Students from Goodooga Central School (GCS) were welcomed back to IGS last week as part of the ongoing Walking Together Program – a growing partnership rooted in mutual respect, cultural exchange and learning.
Now in its sixth year, the Walking Together Program brings together students from the remote town of Goodooga, located on Yuwaalaraay Country in north-western NSW, with their peers at IGS on Gadigal Land. Established in 2019 through a partnership between Mindy Gibbs, Connecting Communities Australia and IGS, the program supports reciprocal visits that centre First Nations voices, histories and cultures. Developed in collaboration with Glenn Price of Connecting Communities Australia, it continues to foster meaningful cross-cultural understanding and enduring relationships.
This term, the GCS students’ visit to IGS included a full schedule of cultural engagement, academic collaboration and shared experiences. Beginning the day by catching up with Kindergarten students as they learnt letters and words, the visit highlighted the value of these students connecting with a broad range of people across the School.
A key moment in the visit included workshopping HSC Major Works, where students and teachers from both schools engaged in meaningful dialogue around research and storytelling, especially in the context of Aboriginal Studies. IGS students were also able to conduct interviews for their own Major Works, drawing on the lived experiences of the visiting students. As part of her own Major Work, Year 11 student Alice ran a mural workshop in consultation with Aunty Mindy and guided by designs from GCS students. The group began painting a mural on the garden beds of the School’s west roof – a collaborative piece that will grow to reflect the voices and creativity of both school communities. Stay tuned for its completion in the coming weeks.
The visit also allowed for the GCS group to explore some of Sydney’s cultural landmarks. Students travelled to Cockatoo Island and visited the Chau Chak Wing Museum, where they toured the newly opened Mungari exhibition. These experiences offered a chance for reflection, learning and discussion about the representation of First Nations history and culture in public institutions.
Accompanied by Aunty Mindy Gibbs a Yuwaalaraay Language teacher, Aunty Karen the Aboriginal Education Officer and Lucy Howard-Shibuya Head Teacher Secondary Studies – a former IGS staff member who has spent the past few years living and working in Goodooga – the students were able to reconnect with familiar faces in the IGS community. Lucy’s presence served as a powerful reminder of the program’s long-term impact and the enduring relationships that have grown from it, continuing well beyond the scheduled visits.
Sharing lunch and conversation in the Renaissance Centre was another highlight, where students from both schools spoke about life in their communities – city and country perspectives intersecting in real time. For many, it was a moment of discovery and recognition, reinforcing the value of face-to-face exchange in breaking down distance and difference.
The visit has also helped build excitement for the upcoming return trip later this term, when 30 IGS Year 6 students will travel to Goodooga. There, they will take part in cultural and language immersion in the School, joining Elders for yarning circles and ceremonies, and spending time learning on Country.
At its heart, the Walking Together Program continues to offer a rare and powerful opportunity – for students from vastly different backgrounds to learn from each other, form real friendships and deepen their understanding of Australia’s cultural complexity. Through shared experience and mutual respect, the program continues to offer a model of how schools can engage meaningfully in truth telling and reconciliation.
A special thanks goes to Megan Sampson Acting Head of Indigenous Education for organising this important day. Her ongoing commitment to nurturing the relationship between IGS and Goodooga Central School has been central to the success and spirit of the Walking Together Program.
