Marrung News

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

NT Tour 2024

From Sun June 23 until Fri July 5, 99 Year 11 students and 10 staff here at Wantirna College went on the Northern Territory Tour, an annual tour which is available to Year 11 students. 

During this time, they underwent several excursions and activities, one of these excursions was the Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Tour.  The Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Tour is a one-of-a-kind authentic Aboriginal cultural experience. It’s a one hour walk and talk on areas of significance in Aboriginal culture, such as the knowledge of bush tucker and bush medicines used for spirituality and healing. On the tour, students learnt about seasonal bush foods, edible seeds, explanations of Aboriginal dot paintings, bush medicine, which was used by the Luritja and Pertame people, and much more.

Ash Orpwood

Year 12

Book Drive

Did you know that the educational outcomes of Indigenous children are closely related to their opportunities for further education and employment. Although the retention rates of Indigenous children are slowing increasing, the most recent statistics reveal that 3 in 4 Indigenous people over the age of 15 are reported to be leaving school before Year 12. This can also impact and lead to ongoing health problems, crime, high risk alcohol consumption, and financial and psychological stress.

The Aboriginal Literacy Foundation supports Australia’s Indigenous young people by providing ongoing literacy programs and opportunities through education and community-based initiatives such as the Books for Learning Program, Literacy & Heritage Camps, Literacy Resource Packs, Support Services and more.

One of their programs called Books to the North supports more than 150 remote and regional schools in the Northern Territory, Northern Western Australia, and Northern Queensland, which help promote the education of young Indigenous people. In previous years they have been able to supply 100,000 books to remote schools just by the donations they have received from pre-schools to high schools all around Melbourne and Sydney.

There website can be located at: https://aboriginalliteracyfoundation.org/

How can we help?

During Term 3 Wantirna College has the amazing opportunity to support the Aboriginal Literacy Foundation by holding a book drive for their Books to the North program. From the 16th of July 2024 to the 6th of September 2024 there will be a donation tub located in the front office for you to place your book donations into. To assist the Aboriginal Literacy Foundation with their book sorting and to make sure their distribution is easier they ask that the following criteria is followed when donating books:

Books That Are Accepted:

Age levels: suitable for children from ages 0-16 years old

Picture Books: New titles, classic titles, favourite authors, etc

Early readers:  Popular series, carboard books

Fiction: New titles, popular authors, classics

Non-Fiction: Current and relevant to Indigenous culture

Books That Are NOT Accepted:

· Binding that is frayed

· Cover and pages that are torn or missing

· Food stains

· Been chewed on

· Been written in or highlighted

· Mould, dirt or water damage

· Battery operated sounds

· An accompanying CD, but CB is missing

· Novels or books directed at an adult audience

· Pamphlets

· Encyclopedias

· Religious material

· Magazines

· Home decorating or gardening books, craft books, financial guides

· Medical, technical, and scientific books

· Educational textbooks

· Library books

Culturally Safe Supports and Services

Wantirna College acknowledges that there may be First Nations People within our community who may have been directly or indirectly affected by the Stolen Generations, and so may have found this Reconciliation Week of reflection an emotionally heavy one. You're not in this alone, and there are services available who you can speak to. These services include 13YARN, NACCHO and many more. Please see the attached document for more information about these and other local support services.

Local Support Services

Please download the attachment for Knox Network/Victorian Indigenous Support Services and don't hesitate to contact us for further information.

Ashleigh Bibby

Leader of Wellbeing

Nick Elliott 

Marrung Leading Teacher