Tenthill Lower Story - The Cliff Rescue

One day all of the students at Tenthill Lower State School were out on the oval practicing for the next school sports.

The Principal reminded them that they weren't to go near the security fence that had been put up around the edge of the oval.

So much of the creek bank had been washed away during the floods that now there were big cracks in the oval and the teachers were worried that some of it might fall into Tenthill Creek.

"So everyone stay away from the fence. We've got plenty of room over this side of  oval. Now where is the basketball?"

"I've got it," said Daniel and he picked up the basketball and gave it a huge kick.

The basketball went sailing up in the air, over the principal's head and bounced across the oval, hit the top of the security fence, knocked it over and disappeared over the bank.

"Oh no.  Daniel what did you do that for? It's probably floating down Tenthill Creek."

"I'll get it," yelled Tania and she ran towards the creek.

"Stop right there!" yelled the principal.

Tania skidded to a halt just before the fence but she must have put her foot in one of the cracks because she tripped and fell and rolled over the fence and down the slope.

Everyone heard her scream and raced across the oval towards the cliff - "Tania! Are you alright?"

"Help!"

The principal said "Stay back everyone while I have a look." She edged carefully to the side of the cliff and looked over. There was Tania caught in one of the branches of the last Bottle Brush tree left growing in the creek bank. The rest had been washed away by the flood.

"Hold on Tania. We'll get you."

"Now listen everyone. Tania's all right but we'll have to rescue her quickly in case that branch breaks. How are we going to do it."

"I know," said Daniel, "We could use the skipping rope."

"Good thinking Daniel. Johnson run as fast as you can and bring back that skipping rope from the other side of the oval."

Johnson was the fastest runner in the school and didn't he streak across that oval. In a flash, he was back with the skipping rope.

The principal tied it to the security fence and let it down to Tania.

"Hold onto it Tania. We'll all pull you up."

All of the students pulled on the skipping rope and Tania was saved.

"Johnson this time I want you to run and get Mrs Lund to bring the school first aid kit."

Well Mrs Lund put a bandage on Tania's head and they helped her into the sick bay while the principal called Tania's parents. They took her to hospital to make sure she was  allright.

When Tania's parent heard that it was the last bottlebrush tree that had saved her from falling into Tenthill Creek, they came back the next weekend and planted a row of bottle brush trees along the creek bank.

"There, that will help stop that bank from eroding," said her Dad, "Bottle brushes are tough. Once they get their roots in the ground they don't want to let go."

(This story was created by Daryll Bellingham and the students from Prep to Year 4 at Tenthill Lower State School on Monday the 233rd of May as part of the Catchy Lockyer Stories - Bush to Beach Under 8's Week Tour. Thanks to the teachers and students at Tenthill Lower School for being such good sports and sharing their knowledge of local catchment.)