16 April, 2015
Aunty Nellie Mooney has won the 2015 NSW Schools Nanga Mai Awards for Outstanding Contribution to educational achievement by a community member.
“I feel honoured, very proud and I feel proud to work with Aboriginal students, giving them the opportunities that I and many other Elders didn’t have when I was young.”
Aunty Nellie is a founding member of the Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council and is currently a board member who once served as the Chairperson for nine years. In addition, she is a founding member of the Nowra Aboriginal Medical Service, and a life-time devotee to education.
In 1986, she was invited to the local school that her children attended to meet with the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG). Little did she know, that fateful meeting would ignite a passion that would see her support Aboriginal students in education for many years to come.
The shy mother, along with two other parents, was asked to start up a homework centre of Aboriginal students.
“I was a mother looking after my children and I didn’t think I would be doing this today.”
They covered all the schools in the district including the Shoalhaven and Anglican school, the Catholic school, Milton Public School, Ulladulla Public School and Ulladulla High School.
“The homework centre ran for 21 years and the government shut it down in 2008, just when it was working well within all the schools.” Aunty Nellie said.
She remains a strong advocate for education today.
Aunty Nellie formed the Wandarma AECG in Ulladulla in the 1980’s and continues to serve as its President.
Over the years, Aunty Nellie has received many accolades and in the mid 1990’s was granted Life Membership of the AECG.
Mark Thomson, Principal of Milton Public School, commended Aunty Nellie’s tireless work to education.
“Her passion for improved outcomes for Aboriginal people is infectious and this is reflected in the success she has had in making a significant difference to Aboriginal students and their families over an extended period of time,” he said.