The bus trip to Canberra and Parliament House has been a permanent fixture in almost every Sutherland Shire school student’s education for generations.
Award-winning Sutherland Shire businessman Paul Crowther has been praised by the Federal Treasurer, and MP for Cook, Scott Morrison, for his commitment to organising educational tours of the nation’s capital.
Mr Crowther, whose family’s coach business has operated since 1926, has been instrumental over the last 25 years in helping students of all ages to get to Canberra to gain a greater appreciation of the machinations of government via his group travel business, Unearth-Ed.
“Unearth-Ed has been in operation since 1993, and its aim is quite simple – we want to enhance a student’s formal education,” Mr Crowther said.
“We organise educational tour groups to Canberra, the Snowy Mountains and other destinations.
“We want students to return from each tour with a greater understanding of their subject, but we ensure there is some fun for them as well.”
Mr Crowther was joined by Mr Morrison at Cronulla’s St Aloysius Primary School this week whose Year 6 students recently visited Canberra.
“Hopefully trips like these will help inspire the next generation of leaders in politics, business and the sciences,” Mr Morrison said.
“Canberra is the perfect destination for Civics and Citizenship, with a rich collection of cultural institutions and attractions providing well developed curriculum linked education programs that immerse students in hands-on learning in the spaces where real life democracy takes place.”
St Aloysius school co-captain Lily Hill, who recently visited Canberra on an educational tour was happy to provide the Treasurer with an endorsement for the Unearth-Ed program.
“We had such a great time and learnt so much,” said Lily. “It has helped to bring our class studies to life.”
St Aloysius’s co-captain Xavier Pyne said Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre – was his favourite destination.
Mr Crowther credited his family for his business success, saying also his parents Enid and Barry helped to instil his sense of community mindedness by opening their home at Burraneer Bay to allow people some respite from life’s challenges.
“Mum ran this house for over 40-years and didn’t discriminate,” said Mr Crowther. “We had all types of people come and stay with us, they just needed somewhere to get some respite and to return to normal mental health.”
Mr Crowther was also instrumental in establishing the One Life One Chance free shuttle bus services which transported people home safely after a night out in the shire.
He said the shire has been a great place for him, his wife Jane (a nurse for over 24-years at Kareena Hospital) to raise their two daughters Caitlin and Eleanor.
For more details on the educational tours click here.