Menindee Central School 1920 Rail Carriage Project
Donation protected
The 1920s rail carriage was brought to Menindee as an opportunity for training in tourism and hospitality for the the local school while creating the potential to secure much needed funding for their school community.
I heard about this project through my wife, Caitlyn Whitby-Johnson, who has been involved with the school excursions to Menindee with Killara High School the past 2 years.
The aim of the project would be to renovate the bathrooms to increase the number of shower facilities to six and install a second wash basin in each bathroom to decrease the time spent waiting for showers and washing up. A new toilet block will be added to an existing space which will include three toilet cubicles and two wash basins.
We will also be connecting the water supply to the wash basins in the dorm rooms on the carriage. The wash basins have never been operational so the functionality of the new sinks will add to the experience.
As a small remote Indigenous community, Menindee has previously faced significant disadvantages and unique challenges compared to many other communities in NSW. However, they have effectively utilised community resources in order to develop sustainable strategies to overcome this disadvantage.
The school has built strong connections with other organisations in the area and around NSW, enabling them to build a positive culture whereby education is highly valued. The railway carriage is one way that employment and training opportunities have been provided. The funds raised with the railway carriage are often used to incentivise attendance at school for students in the local community, leading to excellent attendance and graduation rates. However, the facilities need to be updated to maintain this level of success and address infrastructure issues.
I heard about this project through my wife, Caitlyn Whitby-Johnson, who has been involved with the school excursions to Menindee with Killara High School the past 2 years.
The aim of the project would be to renovate the bathrooms to increase the number of shower facilities to six and install a second wash basin in each bathroom to decrease the time spent waiting for showers and washing up. A new toilet block will be added to an existing space which will include three toilet cubicles and two wash basins.
We will also be connecting the water supply to the wash basins in the dorm rooms on the carriage. The wash basins have never been operational so the functionality of the new sinks will add to the experience.
As a small remote Indigenous community, Menindee has previously faced significant disadvantages and unique challenges compared to many other communities in NSW. However, they have effectively utilised community resources in order to develop sustainable strategies to overcome this disadvantage.
The school has built strong connections with other organisations in the area and around NSW, enabling them to build a positive culture whereby education is highly valued. The railway carriage is one way that employment and training opportunities have been provided. The funds raised with the railway carriage are often used to incentivise attendance at school for students in the local community, leading to excellent attendance and graduation rates. However, the facilities need to be updated to maintain this level of success and address infrastructure issues.
Organizer
Scott Johnson
Organizer
Roseville NSW
