WHEN Annabel Tully, Bunginderry, Quilpie, read the VISE program would cease to exist from the end of this year, she was more than disappointed.
VISE (Volunteers for Isolated Students’ Education), was a program which paired volunteers with home tutors in remote areas, giving the tutors or governesses valuable time off.
Mrs Tully, who has five children between the ages of nine and 16, currently has a VISE tutor on her property, who has been there for six weeks.
“This particular time we’ve been able to manage shearing, I’ve been able to have a few days off, catch up on the household tasks, catch up on jobs on the property and do some much-needed study,” she said.
Mrs Tully is the home tutor to her children, who are studying through the Charleville School of Distance Education.
But running a 75,000 hectare sheep and cattle property, a house, the business, and doing her own study to become a nurse is challenging, and extra hands are always welcome.
She said VISE had repeatedly had trouble filling the role of chief executive officer for the past three years, which left them “no choice” but to shut down.
The service they provided was invaluable.
”They do give governesses a break too; it’s not only mothers that are home tutors,” Mrs Tully said.
“It’ll have a big void in the volunteers’ lives as well.
“The couple that I’ve got with us now, it’s their tenth placement - for ten years this is what they’ve been doing every winter.
“It helps bridge that gap between city and country, giving them a chance to get out onto properties and see how things are run.”
Mrs Tully said the situation made her question the future of volunteer organisations in the bush.
“I just question what’s happening to the volunteer capacity of rural Australia,” she said.
“Hopefully someone will step up to it.”
On the VISE website it stated the volunteer service was established in 1989 by a small group of retired teachers and the Tennant Creek Lions Club in consultation with the Isolated Children's Parents' Association (ICPA).
“The aim of VISE is to support the education of students in rural areas especially isolated outback families involved with distance education,” the website reads.
The close of the VISE program is expected to be a hot topic at the annual ICPA conference, to be held in St George at the end of next week.
Stay tuned to queenslandcountrylife.com.au for all the conference news.
QCL contacted VISE for comment but had not received a response at the time of going to press.
Kelly Butterworth
Rockhampton-based journalist covering all things ag.
Rockhampton-based journalist covering all things ag.
