Willum Warrain
Our Deadly Little Langys (Indigenous students) enjoyed their Cultural Immersion Tour at Willum Warrain (‘home by the sea’) on 19 November 2025.
We were greeted by Tammy, a First Nations person originally from Portland, Victoria. We sat in a circle and had a yarn about the vast number of countries prior to colonisation and we found out that there are desert mobs (living inland in Central Australia) and sea mobs (living along the coastline).
In Bunurong, we have two totems. One is the Eagle (Bunjil) the creator and the other is the Crow (Waa) who is the protector of the waterways.
We had the opportunity to try some bush tucker; Chocolate Lilies, Bower Spinach, Saltbush (Bullagai), River Mint (Poang-Gurk). We walked past the pond (pun pun) and were lucky to see a turtle. Tammy did a smoking ceremony which included a water blessing and then she painted red ochre onto our skin. We tried on a possum skin cloak and found out that a Coolamon (slightly curved wooden bowl) is very handy to carry babies, food and water, it is also used to grind seeds to make damper.
Our students and staff thoroughly enjoyed the experience and came away with a little more knowledge of our First Nation Peoples.
Student Reflections
Harper – PB
I loved the hut, it was really sandy on the floor. I liked the bush tucker and the possum skin. We had a smoking ceremony and water blessing too. I had a lot of fun
Zoey - PV
I liked eating the plants and joining in the smoking ceremony with the water blessing. I liked it when Tammy told us some stories about Australia and all the different countries. Tammy put dots on my face made from ochre. It was a lot of fun and it was the first excursion with my brother.
Ivy – 1B
We sat in a circle and looked at the AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia and learned about all the different countries. Next, we walked around the plant trail to look at and taste bush tucker. We had a smoking ceremony and got the paint on our arm and head with ochre (paint made from rocks).
Sophie – 1C
When we got to Willum Warrain, we sat on chairs in a circle. We were Welcomed to Country by Tammy. We saw turtles in the wetland (pun pun) area.
Angel – 2P
I ate some bush tucker, I haven’t done that before. We ate some chocolate lilies, spinach and salt bush. I had fun. Our totems are the Eagle (Bunjil) and Crow (Waa). It was amazing!
Denim – 2Y
I liked seeing the turtles. The possum skin was fluffy and warm and it felt special having the ochre dots put on my arm. It was really fun.
Georgia – 4R
It was fun to hang out there, I enjoyed learning and trying the bush tucker. I liked getting the ochre dots placed on my leg.
Zach – 5L
I liked the smoking ceremony and water blessing and how the possum skin was added to as the babies grow. The scar trees scar like us and then heals itself. It was different from the other times I’ve been because we tried the bush tucker.
Peyton – 6E
I liked learning more about my culture, we got to taste bush tucker and learned how it was used. Sometimes we ate it, some plants were used as bug repellent. I found it interesting to learn about the emu caller, I didn’t know about that.
Mani – 6K
I enjoyed the smoking ceremony and water blessing. The bush tucker was pretty and tasty. The possum skin was warm and comfortable. Even though I’ve been before, this time was better and different.
