school workshops 2016

Murrook Culture Centre

Cultural Workshops

Who are we?Murrook Cultural Centre is situated on Nelson Bay Road Williamtown

NSW. It's purpose is to gather, sustain, protect and teach Aboriginal Culture to all people with an emphasis on Worimi culture being the land and people of this area. Our Centre caters for the needs of a vast range of groups,

from schools (pre, primary, secondary and uni/tafe), to community, business & government groups and international visitors.

Aboriginal staff teach many facets of our culture, from boomerangs, weapons and tools, didgeridoo, communication like art and dance, bush food medicine, cooking, craft (basket ting weaving, beading), artefacts

and much more. The Gathang Language is used right through our programs.

Tent camps are also available on our grounds with amenities and a restaurant quality kitchen to aid our campers.

We at Murrook seek to deliver a sound, authentic and relevant cultural experience to our visitors helping them to see Australia through the

eyes of an Aboriginal person. Most importantly, Murrook is used by our Aboriginal community as a gathering place.

Our staff run tours and workshops at Murrook, on schools grounds and 'on country' having access to Aboriginal sites. If you would like more

information about our cultural packages, please call one of our friendly team members in the Office.

Marrungbu (Thank You).

What we do?

• We offer many Cultural Diversity & Appreciation Experiences:

• Here at Murrook• Worimi History• Artefacts• Gathang Language• Bush Resource• Bush Tucker (seasonal, additional

costs apply)• Art• Weaving/Beading• Boomerang throwing• Didgeridoo workshop• Dance workshop

• Cultural Camps 1,2,3 nights• On Country tours• Eco systems at risk• Fresh water search• Midden search• Stone tool site

• “Towards Cultural Competency Training”

(government & other agencies)• We offer school programs

conducted on site at your school, these are tailored to suit your needs

• School Excursions, Cultural Workshops

Cultural Diversity & Appreciation Experiences

Boomerang Throwing

Learn about this unique implement and try your own

hand at throwing and catching a boomerang with guidance

from a cultural officer. All ages.

Digeridoo Workshop

Music is an important part of Aboriginal culture. Learn all about the didgeridoo and its

hypnotic tones. All ages.

Dance WorkshopLearn about the significance

and meaning behind Dance in our Aboriginal culture and why we celebrate many events with

Dance, imitate animals and birds or “Shake a Leg”. All ages.


Bush ResourceJoin a guided walk around the native

gardens and wetlands to discover the diversity of plants of the Worimi and learn their traditional aboriginal

uses. All Ages.Be adventurous and come and try our delicious Bush Tucker. Our staff

will explain the various types of Bush Tucker available and its uses

and you get the chance to try some. All Ages.

Bush Tucker tasting includes Emu, Crocodile, Kangaroo, fish, crab,

oyster, lobster, damper and herbs and spices. All ages.

*Minimum Numbers Apply & some foods are seasonal

ArtefactsSpend time with a cultural officer as they explain the

history, their story, design and use. All ages.

ArtCreate a unique memento of

your Worimi trip using nature & Aboriginal art as your

inspiration. Paint your own boomerang, coaster or canvas

or purchase one of our template pieces and add your

own flavor to create an original. All ages.


Weaving/BeadingCome and watch a master

weaver reveal thousands of years of knowledge in creating these beautiful baskets, bags, fish, eel and bird traps. In this

session you will have the opportunity to try your hand at weaving, both with traditional

and modern materials. 8 years & up.

Worimi HistoryLearn in this workshop the life

of an Aboriginal society, its lore, customs, habits, unique

connection to land, the prominence of ceremony and hunting practices. Also, learn of the early days of European contact and the change that occurred here in Newcastle &

Port Stephens.

Collomon Workshop

This is a popular workshop where over the course of a school term you will learn about the traditional uses of a Collomon and how they were made you can then make your own Coolomon from scratch.

Out on Country

EcosystemWalk out on Stockton Dunes

and learn about the traditional management practices and

how our people managed this unique ecosystem.

Fresh Water/Midden

Come and learn the history and significance of the midden and

fresh water sites .

Stone tool siteYou will walk the Stockton

Dunes and visit a ancient old stone tool site and learn about the importance of these sites.

Cultural Camps

Students get an amazing opportunity to experience our indigenous culture, discover the

land and participate in traditional activities. The camp grounds (tent only) are situated on Murrook’s fresh water lake with close access to

the ancient Aboriginal sites and the largest Coastal Sand Dune System in the southern

hemisphere. Campers have access to showers and toilets

and catering can be arranged upon request from our kitchen and dining area.

An Aboriginal guide will help you develop your own personal camp program and be with you during the camp sharing an age old culture of

this beautiful land.

Towards Cultural Competency

This workshop has been designed to aid government agencies and business both large and small in Aboriginal Cultural

Competencies. The workshops are provided to aid the move towards reconciliation in Australia, to aid in the development of the Aboriginal community within ‘mainstream’ agencies, to increase each business’s capacity to engage with Aboriginal

communities for a better tomorrow for all Australians. These Cultural Workshops aim to improve the awareness of Aboriginal culture, to appreciate its beauty, its long history

and to acknowledge its diversity from the Western environment we all live in. Recently, we have worked with

government agencies, such as the Education and Employment, Port Stephens Council, Defense Agencies and

Welfare Providers.Our philosophy to helping others understand such cultural

competencies is to spend time with Aboriginal people. These are not things you learn from books, lectures or the internet.

Therefore, our workshops are designed that you spend the day (five hours) with us. The following is a typical workshop.

•

• Welcome you to our Country (song, dance, language, story, fire)

• Classroom training discussion (Aboriginal circle)

• Lunch with Elders & Community (catering is from a local Aboriginal group)

• Aboriginal Site visit

Contacts & Location

• Address:• 2163 Nelson Bay Road, Williamtown NSW 2318

• PO Box:• PO BOX 56, Tanilba Bay NSW 2319

• Phone and Fax: • P: (02) 40338804• Fax: (02) 40338899

• Email:• [email protected]

We are located on Nelson Bay Road, Williamtown an easy 2 ½ drive on the freeway from Sydney CBD or 1hr 45 mins from the start of the Sydney Newcastle Freeway. Heading towards Nelson Bay we are located 2.4kms from Newcastle Airport. Just look for the Big Boomerang!We are open Daily Monday – Friday Bookings are required prior to your Culture Appreciation and Diversity tour.Comfortable clothing and footwear is recommended as well as hat and sun screen if selecting an outdoor tour.Murrook Culture centre has Wheelchair access.