Little Long Walk

The Little Long Walk: August 29th 2023

Students participated in a Welcome to Country Ceremony and a Little Long Walk around the local Taylors Lakes Linear Reserve to celebrate and acknowledge First Nations cultures. 

This event was facilitated by the Essendon Football Club Long Walk Foundation as well as our First Nations students and our School for Student Leadership students.

'Little Long Walk' saw our school community unite to celebrate our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We were very lucky to have Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy AO, Senior Wurundjeri Elder, conduct a Welcome to Country ceremony. Aunty Joy's son, Craig also performed a Smoking Ceremony before our students participated in their walk around Taylors Creek Linear Reserve. We are very proud of our students and looking forward to further strengthening our understanding of Indigenous connection to culture and country.

We would like to thank:

• Jenaya Serra (School Programs Manager; The Long walk Trust) for helping us to organise this event
• Aunty Joy Wandin AO and her son Craig for coming out and performing the ceremony.
• All students who shared their support through banner making, badge making, and bracelet making 
• Our local Indigenous community members who attended the day:

• All students and staff who attended the ceremony and walk on the day, for coming and showing their support.

• Leanne Brooke (General Manager) The Long Walk Trust
• Marcus Brooke (Aboriginal Student Support Coordinator – Moondani Balluk Indigenous Academic Unit - Victoria University) 
• Michelle Marion (Acting Navigator Coordinator - Brimbank Melton Area)
• Sharon Brooke

And Taylors Lakes Officeworks for their generous donation of paints, brushes and banner resources.

Little Long Walk Quotes

Staff and Visitors:

“I am really grateful I was able to experience the smoking ceremony. It was a very spiritual experience”.

“I am so proud of these students! They are such a great bunch and should be so proud of themselves”

“That was a deadly event!”

“Thank you for your continued support foregrounding Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander culture at TLSC.  It was great to see so many students taking part. What an amazing event!”

“As a First Nations student this event meant so much to me to have recognition of our culture”

“The little long was beautiful experience that only come once in a life time but also something that is much appreciated”

“It was good. It was really inspiring!” ~Mia and Hazel~

“I thought it was a good experience. It was good to support the Indigenous peoples of Australia” ~Amelia~

“I had such a great time walking around the lake with our posters supporting Indigenous Peoples. I enjoyed all the face paint and the smoking ceremony too. Such a great time and experience!” ~Letti~

“I thought it was really fun! I thought it was also a really good experience” ~Amelia~

“It was really good! I enjoyed it a lot and had plenty of fun!” ~Stephanie~

“It was great!” ~Tiana~