All In: Listening with Open Hearts

Some weeks leave a mark. This was one of them

This week, our Lakeside community came together to genuinely listen, learn, and honour the culture and voices of Australia's First Nations peoples.

Our All In Reconciliation Week was not simply a series of events on a calendar. It was an invitation to slow down, to listen carefully, and to approach something sacred with the humility and openness it deserves. As children of God, we are called to listen not passively, but with intent, with hearts genuinely open to the stories and experiences of others. We are so grateful to everyone who showed up this week with exactly that spirit.

We opened the week on Country, grounded and together. Uncle Mark welcomed us with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony. This was a powerful and moving reminder of where we are, and whose Country we walk on every day. Ganga then performed the yidaki, and if you were there, you'll know that the sound settled into the space in a way that words simply can't quite capture. It was a beautiful beginning to our week. It was also very impressive how he could play a bit of ACDC on the yidaki. 

Primary Students

After our Welcome to Country, our Primary students all participated in workshops to learn more about First Nations culture. What a joy it was to watch our younger students engage. They made their own paints, decorated boomerangs, and began to understand the deep significance of Bunjil, the great creator eagle who holds such meaning for the Kulin nations. They created art using traditional Aboriginal symbols, explored music and culture, and threw boomerangs with genuine delight. There was something really special about seeing our students connect with traditions that have been alive on this land for tens of thousands of years, and doing so with curiosity, care and respect.

Secondary Students

Our secondary students brought their own energy and openness to the week. They explored the history and significance of the yidaki (didgeridoo), and had a go at playing it themselves. They created First Nations art, tried their hand at basket weaving, and got into indigenous games. Culture was not something they observed from a distance this week. They stepped into it.

VCE students

In the afternoon, our VCE students had the privilege of hearing from one of two guest speakers who generously shared their knowledge and experience. Georgia spoke about First Nations art and its living connection to culture and identity. Nikki spoke about the Stolen Generation, the events, the government decisions, and the very real human cost that continues to be felt today. These were not light conversations. They weren't meant to be. And our students met them with the seriousness and compassion they deserve.

Beyond the workshops and speakers, this week also lived in quieter places, in classrooms, in small conversations, in moments of reflection that asked us to sit with something bigger than ourselves. That kind of learning doesn't make a lot of noise, but it goes deep. We are proud to be a community where the voices of our First Nations people are heard and genuinely honoured, not just this week, but always. Reconciliation is one of the most honest expressions of our call to stand with and support all people, and it is ongoing work that we take seriously.

We are truly grateful for the diversity of our community, and for the willingness of our students and families to value every culture and every person within it. That willingness is not something we take for granted. It is one of the things that makes this community something worth being part of. Thank you to Uncle Mark, Ganga, and our First Nation Guests, our incredible staff, and every student who brought their whole self to this week. You made it what it was.

Please find a sample of some reflective learning from our Year 9 students who led with open hearts, minds and hands using the gift of poetry.