A simple question put to Brookvale Public School students more than a year ago has become a striking new landmark on Pittwater Road. “What are you proud of about your school?”
Their answers helped shape Nganga Ngurra, a major artwork by First Nations artist Sharon Robbie that was officially unveiled at Brookvale Public School’s Open Day on 2 September.
Meaning “Our Place” or “Our Country”, Nganga Ngurra brings together the stories, histories and relationships that have shaped Brookvale, from the enduring connection of Aboriginal people to Country to the diverse school community that calls Brookvale home today.
The project began when Principal Luke Richmond commissioned Robbie to create an artwork that could tell the story of the school. Before any paint touched the canvas, Richmond and Robbie worked with the local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group to ensure the process was respectful and authentic. Robbie then sat down with Brookvale’s Student Representative Council, First Nations students and school leaders and listened.
Students spoke about coming from many different cultures while sharing a strong sense of belonging. They talked about caring for one another, celebrating each other’s successes and striving for their personal best.
The project also sought to understand the history of the place itself. Supported by Aunty Lois Birk, Brookvale’s student leaders and First Nations students visited the Aboriginal Heritage Office, where Aboriginal Heritage Officer Kyle Nettleton shared the Aboriginal history of the Brookvale area and the Country on which the school stands. The students then explored Brookvale’s more recent history, bringing these layers together to help shape the story Robbie ultimately brought to life through her artwork.
The original painting was digitally scanned and transformed into the large-scale mural that now fills the western wall of the school’s A Block, facing one of the Northern Beaches’ busiest roads.
“Thousands of people travel past Brookvale Public School every day,” Mr Richmond said. “I love that this artwork now faces Pittwater Road. It tells our students that their stories matter, and it tells the wider community something about who we are, where we have come from and what we value.”
P&C President Hina Osmany said seeing the finished work unveiled was particularly meaningful because students and families had been part of the journey. “This artwork feels like Brookvale,” Mrs Osmany said. “We are a community made up of people from so many different backgrounds, but there is a real sense that everyone has a place here. Nganga Ngurra captures that beautifully.”
The opening began with a Smoking Ceremony and featured cultural performances and a combined choir performance of I Am Australian incorporating English, Yawuru language and Auslan. Students then spent the day participating in First Nations cultural workshops.
Long after the Open Day crowds have gone, Nganga Ngurra will remain. For the thousands who pass the school each day and generations of students still to come, it will tell a distinctly Brookvale story about Country, culture and finding your place.
Visit brookvale-p.schools.nsw.gov.au to learn more.
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