Indigenous school set for Crystal Creek
A NEW specialised school for disengaged indigenous students will be opened on a former Shalom Christian College site north of Townsville.
The Uniting Church in Australia’s Queensland Synod has leased its Crystal Creek site, currently operated by Shalom Christian College, to charity group Silver Lining Foundation Australia.
The foundation plans to operate a “special assistance” school from the site for up to 25 students who will commute from Townsville and Ingham.
The students will participate in educational and cultural programs delivered by traditional owners and sup- ported by qualified teachers.
The Crystal Creek site is technically accredited to offer Years 8- 12.
However, it has not been confirmed what age students the foundation will take.
Silver Lining Foundation Australia registered as a charitable organisation in March.
According to the company’s constitution, their objective is to provide “benevolent relief” and pursue charitable purposes including the provision of educational and training facilities for people of Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander descent.
The charity also aims to assist disadvantaged people from indigenous communities to obtain primary, secondary or tertiary levels of education.
Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod, Reverend David Baker believes the lease signed with the foundation was a “fantastic outcome” for Townsville and Ingham.
“This is an Australian company who specialise in empowering and enabling First Peoples to deliver on- country programs for disengaged young people,” he said.
“The Crystal Creek site is a special place in the history of the Uniting Church, and I’m pleased that it will be used to support the local community.”
The site is about 70km north of Shalom Christian College at Condon.
It was purchased by the Uniting Church in 1979 for use as a camp site and developed into a Youth and Conference Centre by the Presbytery of North Queensland.
The new lease agreement comes just weeks after the Uniting Church confirmed it intends to leave the Condon campus by December.