30 January 2023

A new mosaic mural at St Mary’s School, Thornbury, provides a lasting symbol of the school’s commitment to reconciliation.

Unveiled and blessed in front of the school community at the end of 2022, the mural is a collaboration between students, artist Elio Rulli, educators and representatives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. ‘This installation encapsulates our learning about Aboriginal perspectives and symbolises, in a genuine way, our early steps on our way to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their stories’, said Principal Chris Ray at the unveiling. ‘As a community of faith, we benefit from the completion of this artwork which will become a focus for us and the wider community.’

The mural contains important symbols combining past, present and future in recognising the history of the school, as well as the much longer history of the original Australians. The images of Bunjil, the creator spirit of the Wurundjeri people, and the holy spirit link the Aboriginal identity of the area with the Catholic identity of the school. The water represents the two local waterways, Darebin Creek and Merri Creek, and the footsteps represent the journey of the Wurundjeri people over thousands of years, as well as the learning journey of students at St Mary’s School over the past century. The cross, school logo and ‘Wominjeka’ (welcome) create a signpost for the school’s continuing walk for reconciliation.