Thank you for the Welcome to Country today. Thank you, too, students, for wearing your uniforms with such pride today. It is wonderful to see.

I acknowledge the traditional custodians of these lands, the Wadja and Gungaloo people, and extend my respectful greetings to Elders, past, present and emerging.

I am very honoured to be here in Woorabinda today, on what is my first regional visit since being sworn-in as Governor on 1 November.

I am particularly delighted I am able to visit the Woorabinda State School.

Now, I may not have the same star power as Johnathan Thurston, who visited your School earlier this month.

However, I have come here today, in my new role as Governor, to tell you all that I think Woorabinda is a very special community, and a very important part of Queensland.

In fact, I was so excited that my first regional visit would include a stop in Woorabinda, that your town features in a special children’s book I launched last week.

Very shortly, my husband Graeme and I are going to read this book to you. It is about two squirrel gliders and a kookaburra who live at Government House in Brisbane.

I won’t spoil all the surprises now.

However, the kookaburra, named Goodwin, sees a group of children from Woorabinda, playing in the grounds of Government House!

The students are welcomed inside, because Government House is a place for all Queenslanders.

I will leave plenty of copies of the book here in Woorabinda today so you can show your family and friends when you go home.

I know your School has a strong focus on reading, and that the best reader every week receives a special ‘Deadly Reader’ award.

This is a wonderful idea.

There is no better way to improve literacy than by reading and learning to love books.

And reading doesn’t have to be a chore – I truly believe reading should be fun!

Thank you everyone for welcoming us so warmly here in Woorabinda.

We look forward to meeting many of you throughout the course of today.

I hope you enjoy the children’s book, ‘A Place for All Queenslanders’, Graeme and I will now read to you.