History of JPP

The History of John Pujajangka-Piyirn Catholic School

Mulan is one of the most isolated Aboriginal communities in Western Australia, being situated 300 km south of Halls Creek, close to Lake Gregory on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert. Its nearest neighbours are the Aboriginal communities at Balgo Hills, to the east, and Billiluna, to the north. Aboriginal people were given the pastoral lease to Lake Gregory Station during 1977.

When the people first settled in Mulan in 1977, the only buildings present were two or three dilapidated iron sheds, left from the brief period when the site was the homestead for Lake Gregory Station. The first substantial building was the school, which was opened by the Catholic education Commission in 1979. At the invitation of the community, a Sister of Mercy came to take responsibility for the education of the junior primary children. At this stage the upper primary students boarded weekly at Balgo, while they attended school there. By 1984 full primary classes were established at Mulan.

Glad to be back in their own country, the community has grown quickly, and development in terms of buildings and facilities has been rapid. In 1988, the community requested that their children have secondary education at Mulan rather than travel away. In 1990 the secondary section of the school became officially registered.

Through the Two Way Learning Philosophy, the school community strives to be a means of 'giving and receiving'.


  
      
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 Activities

Mulan is one of the most isolated Aboriginal communities in Western Australia, being situated 300 km south of Halls Creek, close to Lake Gregory on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert. Its nearest neighbours are the Aboriginal communities at Balgo Hills, to the east, and Billiluna, to the north. Aboriginal people were given the pastoral lease to Lake Gregory Station during 1977.
When the people first settled in Mulan in 1977, the only buildings present were two or three dilapidated iron sheds, left from the brief period when the site was the homestead for Lake Gregory Station. The first substantial building was the school, which was opened by the Catholic education Commission in 1979. At the invitation of the community, a Sister of Mercy came to take responsibility for the education of the junior primary children. At this stage the upper primary students boarded weekly at Balgo, while they attended school there. By 1984 full primary classes were established at Mulan.
Glad to be back in their own country, the community has grown quickly, and development in terms of buildings and facilities has been rapid. In 1988, the community requested that their children have secondary education at Mulan rather than travel away. In 1990 the secondary section of the school became officially registered.
Through the Two Way Learning Philosophy, the school community strives to be a means of 'giving and receiving'.