The students of Cooerwull Public School gathered around a maypole on Thursday morning to celebrate the school’s 150th anniversary, with dances and children’s games. In the afternoon, the school hosted the celebration's official smoking ceremony at the yarning circle with Wiradjuri elder Uncle Owen Smith, Cooerwull’s Aboriginal education officer.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A highlight of the student’s celebration was a visit from National Trust members, Tony and Celia Ravesi, Kathryn Newton and Pat Connell who have been working with the Lithgow Community Nursery to re-propagate the native blue flower, after which Andrew Brown’s 200 acre property, and the school, was named. They gifted a pot of Cooerwull flowers to the school.
Principal Mark Snow, who was also a student at the school, compared his students’ experience to the flower.
“We never ever leave the school we were grown at,” he said.
“I hope school for you feels safe, and that you enjoy coming to school and that you feel nurtured by your teachers. You are that young Cooerwull flower, and wildflowers are wonderful flowers.”
“Each of you don’t give up on your dreams.”
On Friday, the school hosted an anniversary concert for families of students.
The festivities continue into next week. A 150th anniversary display will be exhibited in Cooerwull’s school hall.
“It is historical. There will be lots of historical memorabilia through to the current day,” teacher Shireen Sheehan said.
Tours of the school buildings for community members will run between 2-4pm on Monday, October 30, every half-an-hour.