The Murri School: Up and running

The school grew out of the vision of Indigenous community members including Ross Watson, Mary Graham and others who, according to Tiga Bayles, 'could see the problems of families and kids and schools'.

The school leased premises until 1998 when it received an IESIP SRP capital grant to purchase land and buildings at 1277 Beaudesert Road, Acacia Ridge. Both land and buildings had previously belonged to the Queensland Government. As an ex-government school site, the location provided a practical solution.

Originally a Primary School, The Murri School has accepted secondary students over the last two years because of the demand at this level, although these students have been enrolled through Distance Education as the school was not registered as a high school. In 2001 the school gained registration to teach secondary students up to Year 9 level, and a provisional license to teach to Year 10. The school is currently seeking funding to establish a science laboratory, manual arts centre and home science facilities so that they will be eligible for full registration as a high school through to Year 12.

Over the four years since the school has opened its doors at Acacia Ridge there has been a significant change in the attitude of many of the locals who had originally opposed the school. In the early days, for example, there were racist phone calls and posters plastered over the local shops, but as time has passed the locals have realised that the school makes very positive contributions to the local community.

Local business people, for example, have availed themselves of the opportunity to enrol in free computer courses at the Kulkathil Learning Centre located in the school grounds. A more obvious example of local acceptance comes in the form of sponsorship for the school. For example, the Caltex Service Station across the road from the school sponsors the school speech night.

The problem at this school is not so much students dropping out, but the inability of the school to meet the demand for new places. Currently it has 185 enrolled students, 30 of whom are secondary students and 95 percent of whom are Indigenous. There is a waiting list of students who would like to attend the school. According to the principal, 'a lot of our children on the waiting list are kids who have been excluded or whose parents are totally dissatisfied with what's happening to their children in the mainstream setting'.

We've capped the high school at 30 because that's all we can manage, but in reality the biggest demand on the school is coming from that area - Years 8, 9, and 10 - because kids are having problems elsewhere. … Because of how the school is structured and how the secondary department operates…it gives children interests that they wouldn't be offered elsewhere. They are given far more choice, even in Year 8 they're designing their own work programs on particular days (although) they have to complete the core.