More than 400 children got a taste for healthy living and university life through rugby league and netball matches at the Deadly Choices Junior Murri Carnival at The University of Queensland’s St Lucia Campus this month.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged six to 12 and their families came from across South-East Queensland to participate in the annual three-day event.

UQ supported the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) event through the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

UQ Poche Centre Acting Director Associate Professor Murray Phillips said it was great to see how much fun children had playing sport, meeting new friends, hearing from their sporting heroes, and getting a taste for university life.

“We value the strong partnership we have with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health that enables us to work collaboratively to provide initiatives such as the Murri Carnival, as well as Indigenous and non-Indigenous student placements in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health service providers,” Associate Professor Phillips said.

“By exposing children and their families to the University, we hope to instil the message about the power education can have.”

With health, sport and education as the key elements of the carnival, activities included a tour of the UQ St Lucia campus, exercise and sport science interactive events, cooking demonstrations and an opportunity to meet Brisbane Broncos players Jack Bird and Payne Haas.

Institute for Urban Indigenous Health Chief Executive Officer Adrian Carson said the Murri Carnival was a vehicle to promote health and education messages.
“All participants have to have had their health checks in the past 12 months,” Mr Carson said.

“We want to inspire kids to make positive decisions around being a ‘deadly’ student and to look after their health.

“We now have kids who have participated a few years in a row and see this as a normal part of life leading into NAIDOC week.”

Media: UQ Communications, habs.media@uq.edu.au, +61 7 3346 3037, @UQhealth