Cultural News

New - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day 

On the 4th of August we celebrated the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day at school. Children helped raise money for the Opening Doors Foundation by coming dressed in red, yellow or black clothes. 

They participated in activities during the day to learn more about customs and traditions. The FIRE Carriers ran a hopscotch session at Recess. They used Yorta Yorta symbols as part of the hopscotch squares. Much fun was had in hopping into each square.

The children celebrated the day by decorating either a cupcake or a Marie biscuit with red, yellow and black icing to depict the Aboriginal flag. 

For lunch, they had hotdogs. In total, the day raised $404.00 for the Opening Doors Foundation.

New - Elders Visit

On Friday 10th of August, we had Elders, Aunty Greta and Aunty Hilda, from Parks Victoria, visit our school to share their knowledge of local native plants. 

Plants were not only used for food, but also for medicine. They told us about some plants we should include in our gardens, such as native grasses and plants like cumbungi or bull rushes, Warrigul cabbage, water ribbons, salt bush, wattle, bottle brushes or quandong tree. They also told us that many fungi, like mushrooms, were gathered during certain times of the year. It is important to continue to plant native seedlings because our native bees, birds and animals need these plants for food.

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.