“Naraganawali gawar, dambaliny, murring - Nurturing Hearts, Minds and Spirits”

Sacred Heart Primary School, Pearce, unveiled stage two of its Aboriginal garden, a native learning space created to help students develop a greater understanding of Aboriginal spirituality and identity.

Stage one, ‘Murring’, launched late last year and focused on the creation of the garden’s spiritual element and the blend of Aboriginal and Catholic culture. A conscious effort has been made to reflect this quality again with the second phase, ‘Gawar Dambaliny’.

The design of ‘Gawar Dambaliny’ is based on a campsite theme and featuring four circular garden beds. The new section of the garden symbolises the school’s motto, ‘Nurturing Hearts, Minds and Spirits’ and is a space for communal gatherings and the sharing of stories.

The garden features a variety of native plants that were purposefully chosen for their medicinal properties and as examples of bush food. The building materials were sustainably sourced, with local trees and earth from surrounding building sites repurposed for the garden beds and soil.

“Through the creation of this garden, the students at Sacred Heart will be provided with tangible links to the surrounding Aboriginal culture of the region,” said Aaron Fox, Curriculum Coordinator.

“We hope that it will help staff bring life to the curriculum in a meaningful and contextual way that deepens the students’ understanding and respect for Aboriginal history and culture.”