Indigenous Netball Round Project

In 2021, St Mary's College students Heather F and Abby C embarked on the Colleges Iga Warta Immersion trip, where they deepened their understanding of the Adnyamathanha culture. Inspired by this experience, they sought to incorporate Indigenous culture into the St Mary's College Netball Academy, expressing a desire to design an Indigenous netball uniform for the Indigenous Netball Round in June.

With the support of Miss Amanda Shattock (Netball Coordinator) and Mr. Robert Napoli (Director of Mission), Heather and Abby collaborated with Aboriginal artist David Booth to bring their vision to life. David, a Warumungu artist with ties to the Yuggera people, led sessions with the senior netball teams, teaching them how to use Indigenous symbols to tell stories. Together, they created a unique design that embodies the values of the netball program and the St Mary's College community.

The final artwork, which forms the basis of the netball dress, holds deep meaning. It centers around netball, with four women representing leadership and seven figures symbolizing the players and the Dominican Sisters. The dress also includes emu and kangaroo prints, stars representing the netball teams, and symbols reflecting the journey of players and their connection to the Adelaide Hills. David's creation is a powerful visual representation of unity, leadership, and the ongoing journey toward reconciliation, to be proudly worn during the Indigenous Round in June.