The Project

• "The Adventures of Wolly Galah" is a project developed by the Counter Disaster section of the Ipswich City Council’s Works department.

• The concept was developed as a Counter Disaster public education aimed at children of an early age.

• A decision was made to target pre-school and grade one children because at this age they can absorb information quickly.

 

How it Began

• Arie van den Ende became the project officer and together with the author Beth Suhr started to investigate on how the project could be brought to life. Arie was looking at producing a brochure that would incorporate a character to explain the different aspects of disasters to the children.

• Beth had the idea of having an Australian animal doing things that small children could relate to and have this set in verse and set out like a Little Golden Book to appeal to the target group. To explain her idea she wrote the "Storm" verse and thus "Wolly" was born. Arie loved the idea and the project moved on.

• With the birth of Wolly came many of his family and friends who feature it the rest of the series of the four books; storm, floods, fire and what a child should do if lost.

 

The Next Step

• Now we had to find an artist who could bring "Wolly" and friends to life the way Beth had written him.
  
  

• An artist was found and Arie then applied for funding from the EMA for this Public Education project. Sadly, this was unsuccessful, but the deputy Works Manager  thought it was a great concept and he said that the Ipswich City Council would assist if we could keep expenses down. Now we needed an artist to volunteer their art work.
  
  

• After talking to several artists we then approached the Bundamba TAFE College and talked to the Graphics Students. Two weeks later, Tiffany Rix, an art student (now Graduate) rang and said she would like the opportunity to do the drawings. Tiffany has two young children in the target age group and agreed that it was a great concept.
  
  

• Tiffany  runs a graphics art company, GRAPHRIX.

 

The Book

• Tiffany then drew "Wolly" and thus gave him visual life! Beth explained how she saw the story and Tiffany brought it all to life. After all the drawings were finalised and a rough draft made on how we thought the book should look it was taken to the graphic arts department at the Ipswich City Council to have it put together professionally.

 

Funding

• John Nugent, the Mayor, agreed to provide the funding for the first book.

 

Question

Why a Galah? The poet was asked.

"Because I needed an Australian animal of some kind – and Wolly just came!" she said. "The other Characters were the same. Bilby because they are endangered and being advertised at Easter. Joyce because it fitted in verse. And what else in lots of water but a pelican called Pete. And the Owl? I guess because I like owls - just my poetic imaging!"