GOULBURN is “a jewel in rural NSW”, according to Australia’s Governor- General - and who are we to argue?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) was in town on Wednesday and yesterday on a number of engagements.
On Wednesday night, he attended a peer support dinner at the Goulburn Police Academy.
Yesterday morning. Sir Peter and Lady Lynne visited Goulburn High School, meeting with teaching staff for a chat.
They also sat in with a Year Nine indigenous class studying Papua New Guinea - an area Sir Peter is familiar with after being posted there following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.
A civic reception at the council chambers was next on the agenda, giving Sir Peter the chance to meet with service providers from the homelessness, domestic violence and suicide prevention sectors.
Sir Peter said he wanted to focus on social issues, such as domestic violence and suicide prevention, during his tenure as the Queen’s representative.
“This representative group here is a reminder that rural and regional Australia are not just objects of infrastructure and history, but living, breathing organisms,” he told the gathering.
“Domestic violence, suicide prevention - these are a couple of themes that are faced around Australia.
“I’m delighted to see you all come together. I thank you for what you do for your community.
I see you as a part of a very large, sometimes disparate, but growing group of concerned community members who apply energy and affection for your community to some of our growing issues.
“Recognition of the omnipresent nature of domestic violence is a first step towards a sophisticated and proud country like Australia getting rid of this problem.”
“We are so lucky in the city of Goulburn and the surrounding region.
We are a very, very close town,” Mayor Geoff Kettle told Sir Peter.
“These people who spend countless hours looking after other people who need help.
We are very proud of them.”
Sir Peter finished his visit with a trip to the Goulburn War Memorial and Museum where he paid his respects to the men of Goulburn who served in World War One.
He toured the Museum before having morning tea with the volunteers, local high school captains and members of the local RSL branches.
Cr Kettle presented Sir Peter with a photograph of the War Memorial.
Sir Peter wasn’t the only dignitary to visit the city.
On Wednesday, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott was in town to pay his respects to the late Peter Mowle.
