BUSHkids Annual Report 2022-23

Warwick Playgroup - Goolburri Happy Jarjum Program BUSHkids provides Children’s Allied Health Services from our purpose-built service Centre in Warwick and we have formed a partnership with Goolburri Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (GACCHS) to co-design and deliver a local playgroup for First Nations Mothers and their children. This has facilitated better access to BUSHkids’ Warwick Centre services, which offer a multidisciplinary team comprising Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, a Family Health Support Worker and an Allied Health Assistant. With support from the Friends of BUSHkids (FoBk) volunteers in Warwick another project was started in 2022 to develop a new Nature Play Area co-designed with cultural input from local Goolburri staff and families. As noted earlier, this now provides children and families with an outdoor setting where they can engage in unstructured activities such as vegetable and herb gardens, mud pits, dry creek beds, meandering deco pathways, and a yarning circle. This area now provides an excellent outdoor space for the playgroup.

The ngumahl (goanna) represents the dugun (mountains) in the area. Jahbang (large snake) represents the Mooyum-Balun (Condamine River) meandering through our lands.

Bootheram (Story) Circle Totem poles represent a place where people can feel safe, protected by totem animals, in particular protecting

young ones in the area.

Guruman (kangaroo) represents our bamay (vast plains) and Elders.

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Annual Report 2022–23