Coleambally Native Cultural Garden
Coleambally Native Cultural Garden
Interactive Indigenous Learning Space
Building our Future -
LLCI011-027
The issue
Coleambally Central School was interested in creating a visible link between their school and the Tirkandi Inaburra Cultural Development Centre. Coleambally Central School has maintained a teaching presence at the Tirkandi Inaburra site since its first intake of 16 Aboriginal boys in January of 2006 and wanted to strengthen the bond between the two organisations.
Prior to this cultural garden there was no specified space for the Tirkandi students to dance and display their culture to the Coleambally students. There needed to be a space where Aboriginal culture, bush-tucker and art could be displayed.
The solution
Provide a multi-purpose learning space to act as a gathering place and to provide learning insights into the use of various flora by Aboriginal people. The plants are labelled with botanical, common and Aboriginal name and can be identified for their specific use in traditional Aboriginal culture.
The meeting place provides
- A range of plants used in Aboriginal culture
- A dance space that can be used by the students of Tirkandi Inaburra to showcase their skills to the staff and students of Coleambally Central School
- Large art poles to educate students in Aboriginal artist style and techniques.
- A gathering place for student instruction and discussion
The impact
- 120 students planted tree, shrubs and bushes
- Students participated in planting, digging holes suitable for plants, mulching, labelling, marking out planting sites and watering.
- 240 plants were added to the garden
- The cultural garden is now complete for use during Naidoc week and other times of the year for displays in aboriginal cultural dancing
- 6 large poles were erected to use as Aboriginal art poles for students to paint using aboriginal techniques
- An Educational passport has been developed to ensure students have an activity they can carry out to learn about the aboriginal culture
Key facts
- Two schools link to educated students in Aboriginal culture
- An Aboriginal bush-tucker garden provides a learning environment for students