The award-winning Gawura School was established in 2007 by Philip Heath, the then Head of St Andrew’s Cathedral School, in partnership with Pastor Ray Minniecon and Aunty Sharon Minniecon.
Together they saw the need for a culturally grounded place of learning for inner city First Nations students, arguing that inequitable education outcomes were not deficiencies or failures on the part of First Nations students, but rather a failure of education systems that did not meet the learning and wellbeing needs or support the aspirations of First Nations students and their families.
Our Founders
Uncle Ray is a descendant of the Kabi Kabi nation and the Gurang Gurang nation of South-east Queensland as well as a descendant of the South Sea Islander people with connections to the people of Ambrym Island.
He is a well-known First Nations pastor and Director of Buji Consultancies. Uncle Ray holds a BA in Theology from Murdoch University and an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community. He received the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in 2022.
He has dedicated his life to supporting members of the Stolen Generations and advocating for greater recognition of First Nations members of the Defence Force. He sits on St Andrew’s Cathedral School’s School Council.
Aunty Sharon Minniecon is a Zenth Kes Ugar (Torres Strait) woman. Her grandmother was from Stephen Island in the Torres Strait. Zenth Kes, Ugar Island (Torres Strait) and Tanna Island heritage.
She has worked in First Nations health and education at St John’s Glebe, as a community worker and pastor in its emergency relief program. She is also an Indigenous Community Liaison Officer at Gawura School.
Uncle Ray and Aunty Sharon wanted to design an inclusive approach to education for First Nations students, arguing that it was not First Nations students that needed to change, but the educational system itself.
The location of St Andrew’s Cathedral School was chosen because demographically one of the largest concentrations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is located in the inner-city suburbs of Sydney.
The decision to engage in what became the School’s Restoration Action Plan for Gawura School and St Andrew’s Cathedral School before embarking on a First Nations K-12 Strategic Plan was driven by Pastor Ray and Aunty Sharon. Both were adamant that an understanding of the need for restoration at all levels of the schools was vital, before the next phase of First Nations education could be planned.
As a prominent First Nations pastor and a key theological voice in Australia, Pastor Ray’s leadership has been invaluable in helping the Gawura School and St Andrew’s Cathedral School ‘bridge worlds’ and grapple with issues around the Christian faith and First Nations culture.
