SCHOLARS AND ALUMNI TOGETHER ON NGUNNAWAL COUNTRY
1st April 2026
Recently, we held our first Culture Connect Day for 2026, and it went off with an absolute bang! Attended by 43 students and 2 university Scholars, everyone enjoyed a day of discovery at the Wildbark Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary on Ngunnawal Country in Canberra.
The day got off to a great start with a heartfelt welcome from Ashlie Rogers, Acting Head of Scholarships and proud Jaru woman, alongside our CEO and proud Gadigal and Biripi woman, Charlene Davison. That energy continued as Aliesha Newman, Ningy Ningy woman and Scholarships Program Manager, got everyone moving with some fun games, including ‘Stuck in the Mud’, which brought lots of laughter to the group.
The morning excitement carried into the Wildbark workshops, where students broke into small groups to explore the sanctuary through a series of hands-on outdoor activities. They moved around the expansive ecological park, learning about the environment and engaging with nature along the way.
By midday, everyone came together to enjoy a well-deserved lunch – the build-your-own burger spread proved a huge hit among Scholars!
Refreshed and energised, the group returned for the afternoon session, which featured a reptile encounter, giving students a close-up look at some fascinating creatures. While meeting one of the snakes, a Year 2 Scholar from Ngunnawal Primary School couldn’t hide their excitement.
“I love this day. I loved being outside and loved seeing all the amazing reptiles. I love this snake.”
The real highlight wasn’t only the activities, but how Scholars of all ages came together on Country, sharing excitement and encouragement.
I always look forward to seeing the GO primary school Scholars at GO events.
I love being able to mentor, talk about their lives, answer questions about university, and practice gymnastics with them."
- Mikayla Helms, proud Ngiyampaa woman and GO University Scholar.
Seeing Scholars and Alumni come together on Country and learning from and with each other was special. It was a day of shared experiences and celebrating culture – the kind of day that leaves everyone inspired and ready for the next adventure!
