Carnevale first for Bunbury

For the first time in its history, the Catholic Education Carnevale was held in Bunbury last week, an occasion which marked the start of a new era for the event.

Nine schools from around the State, including two from Perth, converged on the Graham Bricknell Memorial Music Shell on Thursday in a musical celebration of performing arts within the Catholic education system.

According to Catholic Arts acting chairwoman Genevie Baker, the decision to host the event in Bunbury this year was made to give more regional students the chance to take part without having to travel to Perth.

“Success is always measured by the enjoyment of those that attend,” she said.

“By all accounts, the students and staff felt it was beneficial for them to attend and certainly for the regional schools to be able to enjoy the metropolitan schools’ performances, which they would not normally have been able to enjoy.

South West students from Bunbury Catholic College, Leschenault Catholic Primary School, St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, St Joseph's Primary School (Waroona), St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (Bunbury), St Mary's Catholic Primary School and St Mary MacKillop Catholic College were given the chance to perform for and mingle with not only each other, but students from Perth schools Mercy College and Servite College.

Bishop of the Bunbury Diocese Gerard Holohan was on hand to help open proceedings and said it was great the event had been brought into the regions.

“There’s so much going on in terms of the arts in all our schools and nourishing the students’ creativity is brilliant,” he said.

“It’s a policy now to celebrate it everywhere, next year it could be Geraldton, the year after that the Kimberley, we don’t know.”

Despite liaising closely with the weather bureau, event organisers were powerless to stop a series of showers rolling in off the coast, but the rain did little to dampen the atmosphere as choirs, bands and dancers graced the Music Shell’s stage.

Mrs Baker said it was lucky there was plenty of shelter available at the venue and that discussions regarding next year’s location would be decided later in the year.

“At the end of every year the Catholic Arts Office, executive and committee hold a review meeting of all the events held throughout the third term,” she said.

“It is after the review meetings planning begins for 2020.”