Ooranga Family Mobile Resource Unit is a much loved and valued children’s organisation that has stood the test of time and is celebrating 40 years of service to the small rural communities across three local government areas.
On Thursday, November 28, 2019, Ooranga management committee and staff organised a ‘Teddy Bears’ picnic in Gunnedah to celebrate with the children.
Almost 200 people including children from the current eight preschools and eleven playgroups were joined by other Gunnedah early childhood services.
Teddy bears of all shapes, sizes, and colours were joined by several very large teddy bears to watch over their owners enjoying the activities. Water play, storytime, face painting, music, play equipment, play dough, painting, and gross motor activities were very popular.
On Friday, November 29, 2019, past presidents were invited to a ‘High Tea’ and the launch of the new cookbook.
Hon Sarah Mitchell MLC, Minister for Early Childhood Education, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education launched the cookbook saying: “I love to cook, and I believe cooking and sharing food brings families and communities together.
“This wonderful cookbook with a wide selection of delicious recipes from people in the Gunnedah region is a fantastic celebration of 40 years of the Ooranga Family Mobile Resource Unit.
“It is my number one priority as Minister for Early Childhood Education that every child, no matter where they are from or what their circumstances are, has access to quality early childhood education. I am really proud that as a government, we have been able to lend a hand to services like this one.”
Camille Wannan, from Boggabri, is the 2019 president of Ooranga and told the group at the high tea, “I have been lucky enough to have been a member for the past five years, four of these as an active member of the Management Committee.
“This organisation is very close to my heart and I feel fortunate that I can be a part of something that benefits such an array of people across so many small communities.
“As a mum of two who has accessed all facets of Ooranga, it is something that we can just not do without in our regional and remote areas. Being able to attend playgroup and preschool and catch up with other parents and carers is such vital interaction within our small communities.”
I, Noreen Boehm, delivered the closing remarks telling the group what the word Ruby anniversary stood for in my view and how the first born of my four children was only eight months old when I was elected as the first president in November 1979.
I spoke about the grand plans we had, not only plans but hopes, wishes, and dreams for our children, our grandchildren, and the children and families in our local rural communities.
Thanks to the dedicated successive management committees, staff, funding bodies, and generous supporters Ooranga has gone from strength to strength providing many more services and programmes than first planned.
Ooranga is one of the most loved and valued children’s services.
I went on to say: “They say it takes a village to raise a child, well I say, it takes an Ooranga Mobile Family Resource Unit to make the difference in their education, life, and social skills and as I said in my forward for the recipe book.
“Ooranga and cooking are very similar; they both provide the opportunity to mould, shape, create and mix experiences/ingredients and all those outcomes affect the children’s future and sustains them for the future.”
I told the story of the first Ooranga teddy bear picnic held in Vickery Park in Boggabri where the then Minister for Youth and Community Services, Kevin Stewart MP, presented me with the keys to our new yellow van and how yesterday I attended the 40th Teddy bears picnic and no one gave me any keys but I relived many happy memories.
That was all to change as Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson recalled me to the front and asked me to tell the story again about the Boggabri Teddy bears picnic and how I was disappointed that no one gave me some keys at the Gunnedah Teddy Bears picnic and to my surprise he said: “I can’t give you any keys but maybe this will make you feel better,” and handed me a cheque made out to Ooranga Family Mobile Resource Unit for $21,106.29 for a new vehicle.
Mr. Anderson explained, “This is fantastic news for Ooranga’s Mobile Service as it improves access to early learning with grants awarded through the Start Strong Capital Works Grants program.”
“As a government, we are continuing to support the families in our region by increasing the number of community preschool places available in areas of need and demand.
“This Government knows how important an early childhood education is with emotional, social and cognitive development.
“So, it is crucial we support services to nurture kids to be the best they can be in the years before school.”
The following information is a brief history of Ooranga Family Mobile Resource Unit. Ooranga is an Aboriginal word for ‘Gathering of children’.
The original Ooranga committee was formed from a public meeting held on November 29, 1979 and consisted of Noreen Boehm (Boggabri), Judy Paton (Curlewis), Irene Ruttledge (Carroll), Lindsay Mackay (Mullaley), Wendy Barnett (Premer), Janice Carrigan (Boggabri), Betty Traynor (Boggabri), Prue Walker, (Mullaley), Chris Hibbert (Carroll) and Beth Oldfield (Tambar Spring).
Also, in attendance were Chris Smith and Greg Baggs from the Department of Youth and Community Services.
Other representatives at the meeting included Kerry Sands, Doris Donaldson, Marion Smith, Phillippa Powell, Lynne Murphy, and Jenny Ross.
Noreen Boehm was elected as president, Lindy Mackay secretary, and Wendy Barnett as treasurer.
The committee would go on to make a submission to the Department of Youth and Community Services for funds to establish a ‘Mobile Unit’ of resources.
I told the group at the ‘High Tea’ on Friday that prior to setting up the unit, Chris Smith from the Department of Youth and Community Services had shown me a photo of the ‘Magic Yellow Bus’, a double-decker bright yellow bus that was converted into a mobile resource unit in Central Western Sydney, and I thought, “Wouldn’t that be great,” hence the yellow Mazda – not a double-decker bus, but a yellow bus. I noted that the Magic Yellow bus had recently celebrated its 44th anniversary and from the audience, Robyn Blake said: “Well we are not that far behind, are we?”
Not all submissions were successful however, many meetings were held in the Government offices in Gunnedah with lots of mothers in attendance having travelled from all over the region with their children.
Through fundraising, a pilot scheme was conducted with the first playgroup co-ordinator, Gai Pickette and support worker Judy Saunders.
This pilot enabled playgroups to be delivered in Carroll, Curlewis, Ghooli, Tambar Springs and Willala along with a preschool session in Boggabri.
In 1981, after much lobbying and hard work, a grant of $55,150 from the Department of Youth and Community Services was awarded to the Ooranga Family Mobile Resource Unit.
Just over $22,000 was used to purchase the first van, a yellow Mazda, from Ian Eveleigh Motors in Gunnedah.
The remaining funds were used to purchase resources and employ a full-time co-ordinator and a part-time support worker.
The Gunnedah CWA building became the home of Ooranga in 1982, in which the ‘Toy Library’ opened the following year.
Shirley Lundie-Jenkins was the mastermind behind the 1983 publication, the Ooranga and Friends Cookbook.
The cookbook was a testament to the community support with 55 sponsors and over 100 recipe contributions making the publication a great success.
The book was typed on an old-style typewriter by Valerie Grosser using paper and stencils generously discounted from Bannisters.
Bill Clegg printed the cover and assembled the book.
Some of the contributors included; Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s bread and butter pudding and their favourite fudge recipe.
Bob Hawke’s French onion soup, Bert Newton’s Welsh style chicken, Dame Edna Everage’s Indonesian lambingtons, Noni Hazelhurst’s Zucchini loaf and ABC Playschool sent a message, ‘John Waters says he can’t cook, sorry.’
The new book, Ooranga and Friends Cookbook 40th birthday edition has a bright yellow cover.
The cover and book have been designed by Alyssa Barwick and is
beautifully printed with lots of history and photos from across the 40 years.
In 1986, Ooranga FMRU became an incorporated association.
Over the 40 years, it has continued to grow and deliver quality early childhood services and supported playgroup sessions across Narrabri Shire, Liverpool Plains, and Gunnedah Shire areas.
In addition to preschool, Ooranga has also provided Vacation Care and Occasional Care in rural communities and Outside Hours School Care service between 2008 and 2014 in Barber Street in Gunnedah.
In 2019, the service is licenced for eight preschool venues – Boggabri, Curlewis, Mullaley, Spring Ridge, Carroll, Currabubla, Premer and Walhallow.
It provides 11 supported playgroups each fortnight at Blackville, Kelvin, Pine Ridge, Spring Ridge, Walhallow, Emerald Hill, Boggabri, Maules Creek, Premer, Wallabadah and Willow Tree. Added to this is the best toy library in northern NSW.
Ooranga now employs 18 staff members who cover the preschools, playgroups, and administration.
Some full time, some part-time, they visit eight preschools and 11 playgroups as well as owning and maintaining a comprehensive toy library.
They also have wonderful ongoing support from the Gunnedah CWA branch members, the owners of the various venues in each community and members and friends of Ooranga.
Rebecca Dridan, Ooranga’s executive officer said: “We really appreciate and thank Sarah Mitchell for coming to the celebrations and launching the cookbook.”
“The last two days have been a fabulous way to celebrate Ooranga’s birthday, with the Teddy Bears Picnic bringing over 180 children and their families and carers together and the High Tea to celebrate the contributions of members and collaborators over the last 40 years.”
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