Bundy brings up 150

MEMORIES were shared and days of youth reminisced as Bundalaguah Primary School observed its 150th anniversary on Saturday.

Students, parents and staff, past and present all gathered at the school grounds on Sale-Maffra Rd to mark the occasion.

Celebrations began at 2pm with a Welcome to Country ceremony under shelter, hosted by Aunty Sandra Nielson and featuring a performance by Ramahyuck’s Cultural Connect dance group.

This was followed by speeches from principal Sarah Whitwam and her predecessor Viv West.

Ms West spoke about how she arrived at ‘Bundy’ following its merger with Myrtlebank Primary School in 1994, starting as a teacher before usurping the role of principal from 2018 to 2021.

She also touched on her dual role as a parent and educator, noting that all of her children attended the school during her quarter-century employed there.

After speeches, the crowd was entertained by current pupils of the school as they danced the ‘Heel-and-Toe Polka’ backed by the Briagolong Bush Band.

By now, the rain that greeted attendees upon arrival had relented, allowing the opportunity to mingle around the grounds.

Among those in attendance was teacher Kahlia Hillbrich, who was a pupil herself at Bundy Primary from 1989 to 1995.

Ms Hillbrich grew up as the youngest sibling on a dairy farm in nearby Riverslea, with her three older siblings all attending the school ahead of her.

The family connection doesn’t end there – she recently learned that ancestors on her maternal side once owned the land on which the school now stands.

Even as a child at Bundy, Ms Hillbrich had aspirations of becoming a teacher, and returned to the school doing teaching rounds as part of her university degree.

“Leonie Sutherland was the principal here then, and I know she really wanted me to apply for a job at the end of that; but I made the choice to go into a bigger school first, so that I had lots of different staff around me to learn from,” Ms Hillbrich said.

“I wanted to come back to Bundy after, with a bit more experience (gained in) a bigger school.”

She noted the many changes to the school since her time as a pupil, among them a better student-to-teacher ratio: “even though we’re still a small school of 30, there’s a lot more staff to actually support those kids today”.

One of Ms Hillbrich’s classmates, Brad Light, also paid a visit to his alma mater.

As with Ms Hillbrich, Mr Light grew up on a family farm and attended Bundy Primary with his siblings.

He recalled to the Gippsland Times his return to the school during adolescence when, as a student of the local trade school, he assisted with construction of a new building which now houses the principal’s office.

The Recreation Room proved most popular on the day, which hosted a display of historical photographs and a Devonshire Tea served by the Bundalaguah CWA.

It was also the location for a cake-cutting ceremony, with Ms Whitwam and former head teacher, Norm Mullet, doing the honours.

Mr Mullet lived onsite at the since-removed teacher’s residence in 1964, and again from 1968 to 1971.

The day concluded with the ceremonial planting of a tree, with the school’s youngest Foundation pupil, Rham Martinez, and its oldest former student in attendance, Neil Wrigglesworth both coating the sapling in soil.

Ms Whitwam, who organised the day’s events, was pleased with how the occasion transpired.

“It’s great to see the gathering of the community together and just hear the buzz,” Ms Whitwam said.

“The generations don’t necessarily know each other, but they have the same sense, or the same feeling of this space, and it’s a really nice feeling.

“And it’s nice to be part of it, actually – I feel a bit privileged to be part of it.”

The celebration also provided the opportunity for attendees to reflect on what makes Bundy Primary so special.

“I love the staff here, and the kids – like, they all have their – such unique personalities here, and I love that they all sort of support each other,” Mr Hillbrich said.

“It’s like a big family, coming to a school like this.”