Back to school

By Kath Gannaway
That wasn’t the case in March when a group of former Badger Creek State School students organised a more relaxed reunion at the Old Badger Creek school building.
“We targeted students who had been at the school in the late ’40s and early ’50s and it made for a great day which brought to light lots of memories,” said Merv Bullas.
Mr Bullas, along with Kevin Mason, Lyn (Mullett) Kennedy and Val (Williams) Sanders, organised the event which included a DVD called Memories of Badger Creek put together and sent from Java by Stephen Fleay, the youngest son of famous naturalist and Sanctuary director David Fleay.
Ms Sanders said her overwhelming memory of school days at Badger Creek were going from a big two-storey building at Ashburton with lots of kids to the two-room, two-teacher, 35-children school at Badger.
“It was just wonderful to catch up with everyone, some I have not seen for 20 years or more,” she said.
Daryl Brew spent all his primary school days at Badger Creek. His family lived opposite Summerlea Lodge in Albert Road.
“We walked to school through snow, hail, rain and in the sun.
“There have been a couple of times I’ve gone back and I remembered the smell of chalk and dust in the old building, but that seems to have gone now,” he said.
Mr Bullas said with the many photos and anecdotes shared on the day there were plans for a booklet to draw together some of the wonderful memories of school days at Badger Creek.
Anyone who would like to contribute can contact Mr Bullas on 5987 1169.