Working Together - Yarning circle and native garden takes shape
Working Together - Yarning circle and native garden takes shape
Landcare NSW Working Together Program promotes Wiradjuri culture
Community Participation -
LP011-018
The issue
Temora High School’s Indigenous Education Team is a student led body comprising of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, as well as non-Indigenous staff and students. In 2020, the school held its NAIDOC celebration, and in order to build momentum and increase public awareness and involvement of Indigenous culture and history, a community learning and sharing place on Wiradjuri country was needed.
The solution
In conjunction with Landcare NSW’s ‘Working Together’ program, local Wiradjuri Elders, the local Council and community members, a student-led interactive outdoor learning space was created. A disused corner of the school was transformed into an area of gardens featuring native plants and grasses endemic to the Wiradjuri region, with the centrepiece of the project being a large Yarning Circle.
The impact
Throughout the design and construction process, the Indigenous Education Team gained valuable experience in identifying local native plant species and planting techniques and, most importantly, worked together throughout the project. They were also able to explore their cultural connections to country, and were empowered to care for the area as part of school activities.
The Yarning Circle is regularly used for outdoor lessons and activities for the entire school, and allows students to engage in learning in an informal environment, increasing their awareness about the importance of retaining and restoring native landscapes in the region. This natural learning environment also allows a connection to place and culture.
The Yarning Circle project was completed in time for NAIDOC Week 2021 and, with the project’s themes of ‘working together’ and landscape restoration activities, emphasised NAIDOC Week’s 2021’s theme of Heal Country.
Key facts
- 14 students involved in design, construction and maintenance of Yarning circle
- 12 members of the local community worked together on working bee
- New partnerships between the school, community, Wiradjuri Elders and Landcare