All of them have had their work exhibited at Queensland's Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA).

The students' animated short film It Never Did Sink features in the gallery's Contemporary Australia: Optimism exhibition, which presents paintings, sculptures, photographs and other artworks created by more than 60 emerging and established artists from across Australia.

The six-minute film, commissioned by Redland City Council as part of a community project by artist-in-residence Christine Dew, uses the stories and voices of long-time residents to tell of life on Macleay Island during the second half of last century.

Students from Year 5, 6 and 7 interviewed nine residents and Year 1 students worked with animator Dave Jones to create the illustrations that bring the residents' stories to life.

GoMA came upon the film after Mr Jones recommended it to staff looking for an animation to include in the Optimism exhibition.

Exhibition curator Julie Ewington said the combination of old people's voices and young people's drawings as well as the humour of the stories ? including tales of an overloaded ferry and a tug-of-war literally between Macleay and Lamb islands ? made the film a perfect fit with the optimism theme.

"It's just got such a funny, ebullient tone that it was clear that was the one we wanted for the show," Ms Ewington said.

"All our staff loved it and we were certain our audience would love it too."

To celebrate the film's success, GoMA invited the elderly stars and students from Macleay Island State School and to a VIP reception and special screening of It Never Did Sink.

Attending the screening was long-term Macleay Island resident Lynda Dwyer, who said she had no idea how wide an audience her stories would reach when she was approached to be in the film last year.

"I thing it's a wonderful thing. It's very unique to be given an opportunity like this," she said.