First Nations Achievements

Welcome back to 2026 to all First Nations families. I hope you all had a lovely holiday. The beginning of 2026 has been busy with Representative Sports and Open Day. 

Oztag State Cup

In February, six of our talented students traveled to Coffs Harbour for the Oztag State Cup. It was a weekend of high-level competition and sportsmanship.

• Champions: Kiah Bell-Parsons and her team took out the Under 14’s State Cup title!
• Grand Finalists: Zara Dilger and Ella-Skye Beetson all reached the Grand Finals with their respective teams. Zara's team narrowly missed the win by just a single try; however their skills on the field were outstanding.
• Quarter Finalists: Kasey Russell helped Easts reach the quarter-finals for the first time, while Charlize Elder also fought hard to reach the quarters with Souths.

Randwick Council Women's Art Prize

On Saturday, March 7th, I had the pleasure of attending the Randwick Council Women's Art Prize Awards. This was a landmark year as the council introduced its first-ever First Nations category.

Both Kasey Russell and ex-student Gabby Collins entered beautiful pieces and received glowing feedback from attendees. Gabby’s painting is currently on display at the Lionel Bowen Library. Kasey’s work was hand-selected by a curator for the upcoming exhibition, “Did You Know” which can be viewed at Lionel Bowen Library from March 21st to April 30th.

The Stories Behind the Art

• Kasey’s "Spirit Pathway": This piece captures the deep connection between people, Country and ancestors. Using flowing river lines to symbolise life and meeting place circles for the passing of knowledge, the work reflects how ancestors (represented by background dots) continue to guide younger generations.

• Gabby’s "Heritage Journey": Representing her identity as a Biripi woman, Gabby’s work features the Muyan (Silver Wattle) and the Black Cockatoo. The piece connects to the Wurundjeri language and East Coast yarns, showing the cockatoo looking toward the stars, the "great campfire in the sky" where ancestors reside.

Community Leadership

Finally, a huge congratulations to Ella-Skye Beetson, who last week delivered the Acknowledgement of Country and performed a traditional dance at Waverley College’s International Women’s Day celebration. Performing in front of 1,500 guests was a massive achievement and a proud moment for the entire Beetson family.

Natalie Harkins

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Coordinator