By Eleanor Wilson
Local community members recently filled the grounds at Berwick Fields Primary School for its 16th birthday carnival.
The weather showed up for a lovely day of festivities, with families enjoying rides, show-bags, food vans, face painting and live performances.
Principal Amanda Ellaby said the event “exceeded expectations”.
“It was amazing day very much helped by the weather, the turnout was beyond what we had anticipated,” she said.
After two challenging years owing to the Covid pandemic, Ms Ellaby said the event was a “deserving celebration for the community.”
“As a growing community, it was a real demonstration of the community spirit we have at Berwick Fields,” she said.
The carnival coincided with the launch of the school’s new science playground, named ‘Wigney’s Walk’ after the school’s founding principal Stephen Wigney.
“Mr Wigney was responsible for creating a lot of the integral programs at our school, including our kitchen and garden program and performing arts centre,” Ms Ellaby said.
The playground features a number of kid-friendly science stations, include a water pump sourced creek bed to encourage the concept of cause and effect for the children.
“The playground was finished in 2020 and it is a representation of creating a different outdoor learning environment for our students,” she said.
“It’s great to promote our connection to the environment, and to have a place where our kids can take the concepts they learn and implement them into the real world.”
Wigney’s Walk was assisted by a $25,000 grant from the State Government’s Inclusive Schools Fund.