The celebration of 50 years of the Isolated Children’s Parents Association (ICPA) was hosted in its founding town of Bourke this week, held alongside the organisation’s annual conference.

ICPA representatives and members gathered in Bourke for the three day conference and were joined in their anniversary celebrations and conference deliverations by the NSW Governor Her Excellency Margaret Beazley. 

With the Governor, the Bourke life members unveiled a plaque and planted a tree to mark the occasion. 

ICPA Bourke Branch Conference Convener Di Ridge said that with four times hosting the conference under their belt, Bourke still pulled out all the stops. 

“It was very successful over the three days…everyone enjoyed the beautiful river which they would have seen at over seven metres and rising,” Mrs Ridge said. 

NSW Governor Elizabeth Beazley was special guest at the ICPA NSW 50th Anniversary Conference in Bourke this week. IMAGE: ICPA Bourke Branch.

On the agenda were 87 motions that branch locations brought to the table, including campaigning to extend the criteria for Independent Youth Allowance and Relocation Scholarships to better incorporate the needs of rural and remote students. 

A major motion was that ICPA-NSW asks the Department of Education to inform remote schools of their future, prior to the end of the school year. The motion follows concerns that Louth preschool had no idea of their job security entering into 2022. 

“We are at the end of January 2022 and the ‘current’ staff at the Louth Preschool are unsure of their employment for 2022 and if the preschool is even going ahead at Louth,” the motion read. 

Since the motion was written, Louth has been announced as one of three Western NSW remote locations to deliver a mixed early education model, with the program engaging the local school facilities in partnership with Dubbo School of Distance Education. 

ICPA delegates from all over the state attended the Bourke Conference. IMAGE: ICPA Bourke Branch.

Mrs Ridge said that while there has been a lot of progress in the 50 years of the NSW ICPA, there is plenty to be done for rural and remote students that they will continue to lobby the government for. 

“All branches come from different areas with similar motions, and once we get past our level, they go forward to a state and federal level. That is always good if that can happen, to better access to education for our rural students,” Mrs Ridge said.