Saturday 16 September 2023

Western Downs Regional Council Mayor, Councillor Paul McVeigh;  

President of the Jimbour State School 150 Celebrations, Mr Neil McVeigh; Jimbour State School Principal, Mr Nathan Taylor; Darling Downs Southwest Region School Supervisor, Ms Meaghan Rodgers; 

Custodian of Jimbour House, Mr David Russell AM RFD KC; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. 

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Jimbour, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here today. 

Graeme and I are delighted to be making our third visit to the Western Downs region since I was sworn in as Governor almost two years ago.  

In that time, we have been warmly welcomed wherever we have travelled in this vast State, and have been inspired by our fellow Queenslanders and by their efforts to create and sustain strong, cohesive communities. 

Jimbour State School is a superb example of that effort and of what is possible when a community draws together in support of a common goal and refuses to abandon an ideal. 

As many of you will know, Jimbour Provisional School Number 128 almost didn’t survive its first 60 years, having closed and re-opened on several occasions between 1873 when it was established in the Chapel at Jimbour, and its final re-opening in 1931. 

But, thanks to the determination and persistence of this community, Jimbour State School has endured, and I congratulate everyone concerned on ensuring its continued operation and success despite the many challenges faced over the past 150 years. 

I also congratulate the Principal, Mr Nathan Taylor, and the 150th anniversary celebrations committee, led by Mr Neil McVeigh, on the collaboration, thorough planning and sheer hard work that have brought this marvellous celebration to fruition today. 

Milestone celebrations are obviously something this school and this community does exceptionally well, and I was delighted to learn that the films made to commemorate the 100th and the 125th anniversaries of the school have been included in the displays today, as well as the magnificent Jimbour Tractor which amazed the people of this district when it first steamed its way into local history in 1913. 

It has been a genuine pleasure for Graeme and me to be part of this special celebration, and we are very much looking forward to touring the school and the grounds to explore the displays. 

I am also honoured to unveil the mural that has been created as part of this celebration. It will ensure that this special day is remembered by future generations of students, teachers, and parents, and by the community that made this school possible and has supported it for 150 years.  

Thank you.   

Western Downs Regional Council Mayor, Councillor Paul McVeigh;  

Jimbour House Custodian, Mr David Russell AM RFD KC; President of the Jimbour State School 150 Celebrations, Mr Neil McVeigh;  distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen. 

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Jimbour, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here this evening. 

Earlier this afternoon, Graeme and I joined many of you, along with the teachers, parents, and past and present pupils of Jimbour State School to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the school, right here on Jimbour station in the simple timber Chapel built by Thomas Bell in 1868.

It is wonderful to be able to continue the celebrations here tonight and how fortunate for this community that the Chapel has been so beautifully preserved. 

I say ‘fortunate’ because, exactly a hundred years ago this year, this unique property was acquired by the Russell family, and it is thanks to their dedication and investment of funds, time and care, that the Chapel, the other remaining 19th century outbuildings, and Jimbour House itself have survived for 155 years. 

In 1923 when Wilfred and Millicent Russell arrived, the house was in a sorry state. Its rooms were empty, many of the ceilings had fallen, the original furniture had gone, and Mother Nature had taken back the landscaped gardens.  

But a century of effort by successive generations of the Russell family has returned the house and garden to its former magnificence and ensured its preservation.  

History has also contributed to Jimbour’s good fortune.  

Until 1992, there was no heritage protection under Queensland law, but in that year, the Queensland Heritage Act came into force and Jimbour House, its gardens and its outbuildings (including the Chapel) were entered on the State heritage register in that same year. 

It was a great moment for everyone with a connection to Jimbour, but the Act alone is not enough to ensure the preservation of this marvellous stone building with its 24 rooms, four chimney stacks, and roof of Welsh slate; for that, Jimbour House and its gardens have needed passionate and committed advocates. Fortunately, since 1923, it has had just that in the Russell family. 

For the past century, the family has also established and maintained a tradition of sharing the heritage of Jimbour with the community. As the current Custodian, David Russell continues this tradition, and it is thanks to his warm hospitality that we are all able to enjoy tonight’s celebration of 150 years of education on this very site. 

On behalf of everyone here tonight, I thank David for hosting this delightful evening and once again extend my best wishes to Jimbour State School on their sesquicentenary.