AU T UMN 2019 |
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EDITION 10
AN INDO-CHINESE LOVE STORY
D U N M O R EL A N GCO LLEGE .COM. AU
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE BIANNUAL MAGAZINE
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WHO WAS JOHN DUNMORE LANG?
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A N I N D O - CH I N E S E LOV E S TO RY
EXPLORING RA JASTHAN
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COMMENCEMENT DINNER
CROSS ROADS
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FIRST YEAR DINNER
W E LCO M E A N D T H A N K YO U D R I N KS
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WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM COLLEGE?
PACE E X P E R I E N CE I N I N D O N E S I A
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LIVERPUDLIANS
I N T E R N A T I O N A L W O M E N ’ S D AY
12 INSIDE OUT
14 BROKEN HILL
16 WA R R AWA L U P DAT E
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23 24 A JOHN DUNMORE LANG SCHOLAR
25 G R A D UAT I O N S
26 O’WEEK
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O P E R AT I O N C H R I S T M A S C H I L D 2 0 1 8
C R E AT I V I T Y WO R K S H O P CO M I N G TO DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
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N E W S TA F F
W H O WA S J O H N D U N M O R E L A N G ?
cover image: Mundi Mundi Plains, Silverton NSW | L I Z A A L L E N
Acknowledgement
Dunmore Lang College acknowledges and respects the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge and recognise the Darug people as the traditional custodians of the lands on which our college is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to the ancestors and current day descendants of the Darug nation and to the Elders, past and present for their valuable role as knowledge holders and leaders within the community. Dunmore Lang College is committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their unique place in the Australian nation.
WELCOME
TO OUR AUTUMN 2019 EDITION OF NGARRA
Welcome to the first edition of Ngarra for 2019. I hope you enjoy catching up on the wide range of events within the College community as well as updates from our alumni and individual student’s projects and adventures.
Our aim is to encourage students to see themselves as active participants in creating a safe community, to think about what this means in their everyday interactions and how they can be positive contributors and role models for change.
If you are a parent, you will have recently received a link to a survey asking for your impressions and feedback on how you view the College’s culture and values as well as the ways in which we are working to build a community that promotes and supports respect for each other, affirmative consent and healthy relationships. A similar survey was sent to students as well as recent alumni.
Before new students arrive, they complete an online module developed in the UK, “Consent Matters”, and this year we also added an online induction module providing an orientation to the College’s facilities, people, values and expectations, where to obtain help as well as an introduction to the staff, RA team, psychologist and counsellor.
If you are a parent or recent alumni and have not received a link to the survey or if you are an older alumni and would like to participate, please contact me on principal@dlc.nsw.edu.au or +61 420 688 121 and I will forward you the link to participate. If you would prefer to have a conversation electronically or in person, please contact me as above. While we have regularly surveyed students in the past, this is the first time we have included parents. It is part of our ongoing commitment to being active participants in Macquarie University’s Respect. Now. Always. programme. As well as providing a response to the challenges presented in the Australian Human Rights Commission’s report on student experiences of harassment and sexual assault in Universities and University Residential Colleges around Australia. Over the past five years, we have been building and implementing an integrated programme of information, training and support to address this important issue.
In keeping with previous years, we spoke honestly and candidly with new students and their families on Shift-in Day about what consent and respect look like and who is available to help if something goes wrong. During O’Week, we updated our student orientation programme to include, “Playing Right”, a workshop presented through CSU on how to form and sustain positive relationships and the useful skills that help make this work, including ‘enthusiastic consent’, acknowledging inequality and differential power, being an active bystander and how to report any concerns. Supporting this are presentations on personal safety and security by local NSW Police Liaison Officers and the Macquarie University Security Manager, Negotiating Drugs and Alcohol presented by Red Frogs and, a discussion on common Mental Health issues and how to obtain help presented by the College Psychologist. However, we cannot do this work on our own. We need help from our students and extended communities to be part
of a wider network working together to ensure the College is a safe and supportive place for all students, most especially our young women who are the group statistically most at risk. We do this because it is the right thing to do but also because when we create a safe environment for women, we also create a better place for men. As individuals, we need to be willing to look within ourselves, to challenge unhelpful stereotypes and assumptions, to call out language and actions that are divisive and not inclusive and, we need to be willing to challenge and help others around us do the same. We can all make a difference and we all need to be part of making this change possible. While feedback to date indicates we are doing well in this area, I believe it is important to avoid not only complacency but to accept there will also be incidents about which we are unaware. We need to keep working at this with education, role modelling and providing open channels for reporting and obtaining help. The costs of getting this wrong are too high. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and help us to keep our community safe. If you are reading this after the survey has closed, your feedback is still welcome and I can be contacted as above to arrange this.
DR. ALASDAIR MURRIE-WEST PRINCIPAL
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AN INDO-CHINESE LOVE STORY C E C I L S I M O N | CO I M B ATO R E , I N D I A
Generally, people have the notion that international students often gravitate towards students from their own country - but not us. A relationship between an Indian and a Chinese, while not rare, is not one you would come across very frequently. When Macy and I arrived in Australia in 2014, we came open to new experiences. We both arrived at around the same time to complete our Masters’ degrees – Macy in Finance while I enrolled in Accounting. This might seem similar to those not associated with Commerce but I can assure you that they are very different courses and there was no way for any of our subjects to overlap. Well this was what I thought until I had to choose an elective. Funnily enough, I was interested in Finance and wanted to try it. I shortlisted two subjects but found out only one was available for the upcoming semester and Macy was in it.
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I still remember the very first class. She was late and the only available seat was next to me. Windows 10 had just arrived and I had it installed on my laptop – this became the topic of our first chat. We later found out that we were neighbours, I lived at Dunmore Lang College and Macy was in the apartments next door. In the following semester she became a resident of the College and our relationship grew from then. After we graduated from University, we were both fortunate to be employed at College.
Throughout our relationship, we were very lucky to have the overwhelming support of friends and well-wishers, both at the College and outside. Our families were a little hesitant when they heard the news of our engagement but soon came around. Macy and I exchanged rings in December 2018 after being together for a little over three years. As you can imagine, an international wedding can be quite exotic. We were married at the Sydney Registry followed by a lunch with family and friends. That same evening, we boarded a flight for a month-long four-destination holiday.
I am an academic and she is street smart. Despite this, we have a lot in common especially our love for food, music, travel and art. After a brief stay in Bali, we arrived in India for an Indian reception. Macy was dressed in a traditional South Indian silk saree – a very new experience for her as one might imagine. In late January 2019, following our holiday, we headed to China where another reception was awaiting us. Here, both of us were clothed in traditional Chinese-styled wedding outfits. Unlike an Indian reception where all we needed to do was stand on stage while guests came up to congratulate and take a picture with us, the Chinese reception had a step-by-step procedure prior to the actual reception. It was an experience never to be forgotten – especially where I had to give a short toast in Mandarin to a crowd of over 400 people. Thinking back, we sometimes laugh at the thought that we managed to find each other despite coming from countries where the population is over one billion each. We are both on opposite ends of a spectrum, while I am planner, she is spontaneous; I am an academic and she is street smart. Despite this, we have a lot in common especially our love for food, music, travel and art. We enjoy each other’s company, whether it is singing out loud to 80’s pop, shaking to Just Dance on the Nintendo Wii or chilling at Starbucks or down by the University lake. We find that the differences that we have in terms of our cultures, language and upbringing allows us to fit neatly with each other like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. We learn from each other every day and find that we are the best version of ourselves when we are together, as partners - as a team. As alumni and former employees of the College, we are very grateful to the management and staff for the support we had during our journey. We are happy that Dunmore Lang College was a part of both our personal and professional lives.
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COMMENCEMENT DINNER A few weeks into the beginning of the academic year the College gathered in the Dining Hall for the annual Commencement Dinner. The evening celebrates the academic achievements of the 2018 returning students and first year scholarship recipients.
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We also acknowledged the contributions of our various donors and, in particular, the generosity of Mr John Almgren AM and Mrs Yvonne Almgren. Vanie Cardinio, one of the College’s Resident Advisers spoke on the evening about why a College community is so important and what makes it work. Vanie’s speech is published in this issue on page 9. Two first year students: Jeff Williams and Lucas Taams with Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire” and second year student Max Jones who sang “Believe” provided the entertainment between courses.
AWA R DS :
SCHO L A RS H I P S :
2018 UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE POSTGRADUATE AND HONOURS SCHOLARSHIPS
Macquarie University Awards
Kate Finlayson
Arts and Science programme Brendan Geoghegan Faculty of Arts Stephanie McCarthy-Reece Faculty of Human Sciences James du Preez Faculty of Business & Economics Nicholas Hadisurya
2019 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE POSTGRADUATE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD
Mohammad Sajid
2019 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS
2019 JOHN AND YVONNE ALMGREN ENCOURAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP Elinor Bowman
2019 MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY – DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE RURAL AND REGIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS Rinca Capewell Naomi Fenton
Samantha Bailey
Corazon Garcia-Kytola
Joel Maxwell
Max Jones
Taylor McCoy
Ruby Kohler
2019 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE ENTRANCE SCHOLARSHIPS
Sarah Wood
Maxim Sotter Macgregor Weily
Melinda Burke
2019 MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY – DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE INDIGENOUS SCHOLARSHIPS
Faculty of Medicine and Health Science
Richmond Sear
Kate Bellamy
Swazi Sharma
Bronte Charles
DEAN FROST MEMORIAL AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
2019 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE PRINCIPAL’S AWARDS
Michael Corry
You Kim Chhay
Caitlin Kemp
Aidan Porter
Jarrah Mosco-Klipin
Ky Stewart
Matthew Drinan
Caitlin Woods
Allastassia Carter
Nicholas Morrison
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FIRST YEAR DINNER This year we introduced a First-Year Dinner to welcome all new students to the College. — On the evening of check-in day, the Dining Room was abuzz with excitement as the students enjoyed their first formal dinner at College as well as an opportunity to meet their fellow Collegians. Despite having just arrived from all over NSW, Australia and further afield, students donned their suits and cocktail dresses and came together to share a meal and get to know each other. Conversations flowed as everyone asked each other where they came from, what were they studying, which room or wing they were in as well as sharing stories of their travel and shiftin experiences. The dinner was a great success and will become a permanent part of the Orientation Week events. The guest speaker for the evening was Jessica Davison from Hope Street. Jessica, who works with at-risk women, spoke about using our inner strengths to overcome challenges and how we can help ourselves and each other to move beyond our circumstances. After the meal, the first year students gathered to kick start their week of fun and introduction to both the College and Macquarie University with their allocation into one of five ‘tribes’ who would be their main friendship group during the Orientation week activities.
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WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM COLLEGE? VA N I E C A R D I N I O | O R A N G E , N S W
My name is Vanie Cardinio and I’m honoured to be one of the Resident Advisors for 2019. I’m not sure if many of you know this but I have an immense love for creative arts. Whenever I can, I visit art galleries and exhibitions, not to just look cultured, but to actually be inspired and appreciate the skills and techniques of the many artists on display. My interest in painting started at a very young age when my mum bought me one of those multi art sets, which included crayons, pencils, textas and even watercolour paints. Honestly, bring those multipacks back!
preoccupied with the end result that I brushed aside the elements that actually added structure and depth.
Even though I had the tools to make a masterpiece, I could never make my artwork look as good as the ones in books or the still life that I was trying to mimic. It is not the best feeling when you proudly show your mum a painting of an owl and she comments “what a wonderful cat that is!” But no matter how bad the artworks were, they still made it to the door of the kitchen fridge.
Now in my third year, I have learned that my initial expectations of College were miscalculated. I relied heavily on what I could see on social media, the conversations from past students and even my participation in O’Week to construct my impression of the College community; parties, a large social network and the glass of champagne served at formal dinners. As much as I enjoyed these aspects, these were not the experiences that shaped College into a home. I know that when I eventually leave this place, my memories will consist of the 3am chats with my neighbours, the ‘how you goings?’ in the corridor,
Overtime, I came to realise that the finer details such as lighting, the use of shadows, texture and definition brought my two-dimensional pictures to life. I guess I was always so
But why am I telling you all of this? To me, the process of construing an artwork really depends on appreciating the minor features. It’s looking beyond the final product and understanding the time and effort spent in layering these details. Understanding a painting is exactly the same as understanding College.
the spontaneous Max Brenner dates, Monday movie nights and the dining hall conversations that revolve around our shared intolerance to spicy foods. It is these small details of our time here that paint the bigger picture of what Dunmore Lang College truly represents. What makes this place so invaluable are the behind the scene connections that have contributed to the establishment of long-lasting friendships and a sense of belonging within our community. Its reputation relies on the memories made within the brick corridors and the constant motivation to make each year better than before. Creating art doesn’t happen overnight, and neither does culture. As summed up by one of my favourite artists Vincent Van Gogh, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” I look forward to seeing the progression of our College and the various contributions that will define our legacy. Embrace the small things and look beyond the final product, because that is where you’ll truly see the masterpiece.
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
Students’ Facebook page about a woman who has inspired them.
The winner was decided on the qualities and impact as described in the post and the College donated a Fitbit as the prize.
Once again the Association of Dunmore Lang Students have marked the day by asking the students to make a post to the Dunmore Lang College
Our Facebook page was flooded with wonderful stories of women who had made huge impacts in our students’ personal lives as well as public figures who have provided them with inspiration and hope.
BROOKE LINNEGAR
ANNA NYE-LEDERHOSE
BRONTE GAVEY
The women I would like to show my appreciation for this International Women’s Day are all of the amazing women here at DLC.
I have never been overly touchy feeling. But I find that when I talk about my mama it becomes an unwanted side effect. But don’t worry I have chocolate on stand-by.
Happy International Women’s Day everyone!! I’m super inspired by my mum and sisters and all the wonderful women around me all the time but thought I’d branch out a bit today in the hopes that you all can learn about a new inspiring woman!!
As many of you know, this year is set up to be one of big change for me. The amazing support, acceptance, and inspiration I have got from all you wonderful ladies has taken what could have been a scary, difficult, and isolating time for me and instead has made it the most exciting and happiest time of my life so far. All of the little tips and pieces of advice you have given me have brought so much happiness and ease to my life. And I am so grateful for all of you and how quickly and seamlessly you have accepted me into your community.
CAMERON SIMMONS Happy International Women’s Day to mum (or Ruth Irene Simmons as some people call her). She popped out 5 kids; A marketing manager, a government worker, a pilot, a legend, and a girl who is smarter than the rest of us. She has always cared for others and has been selfless in everything she does. Love ya x.
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When people ask me to describe my mama I usually start with the word German. Not because my family has any strange nationalistic pride, but simply because it’s the fastest way to prepare them for the absolute ball of insanity that is to follow. She is loud, high intensity, proud, cutest bean I know, sharp as a tack, somewhat inappropriate at times but funny nonetheless, and fiercely loyal. Most importantly however, she’s the strongest person I know. When I was 12 years old she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Essentially it means that when she gets sick, her body attacks itself rather than healing itself turning a regular cold into a possible case of pneumonia. Nasty stuff. Despite this, nothing is more important than ensuring that her family is okay. And that’s my mama, Naomi Nye, strongest person I know. Happy International Women’s Day. You’re going to be so mad when I tell you about this.
EDITION 10
The judges choice was Maddison Ruwoldt with a post about her Mother, Sharron. Congratulations Maddison (and your mum)! Enjoy her story along with 8 other randomly selected stories.
Marina Abramovic is a Serbian performance artist who uses her work to explore the essence of humanity, relationships, and the human body. She constantly pushes herself to the edge both physically and mentally, and challenges stereotypes of what a woman should be by being dirty, vulgar, sexual and loud in a society where women are so often told to be quieter and neater and more subservient. She inspires me to speak louder about what I believe in, make art that is for myself (not just that looks or sounds pretty), and to live a life that is loud and full of challenges. (If anyone wants to read her memoir I have a copy and can highly recommend!!)
judges’ choice
MADDISON RUWOLDT Sharing thoughts, feelings and or genuine appreciation publicly or personally to any individual or group of individuals for that matter is a foreign concept to me, but today is a day that I can not experience and go past blindly without giving my mother, Sharron Maree France the recognition and admiration that she deserves. My mother has undoubtedly and unarguably lived a life full of heartbreak, illness, mental, emotional and physical torture. However, she has also lived a life full of love, joy, happiness, perseverance and generosity. Which has been made apparent through her amazing attitude and actions towards life and individuals, which has not only assisted in shaping me as women and individual in society but the past and future generation of my family, friends and local community back home.
JESSICA PHELAN
E M I LY B E H A N
A woman who inspires me and thousands of others is Susan Alberti AC.
In the spirit of recognising empowered women who empower women, I would like to introduce to you all a true Dunmore Lang College legend... Mrs Margot Doust (AM).
Her generous donations and tireless advocacy for a national women’s AFL league led to the introduction of the AFLW as we see it today. Forced to stop playing footy as a young girl, she channelled all of her anger, frustration and hurt into making a difference in the lives of other women. Known as the Footy Lady, Sue has had three wishes in life - “to see an AFL women’s league, the Bulldogs to win a premiership, and to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.” Through her perseverance she achieved the first wish. Whilst Vice President of the Western Bulldogs Football Club, her second wish was achieved. She has raised over 100 million dollars to fund medical research and set up the Susan Alberti Medical Research Foundation. This commitment is spurred on by the memory of her daughter, Danielle, who passed away in her arms due to complications with type 1 diabetes. Thank you to the Footy Lady for providing me and thousands of other women with hope, inspiration and opportunity.
I am very fortunate in that I have had the pleasure of crossing paths with Margot on numerous occasions, each time leaving me feeling more inspired by her work and commitment to this College. Just last year, Margot celebrated her 50th year of service and association with Dunmore Lang College (woweee). This fifty year stint with DLC saw her hold numerous significant roles within College, many of which have shaped the values and history of our College. Margot was a part of the original Founding Committee of Dunmore Lang College and she continues to be an active member of the Scholarships Committee today. Margot’s service has even been acknowledged on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, making her a Member of Australia (AM) (I told you she was legendary).
Margot has truly inspired me throughout my time here at DLC and she has played a large role in my passion for being involved with the College community. So here’s to empowered women, empowering women to achieve more, do more and be more.
S A L LY H U R S T In true palaeontological fashion, my inspiration for International Women’s Day is Mary Anning. If you’ve ever heard ‘She Sells Sea Shells by the Sea Shore’ then you’ve actually heard of Mary, because that poem is based on her. Mary did a bunch of important work on fossils in England in the 1800s, yet because she was a woman, men would take credit for her findings (shocker). Luckily, her research has been traced back to her and she is now seen as one of the most important and celebrated female palaeontologists in history.
Some stories have been condensed for inclusion in this magazine
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inside NGARRA
PHOTOS LAX MEDIA
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DUMORE LANG COLLEGE ADS
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NGARRA
AUTUM N 2019 |
EDITION 10
BROKEN HILL Visiting Schools and prospective students in Broken Hill At 6am on a late November morning, I arrived at Central Station in Sydney to board the Country Link train to Broken Hill alongside Macquarie University staff and the Widening Participation team. We travelled for thirteen hours watching the landscape transform kilometre by kilometre from a cityscape to the lush green of the Blue Mountains, to grey green foliage in the West to the red sand of the desert at our destination. The team travelled to Broken Hill to run a roadshow and encourage more young people in regional Australia to consider tertiary education.
The University hosted a series of community forums and ‘taster’ sessions for high school and primary students living in Broken Hill and the surrounding towns of Wilcannia and Menindee. Students enjoyed hands-on learning opportunities rotating between activities provided by the Ancient History, Clinical Science, and Economics departments as well as a virtual reality experience provided by Information Technology, the Planetarium and the College.
LIZA ALLEN
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WARRAWAL UPDATE We have had a busy start to 2019. In January, we partnered with Walanga Muru (Macquarie University Indigenous Strategy), to host both aspiring and 2019 commencing students at Dunmore Lang College including a number of cultural activities provided by Uncle Chris George with help from several current College residents. A popular highlight was the dance workshop which culminated in a joint student and staff performance in the Dining Hall. In February, Uncle Chris and several Dunmore Lang College Indigenous students assisted in cultural and mentoring roles as part of the Walanga Muru Orientation Week Camp. The participants were 2019 Indigenous students commencing at Macquarie University and the camp involved many on and off campus activities. Cultural activities included a guided bush foods walk offering an opportunity to learn about the native bush foods growing in the the Lane Cove/Darug country including their traditional food and medicinal qualities. There was also a night time story and dance workshop activity where participants were broken up into groups and rotated through three separate stories and dance workshops. Participants then performed all three dances together as one group. It was a beautiful night with the sounds of traditional songs, boomerangs and clapsticks echoing across the valley.
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In March, we held smoking ceremonies to welcome commencing and returning Indigenous students as well as non-Indigenous students and College staff. We were privileged to welcome students from Ngukurr in southern Arnhem Land who are staying at Robert Menzies College to join us for the Indigenous student ceremony. This gave us the opportunity to receive those people who were new to these lands through one of our most traditional and special ceremonies. The Ngukurr mob shared their cultural practices and knowledge with all the participants and it was wonderful to confirm that the essence of the smoking ceremony as a spiritual connection and cleansing process is the same among multiple Aboriginal peoples and locations across Australia. It was an awesome chance to bring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures together to celebrate our commonalities and cultural practices on the land of the Darug nation. Of our non-Indigenous brothers and sisters there were several who had never experienced a smoking ceremony before and commented how “relaxed and at ease” they felt afterwards. Another participant commented how good it was “ to see a ceremony like this being conducted publicly right in the middle of the College campus where everyone could see and smell the smoke”.
UNCLE CHRIS
OPERATION NEW d l i h C as m t C hris 2018 STAFF In October 2017, two Dunmore Lang College students introduced a new fundraising initiative to Dunmore Lang College called ‘Operation Christmas Child’, run by Samaritan’s Purse. OCC is an initiative that delivers shoeboxes of gifts to children in poverty-ridden areas in over 130 countries during Christmastime, and the College managed to fill 41 boxes for this cause in their first year. With 2017 being such a success, the 2018 Dunmore Lang College Charity Committee, Lawson Tinmouth and Rishita Gurnani, continued this newfound tradition and, with the assistance of Katie Hickling, set their sights on beating their previous record. The philanthropic nature of the residents became a celebrated characteristic as donations flooded in towards the cause. With the funds collected and at the ready, Lawson and Rishita tackled the shopping centre and two hours later, returned to College with a trolley-load of gifts. Containing everything from racing cars to rulers, and teddy bears to t-shirts, the boxes were filled with toys, games, clothing, school supplies and toiletries - everything a child needs and loves! With this energy, alongside the efforts of the administration
staff who filled their own boxes, we managed to beat the previous College record and fill 48 boxes for OCC! Courtesy of Deborah Varnay of Longueville Road Chiropractic Centre, the boxes were packaged and sent off to 48 children living in poverty-stricken areas just in time for Christmas! The aim of this initiative, aside from increasing the number of gifts delivered to children at Christmastime, is to promote a greater sense of philanthropy in our community, which was undoubtedly achieved again this year. Lawson, Rishita and Katie look forward to passing this tradition on to the future Charity Committee of 2019, knowing that we all can make a difference both to our own residents and to people all over the globe.
K AT I E H I C K L I N G | PORT MACQUARIE, NSW
M I CH A E L PAQ UAY COM M U N I T Y M A N AG E R Michael started in February as our Community Manager and is available overnight during the week to assist students as well as playing board games with the “night owls”. Prior to starting at College, Michael worked in landscaping and retail. He has also volunteered with Red Frogs for four years and in that time he has assisted at many “schoolies weeks”, festivals, and sporting events looking after the welfare of attendees and students. His hobbies include surfing, snowboarding, board games and Oz tag. Michael enjoys working with young adults and seeing them become all they can be.
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EXPLORING RAJASTHAN Last year, I had an opportunity to join a group of friends from Aotearoa NZ on a trip through Rajasthan in Northern India. Warned by friends with varying degrees of experience and expertise in travelling through this area and fully armed with a medical kit that might have been in preparation for WWIII, I headed off prepared for the worst but anticipating the best. Having read before I left that almost fifty percent of visitors arriving in India leave in the first week, I wanted to know why but more importantly, what else I might find behind those first impressions.
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India is home to 1.37 billion people or nearly a fifth of the world’s citizens. It is the second most populous country in the world and expected to be number one by 2024. There are more than two thousand ethnic groups, a plethora of languages in addition to Hindi, as well as every major religion all living together in very close quarters. The population density in India is 460 people per square kilometre, an incredible statistic compared to Australia, which has a density of just 3.3 people in the same area. So, the first thing you notice is the number of people and the noise. That many people living, raising families, working and just going from place to place, especially in the urban areas, literally creates a wall of unrelenting sound and movement. Then there are the vehicle horns. The rules for using your horn are simple – you beep if you are approaching another vehicle, if you are on the left, if you are on the right, if there is a cow on the road and you all need to stop, if a bus has decided to complete a five-point turn in the middle
of full-speed traffic on the motorway, if you are passing another vehicle, if you would like to pass, if the other vehicle is passing you, if you are passing a vehicle that has stopped but might start again, or there is any other vehicle (including motorbikes and bicycles) within a 5 metre radius - which is almost all of the time. And, the bigger the vehicles, the louder the horns and the longer the tooting. Naturally. Once you have adjusted to the intensity and noise, the next thing you notice is how young India is – the average age is twenty-seven and more than fifty percent of the population is below the age of twenty-five; sixty-five percent below thirty-five. Much of India is like a, albeit immense, university college – full of young people with new ideas, enthusiasm and energy to burn. I remain convinced that India’s emphasis on education and love of technology combined with this pool of ambitious young people will propel it into a position of international economic leadership in the future.
Clearly I lasted longer than a week, and I was rewarded beyond measure by the time we spent travelling in both the urban and rural areas. Despite the sheer mass of people, I found walking around the urban areas relatively easy and in many ways it was calmer than the centre of Sydney. There is a necessary politeness demanded by the lack of personal space and the need for everyone to get where they need to go – everyone moves, giving way and moving through the crowds with a quiet sense of calm purpose. Almost peaceful – once you have tuned out the horns of course. India itself is ancient and the depth and breadth of cultures are extraordinary. Throughout its long history, Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim empires have ruled India with each era leaving a legacy of immense forts, monuments, gardens and places of worship and there is a busy flow of international and domestic tourists visiting their own and each other’s sites of religious and historical importance. While communal conflicts
have periodically beset India since the 1947 Independence and subsequent Partition, this has little impact on dayto-day life where individual religions move seamlessly around each other. Once outside of the cities, life slows down, at times almost to a standstill. It is a nice contrast and while the serene chaos that is India is never far away, there is also the deep quiet of a rural way of life that has changed very little over the centuries. The highlights of the trip were many but the sheer scale and bedlam of the Pushkar Camel Fair made it the clear winner. Each year, thousands of traders, camels and horses come together for two weeks of livestock sales, horse and camel races, camel beauty pageants, handicraft stalls, food markets and entertainment. Over 200,000 people wander through the fair creating a mini city of all things camel. Definitely a unique experience.
DR. ALASDAIR MURRIE-WEST
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CROSS ROADS A J UNC TION TO MY F UT URE MOHAMMAD SA JID | EASTWOOD, NSW
It is said time can heal all wounds. I believe the greater the loss or the deeper the cut, the longer the process will be to become whole again. The pain of loss may fade, but the scars that remain serve as a reminder of our suffering, and make the bearer all the more resolved, never to be wounded again. As time slowly progresses, we can become lost in distractions, act out in frustration, react with aggression, and give in to anger. At the same time, we are also hoping and planning as we wait to grow stronger. Then before we know it, time passes and we are healed, ready to begin anew. And, so it was for me – Australia was my new beginning. When I gained a safe passage to Australia, mental trauma was the only luggage I could afford to bring with me. After spending the better part of your life running, hiding, and pretending to be anyone but yourself, it becomes a habit and you maintain the facade more often than you had first planned. The lies seem more like the truth and looking for a reason not to trust someone becomes the basic social norm. I soon realised the extent of my trauma when I left the violence and danger in my country and found myself in the safety of a normal functioning society. But I wasn’t completely lost. I realised that change begins with a plan, the success of which depended on
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several things: Depth of commitment, passion for one’s cause, willingness to embrace a new path and the determination to overcome any obstacle. I had a plan to work towards. Each day I awoke with the goal of becoming a doctor at the forefront of my mind and remained focused on everything I had to do to achieve it. As I had no experience living in a new country and no visa status nor any money to my name, it was truly a fresh start for me.
When I felt overwhelmed, I kept reminding myself that I was at my lowest point and so it could only improve from that point. Following my plan, I focused my energy on my studies and achieved the highest ATAR in my high school that year and from this I was awarded a fully funded academic scholarship for my undergraduate studies in Victoria. Fast forward to today, I was very fortunate to gain entry into the medical program at Macquarie University. As amazing as this was, it meant that yet again, I had to move.
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The saddest part about moving from Melbourne to Sydney was leaving behind the only family I have in Australia. We had stayed together, helped each other through the difficult times and relied on each other throughout our difficult times. I had never felt lonelier than when I arrived in Sydney and I had to adjust to things that I usually took for granted whilst living with my family. This feeling of loneliness accompanied some of my past unpleasant memories that I had no desire to revisit. As the days went on, I couldn’t help but become psychologically distressed. I came to the Principal, Alasdair, and Dean of Students, Liza, at a point where I was once again at a vulnerable point in my life and unsure what to do. They welcomed me into the family at Dunmore Lang College, which has become my home away from home. Somewhere amongst the welcoming attitude and the security that my problems would never go unheard, I felt a warmth like never before, a familial bond. Before long, I realised that I had never before felt a deep sense of belonging the way I do now in the community at College.
WELCOME AND THANK YOU DRINKS TO OUR MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY PARTNERS
The College very much values the collegiality, assistance and support from Macquarie University staff in the different departments and areas of student support and administration.
Without their advice and assistance, we would not be able to deliver the many programmes we have to support and encourage students to transition successfully to university studies. At the end of a week in January, staff from Student Wellbeing, Widening Participation, Walanga Muru, Scholarships, Student Life, the
Sports and Aquatic Centre, academic staff as well as other accommodation partners gathered at Dorothy Knox House. This event provided an opportunity to catch up with each other and for the College to thank our guests for their support, celebrate a successful year prior and to look forward to an even better year in 2019.
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PACE EXPERIENCE in Indonesia ABBEY BERTRAMS | ORANGE, NSW
In February, I ventured to Jakarta to participate in a 10-day study tour as part of Macquarie University’s PACE Programme (Professional and Community Engagement). The trip was part of my accounting subject - Accountants in the Profession and organised in partnership with BINUS University. With very little idea as to what Indonesia was like, I was both excited and nervous to experience the culture. The first few days of our trip were packed with classes at the BINUS campus learning about the culture, language and how business works in Indonesia. We soon learned that a good proportion of our time would be spent in the traffic travelling to and from locations – Jakarta’s traffic is next level busy. However, this was also a welcome opportunity to slip in an extra nap during our travels. The staff at both
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the University accommodation and the City campus were very hospitable and welcoming; a trait we learnt was common among the Indonesian people.
between all these visits, food stops were scheduled and we tried some of the fabulous local food; most of which ranged from spicy to very spicy.
After Jakarta, we travelled for two hours to Bandung by train. Our schedule in Bandung was packed full of cultural visits and eating a lot of local food. We visited a Batik workshop, which is a traditional Indonesian technique where artists draw designs onto cloth with wax before dyeing it. The wax prevents dye from soaking into that area and once completed results in beautifully patterned pieces of clothing, accessories and art. We all had an opportunity to try to create a Batik print, however, most resulted in giant wax blobs on fabric – it is much harder than it looks. Whilst in Bandung we also visited a performing arts school and watched a range of Indonesian dance, music and puppet shows. In
When we returned to Jakarta, we visited a number of companies including global accounting firms such as Price Waterhouse Coopers as well as Indonesian start-up ‘Unicorn Companies’ such as Tokopedia and Gojek.
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At the end of the trip, most of us were exhausted but we loved our time in Indonesia. Not only was it an incredible experience learning about the culture and way of life but we also made many new friends.. A PACE international experience is an invaluable experience and everyone should plan to incorporate one such experience into their degrees.
LIVERPUDLIANS / At the end of the day, we all want to be surrounded by friendly people with a witty sense of humour who have great tastes in music and sport. To make it interesting, throw in a dialect unique to a port city in North West England; this gives you Liverpudlians. Scousers, as they are affectionately known are the most approachable people you will ever meet; they not only brought us the Beatles but some of the world’s most famous football clubs. Mid-September last year off the back of hopping through the Greek Islands, I arrived in Liverpool not knowing what to expect. Arriving from London after a 6-hour bus journey, I was in awe of the impressive Victorian architecture and the city’s waterfront area and definitely excited for the months ahead. After settling into my new surroundings, I quickly had to learn how to navigate the English university system in which weekly classes and readings were common across all of my subjects. At the University
of Liverpool, I was enrolled in both the Law and Management schools enabling me to meet students with a wide range of career paths. Life in Liverpool was fantastic. I was constantly pulled up about my ‘different’ accent and asked where I was from. Upon answering Australia, I consistently received questions such as: ‘How did you get through the 24 hour flight to get here?’, ‘Is it true that all of the animals are out to kill you?’ and ‘Surely you’re missing the weather Down Under?’. Eventually, I was able to convince my friends that if they were to visit, they would not be greeted at the airport by snakes and spiders. Living in student accommodation with English and international students, I learnt about many different cultures and ways of life. I even managed to learn some German and Dutch phrases from my flat mates. During my time there, I became a big football fan. To say that football is big within the city is an understatement. I embraced football through following
A SEMESTER IN LIVERPOOL
the local teams and having the chance to attend two Premier League matches. In addition, I became well acquainted with the Beatles, visiting a number of significant places including the Cavern Club and Penny Lane. With an international airport and excellent rail and bus services in the city, Liverpool was an ideal location for weekend trips to explore the UK and mainland Europe. I spent several days cycling along the canals in Amsterdam, experienced Oktoberfest in Munich and travelled to Cardiff to watch a Wallabies match. It still amazes me how a long bus ride in Europe can see you cross through several countries as opposed to remaining in one Australian state. Overall, my study abroad in Liverpool was the experience of a lifetime. I will forever cherish my experiences and the friendships that I made. I recommend going on exchange to everyone who is considering this experience, especially to Liverpool!
SAM JOHNSTON | ORANGE, NSW
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A JOHN DUNMORE LANG SCHOLAR ANNA-JANE KNIGHT | JOHN DUNMORE LANG SENIOR SCHOLAR RECIPIENT 2013
The John Dunmore Lang Senior Scholar award is generously funded by Mr John & Mrs Yvonne Almgren. The award recognises the contribution of a senior student to the life and community of Dunmore Lang College as well as their potential to contribute to the wider community in their future professional career and community service. In 2013, the recipient was Anna Jane Knight. We asked Anna to provide a brief outline of her time at College and what she has been doing since graduation.
I started at Dunmore Lang in 2011 studying a Bachelor of Speech and Hearing Sciences. I had heard all about College from my older brother who was living at the College at the time and I was very excited about starting my College experience. I was definitely not disappointed.
Dunmore Lang provided me with so many great opportunities for both personal and professional growth. In 2012, I was elected Secretary of the Association of Dunmore Lang Students. It was amazing to be a member of the team that organised and ran so many of the excellent College events such as O-Week. In 2013, also my final year, I was appointed as a member of the Resident Adviser (RA) team. Being an RA was a wonderful experience for me; I was part of a positive and supportive team who each helped me to learn what it was to be a great leader. The leadership
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skills I developed whilst at Dunmore Lang are skills that I will have for life. After finishing my Bachelor degree at Macquarie University and leaving Dunmore Lang College in 2013, I moved to Melbourne and completed a Master of Clinical Audiology. Towards the end of 2015, I accepted a Clinical Internship with Australian Hearing in Tamworth and I have been there ever since. My work as an Audiologist involves the diagnosis and management of hearing loss. In 2018, I completed further training in complex adult care, which is caring for those with hearing loss as well as other complex needs such as dementia. In the past year, I have also been a co-supervisor for a clinical intern: It has been a privilege to mentor someone in my professional field and hopefully they will go on to enjoy the profession as much as I do. I was very fortunate to be the sole recipient of the John Dunmore Lang Senior Scholar Award in 2013. This award had an enormous impact on my life, particularly on my financial independence. It allowed me to focus
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more fully on my study without the financial stress of living away from home and completing a very high post-graduate study load. Having this award has meant I could not only complete an undergraduate degree but also further study which has set me on the path to a very rewarding career. I will be forever thankful to Dunmore Lang College for selecting me as the first recipient of this award and I would like to thank the donors, Mr John Almgren AM and Mrs Yvonne Almgren, for their generous sponsorship and commitment to the College community. More recently, I have made the decision to move yet again, a little further-a-field, this time, to Canada. I still plan to work as an Audiologist whilst overseas and hope to move into the field of cochlear implants. As much as I love my job and where my life is now, I am ready for new challenges, opportunities and experiences and I am very excited to see where this new path takes me.
GRADUATIONS With Autumn and Summer comes graduation season. Once again, the Principal and Dean have had the privilege of attending graduation ceremonies to see our College students graduate. No longer are they tentative first years but confident and skilled graduates ready to step out into the world into the next phase of their lives.
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AXWELL KNIGHT M Bachelor of Chiropractic Science MADELEINE MORRISON Master of Chiropractic Science
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LILIAN STEWART Bachelor of Chiropractic Science JAKE MEINCKE Bachelor of Human Science
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EBEKAH FRITZ R Bachelor of Speech and Language Sciences
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MAMA WASIM E Bachelor of Speech and Language Sciences
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ACHEL TIMBS R Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) Bachelor of Education (Primary) with family
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RACE SOO G Doctorate of Psychology
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AXWELL KNIGHT M with father and sister, Anna
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MMA JACKSON E Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) with friends and family
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DWINA KEEN E Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) and University Medal
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6 7
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PHOTOS LAX MEDIA
O’WEEK
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CREATIVITY WORKSHOP COMING TO DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE NGARRA
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DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE CREATIVIT Y WORKSHOP
24 AUGUST 2019 THEME: SUSTAINABILITY — Output from the workshop will be displayed in the College foyer and the best two pieces about endangered species selected by Melanie Barry may be showcased in the Art Hut at Battersea Park, London from September to November 2019. For more information please contact Liza Allen, Dean of Students, via email DEAN@DLC.NSW.EDU.AU
below: Art Hut is a social venture established and run by Melissa Barry in Battersey Park, London, England.
Mel Barry (Dunmore Lang College 1997-1998) never anticipated that following an Arts degree from Macquarie University majoring in Politics, with a further certificate in Management from MGSM, she would establish an Art Hut in a charity garden within London’s Battersea Park and run community-based creativity workshops with sustainability themes. Her undergraduate subjects included Peace Studies, Conflict Resolution and a short thesis on French Nuclear Testing in the Pacific. After finishing her degrees at University, Mel found communications and marketing work in the environmental area of sustainability - global warming/climate change; carbon management; renewable energy; green fuels; energy efficiency - first
as Marketing Communications Manager for the New South Wales Sustainable Energy Development Authority, prior to leaving Australia to work in the United Kingdom. She has remained working in the same area in the UK, branching out into the local communities’ area of sustainability. She is currently a self-employed consultant for a social sector consultancy firm focused on heritage conservation, and is employed by a national charity for integrated society that delivers the National Citizen Service. This is a development programme for 15 to 17 year olds to facilitate youth-led social action in collaboration with charities and social enterprises. In her spare time Mel started her own social venture for grassroots outreach
and social mobility, with an expressive twist. Hosted by a national charity for social and therapeutic horticulture she produces and curates Art Hut sessions and exhibitions, providing a time and space for the creative enrichment for people of all ages, experience and abilities who learn directly from, and have their work shown alongside, an established artist. Workshops are based around community and environment themes and work produced has the potential to be selected by Mel for exhibition at Art Hut. These are run in public venues such as gardens and parks, youth clubs, cafes, primary schools classes, primary school gardens and galleries. POPSYSET.COM/COMMUNITY-PRODUCTIONS Mel will be running a creativity workshop at College in August.
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W H O
J OH N DUNMORE L ANG
We have all heard of him at Dunmore Lang College, but how much do we really know about the man after whom our College was named?
John Dunmore Lang was born on 25th August 1799 in Greenock, Scotland to parents William Lang and Mary Dunmore. Educated at the Largs parish school and the University of Glasgow, he was raised an Evangelist and was licenced to preach in 1820. In 1822, at the assurance of his brother that work awaited him in Sydney, he sailed to Australia, becoming the first Presbyterian minister in Sydney. By 1826 and aged only 27 years old, Lang had gathered sufficient funds to found the Scots Church, a claim which was contested, somewhat unfairly, later in his life. His willingness to challenge authorities, including Governor Sir Thomas Brisbane and one of the leading Presbyterian layman of the time, Deputy Commissary General William Wemyss (with whom Lang had once been friends), created a deep sense of concern for many Presbyterians. Much of this friction resulted from personal conflicts and the differing perspectives of Lang and the Dissenting Presbyterians, especially the suspicion that Lang was insufficiently Evangelical and their alarm at his willingness to challenge the civil authorities. Across his long career as an MP, educator and Presbyterian minister, Lang became known for his many harsh and public criticisms of individuals, religious and political perspectives with which he disagreed. These criticisms led Lang to repeatedly face slander charges and legal actions in the civil courts, including time in gaol (on refusing to pay his opponents’ damages). However, the courts did not always take the side of Lang’s opponents fully with one, James Elder who Lang had described as a ‘renegade missionary’, being awarded a farthing rather than the £300 damages he had claimed for libel. Even later in his career and despite his election as Moderator of the General Assembly in 1872, Lang continued to be the cause of much tension within the Presbyterian Church. Following his establishment of a primary school, Lang controversially proposed to open the nondenominational Sydney College before moving on to establish the Australia College. Returning to England in 1830, Lang persuaded 140 Scottish tradesmen and their families to emigrate to NSW, a project for which he was applauded, especially as it lifted the overall level of building skills across Sydney. This allowed the building of the Australian College to commence and operate successfully for a number of years. During this time, Lang also established three journals, Colonist, The Colonial Observer and the Press, with the assistance of professionals brought from Britain, attempting to protect himself and the Australian College from journalistic attacks whilst advocating for the improvement of colonial morality and education.
Lang returned to the United Kingdom many times throughout his career, writing at least one book during each voyage outlining his thoughts about life, politics and the church in Australia. During his times in England, he wrote many letters for the English press, distributed books and pamphlets, and lectured about the prospects of employment and opportunity in Australia, presenting the potential life available in Australia in stark contrast to what he saw as the inefficient slavery and poverty experienced in Britain at that time. Fearing the Roman Catholic Church’s dominance in NSW, Lang was determined to promote Protestant migration by recruiting clergymen, missionaries, teachers, tradesmen, and many Scottish Highlanders, gradually convincing over four thousand people to emigrate to NSW. By 1850, the difficulties Lang had faced when dealing with the British government whilst assisting migration to Australia, coupled with his belief that local governance was necessary, led him to begin advocating for an Australian republic. Alongside Henry Parkes, James Wilshire and others, Lang founded the Australian League, which, albeit unsuccessfully, promoted the need for national identity, resisted convict transportation, and advocated for the freedom of the Australian colonies and their incorporation into a federation. By the end of his political career in 1870, John Dunmore Lang, a man who tirelessly advocated for the things he believed in and who openly criticised immorality regardless of the personal consequences had achieved several significant improvements in colonial society. We can look to Lang for his work in assisting the cessation of convict transportation, the separation of Victoria and of Queensland, the introduction of responsible and democratic government, radical land reform, national education and the abolition of state aid to religion. As well as his work as a Presbyterian minister, politician, writer of innumerable influential articles and papers, Lang supported and assisted hundreds of the poor and homeless through education and immigration as well as strongly criticising the treatment of Aboriginal people. In commemoration of his life and work, and his contribution to the shaping of modern Australia, Lang inspired the naming of our College here at Macquarie University. There is also a statue of Lang in Wynyard Park, Sydney, unveiled in 1891. His instrumental work in increasing immigration in Brisbane in 1849 also led to the naming of Dunmore Terrace, Lang Parade, and Lang Park (now Suncorp Stadium), in the city of Brisbane.
GRACE ELLIS | DURI, NSW
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YOUR FUTURE AT DUNMORE L ANG COLLEGE Dunmore Lang College is an independent Residential College affiliated with Macquarie University, Sydney.
Founded in 1972, the College provides a supportive living environment for both undergraduate and postgraduate Macquarie University students in a variety of accommodation styles.
T O A P P LY V I S I T : D U N M O R E L A N G C O L L E G E . N S W. E D U . A U
We are a residential academic community based on core values of respect, personal integrity and responsibility, excellence, and service to others. We encourage students to seek leadership and initiate change.
T O T O U R T H E C O L L E G E C A L L : 02 9856 1000