Page 26 - 2019 - Altiora Vol 71 Sem 2

26 | FOR THE COMMUNITY

ANNUAL WATERWAYS FESTIVAL

In August, our Junior School’s Stage 2 class participated in the Annual Waterways Festival, an initiative of the
Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC).

The Festival is part of the BMCC’s Healthy Waterways program, which seeks to highlight threatened and
endangered ecological communities, species and local waterways in the Jamison Creek catchments and to
educate the community on the importance of protecting the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. BMGS
students, who have a keen interest in environmental issues, have enthusiastically participated in this program for
several years, with our involvement co-ordinated by Stage 2 teacher, Mrs. Lori Gerrard.

To open the Festival, which is held at the Wentworth Falls Lake, our students joined with children from Kindle
Hill School to perform a contemporary indigenous dance celebrating our School’s totem - the eastern long-
necked turtle - under the guidance of Jo Clancy from the Wagana Aboriginal Dance Group. The children moved
smoothly and gracefully and provided a very engaging spectacle.

Following the dancing, the children manned the BMGS stall at which visitors could have their faces painted, and
learn more about the eastern long-necked turtle, an animal on which Stage 2 has become quite expert. The
students also created ceramics and artwork for the stall, some of which was also contributed by 5B.