Artistic expression has always been integral to human cultures, transforming and transporting us to places where we can connect with something greater than ourselves. What is it that makes the arts so indispensable, and how do they connect to our longing for unconditional love in the context of a deeply flawed and complex world? How do we find beauty in a world that can be so harsh?

Join us across three nights of exploring Art, Beauty and the Transcendent as we consider these questions in the light of our current cultural moment.

This is a FREE event!

WHEN: Thursday 28 July, Thursday 4 August & Thursday 11 August
WHERE: Inaburra Performing Arts Centre
TIME: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
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KEY SPEAKERS:

Lecture 1: Thursday 28 July – Greg Clarke (CEO – Australian Institute of Music)
Bono, Nick Cave and the power of a song
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Lecture 2: Thursday 4 August – Dr Mark Stephens (SMBC Lecturer and Author)
Stage or Stream: Why the live performance still matters
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Thursday 11 August – Dr Michael Jensen (Minister – St Mark’s Darling Point)
‘Why have you abandoned me?’ Can art speak of hope in a God-forsaken world?
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What are the Founders Lectures?

We are thrilled to launch the Inaburra Founders Lectures in honour of the small group of pioneers whose vision led to the establishment of the school forty years ago. We hope to see this as an ongoing highlight in the school calendar.

This year’s theme, ‘Art, Beauty and the Transcendent’ has been underpinned by the school’s enduring value of creative and performing arts and media, with the benefits of engaging with each of these enriching traditions, long recognised by educators.

Join us as we delve into three inaugural lectures which will explore the nature of the arts, their expressive and transformative capacity, and how they inhabit a unique space at the intersection of the everyday and the sublime.

A musical showcase featuring our Junior and Senior Concert Bands plus Junior and Chamber Strings in a performance to highlight the musical evolution of our students from the beginning of the year. A 40th twist with talent from the past included in the program.

WHEN: Tuesday 16 August 2022

WHERE: Inaburra Performing Arts Centre

TIME: 7:00pm – 8:30pm

You’re invited to Menai Baptist Church for a Thanksgiving Service, honouring the School’s founding church and celebrating all that God has done over our 40 year history.

WHEN: Sunday 28 August 2022

WHERE: Inaburra Performing Arts Centre

TIME: 9:30am – 11:00am

Our student and staff community will take time in Term 3 to celebrate our 40 year milestone. Celebrations will include:

• Timeline installation reveal
• Jersey Wall showcasing Year 12 jerseys over the years
• Sports House Competition
• Cake Day
• Student Time Capsule

We warmly invite prospective families to come and experience an evening of food, entertainment and a student-led School Tour through our campuses.

WHEN: Friday 2 September

WHERE: Inaburra School

TIME: 5:00pm-8:00pm

BOOKINGS: Are essential. Click here to book your spot now.

Calling all Inaburra Graduates…do you still have your Year 12 Graduation Jersey? As part of our 40th anniversary celebrations we would love to display the many and varied jerseys over the years. We are happy to return the jerseys at the end of the celebration, or keep them for our archives. For more information, please email alumni@inaburra.nsw.edu.au or contact the Community Relations Office on (02) 9543 2533.

Alumni, we’d love to hear from you! There are so many wonderful stories amongst our Inaburra Alumni community that we would like to share as part of our 40th anniversary celebrations.

Sharing can include:

• Favourite memories from your time at Inaburra (serious or funny!)
• A teacher who impacted you in some way
• Where are you now – how Inaburra helped shape the person you are today

If you have a story to share and/or photos, we encourage you to send them to alumni@inaburra.nsw.edu.au

Stay connected to the Inaburra community through our Alumni Facebook page. It’s a closed group of safe sharing, connecting and promoting Alumni events. Not a member? Join HERE

Inaburra School commenced operation as a High School on 3 February 1982 in a temporary location, Gymea Baptist Education Centre (Gymea Baptist). The School’s first Principal was the Rev Max Knight.

On the very first day of school, dressed in the distinctive brown uniform, the entire student body comprised only 84 students in years 7 and 8, three full time teachers and six part-time teachers, including Mr Keith Pegg who taught Social Science, Biblical Studies, Geography, English and P.E.

The original prospectus sets out a fundamental aim of the School as being to “provide a Christ-centred education, where God is honoured in all areas of life”. This original vision for the School, founded and by Menai Baptist Church, continues to be central to the direction and mission of the School today.

Inaburra School possesses a unique name that is inspired not only by its surrounding environment but also by the story of its foundation and purpose.

Reverend David Nicholas of Menai Baptist Church penned these words which featured in early prospectus material for the school.

“We are surrounded by streets which have been given names that are Aboriginal in origin. For this reason we searched for a suitable name to help us imagine and plan for the future. The name we chose, ‘INABURRA’ is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘dream’. We have a dream for Christ, a dream of meeting people’s needs, for the Church is people”*

In selecting a name for their new school, the founders reflected on the vision and dream of Menai Baptist Church to serve the wider community in the Menai area. The realisation of that dream became Inaburra School. A school whose vision it is to serve and honour God.

The name of our School serves to inspire successive generations to think big, plan and dream of what is possible through God.

* Inaburra: the dream continues. Inaburra Communications Limited. 1987. P.9

The Inaburra School Crest is a highly visible and instantly recognizable symbol of the School, but have you ever taken a close look at its design?

The Crest created for the commencement of the School in 1982 arranged the letters I. H. S (Inaburra High School) within a shield shape. The design also included an opened Bible or book and the Cross of Jesus Christ. This in itself graphically captured the mission of the School. However, an early School Prospectus explains that the initials have another meaning of significance:

“The I.H.S are the first three letters (iota, eta, sigma) of the Greek spelling of Jesus.”

The current School Crest dates back to 1990 with only minor subsequent modifications. The individual elements of the Crest built on the original design from 1982 whilst highlighting that Inaburra’s identity had expanded to a K-12 School. A fuller explanation of the new design was included in the Principal’s Report of the 1990 Inaburra School Journal.

“The Cross of Jesus Christ is central, and his teachings are the basis of our School operation and philosophy. The School colours reflect our new K-12 uniform, and the Southern Cross shows us that we are located in a very special place in God’s created world.”

*Inaburra High School, Prospectus 1982. Inaburra Communications Ltd, 1982.