34 girls from five remote communities recently travelled to Melbourne, with some taking up to 15 hours and travelling over 4,500 kms to reach their destination.
Girls from Halls Creek, Carnarvon and Bidyadanga (WA) and Lockhart River and Kowanyama (QLD) embarked on a week of singing, dancing and cultural connection in Melbourne on November 7.
The girls were able to connect and make friendships with their host sisters and families, learn new music and dances and take safe risks with their peers.
Some highlights for the girls were visiting Melbourne Theatre Company and seeing Sunshine Super Girl, a story about tennis star Evonne Goolagong; attending a workout and meditation session with fitness gurus Steph and Laura from Keep It Cleaner; participating in a Yarning Circle with three new recruits to the Melbourne Storm NRL team; meeting g-oz Corporate Sponsor and mentor Simone Chin from Atria Real Estate and singing with over 600 girls on stage at Hamer Hall as part of the Australian Girls Choir annual concerts.
Ebonai-Sym Bennett 11, said of performing on stage; “It was really scary but also fun at the same time. Hearing all the girls on stage and seeing them on the big screen made me feel nervous but I am glad that I was brave and I did it.”
Ebonaii, from Bidyadanga is one of the youngest girls to participate in the Travel Program and travelled over 4,500kms from her home to Melbourne.
Overall the program was an exercise of reciprocity, a mutually beneficial exchange, enriching for the girls travelling as well as for the people they connected with in Melbourne.
Meet and greet with the cast of Melbourne Theatre Company’s
Sunshine Super Girl
Meditation with Keep It Cleaner
The girls at a picnic at Brighton Beach
The 2022 Travel Program is proudly supported by Ansvar.
