By Deanne Jeffers
THE LONG awaited Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence (MCRE), an Indigenous-led educational centre, opened in a moving ceremony on Wednesday, August 7, in Yorta Yorta Country, Shepparton, Victoria.
The state-of-the-art building incorporates Aboriginal knowledge into its design and programs, symbolising decades of effort to place First Nations at the forefront of indigenous knowledge and higher education.
“This is an amazing time for us, very clearly for Yorta Yorta people and other First Nations people, and I’m hopeful that it’s also seen as a significant time for the region more broadly and it’ll become a really creative part of the future for this region,” said Paul Briggs OAM.
“We hope it will inspire other communities across Victoria, but also across the nation to taker this approach to prosperity and productivity and not be isolated into a crisis intervention model of engagement.”
Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins and Parliamentary Secretary for First Peoples, Chris Couzens, joined Yorta Yorta Elders, Munarra Limited, students and partners at the opening of the MCRE, built by Indigenous-owned company TVN On-Country with a $30M investment from the State Government and supported by a $6.65M investment from the University of Melbourne.
Munarra, which means thunder in Yorta Yorta language, resonates with the Centre’s aspiration to significantly impact the empowerment and education pathways of Yorta Yorta communities and the broader Goulburn Murray region.
Professor Barry Judd, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) at the University of Melbourne, expressed his hopes for the Centre. “Munarra represents much more than a physical space; it is laying the foundation for a future where Indigenous Australians’ history, culture, and potential are not just acknowledged but integral to our nation’s progress,” Professor Judd said. “This is about true parity and shared prosperity for all.”
The MCRE will be instrumental in the Goulburn Murray Prosperity and Productivity Plan, a 15-year strategy focused on regional self-determination and economic inclusiveness. This collaborative effort involves local government, academia and the community to foster future leaders, empower and strengthen the community and, ultimately, bring long-term economic benefits to the region.
Paul Briggs said, “The regional prosperity plan also talks to an increase in GRP of $150 million per annum back into the productivity of this region. This is dependent on First Nations people living as long and carry the same quality of life as everybody else – This is a win-win model of engagement, critical to this is building sound and sustainable partnerships”
The vision of this plan is to generate a thriving and sustainable First Nations economy through a shared prosperity model that delivers an additional $150m Gross Regional Product (GRP) per annum by 2036 for the Goulburn Murray Region, and the MCRE is an integral part of realising this ambition.
Students at the Academy of Sports, Health and Education (ASHE) began Term 3 at the brand-new campus in July this year.
“When we first moved in, they [the students] were all a bit out of sorts, you know, because it’s such an amazing, magnificent building. And for them, you know, we really don’t have anything so amazing. Please don’t take that the wrong way, but, but to be a part of history and to have a magnificent building like this, it’s starting to give them a sense of belonging,” said acting director at ASHE, Heidi Knowles.
“Hopefully we will have more Indigenous and non-Indigenous people come here and be part of the Munarra Centre and study, that way we can get more out, more out of our community, more out into employment and on their educational journey.”
Travis Morgan, chairperson of Munarra Limited emphasised the organisation’s commitment to excellence, stating, “We’re here to support other organisations and the community by providing pathways for people who may be lost in the system and championing excellence, giving our region something we can be very proud of.”
