1. Murrook Culture Centre
Cultural Workshops

2. Who are we?
Murrook Cultural Centre is situated on Nelson Bay Road Williamtown NSW.
It's purpose is to gather, sustain, protect and teach Aboriginal Culture to all
people with an emphasis on Worimi culture being the land and people of this
area. Our Centre caters for the needs of a vast range of groups, from schools
(pre, primary, secondary and uni/tafe), to community, business & government
groups and international visitors.
Aboriginal staff teach many facets of our culture, from boomerangs, weapons and
tools, didgeridoo, communication like art and dance, bush food medicine,
cooking, craft (basket ting weaving, beading), artefacts and much more.
The Gathang Language is used right through our programs.
Tent camps are also available on our grounds with amenities and a restaurant
quality kitchen to aid our campers.
We at Murrook seek to deliver a sound, authentic and relevant cultural
experience to our visitors helping them to see Australia through the eyes of an
Aboriginal person. Most importantly, Murrook is used by our Aboriginal
community as a gathering place.
Our staff run tours and workshops at Murrook, on schools grounds and 'on country'
having access to Aboriginal sites. If you would like more information about our
cultural packages, please call one of our friendly team members in the Office.
Marrungbu (Thank You).

3. What we do?
• We offer many Cultural Diversity &
Appreciation Experiences:
• Here at Murrook
• Worimi History
• Artefacts
• Gathang Language
• Bush Resource
• Bush Tucker (seasonal, additional costs
apply)
• Art
• Weaving/Beading
• Boomerang throwing
• Didgeridoo workshop
• Dance workshop
• Cultural Camps 1,2,3 nights
• On Country tours
• Eco systems at risk
• Fresh water search
• Midden search
• Stone tool site
• “Towards Cultural Competency Training”
(government & other agencies)
• We offer school programs conducted on
site at your school, these are tailored to
suit your needs
• School Excursions, Cultural Workshops

4. Cultural Diversity & Appreciation
Experiences
Boomerang Throwing
Learn about this unique implement
and try your own hand at throwing
and catching a boomerang with
guidance from a cultural officer. All
ages.
Digeridoo Workshop
Music is an important part of
Aboriginal culture. Learn all about
the didgeridoo and its hypnotic
tones. All ages.
Dance Workshop
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.

5. Cultural Diversity & Appreciation
Experiences
Bush Resource
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. All
Ages.
Be adventurous and come and try
our delicious Bush Tucker. Our staff
will explain the various types of
Bush Tucker available and its uses
and you get the chance to try
some. All Ages.
Bush Tucker tasting includes Emu,
Crocodile, Kangaroo, fish, crab,
oyster, lobster, damper and herbs
and spices. All ages.
*Minimum Numbers Apply & some
foods are seasonal
Artefacts
Spend time with a cultural officer
as they explain the history, their
story, design and use. All ages.
Art
Create a unique memento of your
Worimi trip using nature &
Aboriginal art as your inspiration.
Paint your own boomerang, coaster
or canvas or purchase one of our
template pieces and add your own
flavor to create an original.
All ages.

6. Cultural Diversity & Appreciation
Experiences
Weaving/Beading
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.
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.
Collomon Workshop
This is a popular workshop where
over the course of a school term
you will learn about the traditional
uses of a Collomon and how they
were made you can then make your
own Coolomon from scratch.

7. Out on Country
Ecosystem
Walk out on Stockton Dunes and
learn about the traditional
management practices and how our
people managed this unique
ecosystem.
Fresh Water/Midden
Come and 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 old stone tool
site and learn about the importance
of these sites.

8. Cultural Camps
Students get an amazing opportunity to experience
our indigenous culture, discover the land and
participate in traditional activities.
The camp grounds (tent only) are situated on
Murrook’s fresh water lake with close access to the
ancient Aboriginal sites and the largest Coastal Sand
Dune System in the southern hemisphere.
Campers have access to showers and toilets and
catering can be arranged upon request from our
kitchen and dining area.
An Aboriginal guide will help you develop your own
personal camp program and be with you during the
camp sharing an age old culture of this beautiful
land.

9. Towards Cultural Competency
This workshop has been designed to aid government
agencies and business both large and small in Aboriginal
Cultural Competencies. The workshops are provided to aid
the move towards reconciliation in Australia, to aid in the
development of the Aboriginal community within
‘mainstream’ agencies, to increase each business’s capacity
to engage with Aboriginal communities for a better
tomorrow for all Australians.
These Cultural Workshops aim to improve the awareness of
Aboriginal culture, to appreciate its beauty, its long history
and to acknowledge its diversity from the Western
environment we all live in. Recently, we have worked with
government agencies, such as the Education and
Employment, Port Stephens Council, Defense Agencies and
Welfare Providers.
Our philosophy to helping others understand such cultural
competencies is to spend time with Aboriginal people.
These are not things you learn from books, lectures or the
internet. Therefore, our workshops are designed that you
spend the day (five hours) with us. The following is a
typical workshop.
•
• Welcome you to our Country (song, dance, language,
story, fire)
• Classroom training discussion (Aboriginal circle)
• Lunch with Elders & Community (catering is from a local
Aboriginal group)
• Aboriginal Site visit

10. Contacts & Location
• Address:
• 2163 Nelson Bay Road, Williamtown NSW 2318
• PO Box:
• PO BOX 56, Tanilba Bay NSW 2319
• Phone and Fax:
• P: (02) 40338804
• Fax: (02) 40338899
• Email:
• vicki@worimi.org.au
We are located on Nelson Bay Road,
Williamtown an easy 2 ½ drive on the
freeway from Sydney CBD or 1hr 45 mins
from the start of the Sydney Newcastle
Freeway. Heading towards Nelson Bay we are
located 2.4kms from Newcastle Airport. Just
look for the Big Boomerang!
We are open Daily Monday – Friday Bookings
are required prior to your Culture
Appreciation and Diversity tour.
Comfortable clothing and footwear is
recommended as well as hat and sun screen
if selecting an outdoor tour.
Murrook Culture centre has Wheelchair
access.