Worimi

Welcome to Country (Uncle Neville Lilley, Worimi Elder)

The overwhelming evidence depicting thousands of years of occupation of the Worimi is still clearly visible. Some ceremonial and meeting grounds, burial sites, artefacts and artwork can still be seen.

We the Worimi continue to walk on this land today.

We are part of this great land that defines us as a people, including our languages, and our stories, which are the foundation of our culture.

We the Worimi are spiritually connected to this land that has sustained our people for hundreds of generations.

Our desire is to care for the land and for the environment. This is our commitment to our forefathers and to future generations. On behalf of my people, I welcome you all to our God-given country. I trust that our journey together, both now and into the future, will continue to be pleasant and productive.

Welcome everyone – enjoy the beautiful land of the Worimi.

United in Mercy, Catherine McAuley Catholic College seeks to honour and acknowledge our Catholic tradition and the Worimi people, the traditional custodians of the land where we gather.

Pope Francis tells us: “Culture is more than what we have inherited from the past; it is also, and above all, a living, dynamic and participatory present reality, which cannot be excluded as we rethink the relationship between human beings and the environment.” 

Our culture is shaped by our dual traditions, our Catholic faith and Mercy values and the identity and story of the Worimi people. Embracing the pride Worimi people have for their culture, we pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

The location of the College is one of abundance of natural environment, where river, lake, bush, ocean, dunes and wetlands converge. Before construction, excavations took place that recovered in excess of 60,000 Aboriginal artefacts on the building site.

The College’s visual identity is inspired by the location, including the use of symbols and colours. The unique College house structure displayed across Stages 4, 5 and 6, are influenced by indigenous language; wati (trees) Discovery House; wathu (fire) Endeavour House; and bathu (water) Horizons House.

 

The college hopes to showcase some of these artefacts to honour the traditional owners of the land, the Worimi people.