Wakirana St, Galiwinku, Elcho Island NT Australia, - PMB 74, via Winnellie, NT, 0822 - (08) 8987 9044 - Principal Joe Hewett

Napurruŋ Wukirripuy Dhäwu

Dhuwandja Shepherdson College-tja wukirri ŋunhi marŋgikunhamirriy ŋuli ga marŋgikum yolŋukurr dhärukkurr dhiyal Northern Territory.

Baman'tja 1943-y, Ŋäṉḏi Ella-y ga wiripu yolŋu'-yulŋu mala nhakun Burrumarra ga Guyumul ga Djumaŋgay ga Guritjalukthu gan marŋgikuŋal djamarrkuḻiny' dhiyal ṉarraṉiŋur yan dharpaŋur. Beŋuriny Bäpa Sheppy-y ga wiripuy mala yolŋu'-yulŋuy nhakun Bunbatjundhu gan dhuḻ'yurr wukirri.

Shepherdson College-tja ga dhärra dhiyal Galiwin'ku, yurr nyumukuṉiny' ŋayi dhuwal wäŋa ŋaraka. Ga dhäruktja mala yolŋu'-yulŋuny ga waŋa Djambarrpuyŋun ga wiripu-wiripu bäpurru mala. Dhäruktja ga romdja dhuwal ḏäl mirithirr.

Dhiyal Shepherdson College-tja djamarrkuḻi' ŋuli marŋgithirr Yolŋuw romgu, ga literacy-w ga numeracy-w ga wiripu-wiripuw mala subjects-ku nhakun science-ku, sports-ku, history-w. Yurr, marŋgithirr walal ŋuli märrmaw' dhärukku ga bulu walal ŋuli marŋgithirr märrma'kurr dhärukkurr.

Our School Story

Shepherdson College is one of nine bilingual schools in the Northern Territory. It began in 1943 with missionary Ella Shepherdson and Yolŋu people, including Burrumarra, Guyumul, Djumaŋgay and Guritjaluk. They taught the children under a bush apple tree. In following years, Yolŋu, including one of the first students, Bunbatjun, constructed the school building alongside Ella's husband, Rev. Harold Shepherdson, affectionately known as Bäpa Sheppy.

The school is located on Yolŋu land at Galiwin'ku, a small island community in North East Arnhem Land. Today, many clans live together in Galiwin'ku, each with their own language, including Djambarrpuyŋu and many, many others. Language and traditional ways of hunting, living, art and law remain strong on the island.

At Shepherdson College you will see children learning subjects such as culture, literacy, numeracy, science, sports and history. They are delivered through the bilingual program which sees students learning two languages, and learning through two languages: Djambarrpuyŋu and English.

Shepherdson College is a bilingual school of 700 students located in Galiwin’ku on Elcho Island in the North-east of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. We offer a comprehensive program from birth to year 12.  If you are thinking of working or volunteering with us please read this and other related material.

Our Literature Production Centre (LPC) resources the school's bilingual program. Visit the LPC website to view our resources and learn about Yolŋu language(s) and culture and Shepherdson College at lpc.elcho.org. 

We are a 'Learning on Country' school and aim to raise our children 'Both-ways' Yolŋu and Balanda focusing on traditional Rom (lore) to bring meaning to the national curriculum and English lessons. We also use the Talking Namba framework to help Yolŋu children bridge the gap between traditional numeracy and western Maths.  

Galiwin’ku is a large indigenous community of almost 3,000 people with most people here holding to traditional ways of hunting living, art and law.