where the heart is

Within 24 hours of landing on the Brisbane airport

tarmac she had driven three hours west and visited

Saint Joseph’s primary and Murgon state high

schools, caught up with family from around the dis-

trict and sat for this interview.

But Leah looked fresh and revived as she had left all

her Sydney stress behind the moment she headed for

the red soils of her home.

Her visits, she said, ground her, as does talking to

students at her former school.

“They were hard, very quiet; a tough audience but I

had them laughing toward the end,” Leah said.

She also passed the message her mum gave to her.

“It’s to have a purpose in life; to look after yourself

and do something for yourself,” Leah said.

“When you respect yourself and look after yourself,

everything else falls into place.

“Sometimes you don’t have that support network

behind you, so you have to do it for yourself.

“It’s lonely, it’s hard, you might feel rejected but

when you get to where you want to be it makes it all

worth it.

“You can then give back to your community.

“I tell the young here there’s no reason they can’t be

the future mayor of Cherbourg, future headmaster of

Cherbourg State School, a nurse at the Cherbourg

hospital or the head of the Cherbourg police.

“At the end of the day it’s up to you to want to do

something; to have a go.

“Boredom will follow you everywhere if you let it.

Life’s more than that. It’s what you make of it.”

Leah beats boredom making movies

Black chick talking: Leah Purcell has starred on TV, in movies and

London’s West End Theatre but the role she loves playing most is

inspiring young people to be the best they can be. She believes in

the Barambah Parental and Community Engagement (PaCE) pro-

gram which aims to build an education culture in her home Mur-

gon-Cherbourg district so every parent sends every child to school

every day, on time.

Page 12

PETTY Officer Sam Sheppard

wakes every day with a smile on his

face.

He just loves being in the Royal

Australian Navy.

The former Mareeba boy graduat-

ed from his high school with an am-

bition to serve instilled within him

from a young age.

His uncles and aunties would vis-

it dressed in their air force uni-

forms and Petty Officer Sheppard

loved the lifestyle he thought the

armed services could provide.

At age 18 he tried to join the

ranks of his relatives, only to find

the air force wasn’t recruiting at

the time.

So he looked to the seas and has-

n’t looked back.

As a navy man, Petty Officer

Sheppard enjoys the teamwork,

mateship, a feeling he can’t explain

when he’s in the open seas, travel-

ling to exotic locations and around

Australia, the actual work itself,

and a healthy wage.

Petty Officer Sheppard, 32, is a

communications and information

systems supervisor who provides

the link between all those on board

a ship, other sea craft and land ba-

ses.

It’s a complex job involving satel-

lites, radios, Morse code, flags and

computers.

But Petty Officer Sheppard said

there’s virtually every job going in

the navy, army or air force when he

addressed a dozen potential re-

cruits at Cherbourg on August 15.

He told them they could join the

army in some roles if they had a

Year-9 pass; Year-10 would allow

them into most jobs across the na-

vy, army, and air force and good

tertiary entry results could have

them attend the Australian Defence

Force Academy and become an of-

ficer.

Petty Officer Sheppard said peo-

ple could always further their edu-

cation or learn a trade while serv-

ing in the Australian Defence Force

because it helped people reach their

life goals.

“The lifestyle’s great, the pay’s

good and there’s always a job to be

had,” he said.

“I couldn’t imagine my life with-

out being in the navy.

“Joining was the best thing I

could’ve done.”

People interested in joining the

navy, army, or air force can phone

131901 or apply online at de-

fencejobs.gov.au

Navy provides sea of adventure and life opportunities

Australian Navy Petty Officers Sam Sheppard and Glen Hall’s love of their job rubbed off

on Cherbourg people and three called 131901 before they left Cherbourg on August 15.

AIEF-BHP Billiton Tertiary Scholarships are available

for outstanding current or future Indigenous students

studying an eligible engineering or other eligible min-

ing-related degree in 2014.

AIEF and BHP Billiton are working together to iden-

tify enthusiastic, capable and driven Indigenous stu-

dents interested in successfully completing a degree in

an eligible engineering or mining-related discipline,

with a motivation to work for BHP Billiton in the fu-

ture.

This is an attractive opportunity to learn from ex-

perts, develop a global network of colleagues, attend

world class training and build exceptional skills and

expertise.

To be eligible you must:

• be enrolled full-time to study an eligible degree at an

Australian university or have selected an eligible de-

gree as a first preference;

• Demonstrate strong academic achievement and po-

tential;

• be enthusiastic about a career in the mining indus-

try.

Applications close, Friday, September 27. For more

information please phone (02) 8373 8000 or visit our

website at aief.com.au

Great mine career offer for Indigenous students

Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 13

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.

Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. Helen Keller who was born blind and deaf and remained mute into her teens. She then met a teacher who

helped her to live a normal life. Helen went on to write books and speak at functions around the world.

PETTY Officer Glen Hall has lived a life of well-paid

adventure ever since he joined the Royal Australian

Navy to escape school.

The former Sydney boy signed-up after the Australi-

an Defence Force recruitment team visited his New-

town high school when he was 15 years old.

But while Petty Officer Hall fled the classroom he

found himself doing schoolwork and on-the-job train-

ing in the navy’s junior recruitment program.

All of sudden, learning became fun because Petty

Officer Hall, now 53, could see a reason for doing it.

Two years later he was travelling to Hawaii and

Asian ports by ship.

At age 19 Petty Officer Hall joined the submarines

as a marine technician who keeps the engines run-

ning.

“You had to know your job and do it well,” he said.

“Many lives depended on you.”

He found the work exciting, stimulating and person-

ally rewarding.

“It gives you a high self-esteem being part of some-

thing important,” Petty Officer Hall said.

After 21 years of service his young family had him

leave the navy.

He stayed in the naval reserves and worked for var-

ious government organisations as a health worker.

Petty Officer Hall then re-joined six weeks before vis-

iting Cherbourg with the naval recruitment team on

August 15.

Before he left with fellow Petty Officer Sam Shep-

pard, three of the people they addressed at Employ-

ment Services Queensland had made the phone call

needed to join either the navy, army or air force.

Neither Petty Officer thought any of the trio would

regret it if they took the next step to actually join.

“It’s a fantastic career and provides a terrific life,”

Petty Officer Hall said, before reminding school goers

they would have many more career options within the

services or other areas if they stayed in class.

“A good education gives you more opportunities in

life; be that in the navy or elsewhere,” Petty Officer

Hall said.

“The navy has a high regard for education.

“It allowed me to study for a trade and will support

people with further training to allow them to reach

their personal and professional goals, no matter what

they are.”

Greg escaped school to create life and learning joy

(Front) Australian Defence Force new applicants Justin Bond, 32,

and Aaron Hegarty, 22, are pictured with Australian Navy Indige-

nous Recruitment team’s Petty Officer Sam Sheppard and (back)

Petty Officer Glen Hall and Employment Services Queensland’s

Anna Hanson.

Justin applied after the Petty Officers visit because he had no

work and life had become boring. “I need a sea change; literally,”

he said. “I want to contribute something.

Aaron applied because he wanted a sense of purpose in life. “I can

see myself being an officer in the infantry,” he said. “I look forward

to it.”

Page 14

Every day heroes making a difference

I love my job: Charlie Bond, 32, enjoys work for the

Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council’s Parks and Gar-

dens. He’s worked in the town for the past 12 years.

Works is the fountain of youth: Stanley Mickelo, 60, is

on a horse chasing cattle and feels younger every day

he works. He’s spent a life as a ringer after being

born in Cherbourg in 1953.

Cherbourg Health Services manager Tarita Fisher has

worked in the field for 14 years. Tarita said the best

part of the job was seeing the improvement of the

community’s health.

Ken Day, 55, has been a Cherbourg State School

teacher aide for 10 years after starting work

there as a yardman for the previous two. He is

pictured with Noel Walsh and Desmond Saltner.

Alicia Costello is a bus driver, community liaison officer, band aid giver,

administration assistant and all manner of things at Cherbourg State

School. “I love working with the children in my community,” she said

Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 15