address by her excellency ms quentin bryce ac governor-general of ...

ADDRESS BYHER EXCELLENCY MS QUENTIN BRYCE ACGOVERNOR-GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIAON THE OCCASION OFCIVIC RECEPTIONKUNUNURRA TOWN HALL, KUNUNURRA12 MAY 2010PresidentShire of Wyndham East KimberleyCouncillor Fred MillsCouncillorsMr Teddy CarltonMirrawong Gajerrong ElderDistinguished members of the Kununurra and district communityMay I make special mention of Ruth Barth, Director of Nursing at your marvellous hospital.Friends, thank you for welcoming Michael and me so warmly into the heart of your community.On this gorgeous evening in Kununurra:^Õ I acknowledge the traditional keepers of the magnificent land around us,^Õ and the care and respect you give this special part of Australia today.The north-eastern gateway to the still mysterious Kimberley:^Õ a vast area about the size of Victoria I think^Õ that invites a real expedition like those undertaken in the 19th century into unknown continents; ^Õ a refuge for all sorts of animals that can't be found anywhere else on the continent;^Õ a living canvas for some of the oldest known art in the world;^Õ and its rich and myriad cultural layers:^Õ of flora and fauna^Õ indigenous and European heritage^Õ the history of the Monsoon trader fishermen, the Macassans ^Õ pastoralism^Õ pearling

^Õ^Õ^Õ^Õthe Second World Warfarmingmining even Baz Luhrmann's, Australia, and the fictional 'Faraway Downs'.And Kununurra:^Õ a relatively recent entrant to this ancient landscape,^Õ which has in its 50 years matured into a modern, well-serviced Australian town ^Õ from a dream to harness the water and growing potential of Australia's tropical north.Here, you have the vibrant offerings of:^Õ fresh water and fertile soils, ^Õ mineral resources and renewable energy supplies, ^Õ breathtaking environs, ^Õ and a young population building a strong local economy.There is something very compelling about this place of 'big water' , a long way from just abouteverywhere.Ladies and gentlemen, this is the third day of my trip to the Territory and North East Kimberley, whichhas taken me to:^Õ Katherine and the Gorge^Õ Kununurra today - and not without planting a tree in the name of our remarkable volunteers, ourtrue celebrities!^Õ This is National Volunteers Week^Õ onto Timber Creek tomorrow^Õ then Halls Creek, Darwin and the Tiwi Islands.I'm cherishing the opportunities:^Õ to make new connections and friendships, ^Õ to learn more about life and work and enterprise here; ^Õ your community partnerships;^Õ the successes and the challenges; ^Õ and your unique indigenous heritage and culture.But of course there is never enough time, and when I talk to others about where I've been, I find myselfsaying, "I wish you could have been there with me".As I've travelled around regional and remote Australia in these first couple of years of my term, I've feltso grateful and and encouraged by people's efforts to hold onto the history and essence of their townsand communities.I see that here too.

Keepers and friends of Kununurra, thank you, thank you for having us at your place.CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY