Gregg Dreise visits the Junior School

By Mrs Tanya Priest-Willimott, Junior School Teacher Librarian

We were thrilled to welcome celebrated author, illustrator, musician and storyteller Gregg Dreise to the College as part of our Book Week celebrations. He presented three sessions in the Junior School to students from Kindergarten to Year 6.

Gregg is from southwestern Queensland and is a proud Kamilaroi and Euahlayi man. He brought his vibrant energy, cultural wisdom, and storytelling magic to every session, leaving students inspired and highly engaged. His visit aimed to inspire young minds, foster a love of reading, and promote insights into the creative process of writing. His books have since flown off the library shelves!

His two storytelling sessions with students from Kindergarten to Year 4 were rich with humour, music, and heartfelt messages. Students were especially delighted by his use of the didgeridoo and his interactive storytelling style.

He presented a writing workshop to students in Years 5 and 6 in which he spoke about how his ideas often come from personal experiences, his cultural heritage and observations of the world around him. He encouraged students to plan out their story, starting with the ending, finding their own voices in writing, embracing imagination, and to never be afraid of making mistakes – because every draft is a step toward a potential great story.

We thank Gregg for sharing his stories, wisdom and warmth with our students and staff. His visit was a perfect reminder of the importance of storytelling in connecting us to each other and to the world around us.