Bus for Reconciliation
On Tuesday 13th May 2025, over 200 students and community members came together for a vibrant and meaningful event—painting a bus as a living artwork to mark Reconciliation Week.
Pictured: Georgia Lowe, Sharon Bunyan, Mitchell Lasker, Adam Gowen, Jayden Perry, Nellie Mooney and Michelle McBride.
Among the participants were special guests Aunty Nellie Mooney, Uncle Victor Channell, Mitchell Lasker from Waminda and Walking Together, Glenn Findley from Walking Together, Adam Gowen from CUC Southern Shoalhaven, Stuart Bellingham from Ulladulla TAFE, and Jayden Perry from the Ulladulla LALC.
A special thanks to Mitchell Lasker as he got everyone involved and made it truly a community collaboration in the right spirit.
Our gratitude and thanks to everyone in the First Nations Education Team at Ulladulla High School too. This was an incredible collaboration with Ulladulla High School and all staff were super supportive and enthusiastic.
Pictured: Mitchell Lasker, Michelle McBride, Adam Gowen, Jayden Perry, Victor Channell and Nellie Mooney.
The atmosphere was full of joy, creativity, and connection. Elders and community leaders watched as young people expressed their pride in Aboriginal culture, painting with confidence and enthusiasm.
The NAIDOC 2025 theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision, Legacy, resonated deeply throughout the day. There are some truly incredible and inspiring young Aboriginal leaders in Ulladulla. A special mention goes to Year 12 student Hope Gardner who worked collaboratively with Mitchell Lasker of Waminda and Walking Together and teacher Michael Lloyd to lead the painting of the rear of the bus, which featured a large-scale artwork of Aboriginal flag colours over Didthul (Pigeon House Mountain) alongside the whales and hawk. Hope’s talents have been recognised by the NSW Department of Education including as a finalist in the Educational Pathways Program Aboriginal artwork competition when she was only in Year 10.
This was fun and creative, but it was more than a day of painting—it was a celebration of identity, connection, reminding everyone that reconciliation grows through shared experiences and collective action.
Thank you to all the participants and special guests.
Thank you to FRRR who backed our Walking Together "Together We Thrive" dream of creating opportunities for our local community to come together to recognise and celebrate Aboriginal cultures. FRRR funds covered food and paint for this event.
There are a few more videos and photographs on our Instagram @walking_together_mud
Special Thanks to a Special Volunteer: Glenn Findley
Glenn Findley with Mitchell Lasker, Tuesday 13 May 2025 at the Bus for Reconciliation painting day.
A heartfelt thank you to Glenn Findley, whose extraordinary dedication—supported by Kellams Bus Lines—made the Bus for Reconciliation a reality for the community.
Glenn has been a deeply committed and tireless volunteer with Walking Together in the Milton Ulladulla District since its early days during the 2023 Voice referendum. Whenever an opportunity arises, he is the first to put his name down, arriving at dawn and staying until every last detail is packed away. Since volunteering at stalls and pre-poll during the referendum, Glenn has continued to give his time to Day of Mourning education stalls, ngulla NAIDOC Festival, and nearly every opportunity with Walking Together.
His vision for the Bus for Reconciliation took shape during the Giiyong Festival in 2024. On the bus ride home, Glenn heard about the positive experiences of Miribi Bunbal’s young didgeridoo players and had had the chance to witness the power of cultural immersion firsthand. That moment sparked an idea—to acquire a bus dedicated to supporting community access to cultural events and strengthening recognition of Aboriginal cultures.
By January 2025, after attending another bus trip to the Yuin Nation Birriga Bunaan, Glenn knew this was a need he could help address. Quietly and persistently, he set to work, and through his efforts, the Bus for Reconciliation was born.
Without Glenn’s dedication, this initiative would never have happened. His generosity created an incredible opportunity—one that saw more than 200 high school students grab brushes and paint a collaborative artwork onto the bus itself. Glenn welcomed them all with patience, warmth, and respect, making sure everyone felt included.
We are incredibly grateful for his passion, commitment, and unwavering support.