Families and community members around the Wanaaring area came together on Wednesday 22 June to join in with a RualCONNECT Child & Family Fun Day co-ordinated and hosted by Contact Inc and the Royal Flying Doctor Service at the Paroo Contact Children's Mobile base in Vicary Street.  

"This was third time lucky for us," said Contact Inc CEO Sue Kingwill. "In September we had covid and in April this year we had wet weather so it was wonderful to finally get the event on the ground." 

"Our last RuralCONNECT day in Wanaaring a few years ago was more about bringing people together and enjoying each others company. 

"The families have always joined in with the Mobile service doing children's activities but we've ramped it up this time with guest speakers responding to what the community told us they needed." 

Families had requested information and connection to services providing early intervention checks for children so 22 June 2022 saw a focus on hearing. 

"Hearing Australia were very keen to come out and do the event with us," Ms Kingwill said. "They gave a brief presentation about hearing, brought free resources and a

trained audiometrist to do initial tests on anyone who wanted it - from young children to adults." 

"The good news was that there were minimal detections of any problems but anyone who needed further support would be referred to the right service if they want to take it up." 

The day was held to coincide with the Royal Flying Doctor Service's regular fortnightly clinic day which, in Wanaaring, was held just across the road. 

"We always use a local group to do the catering and we combine it to make it more worthwhile for people to come into town," Ms Kingwill said. "People came and went all day, enjoyed morning tea and lunch provided by the Wanaaring Rodeo & Gymkhana Club and had a happy day out. To me it was a win/win/win." 

Gymkhana Club member Paula Bartlett said their fifteen member committee welcomed the opportunity to raise some funds to put towards their Gymkhana, which they plan to hold in September, for the first time after eight years.  

Children and staff from Wanaaring Public School joined in all the activities and around 45 children, family and community members also attended. 

"It went very well," said Mrs Bartlett. "Pretty much all the families from around the district came in for the day." 

In all, seven different agencies were involved, expanding on Contact Inc's approach to provide opportunities for services to collaborate to respond to the needs expressed by the local community. 

A Street Library was also showcased by Contact Inc's partnership with Paint the Town REaD. 

"It is a little box, built like a house with glass sides," Mrs Bartlett said. "They put a few books in there for people to look at, to borrow, swap or keep." 

Ms Kingwill says the idea of the Street Library is to increase awareness around early literacy. 

"We've got access to a street library kit for Tilpa and Louth as well as Wanaaring," she said. "It's small and portable so you can move it around to wherever people want it. 

"At the moment they are pre-loved books from children's books through to adults and we're looking for more sources to add donated books, including new books." 

The Wanaaring community can look forward to another event soon with Contact Inc hoping to run an Open Day this month for community members to "drop in and chat" about how they want to make use of Contact's Vicary Street facility. 

"The sun was out and the Contact yard is a lovely place to be because it's well set up for these things," Mrs Bartlett said. 

"We all appreciate that Contact continue to organise these days and getting a Community Hub up and running will be a good thing."