The results are in from The Sir Henry Parkes Memorial Public School student survey on their thoughts on Tenterfield, and some of the results are surprising.
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The surveys were presented to Mayor Peter Petty and council's acting chief executive Kylie Smith during a stop on the school's annual pilgrimage to the town's CBD, with students and staff dressed in character to celebrate Book Week.
Cr Petty said he was very happy to accept the children's view on youth activities in the shire, feeding into his work to establish a Youth Advisory Council to provide councillors with a youthful perspective.
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The respondents' favourite Tenterfield things included perennial favourite Bald Rock, along with the skate park, cinema and even school. The pool didn't get a mention, perhaps because good swimming weather is a distant memory.
Some included the showgrounds, library, local cafes and 'home' among their favourite things.
Most of the students play sport of some description, from a combination of squash, pony club, cricket, rugby league, soccer, touch football, netball, athletics, swimming, physical culture and tennis.
On a more cultural bent, several took dancing or music classes. When asked what lessons they'd like to take in Tenterfield that aren't currently available, the list included piano, drums, flute and woodwind, as well as hip hop (although this is available at Live Dream Dance).
Popular activities during the school holidays included going to the movies or skate park, biking and walking trails, visiting playgrounds or the library and fishing and archery. The pool did get a mention here, for the summer holidays.
Other holiday activities they'd like to see available were a reading club, rock climbing, martial arts, fishing and bushwalking, and craft pastimes like sewing and costume-making and drawing classes.
Some ideas council may like to take on board (or not) include a couple of favourite fast food outlets along with ice and rolling skating facilities, a bowling alley, a water park (with wave pool), games arcade, go cart or motorbike track, hockey and a train service to Brisbane.
One student demonstrated their eco-awareness encouraging council to make the town more eco-friendly, for example providing bins for fruit and vegetable scraps to feed to pigs.
This may be the same child who said what they love most about Tenterfield is working on the family farm with their dad. Others love the small country town feel and the clean and tidy surrounds, along with the shire's history and its kind caring people and the freedom to ride a pushbike around the streets.
In addition to playground facilities, the nearby national parks and the pool, at least one child said what they love most about Tenterfield is their friends.
