Cultural News
St Mary's School Mooroopna
Newsletter Indigenous Education
Term 2 Week 2
New - National Walk For Truth
If you have been following the news, Travis Lovett, a Kerrupmara/Gunditjmara man who served as Deputy Chair and Commissioner for the Yoorrook Justice Commission, began the National Walk for Truth from the Steps of Victoria’s Parliament House and he will be walking more than 840 kms from Melbourne to Federal Parliament in Canberra. In 2025, more than 22,000 people joined the Victorian Walk for Truth at the conclusion of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, Victoria’s first formal truth-telling process, and the first in Australia. This year, the Walk for Truth began in Melbourne on 19 April 2026 and will conclude in Canberra on 27 May 2026. The National Walk For Truth is calling for a national truth-telling process, following the success of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.
The National Walk is a passing of the torch of truth from Victoria to the Federal Government. Upon arriving in Canberra, Travis Lovett will present Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with a letter, signed by community members, calling for a National Truth-telling process.
If you would like to read more - https://melbournecatholic.org/news/national-walk-for-truth-a-journey-towards-healing
This week, Travis arrived in Mooroopna and this leg of the Walk was from Mooroopna to Shepparton and then on to Dookie. On Tuesday 28th April, The Walk began at 9 am at the Mooroopna Cenotaph and the walk went through The Flats to Tom Collins Drv (Aquamoves) by 12 pm and from 12 pm the walk continued on to the Queen's Gardens by 2:30 pm. In the afternoon, at 2:30 pm Travis walked from the Queen's Gardens to the Manarra Centre near Rumbalara Football/Netball Club.
On Tuesday, Tahlia and Mrs Dyke joined in with the walk with our FIRE Carriers and the Year 5 and 6 indigenous students. We met Travis at the Boar War Memorial (Mooroopna Cenotaph) at 8:45 am on Tuesday 28th April and we walked to Tom Collins Drv in Shepparton.
If you would like to show your support the National Walk for Truth you may like to get involved by signing the open letter to the Prime Minister.
If you would like to read more - Support the National Walk for Truth - Catholic Social Services Victoria
Travis plans to present the Prime Minister. Anthony Albanese with a possum skin cloak engraved with a letter. Prior to Travis’ arrival in Mooroopna he had been walking for 10 days and he had done about 236 km. Travis Lovett led the walk, calling for truth-telling, healing and meaningful change. The walk was also led with Aunty Cheryl who shared the history of The Flats down by the Goulburn River between Mooroopna and Shepparton.
For further Information, click on the following link - Walk-For-Truth-Poster-1
REMINDER - Short Black Opera
Last Chance to Register
Coming up this Term, Rumbalara Football Netball Club is proud to invite our school to participate in the upcoming Short Black Opera (SBO) for Kids program — a unique opportunity for First Nation students in Years 3–6 to explore their culture through music, language and song. Delivered in partnership with Short Black Opera, this five-day intensive program provides immersive, culturally grounded training in singing, stagecraft, and songwriting. Students will work with professional First Nation artists and educators, using traditional languages to compose new music that reflects their lived experience. SBO for Kids also serves as the entry point to the Dhungala Children’s Choir, Australia’s premier First Nations-led choral program, which continues to provide mentorship and high-level performance opportunities for Aboriginal children in our region. Notes went out last week and Tahlia and I would love to have some of our students involved.
We look forward to hearing about the weeklong program and to see them perform on the Friday.
Key details are:
- Program Date: Week commencing 4 May 2026
- Eligibility: Aboriginal students in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
- Schedule:
- Monday 4 May - Grade 3 students
- Tuesday 5 May - Grade 4 students
- Wednesday 6 May - Grade 5 students
- Thursday 7 May - Grade 6 students
- Friday 8 May - concert for families with all students
- Transport: Provided to and from Rumbalara Football Netball Club from St Mary’s.
Parents can complete the registration process by using this link:
SBO for Kids Program Registration Form – Fill out form
New - Women’s Business
This term our Indigenous girls from Year 3 to 6 will have the opportunity to engage in women’s business. On Friday, 15th May, Tahlia has organised an incursion with Thara from Wala Connections.
It will be a full day activity to work on a story or theme that relates to them and they will create a song with language and add this into a dance. More details to come closer to the date.
An Update from our FIRE Carriers
Throughout the remainder of the term, the FIRE Carriers will begin to learn about Sorry Day, Reconciliation Week and Mabo Day, which they will then share with the whole school during Assemblies.
Some significant dates for Term 2 –
26th May – Sorry Day
27th May – 3rd June – Reconciliation Week
3rd June – Mabo Day
During Leadership Groups, the FIRE Carriers learnt about Private Daniel Cooper who is descendent of Tahlia. Daniel Cooper was a Yorta Yorta man and he fought for Australia during World War I. Private Daniel Cooper died on a European battlefield in 1917. He was just 21 years old and is buried in Belgium. Daniel Cooper was son of Yorta Yorta man Uncle William Cooper and Agnes Hamilton. Tahlia taught the FIRE Carriers that Aboriginal people have a proud history of fighting in armed conflicts for Australia however initially were forbidden from joining the Army for conflicts such as World War I. It was only when the situation in Europe became more desperate and extra soldiers were required that Aboriginal people were permitted to enlist. Despite sharing a common bond and equality on the battlefield, Aboriginal servicemen and servicewomen that survived the conflicts were subjected to injustice and inequality when returning to Australia. Once they returned home, Aboriginal soldiers who served were denied land packages (Soldier Settlement) provided to their non-Indigenous counterparts on their return from the two world wars. They were also banned from entering RSL Clubs and were not part of any ANZAC Day services.
Private Daniel Cooper’s image is part of the murals around Shepparton. His mural pays tribute to local Aboriginal people who represented Australia in war. You can find his mural on the wall of the Eastbank building across the road from the Queen’s Gardens in Shepparton.
New - Reconciliation Week
Updated - Ganbina - Education Scholarships
At Ganbina our annual scholarships are designed to support all Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander participants from Prep to Year 6 in Greater Shepparton.
Ganbina provide a range of support to participants including financial support for educational expenses occurred, such as school fees, school uniforms, camps/excursion/swimming, books/stationary, etc. We also provide an internal accelerated learning program for our primary school participants to help get them on track or keep them on track with their schooling.
Ganbina's Scholarship registration flyer for 2026 is below for more information -
2026 Registrations opened on January 27th.
To register for this Scholarship please either click on the link below or contact -
Project Officer - Chrystal Chapman on 0438 217 399 or email chrystal@ganbina.com.au
Ganbina Jobs4U2 Registration Form 2026
Workshops
Girls Indigenous Program
Boys Indigenous Program
Acknowledgement of Country
At St Mary’s Primary School Mooroopna we Acknowledge the Traditional people of this land. The Yorta Yorta Nation are the Traditional Custodians of this area and we remember their elders, past, present and future. We remember that the Aboriginal people of Australia will always be the traditional owners of the land on which we gather today. We continue to grow through education and reconciliation to a better future for all Australians.
