Story walks add colour and education to Cairns Hospital children’s ward

The writing is on the walls, and the children at the Cairns Hospital paediatric unit are loving the newly installed immersive literary experience.

Council Libraries, First 5 Forever and the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS) have joined forces to bring joy, education, and comfort to young patients with the installation of two story walks in the children's ward.

These unique displays feature beloved books from the State Library of Queensland’s “Stories for Little Queenslanders” collection.

One Remarkable Reef by Kellie Byrnes will brighten the children’s playground, while The Little Queenslanders’ Alphabet Book by Sally Scudamore will come to life in one of the ward's main corridors.

Mayor Amy Eden expressed hope that the story walks would provide children and families a welcome and engaging distraction during their stay at Cairns Hospital.

“Libraries have always been at the heart of literacy development, and initiatives like this can bring the magic of storytelling to children,” Cr Eden said.

“We hope these story walls will bring a smile to children’s faces, even during challenging times.”

Each artwork features QR codes, allowing families to connect to additional library resources, extending the journey of reading beyond the hospital walls.

Cr Eden emphasised that the story walks demonstrated how collaboration between libraries, hospitals, and state resources can create long-lasting positive impacts on literacy and well-being.

Cairns Hospital paediatrics nurse unit manager Rylie Lee Long said the story walks would be a great addition to the children’s ward.

She said it would complement other resources available within the paediatric unit, particularly for longer stay patients, such as the Cairns Hospital School.

“Hospital can be a scary place, at times, for our young patients, so providing something to brighten their days is just fantastic,” she said.

“Reading and storytelling is such an important activity at an early age, particularly keeping those busy little brains occupied.

“Reading books engages children’s senses far more than a screen, and to have stories that bring books to life while promoting physical activity– that’s even better.”