Top End Group School, NT Australia

About our school...

Mamaruni School – Minjilang Community – Crocker Island

Location
Crocker Island is located 250km North East of Darwin. The community is located on the Eastern side of the island on Mission Bay.
Click on the map below to see exactly where we are in the NT!

The community was originally set up as a Methodist Mission pre World War II. It was set up to house part – Aboriginals who were in the care of the government institutions in Darwin, Alice Springs and Pine Creek. It was run by the Mission until the early 70's.

The population of the community is approximately 200 indigenous and 15 non – indigenous people. There are four main language groups on the island with the dominant being Iwaidja.

The community are still very traditional, in that most of the food eaten on the island is collected and hunted from the sea and the country as the season dictates. Such food sources are:

• dugong;
• turtle;
• magpie goose/ducks;
• fish/shellfish;
• buffalo, wild cattle and pigs; and
• bush fruits and vegetables in season.

When self determination was initiated by the Northern Territory Government the school as it is today was established. The current buildings were constructed after Cyclone Tracy in 1974/75.

Mamaruni School has a current enrollment of 65 students with 15 pre school children. In 2004 it consisted of an early childhood building, which doubled as a cyclone shelter, two classrooms, library and computer lab. However, in March 2005 Cylone Ingriddestroyed the main classroom block and the teachers residence. Temporary tranportable classroms were brought in while the new school was built.

In May 2006 the new buildings were completed and the classrooms relocated.

There are four areas within the school:

• Pre School;
• Junior School;
• Middle School; and
• Upper School.

The current staff are aiming to achieve National Benchmarks in all areas with the first happening this year at grade 3 & 4 year levels.