School Houses

Guraguma, Ngadyung, Gurabung, Dhurrawang

We are the third wave of settlers on this site. The Ngunawal people were the first to make their homes here countless years ago. The local stone or chert was used to shape their axes and other cutting and hunting implements. The stream gave them water, the wind cooled them on hot days and carried messages of the hunt or of fire. Their connection with each other and this land was intense, they belonged here.

Thomas and Catherine Gribble travelled thousands of kilometres to settle here. They used some of the local stone and mud to build their home in the late 1800s.  You can see some of the remains behind the school today. They brought up seven children and felt that they, too, belonged here.

In 1999, the buildings of Burgmann Anglican School announced the arrival of new caretakers of this place. We number nearly 560 students, growing each year. We want to value and understand those who have come before us. We want to be good caretakers and feel that we also belong here.

In launching our new House groups, we have used the ancient names of Guraguma, the West Wind, Ngudyung, water, Gurabung, stone and Dhurrawang, light. In this way we respect those who have settled here before us.

As our small community grows, we want to keep our connection with each other and make the values of friendship and family strong again in this place. The house groups draw us closer together and develop bonds between us no matter what age or background or class. They will promote healthy competition and develop leadership skills. They will promote a sense of belonging to each other and to this place.

We are also following Jesus' example by loving one another and caring for and using the gifts that He has given us. We all belong to a House, a school and to Jesus. In fact, we are the Body of Christ. As you can see, the cross of Christ holds us together. When we offer ourselves and our skills to Him, then we are truly complete and we belong to Him and to this place.