Cultural Workshops
Murrook Culture Centre offers a full day (9:30am-2.00pm) of Cultural Diversity & Appreciation Experiences for primary and high school students of cultural workshops.
There are many activities outlined below to choose from and rotate through during your visit. Each workshop runs for 30-45 minutes as appropriate size groups rotate around the beautiful setting of Murrook.
A usual day begins with a welcome to country and outline of the day. Workshops run before and after lunch with a break for morning tea. Lunch can be provided for all size groups at an additional cost.
Note: Bush Tucker tasting can be requested by groups which includes foods such as Emu, Kangaroo, fish, crab, oyster, lobster, damper, bush cakes all cooked with our very own herbs and spices from the bush. *Additional costs and minimum numbers apply & some foods are seasonal
Cultural Workshops
Dance
Learn about the significance and meaning behind Dance in our Aboriginal culture and why we celebrate many events with Dance, imitate animals and birds or “Shake a Leg”. All ages.
Boomerang & Spear Throwing
Learn about this unique implement and how our people used it for hunting, try your own hand at throwing and catching a boomerang with guidance from a cultural officer. All ages.
Didgeridoo Workshop
The Didgeridoo plays an important part of Aboriginal culture. Learn all about the didgeridoo and its hypnotic tones and how it was created. This is for all age groups.
Food & Medicine Resources
Join a guided walk around the native gardens and wetlands to discover the diversity of plants of the Worimi and learn their traditional aboriginal uses. This is for all age groups.
Tools & Weapons Resources
Spend time with a cultural officer as they talk about artefacts and explain the history, their story, design and use. All ages.
Art
Create a unique memento of your Murrook experience using nature & Aboriginal art as your inspiration. Paint your own boomerang, or canvas. This is for all age groups.
Beading/Weaving
Come and watch a master weaver reveal thousands of years of knowledge in creating these beautiful baskets, bags, fish, eel and bird traps. In this session you will have the opportunity to try your hand at weaving, both with traditional and modern materials. (minimum 3hrs needed)Beading with natural and coloured beads are also an option as you learn about the traditional seeds used for beading
8 years & up.
Worimi History
Learn in this workshop the life of an Aboriginal society, its lore, customs, habits, unique connection to land, the prominence of ceremony and hunting practices. Also, learn of the early days of European contact and the change that occurred here in Newcastle & Port Stephens.
Dreaming/ Story
Come and sit with a story teller and hear how the dreaming is central to Aboriginal culture.
Fresh Water/Midden Site
Take a walk to visit these sites. Learn the history and significance of the midden and fresh water sites .
Stone Tool Site
You will walk the Stockton Dunes and visit a ancient stone tool site and learn about the importance of these sites.
Ecosystem
Walk out on the Dunes and learn about the traditional management practices and how our people managed this unique ecosystem.
