Mirra Carved Spear Thrower

Gnangara Community

In 1976, 65 acres of land on the western side of Lake Gnangara was sold by M. D. Lachberg to the Aboriginal Lands Trust. The Federal government financially supported the Trust in order to make the purchase possible. The Trust made the land available in 1977 to a newly formed group, Nyoongah Community Incorporated, for the establishment of a centre for education, recreation and the preservation of Aboriginal culture. The gradual development of the centre was led by Ken and Betty Colbung and the Nyoongah Community Cultural Complex was officially opened by Gough Whitlam on 17 November 1979.

The school within the complex, the Aboriginal Community College, was a co-educational, non-denominational school for Aboriginal children. It accepted its first student intake in 1981 and was officially opened on 25 September 1981 by Premier Sir Charles Court. The founding Principal was Betty Colbung and the school offered the conventional curriculum in conjunction with the teaching of Aboriginal lore, arts, crafts and dance. The college was the first of its kind in southern Western Australia and was a fully operational primary and secondary educational facility funded by Federal and State governments. The college was closed due to financial and governance issues before the 2008 school year began.