Exchange students Andrew Tipungwati, Jenny Neury, Francine Dan, Linton Raymond with Billanook student Colby Foo.– Helena Adeloju
SIX indigenous students from Darwin ended their week-long exchange at Billanook College by attending the annual Dreamtime match at the MCG on the weekend.
Student exchanges between Billanook College and Darwin based sister school Kormilda have been running for the past 20 years.
Hosted by local families during their stay, the students were chosen to participate in the Melbourne tour on the basis of excellent school participation and academic and sporting achievement.
Kormilda College exchange co-ordinator James Brooking said; “Billanook offered for the students to come up to Melbourne for a week and also attend the Dreamtime match.”
The week included scaling the Eureka Towers and meeting the Richmond football players but visiting Australian Rules’ Mecca was no doubt the highlight.
“It was my first time at the in the MCG,” exchange student Linton said.
Meeting some of football’s stars was nothing new for student Andrew Tipungwuti, his cousin is Melbourne’s newest recruit.
“The Dreamtime game was really exciting,” Andrew said.
As part of the exchange program, Billanook students Ben Doolan and Colby Foo will participate in the Darwin ‘Top End Tour’ in September later this year.
Ben Doolan’s family is hosting students from Darwin.
‘It has been a really good experience; I’ve learnt new things and will experience aboriginal culture first hand,” Ben said.
