Indigenous Connections

At Camberwell Grammar we are proud to live amongst First Nation Australians. We stand in solidarity with the Uluru Statement from the Heart, recognizing the unique status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians as the original Sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjoining islands. Acknowledging that this sovereignty was neither ceded nor extinguished, we affirm that it co-exists with the sovereignty of the Crown. We accept the gracious invitation of First Nation Australians to join with them on a journey towards reconciliation.

We commit to taking affirmative steps to address the historical injustices of the past. By nurturing the school’s values of integrity, courage, learning, respect, and optimism within our students, we aim to encourage actions that promote equity and safeguard the human rights of all citizens.

In consultation with Camberwell Grammar Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, school community members, our Coordinator Indigenous Programs and the School Board, we are developing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to ensure we achieve our goals.

Acknowledgment of Country

We would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land upon which we work, learn and play: the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to all First Nations Elders, past, present and emerging for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and the hopes of First Nation Australians. We express our gratitude for their continued contributions to our learning and for their continued willingness to partner with us on our reconciliation journey. We commit to honouring and respecting the connection First Nation Australians have with the beautiful landupon which this school is built, to extending and strengthening our relationships with First Nation Australians, to listening to their voices and to taking action that will lead to positive change.

Indigenous Scholarships Program

Our Indigenous Scholarships stand as a step toward rectifying structural injustices and by valuing and promoting every student’s cultural heritage, we will ensure Camberwell Grammar School is a place where Indigenous students and their families can openly and proudly express their cultural identities. Our Indigenous Scholarships Program seeks to enable students from an Indigenous background to enter the school at Years 7 to 10. The scholarships are non-boarding scholarships. You can find out more here.

Camberwell Grammar Indigenous Jerseys

Our First Team players are proud to wear the Camberwell Grammar Indigenous Jersey during the Indigenous Round of AFL, Soccer and Hockey. Designed by Camberwell Grammar alum and Indigenous scholar Alexander Greenaway, the jersey design seeks to break from the stereotypes of Aboriginal cultural expression, whilst still embodying the cultural elements of local Koorie culture. The striking diamond shape reflects the symbolism of the ‘scar tree’; the Koorie practice of carving the bark from trees to be used for the production of canoes, shields, shelters and artefacts.

Scar trees were abundant throughout Victoria and New South Wales; one of the most iconic being the scar tree located near the MCG, reinforcing a strong and continuous connection to Wurundjeri Country. The scar tree, symbolically holds local significance for Wurundjeri people and the design seeks to reinforce connections to the land upon which Camberwell Grammar School is located.

The blue in the design links to the colours that represent Camberwell Grammar School. The contemporaneous nature of both the colour and design seek to embody the bold approach Camberwell Grammar School is adopting to reconciliation.