Willoughby students participate in Orange Festival

August 7, 2009

Once again the Bingara Willoughby student exchange program was a delightful experience for all those involved. Our young people are to be congratulated on the way they conducted themselves as ambassadors of Bingara.

The exchange has been both fun and educational for all the young people who have participated and has provided an opportunity to experience new ideas, cultures and beliefs.


Students Aaron Duncan, Ernie Guo, Michael O’Brien, Jack Song, Jade Dixon, Nicolle Coombes, Jessica Papikian, Ally Holland-Wright, Madeline Cornay and Elly Aitkenhead.

This year we had six students from Willoughby who participated in the Orange Festival and helped Kimberly Apthorpe and Alex Stones launch their “Living Healthy in The Gwydir – Exercise and Cook Book” as well as many other fun and interesting activities including a Wii challenge on the big screen at the Roxy, horse riding, a tour of the glacial area and sawn rocks and a special movie and pizza night.

Thank you to Jenny Mead who provided a very educational adventure to Sawn Rocks and to all those parents who kindly looked after our visitors for the duration of their stay.  A very special thank you to Rebecca Mack and Lynn Rose who not only provided much of the fair enjoyed on Thursday night but were invaluable with their assistance in the kitchen. A big thank you also goes to Peter and Brenda Pankhurst for their very kind hospitality on Sunday evening.

The bon fire and barbecue at the Pankhurst farm is a highlight for our students and Peter and Brenda always make it a very special occasion. I look forward to taking our students to Willoughby in September for their Spring Fair and I am sure that they are all looking forward to it as well.

By Susanne Webber