project had given apprenticeships to four local Aboriginal men.

“This is a huge positive for the Bowraville community.

“To suggest Bowraville is not worthy is farcical.”

Bowraville’s St Mary’s Primary School principal Claire Mellon said she was “very cranky” with the

program.

Ms Mellon said the show did not acknowledge her school – which initially educated the three young students – and instead focused on Bowraville Central.

“The schools in Bowraville are doing a great job,” Ms Mellon said.

She said despite the program’s claims, Bowraville schools offered students a good education.

“It is peer pressure from community groups or the culture of the community that holds them back.”

Since the scholarship program began, St Mary’s had assisted 16 students with scholarships to Sydney boarding schools.

All students have remained with the programs, with the first student now studying law at Macquarie University.

“These kids would not do so well at the boarding schools if they did not have a good start with schools in Bowraville.”

She said boarding schools for these students broadened their horizons, and they were in a structured and supportive environment, where they do not go off track.

Bowraville Chamber of Commerce president, Mark Scott said he got the general feeling the story was both positive and negative.

“The local education could have come out in a better light,” Mr Scott said. “There have been lots of successes in the past.

“It is great there are schools offering opportunities, but our schools here are offering lots of positive choices in the area.”

On the positive side, the program showed local scenes and the river.

“On the whole, the story was positive.”

Blew Maning, who works at the Frank Partridge Military Museum, described the scholarship program ‘great for the kids’.

However, Mr Maning was concerned with the perception that if these children had not been ‘rescued’ from Bowraville they would have ended up drunks in the gutters or criminals.

“That is the picture they (60 Minutes) painted,” Mr Maning said.“Hopefully people will look and say that could not be right and they will come and look for themselves.

“But, I think it will frighten people off; I hope it doesn’t.”