Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and wife Lynne will be seeking to gain a “great understanding of the beating heart of Australia”, as they spend the next two days touring some of the community organisations that make up Dubbo’s soul.
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The former Chief of the Defence Force began a whirlwind three-day tour of Dubbo beginning with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Education Centre and showcases from hockey players, martial artists, and gymnasts at the Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC), and was very impressed with what he saw.
“There was a spick and span aeroplane there,” Sir Cosgrove said, following a close-up look at the newest addition to the Dubbo RFDS base’s fleet.
“Doesn’t matter whether they’re spick and span or showing the hard work, it’s a vital service throughout Australia. One we as a nation we should be very proud of and I’d like to see a lot of public attention and support to helping the RFDS doing their job.”
“I’ve been to a number of PCYCs. Very few of them have this span of facility available and more importantly the wonderful support from experts and volunteers to help make it work.
“This is a wonderful facility for the community.”
“Volunteerism in Australia is just a magnificent part of our national fabric. We couldn’t pay our volunteers. We would not be able to afford to pay volunteers in Australia if that had to be paid work - it just wouldn’t get done. So to a great degree volunteers make the community work.”
This week’s visit is the first time a Governor-General has come to Dubbo in 20 years, and Sir Cosgrove said it was “about time that this very important rural and regional centre got a visit”.
“The big cities are fine, they’re the engine room and lots of banking and that sort of thing but if you want to find out how a community is getting on, go to rural and regional Australia,” Sir Cosgrove said.
“I’m concentrating on youth, I’m concentrating on education, volunteerism. From all points of view, whatever I see in the community here will be, for me, a learning experience and I hope I can shine a bit of a light and remind the community of all the wonderful work being done.”