“This policy is recognition of the fact that Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the custodians of the lands upon which our schools stand. We pay our respects to Elders, past, present and future.
When Lesley Dunn began the Waranara Program at Corpus Christi College Maroubra in 2014, her goal was simple: create a space where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students felt seen, safe, and proud of who they are.
A decade on, that vision has blossomed into what is now a nationally recognised success story, after the program was named as an Excellence Awardee for Best First Nations Education Program at the 2025 Australian Education Awards.
It’s a deserving accolade for both Lesley and the school community, who together have transformed the lives of hundreds of students by nurturing their academic success, wellbeing, spiritual growth and cultural identity.
An authentic approach
At Corpus Christi, seven per cent of the current student population is of Indigenous descent.
Lesley works full-time as the college’s dedicated Aboriginal Coordinator, overseeing the program and closely supporting the 53 First Nations students currently at the college.
The Waranara Program, which comes from a local work meaning ‘to seek’, looks to embed Aboriginal perspectives across all areas of school life.
Students engage in cultural practices such as walking on Country, language, art and dance workshops, and a range of collaborative projects with local Elders and organisations, including the La Perouse Land Council.
A key feature of the program is the Waranara Room, a culturally safe space where students receive weekly mentoring, tailored learning support, and access to wellbeing resources. This space, adorned with student artworks and cultural artifacts, serves as a haven for reflection, study, and community.
“The program has definitely evolved over the years,” said Lesley.
“It’s very much an authentic element of the school and its successes. It’s not just an add on. Everyone recognises that it’s part of the fabric of the school.” …
As we celebrate with our 64 Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 2020 alumni, Southern Cross Catholic College (SCCC) alumnus Anthony Carter-Rankine has an especially unique story to tell.
For the first time in more than a decade, a remote indigenous community in the Northern Territory has a Year 12 graduate.
Anthony Carter-Rankine, from Ti Tree – the closest town to Alice Springs – is only the second ever male in the region to have completed their Higher School Certificate (HSC).
The Southern Cross Catholic College (SCCC) alumnus also gained a First Aid Certificate before graduating, and has since secured a job at the Central Desert Regional Council.
Ti Tree in the Northern Territory, Anthony Carter-Rankine’s home.
“SCCC helped me gain my HSC and also some VET (Vocational, Education & Training) qualifications,” Anthony said. “By doing short courses, as well as securing part-time work, it helped me learn lots of skills that will assist me with my new job.”
Jane Bridges, Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Wellbeing Specialist: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, applauded Anthony’s determination and perseverance.
“Anthony’s story is a tribute to himself and a great testament to SCS’ commitment to the education of young Aboriginal students” – Jane Bridges
“The barriers that Anthony faced were profound and were compounded by COVID,” Ms Bridges said.
“I pay tribute especially to his home community for trusting Anthony to the care of SCS and to the teachers that worked with him and the organisations that partnered with his school.”
The long road to completing the HSC
Anthony arrived at SCCC in Term 4 of 2019 from Ti Tree, a town with 110 people, according to 2016 Census figures.
For Anthony to complete Year 12, he had to give up many things and overcome many …
As part of 2020 NAIDOC Week celebrations one Sydney Catholic school has unveiled unique child hand drawings steeped in tradition and colour.
“My hand pattern reminds me of the proud and positive feelings I have about my culture,” said St Therese’s Catholic Primary School Mascot Indigenous student, Charli Symonds.
Aboriginal Catholic Ministry executive officer, Dr Lisa Buxton, said she worked with 19 Indigenous students from Kindergarten to Year 6 at the school over several months, including Charli, to help co-create the artwork.
“The artwork features the hands of all the student-artists and the three circles and lines at the centre of the painting symbolises travel and the stages of the students’ learning journeys,” Dr Buxton said.
The finished artwork has been scanned and made into plaques, unveiled by principal Gabrielle McAnespie at a special assembly. These will be placed in each of the school’s 21 classrooms, offices and specialist classrooms.
“I like how we have an event like NAIDOC Week, to acknowledge and celebrate our traditions and culture”– Charli Symonds
“The project started as a short film where the students filmed their own ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ while sharing stories about their culture and traditions,” Dr Buxton said.
“It ended with both a film and an artwork where they chose colours to represent their own individual ideas about what ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ means to them as young Aboriginal people today.”
Year 6 student, Luke Chenhall, said he very much liked the idea of the plaques in the classrooms, saying “they act as an inspiration to the younger children.”
Charli, who is in Year 5, said the plaque shows “the amazing things Indigenous people have done for the land” and acknowledges them as the first people of the land “which is a terrific thing.”
By: JUDE THOMAS
Watch the video …
The Indigenous round holds great importance in the NRL calendar. This year, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs entrusted the design of their special commemorative jersey for round 12 to the students of all-girls Bethlehem Catholic College in Ashfield.
“It’s breath taking,” said one of the designers, Bethlehem College student Chanel, of the Kamilaroi and Gomeroi nations.
“Being involved in this project makes me feel proud and happy to be a part of something so rare. As a young Indigenous woman, I feel more connected to my culture and more recognised by the community.”
The design was created by a team of students at her school of various Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, who did extensive research into the local area’s peoples, their traditions, totems and key flora and fauna as part of the project.
Taryn, of the Wiradjuri nation, said the inspiration for the jersey design came from the stories and lands of the local Aboriginal tribes, including the Wangal tribe.
“This design is about community, identity, and solidarity with the symbols used portraying players, supporters and the wider NRL community coming together to celebrate our culture” – Taryn
The jersey features the Cooks River, an important geographical point for traditional owners, according to fellow student Darci, of the Wiadjuri and Dunghutti peoples.
“The Wangal people used the river as a resource for food, water and to bathe in,” said Darci.
“Myself and the rest of the girls used our time to design and research about the Dreamtime stories, land and people. We also told a few of our own stories, to have a complete understanding of the whole project.
“We used animal tracks, such as the emu, snake, kangaroo and echidna. The stars (on the jersey) represent the Indigenous players’ ancestors. …
“This policy is recognition of the fact that Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the custodians of the lands upon which our schools stand. We pay our respects to Elders, past, present and future.
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