Running The Path To Reconciliation

Leila Graham, 11, from Cherbourg, looked ready to take off at the Reconciliation Fun Run on Sunday

May 22, 2018

About 450 runners and walkers – old and young – travelled the “Reconciliation Road” between Murgon and Cherbourg on Sunday for the fifth annual Reconciliation Fun Run.

The run is a project of The Ration Shed and a hard-working committee of volunteers.

Chairperson Sandra Morgan joked that every year they wonder why they do it …

“It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get it all working … but then every year I stand here and see you all – the runners and walkers, the volunteers, the stall holders, the people from Cherbourg, from Murgon, from the South Burnett and from communities further away – seeing you all her, I know why … and I feel happy and proud,” Aunty Sandra said.

“I wish to thank all of you who are here today for playing your part in bringing us all closer together, for standing up for peace and harmony in our communities, and for helping to build a brighter future for all the peoples of our wonderful country.

“This is a beautiful event. It is an event that shows our strengths, our dignity, our humanity.

“The road from Murgon to Cherbourg is a symbol of a divided past.

“We hold our Fun Run on this road as an act of Reconciliation. By doing this we say that this road is no longer a symbol of separation and division; we say that it is now a symbol of unity; we say it is a symbol of us going forward together.

“I say that we should no longer be calling this the Murgon-to-Cherbourg road; we should call it the ‘Reconciliation Road’.”

There were actually three runs this year … the original 7km route from Murgon Showground to The Ration Shed, plus a 10km run which added a loop in Cherbourg, and a shorter 3km run / walk.

Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray said this was the only Indigenous community who organised something like this.

“We are the only Indigenous community that does a Reconciliation Fun Run. Cherbourg people should be very proud,” he said.

Uncle Bill Buchanan, from Reconciliation Queensland, said the Fun Run had been named as a finalist in the Queensland Reconciliation Awards. The winner would be announced in Cairns later this year.

He highlighted a visiting group of students and teachers from Mabel Park State School which had taken part in the run, who represented 17 different cultural backgrounds.

Related articles:

Another Record-Breaking Run … For Fun (2017)
Big Day Tops Off A Big Effort (2016)
Fitness, Fun And Friendship (2015)
Running For Fun And Reconciliation (2014)

Ian Nicholson, 14, from Murgon, was first across the Finish Line and was presented with the Gold Medal

10km world record-breaker Joshua Williams, 7, from Murgon, was a very close second overall

Duathlon champ Brandi Alberts, from Hervey Bay, was the first woman across the line

Winners of the Best Dressed prize were the “Three Blind Mice” … Glenda Perry, Trish Wiley and Beck Payne, from Moffatdale State School

The youngsters are always first off the line at Murgon … and they’re often first over the line in Cherbourg, too!

Special guests at the Fun Run, Olympian Beki Smith and Australian representative long jumper Robbie Crowther, from Athletics Australia, led warm-up routines at the start of the runs

The start of the 3km run featured one of Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff’s famous pink ribbons …

* * *

Entertainment In The Park

After the runners had rested and recovered, entertainment took off in the park opposite The Ration Shed.

The Wakka Gubbi dancers performed traditional dances, and there were also performances on stage by local musicians, including Robert “Rocko” Langton and Steve Hart.

Steve debuted a song he wrote especially for the occasion, “The Fun Run Song”, which spoke of unity, peace and, of course, running!

Cairns singer Troy Brady also performed on stage as well as Kingaroy teenager Natalia Phillips-Petersen who wowed the crowd.

Other highlights were performances by the band of the 1st Regiment of the Royal Australian Artillery who played recent Top 40 songs as only a brass band can …

The Wakka Gubbi dancers are always popular with the audience

This is **** awesome … members of the Artillery Band belted out the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis hit “Thrift Shop” as well as a lot of other well-known pop songs

“Rocko” Langton, from Cherbourg, sang some well-known local songs

Natalia Phillips-Petersen, from Kingaroy, was invited on stage to sing

Cairns singer-songwriter Troy Brady with Cherbourg’s own singer-songwriter Steve Hart

*** * ***

Other Photos

Medical students Niv Appasamy, Rockhampton; Adam Cowan, Bundaberg; and Joe McLean, Toowoomba; all made long trips to help with the Fun Run’s registrations

Fernando Carbigao and Dahye Jung checked off pre-registrants

Kerilee Waddell and Jasmine Magarry greeted walkers and runners with a smile

Efthimios Haritopoulos, Graham Douglas, Lenore Denduck, Abina Shillingsworth, Vivienne Manessis and Cassie Douglas were part of Team Galangoor from Hervey Bay’s Galangoor Duwalami Primary Health Care Service … and very stylishly dressed, too!

Kiam Beezley, Shawnie Blucher, Leanne Carsburg and Paula Chalmers, from the Hervey Bay Girls Academy

Jane Russon and Toni Jeavons managed a smile despite the cold early morning conditions

Lachie Taylor and Sav Kumaresan, from the QUT Law Faculty in Brisbane, were collecting feedback on proposed changes to Local Laws on behalf of Cherbourg Council

Tracy Lewis, from the Sunshine Coast, was offering family fun eco-art activities at her “Bush Critters” stall

Aunty Lillian Gray was the compere for the day in the park … she’s pictured with Sharleece Fisher, 10, from Murgon; and Dorothea Douglas, from Cherbourg

David Nardoo, Becki Cook, Sharna Willie and Prof Roianne West were providing information about services and opportunities at Griffith University

Margie Hams and Renata Danisevska, from the Darling Downs West Moreton Primary Health Network, were providing information about the introduction by the Federal Government of the electronic “My Health Record” database for all Australians

Gloria Bell and Aunty Shirley Law were serving up stews, savoury mince, damper, pea and ham soup, cakes, muffinsand tea to raise funds for the Many Threads sewing group at Cherbourg

Hydration stations were set up along the fun route … manning the station at the Finish Line were Viranga Wijeyewickrema, Philip Huang, Lee Syn You and David Yoon, from the University of Queensland

Craig Kapernick, from Cloyna, and Laurie Douglas, from Cherbourg, have taken part in the Reconciliation Fun Run every year

Shaun Bliesner and Robyn Samiak, from South Burnett CTC, were cooking up snags, hamburgers, and bacon and egg burgers

The Ration Shed chairperson, Aunty Sandra Morgan, with former Cherbourg principal and founder of the Stronger Smarter Institute, Chris Sarra, who has been a regular participant at the Reconciliation Fun Run

South Burnett Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff and Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray

Two of the members of the organising committee who were feeling relieved as the day progressed … Zona Hussey-Smith and Cherbourg Council Economic Development Officer Sean Nicholson

*** * ***

Athletics Australia representatives Beki Smith and Robbie Crowther presented the trophies and prizes to the successful runners:

10km Run

Over 60 – Male – Nil
Over 60 – Female – Anne Ryan
Adult – Male – James Maxwell
Adult – Female – Krystal Lockwood
Secondary Student – Male – Nil
Secondary Student – Female – Kayla Johnston
Primary Student – Male – Nil
Primary Student – Female – Emmison Johnston

7km Run

Overall – Open Gold – Male – Ian Nicholson
Overall – Female Open Gold – Female – Brandi Alberts
Over 60 – Male – Sean Ryan
Over 60 – Female – Yvonne Bradburn
Adult – Male – Craig Kapernick
Adult – Female – Brandi Alberts
Secondary Student – Male – Ian Nicholson
Secondary Student – Female – Breeanna Miller
Primary Student – Male – Joshua Williams
Primary Student – Female – Savannah Walker

3km Run

Over 60 – Male – John van der Merwe
Over 60 – Female – Phyllis Lea
Adult – Male – Adam Cowan
Adult – Female – Kate Schafer
Secondary Student – Male – Marquese Denduck-Green
Secondary Student – Female – Karla Denduck
Primary Student – Male – Xavier Richardson
Primary Student – Female – Kanisha Green

Fastest Teams (average of first four runners)

10km

1. Griffith University First Peoples
2. Darling Downs & West Moreton PHN
3. Team Galangoor

7km

1. Kilkivan State School
2. St Rita’s
3. Team Clontarf Kingaroy

3km

1. Galangoor
2. Pinangba – Blue Care Indigenous Services
3. Team Big Buddy

Other prizes

Largest Team – Mabel Park SHS
Best Dressed Team – “Three Blind Mice” (Moffatdale School)
Best Dressed Individual – Sharlee Fisher
Encouragement Award – Henry Rider
Special Award (Kathy Duff’s Bracelet) – Tamara Blackman (travelled from Thursday Island)

Overall winners … Male Open Gold, Ian Nicholson, and Female Open Gold, Brandi Alberts, with Robbie Crowther and Beki Smith

10km Female Over 60 winner Anne Ryan

10km Adult Male winner James Maxwell

10km Adult Female winner
Krystal Lockwood

7km Over 60s male runner-up Laurie Douglas and winner Sean Ryan

10km Primary Student Female winner Emmison Johnston and runner-up Olivia Johnston

7km Over 60s female runner-up Libby Leu and winner Yvonne Bradburn

7km Primary Student male runner-up Heath Walker and winner Joshua Williams

7km Adult Male runner-up Joris Mijnssen and winner Craig Kapernick

3km Primary Student Female runner-up Maddie Shipp and winner Kanisha Green

10km Secondary Student Female winner Kayla Johnston

3km Over 60s Male winner
John van der Merwe

3km Over 60s Female winner Phyllis Lea

3km Over 60 Female runner-up
Annette Chesswas

3km Secondary Student Male winner Marquese Denduck-Green

Tamra Bridge and Gavin Mackey, from Pinangba – Blue Care Indigenous Services, were part of the team that came second in the 3km run

The Encouragement Award was presented to Henry Rider who was a keen participant in the 3km race

3km Primary Student Male winner Xavier Richardson and runner-up Cohen Slater

Best Dressed Individual prize was awarded to Sharleece Fisher

Kathy Duff presented a handmade bracelet as a special award to the person who travelled the furthest to take part … Tamara Blackman, from Thursday Island