First Nations News

By Janine Quick - First Nations Coordinator

As the year draws to a close, we formally farewelled our Year 12 First Nations Leader, Isabella J, and fellow Loreto College graduate, Catalina. 

To acknowledge their contributions to Loreto College Ballarat, the Dhurrung group presented Isabella and Catalina with possum skin pelts featuring the Loreto crest.

For thousands of years, Aboriginal peoples of southeastern Australia have utilised possum skins in various cultural and ceremonial ways. A pelt is traditionally gifted to mark significant life milestones, with graduation being one such moment. Additional pelts are added over time, allowing the piece to grow into a cloak, stole, or even a lining for a baby’s coolamon.

Isabella and Catalina received their pelts following a smoking ceremony to cleanse and prepare them, enabling each graduate to carry her own stories forward into the future.

Last Friday afternoon, we were pleased to host the Dhurrung Family Christmas Party. It was a wonderful occasion attended by around 50 family members who came together, including six new families joining Loreto in 2026, to share lunch and celebrate our community. The event commenced with a brief information session for our new students and their families, followed by an opportunity for students to connect with one another and share their thoughts and experiences of life at Loreto as First Nations students. 

We were also delighted to welcome back Claudine Rudeforth, who will resume the role of First Nations Officer in 2026. Our Dhurrung students and Loreto staff look forward to benefiting once again from her guidance and wisdom in the year ahead.

We were grateful to Michelle Brodrick and Kerryn Boyko for attending and helping to make our families feel welcomed and supported and for Peter Osman for thoughtfully providing red velvet cupcakes for all.