About us

The Gujaga Foundation aims to instil a strong sense of cultural identity and belonging in the children of the La Perouse Aboriginal community.

About the foundation

The Gujaga Foundation is the peak organisation leading language, cultural and research activities within the La Perouse Aboriginal community. Gujaga works collaboratively with Elders, knowledge holders and leading academics. Gujaga provides services to educational, cultural and corporate organisations relating to our cultural area within eastern, southern and south western Sydney.

Our community

The La Perouse Aboriginal community was established in 1883 as a permanent Aboriginal settlement on the northern headland of Gamay through the actions of the NSW Aborigines Protection Board. The remaining Aboriginal people from camps around Sydney Harbour and Gamay at that time were relocated there.

In the late 1890’s Aboriginal people living at La Perouse were described as:

For more than 20 years there has been a camp of aborigines near the village of La Perouse, on the northern shore of Botany Bay. They comprise of all that remains of the descendants of the native tribe that occupied the district at the time of the English occupation of New South Wales in 1788.

Today, La Perouse is considered a discrete Aboriginal community which includes families with ancient and unbroken roots to coastal Sydney.

Eastern Zone Gujaga Aboriginal Corporation

Eastern Zone Gujaga Aboriginal Corporation is the peak body for children services in the La Perouse Aboriginal community and has been providing early childhood education services since 1985. Eastern Zone Gujaga Aboriginal Corporation has previously supported the language, culture and research activities and now focuses on delivering early years education services in La Perouse and has a close relationship with the Gujaga Foundation.

Gujaga MACS Childcare Centre has been operating since 1985 and provides quality early years learning including a semi immersed Dharawal language and culture program. Gujaga Childcare has capacity for 39 students per day and is open for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students.

For enquiries, please contact vc@gujagaeducation.com.au

Our board

Shallan Foster - Chairperson

Shallan is from the La Perouse Aboriginal Community situated on the northern arm of Botany Bay. She currently works as a Teacher at Matraville Sports High.
Shallan belongs to the Dharawal people of Coastal Sydney, Illawarra and Shoalhaven River and comes from a long line of Dharawal women from Kate Sims, Elizabeth Matthews, Minnie Broughton, Emma Timbery, Mary Lyons, Mary-Jane Walker, Susan Edwards and Esther Walker. Shallan enjoys travelling, camping and playing cards.
Alan Daly

Alan is a Dharawal person from the La Perouse Aboriginal Community and has an unbroken connection to Coastal Sydney through his ancestors, John Sims and Lucy Lyons Alan has studied a Bachelor of Business at the University of Technology Sydney, majoring in Accounting and has worked at KPMG as a Senior Accountant within the Enterprise Audit team.
Alan is a proud founding member of the La Pa Deadly’s Leadership Group and currently resides on various community organisation’s board of directors.
Sally Walker

Sally is a Dharawal woman belonging to the La Perouse Aboriginal community and has as an unbroken connection to Coastal Sydney through her ancestors, Betsy Madden and Mary-Ann Lyons. She studied a Bachelor of Arts (Media & Communications) at the University of Sydney and has worked across the Arts & non for profit sectors for many years. Sally has held Marketing & Development roles at ABC TV, Screen Australia, the Sydney Opera House, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Inner Sydney Empowered Communities, Chief Executive Women and was the CEO of the Gujaga Foundation. Sally is also a board member of the Centennial Parklands Foundation and the National Indigenous Culinary Institute.
Petra Silva

Petra is a Dharawal person from the La Perouse Aboriginal community and has an unbroken connection to Coastal Sydney through her ancestors, Biddy Giles, Paddy Davis (Burragalung) and Susan Mitchum-Edwards. Petra is the Leadership Coordinator at the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Petra has been teaching Dharawal language to both adults and children in the La Perouse Aboriginal community for over 10 years.