Gululu, the Yolngu term for welcome.

The 26 Year 11 students and 6 staff were encouraged to give, grow and lead. We gave with our hands but also with our heart. We grew stronger through physical resilience, but also by developing patience, tolerance and generosity.

Culture College Director – Djapirri Mununggirrit spoke to us around the fire saying  “Your heart is like a good soil, and when you gather information and plant in the good soil of your heart, now we can see results. It’s more gathering through your studies, your education, then putting it in your soil no matter who you are.”

This journey was about wading into a world that has been locked away for decades and listening to stories that are seldom heard. As future voters and leaders of this nation, we hope the participants will carry the messages from remote Aboriginal Australia far and wide. It is an unequivocal message that reminds us that life can be brought to places that have been dead for too long, that we can bring hope to the many by bringing a little love to the few who need it most, and that Indigenous and non-Indigenous hands can come together to work towards a common goal.

Helen Thomas
Director of Mission

“Spending a week completely immersed and welcomed into such a strong Aboriginal community highlighted to us how important it is for Australia to embrace this beautiful part of our national identity. Being able to see firsthand how the concepts of kinship, connection to land and language interact and shape the lives of these people, was a privilege.”

Coco and Sophie
Year 11 Verity Immersion 2022