Cultural News 

Newsletter Indigenous Education

Term 4 Week 2

“Walk the journey, carry the fire” 

Let the knowledge of Aboriginal culture and history ignite the reconciliation fire inside you. 

Carry the burning coals of reconciliation and educate your community. 

Use Gods hands, feet and heart to travel the journey and carry the fire. 

The symbol of fire is a powerful emblem in any religion or culture, the element of fire is used mainly to symbolise cleansing and renewal. The FIRE Carrier Project which is an initiative of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, the Opening the Doors Foundation and the Sandhurst Aboriginal Education team, promotes reconciliation in Victorian Schools, using the power of fire as a symbol of new beginnings, of trust and understanding. 

Fire is at the heart of Aboriginal culture, it represents the spiritual connection between individuals to Mother Earth and Ancestors. It is around fire that Dreamtime stories are told and laws taught it is used for smoking the people and the land when gathered for important ceremonies. And so it is fire that represents the learning, teaching and a school community’s journey towards reconciliation. 

FIRE stands for Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education. FIRE Carriers are elected within the student body to represent students on the schools journey to reconciliation, and to educate the school community about the local Aboriginal story. FIRE Carriers also are required to hand over their position when they leave a School, Parish or Diocese so that the position is sustained and the project continued. 

This term our Year 5 students will begin to learn about the FIRE Carrier program. They will then submit an expression of interest. Leadership will then choose students and we will announce the students for 2027 at the final assembly for this year. 

Dharnya Centre 

In a few weeks. Mrs Dyke and Tahlia Cooper will be taking our FIRE Carriers and our Indigenous students from Year 5 and 6 on Country. The excursion is to Barmah State Forest and the Dharnya Centre on Thursday 29th October, 2026. We will have a cultural walking tour and a trip on the Kingfisher Cruise along the Dhungala (Murray River).  

Future dates 

Term 4 –  

• Men’s Business with Neil Cooper, from Kookaburra Fly, for boys in Year 3 to 6. Dates to be confirmed.  

Some Term 4 dates to look forward to – 

Term 4 –  

• Opening The Doors Foundation - Grant Applications Open
• On Country excursion to Barmah with Year 5 and 6 indigenous students and our FIRE Carriers – Date - Thursday 29th October, 2026.
• Men’s Business with Neil Cooper, from Kookaburra Fly, for boys in Year 3 to 6. Dates to be confirmed. 
• Year 5s will learn about the role of a FIRE Carrier. Expression of interest forms will be given out to students. FIRE Carriers will be announced by the end of the term. 

AFL After School Program

Please find below a QR code to register for an AFL Auskick/Superkick After School Program available for all indigenous students, please scan the code to fill in the form to register.

An email will be sent home with additional information.

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 -

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

Opening The Doors Foundation

Student Grant Applications are Opening Soon​​​​

📣 The grant round will open on the 26th of October 2026

The Opening The Doors Foundation invites eligible families to apply for a 2027 student grant. Please read the information below and here carefully to ensure your application is complete and can be processed.  A link to apply will also be sent out to you on the day the grant round opens.​Due to a large increase in demand OTDF will prioritise students with the highest financial need to ensure fair access to support.🔑 Priority ProcessingApplicants with a Health Care Card or Pension Card will be processed first. Other applications are still welcome however processing may be slightly delayed.

• Please attach a copy of your Health Care or Pension Card to your online application.

• Missing documents will delay processing.

✅ Eligibility

To apply, the student must:

✔️ Be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent✔️ Provide a Confirmation of Aboriginality✔️ Be enrolled in a Catholic or Independent primary or secondary school in Victoria (Prep–Year 12)❌ OTDF does not support students attending government schools

💰 CSEF - Victorian Government funding

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) of $400 per eligible primary and secondary school student, may come to effect for 2027. If available applications for the 2027 CSEF support will open in January for concession card holders. This can be used for uniforms, school camps, and books. To apply for this bonus, contact your school directly.  Please consider this as you apply for needed funds from OTDF and apply only for what you need from OTDF.  We have limited funding available.

​🎒 Items you can apply for from OTDF 

You may apply for essential school items. Please list your items in order of priority.

Eligible items include:

• School books & stationery

• School uniforms

• School/sport shoes 

• IT equipment (laptops, calculators, etc.)

• VCAL/VET levies *

• School camp levy ** Secondary school applicants will be asked to provide evidence of the levy, such as a school invoice or statement, with their application. Missing documents will delay processing. Please see here for more information on the definition of an eligible levy. 

⚠️ Funding is up to the OTDF grant limit and up to OTDF Trustee discretion. You may not receive the full amount requested. 

​🚫 What We Don’t Fund

• Independent annual school fees 

• Applications where OTDF funds are used for school fees may affect future eligibility.

​⚖️ Other Funding

If the student is already receiving support from:

• Traditional Owner education grants

• First Nations scholarships

• Other charities

• School financial assistance

The application may not be successful. Final decisions are made by OTDF Trustees.​

​🎟️ How Grants Are Provided

• Grants are mostly provided as vouchers from approved suppliers

• Vouchers must be used by 31st of May 2027

• For camp levies, school uniforms, or school IT items, funds may be sent directly to the school if the school supplies these items​

​📅 Key Dates

* Applications Open - 26th October 2026

* Applications Close - 25th of March 2027 (strict deadline)

* ALL Vouchers expire on - 31st of May 2027More information is found here

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.