Enngonia School, hub of the community

Kel:

Julie and I were lucky enough to attend the end-of-year concert at the school this week. The school has 15 pupils, 14 of them boys, as well as a pre-school and playgroup. For a tiny school 100km from Bourke we were treated to a multimedia presentation of the year in review. They have had a wide range of activities including an excursion to Canberra and the snow, all sorts of sporting events and many artistic endeavours. It was quite exhilarating to see what they have accomplished with the help of their teachers and many interested community members. They academic record is also spectacular. It reveals that small communities can excel regardless of their size and location.
It is essential for the life of a community to have a place where people can gather for a meal and a drink and to meet friends. Up until recently Enngonia didn’t have such a place but the new owners at the pub, The Oasis Hotel, with the support of the Uniting Church, have done modifications and now have a café style area where families can have a meal. They are also providing basic groceries as there is nowhere else to buy them in town. This has made difference to this small isolated place. It’s attracting people who haven’t ventured to Enngonia for years.