GOOLWA – Nine Goolwa Primary School students headed to Canberra last week with just one message to deliver: please save our river.

It was a message the students were able to deliver in person to the federal Minister for Climate Change, Penny Wong.

The students were in the nation’s capital as part of the Murray Darling Basin Authority International River Health Conference to discuss the plight of the River Murray.

Accompanied by teachers Murray Porter and Gayle Morton, the students partook in hands-on workshops in which they taught other kids about their views on the River Murray.

Among 2,000 other students from 80 schools, the young Goolwa representatives presented a DVD of the plight of the Lower Lakes to the other students.

“It was good being with people that have the same passion as me for the rivers and the environment,” student Amelia Young said.

The students’ passion and enthusiasm for the issue attracted the attention of Penny Wong, who requested a meeting with the students.

Joshua, Alisha, Grace, Bradie, Cheyenne, Amelia, Kurt, Lauren and Tim each told Ms Wong about their River Murray concerns.

From the loss of native animals and water birds to memories of swimming in the river and how the issue has affected the Ngarrindjeri people, the students gave personal insights into how they view the Murray.

“I told her how my family has lived in Goolwa for generations and how my dad’s work is connected to the river,” Grace Dennis-Toone said.

“One day I want my children to be able to stay in Goolwa and enjoy the river as much as I have.”

While the Goolwa Channel is temporarily full and flowing once more, the students believe all four states connected to the river need to come together and share the water equally for a long-term solution.

“We needed to represent our state, being at the end of the Murray, so it was great to have the opportunity to get over there and express how we feel,” Amelia said.

“Hopefully something would have changed by the next conference.”

Full of passion and hope for the Murray’s future, the students thanked the event organisers and the community’s support for making their trip to Canberra possible.