GALLERY: Thurston helps Coast kids get disaster ready
Peregian Springs students were hungry to soak up all they could as rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston stopped by to reinforce a special message.
The former Australian, Maroons and Cowboys star entered the school grounds to boisterous chants on Thursday as ambassador of the Get Ready Queensland initiative to discuss how students and their families were preparing for severe weather this disaster season.
The students, who are all too familiar with severe weather having endured bushfires in September last year, earned the star’s visit after being the random draw winner of the inaugural Get Ready Queensland schools competition.
“I was very impressed by the students,” Thurston said.
“Obviously last year they had the fires come through here very close to the school so they’re very knowledgeable kids and they answered all the questions we threw at them.
“This (program) was never around when I was at school so it’s good that we can teach these students at a very young age and hopefully they’ll be able to take this education with them into their teenage years and certainly when they go out there into the big wide world and wherever they live they know what to do and how to plan for emergency.
“Living in Queensland it’s not a matter of if but when (severe weather could happen).”
Student and Coolum Colts player Bodhi Bear was ecstatic to see Thurston visit.
“I always watched him play football,” he said.
“He signed our stuff and told us about the natural disasters.”
After learning more about preparing for an emergency, students fired questions at Thurston during a Q&A before heading outside to play a number of games including touch footy and snakes and ladders.
Thurston said he hadn’t been surprised to see Melbourne Storm succeed while staying on the Coast.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from the Melbourne Storm they’ve been a powerhouse club since inception,” he said.
“Coming up here and living on the Sunshine Coast no wonder they did so well, (they were) living pretty much in god’s country up here.
“So, full credit to the Storm.
“They spent months and months away from families but I suppose they had a good understanding who they were playing for and that was for the state of Victoria and their members.”
