A small group of year 3 students worked collaboratively to create the Upper
Coomera State School scarecrow, named Gerald the Park Guide. Gerald’s role is to
support and promote inclusive participation in all the attractions at Dreamworld, with
the hope that he can be adopted by other tourist destinations. Gerald is proficient in
Auslan and carries a tool kit on his back full of supportive equipment like
headphones, sunglasses, sun cream, communication cards and fidget tools, that can
be utilised by park goers. He has a map of the park that is written in brail so that
visually impaired visitors can navigate their way around the attractions. Gerald will
promote inclusive participation at Dreamworld by accompanying visitors around the
park, going on rides and viewing attractions together, bridging the communication
gap and just providing a fun and caring companion. Imagine a world where every
tourist destination has a guide like Gerald waiting to welcome its visitors!

We had so much fun making Jessy and Buddy . Sometimes we’d have little arguments about who does what
and what goes where but we made it through. We’re so excited that our scarecrow is going to Dreamworld .
We thought of making Jessy blind because blind people should also be included in fun activities and we
think that we should include more blind people in all activities.

It was so hard making the ‘hay sausages’ because they kept falling apart, but we did it in the end. Our dog
Buddy looks like a different kind of dog, but we shaped his ears and nose.

We learned a lot of stuff throughout the sessions of making the scarecrow. We learnt how to make
straw sausages, tie knots, and that nothing is impossible in life. This is the same for blind people. We were
really ner vous because we had a lot to do and we learnt that teamwork makes the dreamwork! That’s the
only reason why we were able to finish this amazing scarecrow!

At Southport State School we are passionate about embracing our diverse students and wider community. We have over 41 cultures at our school. That is why we chose to make our “Queen of Hearts Scarecrow’ as an art activity during our Multicultural Day Celebrations. Our Scarecrow is completely made of re-cycled materials. Students had great fun gluing the papier-mâché, making love hearts with their name and culture.

Inclusivity is very much at the heart of our school culture at Southport. We ensure ALL students, whatever their abilities, or cultures can take part in all our school activities – ALWAYS! At Southport State School we truly do believe

Many Loving Hearts Make a School….

Our Year 6 students shared their ideas on what inclusive travel looks like for them on the Gold Coast. We decided to create a photo book which the scarecrow is holding. The book is made up of pictures drawn by the students and depict various Gold Coast destinations from the beaches to the hinterland.  Their travel memories include family members, friends and pets.  The students also included pictures of people with disabilities accessing the same travel experiences. This included the beach access mats located on some of our Gold Coast beaches and surfing experiences at Currumbin Alley that are provided by Gold Coast volunteers. Many students also drew pictures of their grandparents who often come to visit and the places they enjoyed visiting together.

The frame for our scarecrow is recycled pine and is reused from our submission last year. Its body is made from hessian and the arms and legs are made from old pool noodles. The clothes, hat, thongs, backpack and towel are second hand donations from our school families. Our scarecrow’s feet are made from old gardening forks and the hands are made from gardening gloves.

A seat on the bus for everyone! At Coomera State School, we value and celebrate diversity, cultural and individual differences, creating a safe and accessible place to belong.

The Prep students brainstormed what accessible tourism meant to them. Immediately the ‘Magic School Bus’ came to mind, as Ms Frizzle takes her class in the Magic School Bus on many adventures, that would normally not be possible. Using this as inspiration, the students started drawing to create ‘Coomera’s Bus of Inclusion’, showcasing visible and non-visible disabilities, giving them access to wherever they want to go.

Students engaged in discussions around different disabilities and the barriers some people face, stopping them having access to things we take for granted. The bus is designed with a ramp for accessibility and each scarecrow is filled with Coomera Love and given a name.

Our bus is made from all recycled materials such as old bikes, timber and an old steering wheel from our playground. The individual scarecrows are made from donated materials including styrofoam, hessian bags, straw and uniforms.

Whilst creating the bus, students participated in our ‘Spring Outdoor Learning Day’, with valuable learning experiences including tending to the gardens and learning about living things.

Our scarecrows, Bernard and Stephanie Special were designed and created jointly by upper primary 8 and junior secondary 3 at Beenleigh Special School.

As a group we decided to use recycled products like chicken wire, pillows and clothes instead of straw to construct our scarecrows. We were helped to cut and mould the chicken wire for body parts. The pillows were used for the bodies. We put sticks in to help keep the scarecrow standing up. The heads were made from a stuffed weave bag and the other is foam.

The theme “The Year of Accessible Tourism” our scarecrows show how some of our friends can be
included in the community. The scarecrows have a communication coreword board to enable the student with the smallest communication skills to state their needs and wants. Our school is big on communication and using AAC. As our scarecrows are very delicate, like some of our friends, there is limited places to go for fun.

Why couldn’t the scarecrow go on a rollercoaster? He didn’t have the guts!

But not our scarecrow, Patchy! The Prep students and their Year 6 buddies at Dutton Park State
School have been working hard, as a team, to create a scarecrow that embodies the spirit of
inclusive travel and adventure. The students have envisioned a roller coaster that is accessible
for wheelchair users to show their support to friends and family at our school. We believe that
everyone belongs and every person (or scarecrow) deserves the chance to feel the thrill of
riding a rollercoaster. Our Scarecrow Patchy has just had a lovely day out at the amusement
park - Dreamworld and has boarded the front carriage of our Lightning Bolt Rollercoaster. Hold
on tight Patchy, this one will be extremely fun and fast!

Students discussed, planned and designed each part of the project together. They were
innovative with materials, using leftover cardboard and paint from the classrooms and straw
that was going into the school garden. They were very creative when they re-purposed the
teachers’ broomstick to make the ride safer for Patchy! Of course, our design would have never
been complete without Patchy’s wheelchair that our classmate so kindly let us borrow. Dutton
Park students believe that anyone, no matter who they are, should be included, even when
riding an extremely fun and fast rollercoaster!

Caningeraba means 'Oyster beds' in the local Yugambeh First Nation Peoples language. Our State School is situated in Burleigh Waters with approx 1200 students. With careful consideration for our theme representation we went with a vision impaired scarecrow 'Mr Mac' and guide dog 'Nalgal' local indigenous name for tame dog for our display to exemplify Queensland's commitment to accessible tourism. Our innovative display is made from all recycled, durable, sunsafe materials right down to the Bunnings widebrim hat made famous by one vip Qld tourist Harry Styles earlier this year! Nalgal also wears her guide dog shirt and leash over her wooden frame & plastic bottle/ wrapping body made from sustainable materials and showcasing incredible design creativity. By fostering inclusivity and raising awareness this display contributes significantly to enhancing the tourism landscape for individuals with visual impairment. Our display not only acknowledges the needs of vision impaired people but also engages the wider community, promoting a more inclusive and accessible tourism industry in Queensland.

Our Hendra Way is to Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible & Be a Good Learner.  Hendra State School is a small inner city primary school with 30 students.  We are so fortunate to feel like a community.  We have a diverse school, with students from all over the world, some who have English as their second or third language.  Our school leads with inclusivity, our senior and junior students pair up to work together weekly on their Enquiry Projects, we eat lunch together, we spend playtime together (usually playing soccer!) and we learn together.  

Our entry is inspired by our weekly visitor Reading Dog Barkley.  Barkley comes into our school to assist us with confidence in reading and in our school work.  Barkley makes us feel brave.  He doesn’t judge our mistakes, he cuddles us and he loves to hear the stories we read to him.

We are proud of our Scarecrow “Henny” and her dog “Barkley” as they are dressed to represent our wonderful School.

We decided to make the spine of our Scarecrow out of bamboo sticks, because it’s durable, sustainable and diverse because it is from a foreign country.
We made our clothes out of old cotton and linen shirts, and hessian. We tied the hessian together to make some of our clothes. We made a coat out of a linen bedsheet, and coloured it red.
The head was made out of a wire frame to be strong and maintain integrity, and draped a pillow cover over it. We used a straw hat for or Scarecrow because it would be sustainable and easy to get.
We also used buffle grass to stuff the scarecrow, because it’s a weed and it is not native to Australia. It is also durable and sustainable and is easy to obtain.
We decorated it with gloves and gave him a bamboo stick. We made the coat red to show diversity in materials and sewed it together using thin and thick wire. All materials we used were biodegradable to push sustainability.

Ollies Scare-cation

As a Special School our student’s lives are impacted by accessibility for all aspects of their lives. Our design has been influenced by what students have and want to experience. As a school whenever we plan any activity outside of school, we want students to have the experience in an equitable environment.

Many of our students communicate differently, they may have limited verbal language and use an ‘Augmentative and Alternative Communication’ (AAC) system. On the scarecrow’s arm is an example of AAC using symbols to communicate.

Our scarecrow is placed on a wheelchair to show the access needs some of our students require. The snorkel, mask and fish, represents the Great Barrier Reef in the North of the State. The fish have been created using leaves outlining how important nature is for everyone. The horse on the wheel represents Boulia Rodeo in the West of the State. The mat with sand on signifies the beaches on the East Coast and the paths that allow accessibility for wheelchairs and prams so that everyone can enjoy Queensland’s fantastic coastline. Lastly, the Gold Coaster located at Dreamworld represents the excitement that our students can experience at amusement parks, overall gaining an educational experience.

Introducing Alexa!

Alexa is a White Ibis (aka Bin Chicken) from Elizabeth South in South Australia.

Year 2/3 students at Elizabeth South Primary completed a bin audit early in the year and found chip packets were thrown away in the largest quantities and that they are not collected for recycling. Students decided to use chip packets to create their Scarecrow. They collaborated to imagine, design, source and construct Alexa the White Ibis (Bin Chicken). Students collected, washed, cut, weaved and stuck together hundreds of used chip packets to cover the body. They used an old broken washing basket for the body and old plastic shoe boxes for the feathers and head of Alexa. 

The majority of students at our school suffer trauma and disadvantage and many have disabilities and disorders including Autism. Students learned what Autism is and how people with Autism may use tools to assist them. They brainstormed a list of things Alexa may need as she travels across Australia. Instead of a suitcase they decided a bin would be more familiar for Alexa to travel with and can easily be wheeled around our gardens at school.

We hope you love Alexa as much as we do!   

Trans-Barbie– Likes to look good while travelling, and it’s all about the accessories! Her sunnies are on point and pink, of course! She has tyres so she can travel faster if needed, but they’re not weighing her down. She has binoculars to admire wildlife and a camera for selfies and capturing those special moments.  😊

Bertha – Completely recycled with objects collected from school, Bertha has Air Jordans to help her on her travels, and has a nice set of abs under those binoculars from her adventures. Her (bailing twine) hair is plaited to keep tidy and she’s sunsmart with a nice hat and long but thin sleeves. Bertha also had an environmentally friendly wooden passport, and phone to help her travel the world, but someone else needed them more apparently!

Shwayne – He’s a Mypolonga graduate who yearned to see the world! The school’s sun-safe policy reminded him to wear a nice wide brim hat and cover his arms against the elements. Mypo proud, he still has his Primary School backpack, with his map and water bottle to stay hydrated. Shwayne has Adidas runners which he prefers for optimum grip and endurance, and wears gloves so he can help needy people build schools in poorer countries without injury.