Do you remember what it was like to think like a teenager? Sometimes, I feel like I still do—except now, my experiences shape my decisions and sense of self in ways they didn’t back then. Growing up in the Douglas Shire, I completed both primary and high school here, and it’s incredible how quickly time has passed. A quick trip to Woolies or a scroll through social media reminds me of this, especially when I see old schoolmates now raising children of their own.

Yet, in so many ways, the childhood I knew here feels vastly different from the one young people experience today. The way they communicate, the apps they navigate effortlessly—small things that highlight a growing generational gap. It makes me wonder: what is it really like to be a young person in the Douglas Shire today?

Over the past 18 months, young people in our community have faced extraordinary challenges that have tested their resilience and well-being. Cyclone Jasper and the subsequent flooding displaced families, destroyed homes, and upended lives. Some children suddenly found themselves moving in with extended family while their parents rebuilt—or, in some cases, cramming into motorhomes while still trying to attend school. For some, this remains their reality more than a year later.

Financial pressures have also increased, first from the disaster itself and then from the impact on tourism and the closure of the Mossman Mill. Our local Bama (Aboriginal) families have endured multiple unexpected losses in a short time. These events don’t simply pass by without consequence—they leave emotional imprints that can deeply affect a child’s mental well-being.