July 1967 School Magazine

Brlsbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1957

tuly, 1967

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

DAYS AT I{ERON ISLAND "Six days on a tropical island, days filled with sun, fun, and tl-re wonders of the reef". This was rvhat we anticipated as we stepped ashore on to Heron Island-fifty miles off the coast of Gladstone, the southern-most tip of the Great Barrier Reef. Our adventure had started two days earlier at 6.30 a.m. on Saturday morning, outside the Redline Bus Terminal, when; accompanied by our four guardians, Miss Tuckett, Miss Neil, Mr. and Mrs. \7inter, fifty-two excited Grammar girls set off for a two-day bus ttip to Gladstone, via the inland highway. The highlights of the first day were a picnic lunch, tea with an audience at a Monto hotel, and a welcome to the hotels of Biloela, which convinced us that the wildlife of the west should be put on teservations! Sunday marked a visit to the large open cut mine at Mt. Motgan and to the Cammoo Park Caves outside Rockhampton whete v/e lr/ere taken on a fascinating tour of the caves in vrhich our imagination was a little over-taxed! Sunday night was spent in the luxury of a motel at Yeppoon rvith a bar-be-cue tea. This was follorved by strenuous beach activities designed to tire us {or a fitful sleep in preparation for the long sea trip the next day. Success was indeed variable! As the launch, "The Capre", drew out of Gladstone Harbour on Monday morning, under a clear sky and sunshine, we in- nocently asked if it could get any roughet! \7e soon learned- towards the end of the five and a half hour trip, the little band of hardy mariners had to compromise between freezing to death at the bow and being ill in the fume-filled cabin riddled with green-faced victims of the elements! That little speck on the horizon vras cettainly a welcome sight! Although the sun at Heron Island did not live up to our expectations, the fun we had and the wonderful times we spent on the reef made up for the rain, which proved slighily, !1oJe lhaq tropical shorvers! Hardly a day went by without seeing us don flippers, mask and snorkel, waddle penguinJike down to the edge of the crystal-clear water, splash in and swim out over the reef'. Of course, not everyone mastered this art of snorkling at the first attempt, but after much spluttering and a little experiment- ing, most of us wete able to glide uninterrupted through the water, not even disturbing the myriads of colour{ul fish darting here and thete. Many enjoyable, time-consuming hours rvere spent in this way, either viewing the whole beautiful coral land- scape or closely examining the coral to discover and admire the

S7e should like to make the following suggestions ;- 1. Introduce a few folk groups and small music groups ol good players. 2. Instead of such a long play, present two shorter plays; one humorous, one not. 3. Let groups of girls present skits; on school life, for instance. 4, The concert lacked variety. I think we should have folk or jazz groups, perhaps a jazz ballet and more humour in the way of skits or even mimes. 5. There rvere too many musical and not enough humorous items. A few clever skits would be an improvement. 6. I think there was not enough humour or variety and there was far too much singing. How about some of us getting together to prepare something for all members of the audience next time? 1 . Fot variety why not have some sort of gymnastic display, e.g., tumbling, instead of some of the singing or ballet. B. Although the play was well-acted, appeal to audience and humour carry much more importance in the choosing of such a play for a younger audience. -FORM 4C. I think this year's concert was far too long. There was too much class singing but if there had to be these items, the classes should have sung only one song each. Also the ballet v,'as a little lengthy s. 8., rvD, Ensrand House. 1. Fevret singing groups-singing more far-niliar songs would be more entertaining. 2. The classical ballet could be shortened and jazz ballet intro- duced. The tape-recording of the music fot the dances sounds unteal. Possibly a record would sound better. 3. Many girls who are not in the Dramatic Club or Drama and Mime classes would have liked to have been in the play and rvould have appteciated auditions being held beforehand. 4. Form or house items could replace some singing groups and thus give more girls a chance to patticipate. Even if more girls might mean a slightly lower standard, . enthusiasm, humour, vitality and an informal atmosphere would make up for this and produce a more enioyable

atmosphere.

-vc.

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