Our Story
Beginnings
Our school has been built on Darug land and as such, we have worked hard to create a sense of ‘connection’ through the school’s name, emblem, building identifiers, playground space and uniform. Through this strong connection, we recognise the lasting impact of our First Peoples and their custodianship of the land on which the school will sit.
School Name
‘Galungara’ translates to, “the stem or the flower stalk” of the Xanthorrhoea Australis (grass tree). The stem/ flower stalk or spear like form has many uses. As in its description, the Darug made spears out of the stem/stalk for fish spearing. It is also used for a fire drill to make fire.
The Xanthorrhoea tree itself is an ancient tree from the ‘Gunyalungalung’ (The Dreaming). It produces resin that has been used for thousands of years to make traditional tools and adornments. This practice continues with their living culture in making these artefacts and adapting these to their contemporary world.
Dreamtime stories are passed down generations through oral stories, ceremony, song, dance, paintings and engravings. These stories, teach the morals and values by which our First Australians live by. Our school’s ‘Dreaming’ or ‘Vision’, outlines the school’s ethos and is underpinned by our school’s ‘Values’.
Emblem
Our emblem, the Flame Robin, represents the link between Galungara Public School and the environment, as when in flower, the sweet nectar of the stem of the Grass Tree attracts the birds, insects, and wildlife as a food source.
The red and brown depicts the colour of the clay on which the school is built, while the yellow is representative of the resin that flows from the stem of the Grass Tree. The blue represents Wianamatta (South) Bells and Eastern Creek/s, three significant waterways for our first peoples.