'Heartbreaking': School teacher shows kids drought hardship

A former Southern Downs schoolgirl helps home by showing her students the devastation of drought

Kimberley Collett and her year 2 class at Mater Dei Primary School in Toowoomba. Picture: Contributed

A FORMER Stanthorpe schoolgirl is imparting the values of St Mary MacKillop in her own students to help them understand the devastation of drought.

Kimberley Collett witnessed the big dry up close on a recent visit to her home town.

What she saw was so heartbreaking that it spurred her to take action.

"A couple of weeks ago I climbed Bald Rock and when I got to the top I found the view equally spectacular and heartbreaking. The land was so dry and barren," Ms Collett said.

"I've also seen a couple of local farms as well and seen the effect of the drought first hand.

"Working in a Catholic school we teach about the different values of different saints.

"Our Australian saint, Mary MacKillop, teaches us to 'never see a need without doing something about it'.

"So I suppose I got my inspiration from that and just wanting to do my bit."

With the help of her Year 2 students at Mater Dei Primary School in Toowoomba, they'll host a 'Dress up for Drought Relief' day.

"The event is 'Fiver for a Farmer' inspired, but we wanted the funds to go directly to the local communities affected. So the proceeds will go directly to CDS or Granite Belt Neighbourhood Centre."

DROUGHT HELP: Kimberley Collett and the Mater Dei school in Toowoomba are stepping up to support the Southern Downs. Picture: Contributed

Ms Collett has been teaching her students a thing or two about what drought is really about.

"To teach students to understand the drought in Stanthorpe I showed them the picture of Storm King Dam by DL Photography and a picture that I took from Bald Rock a couple of weeks ago," she said.

"Everything was brown, barren and sucked dry. A couple of students also have families who are affected by drought so they have seen it first hand.

"I further explained drought through reading them the picture book Drought by Jackie French."

She asked some of her students: "What is drought?"

"When the animals die by starvation because there's no food and crops," student Gabrielle said.

"When farmers can't really do their job because it's too dry," Annabelle said.

Ms Collett went to preschool in Thulimbah, primary school at The Summit State School and then high school at Stanthorpe State High School, and says she wants to support the community that supported her while growing up.

The entire Mater Dei school will dress up on September 5 to raise funds for the Granite Belt.