Rossville Family Fun Day brings community together

Rossville Hall came alive as local families gathered for a successful and well-attended family fun day, delivering a mix of activities focused on connection, wellbeing and disaster preparedness.

More than 30 children took part across the day, joined by parents, carers and staff from a range of partner organisations. The strong turnout reflected the close-knit nature of the Rossville community, with families making the most of both the hall and surrounding playground.

The event created a safe, inclusive and engaging space for children and families to reconnect and spend time together. A standout outcome was the way children of all ages interacted, supporting one another and forming new friendships through shared play and group activities.

A variety of interactive sessions were delivered throughout the day. Younger children enjoyed a dedicated playgroup run by the Cooktown District Community Centre, while resilience-building craft activities and educational resources were provided by the Queensland Health Recovery & Resilience Team. These sessions focused on supporting recovery and strengthening wellbeing in a child-friendly and accessible way.

Story time sessions featuring the Birdie’s Tree series were also held, helping introduce important messages around resilience and local disaster awareness. These were complemented by hands-on preparedness activities delivered by Australian Red Cross, including the popular pillowcase activity, where children decorated their own emergency bags while learning practical skills. The Get Ready inflatable game and a warning signs cornhole activity added further opportunities for children to engage with preparedness concepts in a fun and interactive environment.

Inside the hall, a range of games including table tennis, foosball, air hockey and pool encouraged teamwork and connection across age groups. Outside, families made use of the playground, while a free barbecue and prizes for children helped create a welcoming and positive atmosphere for all who attended.

Overall, the Rossville Family Fun Day successfully promoted resilience, wellbeing and preparedness through a mix of play-based, educational and community-focused activities. The event also supported ongoing recovery by reducing stress, strengthening social connections and encouraging inclusive participation.

The day highlighted the value of collaboration, with Cook Shire Council CRRO, Cook Shire Council Library Services, Queensland Health Recovery & Resilience Team, Cooktown District Community Centre and Australian Red Cross working together to deliver the event.

Support from Rossville School in promoting the event also contributed to its success.

This program is funded under the Cook Shire Council Community Recovery and Resilience Officer (CRRO) initiative.