PLACE:
Gnurad-Gundidj Campus
(“noo-rad goon-didge“)
Glenormiston South, Corangamite Shire.
Where:
The Gnurad-Gundidj Campus is located at the base of Ngoorat (Mt Noorat), Glenormiston South, in the Corangamite Shire.
Latitude: -38.1583747 | Longitude:142.9508857
Elevation: 163 m
(Pronounced: “noo-rad goon-didge“)
Geography:
Western District
Gnuard-Gundidj Campus is situated near the base of Ngoorat (Mt Noorat), in Glenormiston South.
The campus is situated amongst the volcanic plains, calderas, rivers and lakes of the western district.
The nearby marine environments of the Shipwreck Coast are rugged, scenic and historically significant. This environment allows for a unique outdoor experience; distinguishable from the other campuses.
Seasonal features of the outdoor program at the Gnurad-Gundidj Campus include surfing in Warrnambool and Port Fairy, hiking through the World Heritage listed National Park – Budj Bim, Hiking sections of the Great Ocean Walk, canoeing on the Hopkins and Gellibrand rivers, single track Mountain biking through Forrest and high ropes courses in the Otway Ranges.
History &
Cultural Heritage:
After consultation with the local aboriginal community, the name “Gnurad-Gundidj” was chosen for the third School for Student Leadership campus. This name represents both the indigenous name of the local area and an interpretation of the statement “belonging to this place”
belonging to this place...
Gnurad-Gundidj Campus
The third campus of the School for Student Leadership, the Gnurad-Gundidj Campus (GGC) was constructed in 2008 and opened in 2009 as a rural and innovative specialist setting for leadership education located in Glenormiston South.
A Magpie’s View: Mornings at Gnurad-Gundidj
The campus is built on land originally bequeathed to the state government by a local family for the purposes of education. It was a greenfield site, with the design of the building informed by and complementing the old shearing sheds made of corrugated iron on neighbouring land.
Historically, people of the Eastern Maar nation used to meet at nearby Mt Noorat, as a place of trade and sharing of knowledge. The Kirrae Whurrong people are the traditional custodians of the land the campus is built on.
Each term, during the first evening the students spend at the campus, a Kirrae Whurrong person conducts a ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremony with the students, in local language. Midway through the term, they return and facilitate a rites of passage session, through story and song, passing on knowledge acquired from elders. On the last night of the term, a final visit occurs, leading the students through a Departure Ceremony, farewelling them from the land of the Kirrae Whurrong.
Building Design:
ARCHITECT
Foreground Architecture (
formerly FMSA Architecture)
YEAR COMPLETED: 2009
The building design takes advantage of expansive panoramic views across the Western Plain.
The dormant volcano of Ngoorat (formerly Mount Noorat) sits in the background to the south-west of the campus.
As part of the School for Student Leadership, the Gnurad-Gundidj Campus at Glenormiston South, operates as a residential education facility for 45 Year 9 students selected from Victorian Government schools.
Designed by FMSA Architecture*, the building design takes advantage of expansive panoramic views across the Western Plain and aims to express functional performance and connection with the landscape.
Facilities are configured to ensure students develop sharing skills, amenities and resources are not over-abundant but limited to ensure sustainable responses.
Apart from the flexible teaching and communal spaces, the campus facility provides student and staff accommodation, a commercial kitchen, and considerable storage for outdoor equipment.
There are two separated accommodation and bathroom facilities. There are 11 rooms in each of the two accommodation wings catering for up to 45 students and in most cases two students are allocated to each room. Student rooms have been designed with areas to sleep, work and relax.
Unique
to Campus:
Unique Campus Offerings
& Onsite Educational Experiences:
Gnurad-Gundidj Campus – School for Student Leadership
Seasonal features of the outdoor program at the Gnurad-Gundidj Campus include:
- surfing in Warrnambool and Port Fairy:
- hiking through the World Heritage listed National Park – Budj Bim,
- hiking sections of the Great Ocean Walk;
- canoeing on the Hopkins and Gellibrand rivers;
- single track Mountain biking through Forrest and;
- high ropes courses in the Otway Ranges.
Port Fairy Lighthouse:
The natural environment is used for both classes and overnight expeditions. Our emerging leaders use their theoretical classes to help maximise their expeditions ensuring collaboration, connectedness and self-belief is drawn upon.
Expo #2 – Summer Edition. This three day expedition takes place along the Belfast Coast between Port Fairy and Killarney.
Expo #2 – Winter Edition. This three day expedition takes place through the World Heritage listed National Park – Budj-Bim.
MTB: single track Mountain biking through Forrest
SURFING: – in Warrnambool and Port Fairy
High ropes course: Treetop Adventures high ropes course in the Otway National Park
CANOEING: – on the Hopkins and Gellibrand rivers
The Local Learning Project (LLP) is where our emerging leaders become the teachers; they work with the students from the local primary schools, which include: Cobden, Terang, Camperdown, Noorat, Mortlake & Derrinallum Primary Schools.
