About the awards
The Department of Education is pleased to announce the winners of the Secretary’s Marrung Awards, held on 28 May 2025.
The Secretary’s Marrung Awards, established in 2021, celebrate the unique knowledge and skills that Koorie staff and allies bring to the department, to create better educational outcomes for Koorie students. This may be in roles that focus on communications, policy, program delivery, student support, teaching, allied health, or leadership.
Categories
Positive Climate for Learning
This category has two winners and celebrates those who foster an environment where learning and development thrive, showcasing exemplary respect and inclusion.
It honours individuals and services dedicated to making Koorie children and learners of all ages feel confident in their cultural identity and helps all Victorians appreciate and respect Koorie culture and history.
Winner: Melton Specialist School - Jamie Polich and Brooke Briody
Melton Specialist School (MSS) stands as a trailblazer in embedding First Nations culture, perspectives, and practices into the very fabric of its educational environment, within the immediate Melton area. This is to create the space, where Koorie students and learners of all ages (staff included) are strong in their identity, within the Department, the school service, and local community the MSS serves.
Through a steadfast commitment to the Marrung Education Plan, MSS has fostered a culturally inclusive and responsive action plan, and continues to build and create with local traditional owners, custodians, and the community.
With the construction of the Gathering Circle at the heart of the school, this space represents a collective commitment to cultural inclusivity, respect and reconciliation, ensuring that First Nations traditions are seamlessly integrated into everyday learning experiences.
Winner: Tinternvale Primary School - Emily Hine and Olivia Akaruru
As Marrung Leaders, Emily and Olivia have actively participated in the Marrung Leaders Day multiple times each year. Their first major initiative was the development of Tinternvale Primary School’s Whole School Documented Curriculum for Indigenous Perspectives.
This project was undertaken in close collaboration with Traditional Owners and Elders from the Wurundjeri community to ensure authenticity and cultural integrity. The rollout involved the creation of comprehensive curriculum documents, the facilitation of whole school professional learning sessions, and an ongoing process of monitoring and reviewing.
Community Engagement
This category has two winners and acknowledges those who enhance community engagement in education by partnering with Koorie people.
It celebrates the efforts of those who collaborate to boost local learning outcomes and create more opportunities for Koorie people to be involved in decision-making processes.
Winner: Localising, Aboriginal Self-Determination in Education - Craig Leary, Jon Belling, Katie Downing, Ben Parker and Emily Ladiges
This project fosters self-determination in education by engaging with LAECG Chairs to identify and progress community education priorities for 2025 and beyond, which is achieved by amplifying the voice of LAECGs and enhancing relationships between LAECG Chairs and KECs.
The project commenced in June 2024, and after the first initial workshops, the group decided to adopt the reform priorities outlined in the Self Determination in Education Report with the focus to be spread over two years in:
- 2025: Accountability, Voice and Capacity Building
- 2026: Truth Telling, Partnerships and Culturally Safe and Responsive School System.
The team aligns their area-based priorities under each of the reform priorities, providing the area teams with clear and practical suggestions for improvement.
The partnership has helped strengthen community engagement and collaboration. This is an excellent example of how when Koorie people lead the decision-making, -not just participate- better outcomes are achieved.
Winner: Koorie Emerging Leaders in Schools (KELiS) - Stephanie Raike, Alan Johnson and Brian Walker
KELiS brings secondary school students from the Bayside Peninsula together to build the capacity of Koorie students in leadership skills, cultural connection and advocacy skills to build their confidence and use their voice in their own respective schools.
This is achieved through termly events, where schools rotate hosting and focusing the agenda on leadership skill development, connection to Koorie community, fostering connections between Koorie students across the schools, and supporting actions planning for students to facilitate change back at their own schools.
The longer-term aim is to build students sense of belonging in their own schools and across the BPA, support students to remain engaged in education, improve attendance, increase Year 12 completion rates, and prepare young Koorie learners to become leaders in the community.
Professional Leadership
This category has two winners and honours the cultivation of professional leadership where the success of Koorie Victorians is a top priority for all educational leaders.
It highlights the commitment to prioritising Koorie achievements and the ongoing development of leaders in the early childhood and school sectors.
Winner: Kerrie Clarke – Koorie Engagement Support Officer, Wimmera
Understanding history to inform the future – a deep dive into Aboriginal Culture and Art.
Kerrie has a vast experience in the arts, previously worked as a curator at the Melbourne Museum, Koorie Heritage Trust and has lived experience in many communities across Australia. Kerrie is a member of the Wimmera South West (WSW) area People Matters working group, and a strong advocate for cultural safety and sharing of cultural load amongst the Koorie workforce.
Kerrie identified that within the school, early childhood and corporate sector there was misunderstanding and misinformation related to art and culture. The flow on effect of the absence of this knowledge was being felt by young people who did not see themselves accurately reflected in the curriculum which led to unconscious bias from key educational leaders. To address this, Kerrie designed a comprehensive professional learning module for key educational leaders.
Prior to this work, Kerrie has always shared her cultural knowledge and passion about the arts and First Nations histories. This work reflects her extensive involvement in New Teachers to Country professional learning, Community Understanding and Safety Training (CUST), Early Childhood Community of Practice (CoP), and Cultural leaders CoP and in her work with schools and early years services.
Winner: Ovens Murray Marrung Lead Program - Rebecca Cranage, Steve Pickering and Jody Grimmond
The Ovens Murray Marrung Lead Program delivers ongoing professional learning that is dedicated to the support and development of all Marrung Leads in Ovens Murray schools, ensuring that they can effectively advocate and lead as champions for all Koorie students and families. The program operates in alignment with the North Eastern Victoria Region, Marrung Lead initiative.
The Ovens Murray team have planned for local area context and have established a community of practice through a bespoke learning and networking program. This program is supported and driven by the Marrung Area Implementation Team chairs: Jody Grimmond, Marrung Senior Education Improvement Leader (SEIL) and Rosie Schultz, Local Education Consultative Group (LAECG), in collaboration with Steve Pickering, Planning and Implementation Branch 2 Manager and Rebecca Cranage, Ovens Murray Koorie Education Coordinator.
Aboriginal Community Leadership
This category has two winners and is for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individual within the Department who enhances knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of Aboriginal histories, people, and cultures.
It recognises someone who mentors, supports, and inspires their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander colleagues.
Winner: Larissa Falla – Senior Koorie Education Advisor, Goulburn
Larissa Falla is an exceptional and deeply respected leader in Koorie education, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to self-determination, cultural inclusion, and systemic change across the Goulburn region. Through her leadership, mentorship, and advocacy, she has played a pivotal role in strengthening cultural competency in schools, embedding Koorie perspectives in educational practices, and ensuring that First Nations students, families, and educators have a strong and influential voice in decision-making.
Her work within the Shepparton Education Plan (SEP), the Marrung Community of Practice (CoP), and the Area Marrung Plan has been instrumental in creating culturally safe learning environments where Aboriginal histories, cultures, and perspectives are not only acknowledged but celebrated. Larissa’s leadership has not only transformed policy but has also empowered educators, strengthened partnerships with Koorie communities, and created lasting improvements in educational outcomes for First Nations students.
Winner: Tim Clark – Koorie Engagement Support Officer, Ovens Murray
Southern Rise Childcare, Monash University, and Tim Clark, the Ovens Murray Koorie Engagement Support Officer, collaborated to establish Now Play Wodonga, a research initiative that aims to support children’s literacy and language development using First Nations language, artifacts, stories, dance and art.
The key research question was, “can intercultural learning for young children about Indigenous cultures and languages be supported through playful activities that are collaboratively developed with Indigenous language teachers, family and community members taking the lead?”.
The project originated in Canada through the University of Toronto as the Northern Oral Language and Writing through Play: A Partnership Supporting Indigenous Children’s Language, Cultural Knowledge and Writing (Now Play).
Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Development
This category has two winners and goes to educators who achieved excellence in teaching, learning and development at all stages, so that Koorie children are able to maintain their health and wellbeing, so that they can grow, develop and fully engage throughout their education journey.
This award recognises the dedication, expertise and excellence to set our Koorie children up for life.
Winner: Embedding Aboriginal Perspectives in the Curriculum - Craig Leary, Jon Belling, Katie Downing, Ben Parker, Emily Ladiges, Shelby Stewart and Ben Johnstone-McCloud
This project initially set out to develop two (one primary and one secondary) example units of work that schools could use as a starting point for embedding Aboriginal perspectives in the curriculum.
For this, a plan was developed to hold a series of workshops across the region that would engage a range of stakeholders. This initial plan was endorsed by LAECG chairs at the NWVR Marrung Regional Partnership Forum in September 2023.
The first workshop, convened on the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung was attended by LAECG Chairs, Koorie Education Manager and Coordinators, a representative group of KESOs, one school per area, Area Executive Directors, one SEIL per area and a small number of the regional teaching and learning team.
The outcomes of the workshop were:
- higher levels of cultural understanding amongst school and regional staff
- increased engagement of Koorie people in curriculum development and improvement
- improved truth telling in schools which leads to a greater understanding and respect for First Nations culture and history
- setting schools up to be more supportive and inclusive of Koorie students and families.
Winner: Milawa Primary School - Ash Campbell and Bronwyn Wright
Over the past three years, Milawa Primary School has undertaken a transformative journey to deeply embed First Nations perspectives into their teaching and learning approaches. Their goal has been to provide a safe and inclusive educational environment for all Koorie students and their families while fostering a school-wide culture of respect and appreciation for Koorie history and culture.
This work aligns closely with the key system enablers of the Marrung Education Plan, particularly in the pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning and the development of culturally responsive education for Koorie students.
In 2023, they created a sense of urgency around this work, recognizing the need for immediate and meaningful action. To establish a strong foundation, they engaged with their local Koorie Engagement Support Officer (KESO) to guide initiatives and provide support for Koorie students through Student Support Groups (SSGs). The appointment of Koorie parents to the school council ensured that Koorie voices were integral in the decision-making processes.
They also integrated First Nations culture into the school’s daily experiences through artifact sessions, professional learning for staff, and the acknowledgment and celebration of significant days such as Sorry Day. Additionally, they enriched the curriculum by incorporating First Nations texts, both picture storybooks and professional resources. A significant highlight was their collaboration with the MACC Art teacher to create a playground mural reflecting Koorie cultural connections, alongside the co-designing of staff and Year 6 t-shirts that represented Koorie heritage. These efforts were essential in laying the groundwork for a culturally inclusive school environment.
Visit Marrung Strategy for more information, or contact marrung@education.vic.gov.au.
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