Jarjum Preschool hosts Governor-General Sam Mostyn on her visit to Lismore

The Governor-General Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn visited Lismore recently, fulfilling a promise made shortly after she was sworn in to the role on 1 July 2024.

“I think it’s important that I’ve come, and it’s a trip that I’ve wanted to make since being sworn into office,” the Governor-General shared with local news source Lismore App. 

“It was something that the former governor-general impressed upon me, having come here many times.As he was leaving and handing the role to me, he was clear that to come is very important and to listen and to just make sure people are doing okay, but to keep showing up.”

Her Excellency began her visit at Jarjum Preschool in Goonellabah, where she was welcomed by Mayor Steve Krieg and given a tour by Family Worker Kristylee Buchanan, with Aunty Sandra Bolt, Shirley Patton and other staff in attendance.

Since opening the new building three years ago, numbers at the preschool have swelled to 75 students, 20 of whom have additional needs. 

Her Excellency finished her time at the preschool by reading Welcome To Country by Aunty Joy Murphy and illustrated by Lisa Kennedy to the children, beginning her reading on a chair before moving to sit on the floor to be closer to the young readers. 

It was the first indication of what Her Excellency’s term as governor-general will focus on.

“I think the office of Governor-General is one of those high offices in our country that performs a series of roles, and one of them is to represent community and amplify the stories of community, back to the country, and to stand by communities, either in their moments of great joy or their moments of despair, and stick with communities,” she shared with Lismore App.

“That’s something that I’ve always believed anyone in an office like this should do. It’s about showing up, continuing to show up, and understanding what it is that I can do in my role that can help a community find its way through and also to observe and listen to what makes a resilient Australian community.”

“I’ve put at the centre of my term work care and kindness and respect. And I think care and kindness is something that all communities would like to see modelled by those of us who have the privilege of these offices. It’s not just the showing up, it’s listening and paying respect to the stories that are here.”

Her visit also included a trip to Southern Cross University, where she discussed its role in the flood rescue and recovery with Vice-Chancellor Tyrone Carlin and Chief of Staff Chris Ashton, meeting the artists in residence at CONVERGE on Woodlark Street and inspecting a few council assets under repair, including the Lismore Library and the Lismore Municipal Building.

Through her observations, Her Excellency remarked that Lismore was “a community that has dealt with some of the toughest times, many times over, is very resilient and was able to get through this because of the strength of the community, but there’s still a lot of underlying trauma and concern about what the future holds, and not just relying on things that have always been and will this ever happened again, but more importantly, to rebuild community and have a sense of belief that the community will be okay.”

To read the full coverage of the visit, as shared by Lismore App please see here. Image sourced from the Governor General’s social media.