ON COUNTRY: EXPLORING THE RED HEART OF AUSTRALIA

By Nicola Di Bartolo Head of Student House (Bariny) – Primary School

Year 5 Class Teacher – Primary School

One of my professional learning goals for 2024 was to deepen and refine my understanding of teaching Indigenous histories and cultures, particularly beyond the Ngunnawal region.

This goal felt especially important in my role as Head of Student House. Over the past two years, we have worked closely with students to foster a connection with our local environment, learning ways to care for and help it thrive. This focus has been evident through our efforts in the Primary School, incorporating an Indigenous lens into our House Service initiative on Red Hill.

Throughout the first half of the year, I participated in the Australians Together working group, where we met fortnightly to discuss how best to implement Indigenous education in the Primary School. As a classroom teacher, a key challenge was ensuring Indigenous knowledge was delivered in a meaningful and relevant way for our students. We aimed to present Australia’s historical events in a developmentally and culturally appropriate manner while fostering an interest in preserving Indigenous culture. This is essential to our school’s Reconciliation Action Plan and aligns with the cross-curricular priorities of the Australian Curriculum.

Thanks to a successful application to the SPEF committee, I had the opportunity to travel to central Australia and learn on Country from a range of local Anangu people. This experience broadened my appreciation of Australia’s most iconic natural landmarks while highlighting the differences and similarities between the Anangu people and my knowledge of the local Ngunnawal people. The Anangu speak

Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, dialects of the Western Desert Language—Australia’s largest Aboriginal language group. Although they didn’t have names for all Ngunnawal-region plants and animals, they had equally significant ones of their own.

CGS Houses Plant/Animal Ngunnawal Language

Stringybark Gum Bariny

Kangaroo (Eastern Grey)

Buru

Wattle Namarag

Iron Bark Gum Dhiriwiri

Kookaburra Guginyal

Wedge-tail

Central Australia Significant Plant/ Animal Anangu Language

Red River Gum Para

Kangaroo (Red Plains)

Wattle

Malu

Mintju

Bush Plum Arnguli

Learning firsthand also deepened my understanding of changes to the natural landscape in the 1800s, linking to the Humanities and Social Sciences curriculum. For instance, learning about the construction of the telegraph lines connecting Australia to the world and the impact on local Indigenous people underscored the importance of educating future generations to promote reconciliation and respect.

A standout moment was learning part of an Indigenous songline while travelling through the Northern Territory. One dreaming story explained the formation of Mount Conner during the Ice Age, referencing ice giants and providing a surprisingly accurate explanation of the plateau’s geological formation. Knowing that such stories passed down for thousands of years, are still told today left me in awe of the depth of Indigenous culture.

This professional learning experience has inspired me to continue developing my knowledge of Australia’s rich cultural landscape. I’m grateful to be part of an educational community at CGS that values learning by offering staff the opportunity to further their professional development through the SPEF allowance. This trip allowed me to immerse myself in the traditions of the First Nations Desert People, learning on Country in places formed 550 million years ago—an unparalleled way to deepen my understanding of Indigenous culture.