Brewongle Environmental Education Centre Visit

In early August, our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, along with their Bunji Coaches, visited the Brewongle Environmental Educational Centre for a day of learning, sharing and celebrating Aboriginal culture. 

It was a crisp but sunny winter’s day when students and teachers learnt, side-by-side, about the traditional way of life of one of the oldest civilisations. Students learned about the construction and use of tools and everyday items from a local Aboriginal educator. They also learned about the roles of elders in education, discipline and the complex totem system that ensured order and organisation in inter-tribal interactions. 

During a hands-on session, students and teachers were taught how to start a fire using traditional methods, which was harder than anticipated. Noah and Lachlan managed to produce smoke and charred stick ends but no sparks. This was followed by ochre painting and a yarn around the fire while taking in the beautiful view of Dyarubbin (The Hawkesbury River).

Understanding, acknowledging and respecting Aboriginal history, culture and contributions is important to both staff and students at Wyndham College and is viewed as a positive step forward for our students.