Nowa Nowa plans for First Nations Cultural Centre

The Nowa Nowa School project is transforming the former Nowa Nowa Primary School into a First Nations and community-led centre for historical, cultural and environmental education.

Nowa Nowa’s former primary school holds a special place in local history as the first recipient of the National Reconciliation Award, and the project builds on that legacy: a place for learning and caring for Country, for sharing the stories of Nowa Nowa, Lake Tyers and the Gunaikurnai people, and for training in land care and cultural practice.

The project is led by GunaiKurnai Elder Marjorie Thorpe and Emerald Link Coordinator Isaac Carné, with endorsement from GLaWAC and support from Victoria University and the Nowa Nowa Community Development Group, which currently holds the site lease and is the host organisation.

Thanks to a Bushfire Recovery Grant from Gippsland Community Foundation, Stage 1 planning and design is now well underway. Architectural firms Green Studio and Winsor Kerr have been engaged to prepare the site Master Plan. Community engagement sessions are coming up soon so the design reflects local needs and identity.

The Cultural Heritage Management Plan has also been initiated with Heritage Advisor Anita Barker of Opero Consulting, working alongside GLaWAC. Together, this work will provide a clear and culturally grounded plan for the site and position the project for future capital funding. The project team is deeply grateful to the Gippsland Community Foundation for making this important early work possible.