11/09/2026
A special visit from local leaders! 🌟
This week, our students had the wonderful opportunity to meet with local leaders Mayor Teresa Harding and Councillor Pye Augustine - Ipswich City Council and learn more about leadership, resilience, community and making a difference. As part of their HASS learning, students invited local representatives to visit Mount Marrow State School, see our Art Exhibition and answer questions about their experiences in local government.
Our students have shared their reflections from these inspiring visits below. 💜
A Visit from Mayor Teresa Harding
On Tuesday Mayor Teresa Harding visited our breath-taking school to share her experiences as a Mayor and to look at our school’s wonderful Art Exhibition. As part of our learning in HASS we sent Mayor Teresa Harding an invite to come to Mount Marrow State School.
Each student prepared a few questions for Mayor Teresa Harding to help understand what being Mayor is like. Some questions were:
• What inspired you to pursue a career in Local Government?
• What is your experience of being the first female Mayor of Ipswich?
Mayor Teresa Harding talked about her experience in the Army and how it taught her leadership skills and resilience. She also was a candidate twice before but failed. So, when the opportunity to sign up to be Mayor she was doubtful but still decided she would try again showing resilience and strength. Luckily, she tried again and got elected. Her family was also very supportive in her choices.
Another question we asked her was:
• If you could give one piece of advice to students who want to make a difference in their community, what would it be?
Mayor Teresa Harding replied with "Keep trying your best and don't give up”. She also said that it was really important to keep asking questions and doing the right thing even when it is hard.
Mayor Teresa Harding's visit was not only inspiring for us students, but also for the teachers at Mount Marrow State School. We really appreciate Mayor Teresa Harding coming to our school and talking to us about her experiences as Ipswich's first female Mayor as we find it very inspirational to us and our peers.
Written by- Olivia and Lalita
On Tuesday we had a special visitor, Councillor Augustine! We as a class got to ask her questions about her life as an Ipswich Councillor and for her to see our artworks at the art show. We are learning about local, state & federal government. We wrote letters to Councillors and Members of Parliament to ask them to come and see our Art Show and talk to us about leadership.
Councillor Augustine was born in 1970 in South Africa and immigrated to Australia when she was 10. She played and coached competitive soccer and regularly baked. Yesterday we got to ask her questions like "What inspired you to become a Councillor?", "How did you become a Councillor?” and “Was there a turning point that led you to fully commit to your current path?". Her answers ranged from her experience baking and helping lead a council division, to her time playing and coaching soccer. We learnt a lot about leadership from Councillor Augustine!
Written by Reuben
