Official Opening Ceremony: Junior School’s Prep – Year 2 Bareibun Precinct | Full Event Wrap & NOW WITH Highlights Video
Friday 7 February 2025 has been a ‘milestone day’ as we celebrated the official opening of our Prep – Year 2 Bareibun Precinct featuring:
- Eight C Block Classrooms
- Specialist Rooms – Junior School Library, Dance Studio, STEM Room and Staff Room
- Nabei Multipurpose Outdoor Learning Space – For Education, Assemblies and Play
- Various Outdoor Grassed Play Areas.
Bareibun is a verb which means ‘to dream’ while Nabei is another verb which means ‘to play’ in the local Indigenous Yugambeh language.
After many months’ construction, this brand new and exciting addition to our Junior School campus is designed to offer students a modern and vibrant space for learning, play and creativity.
We were honoured to have many VIP guests join us for this special morning event, including:
The Most Reverend Jeremy Greaves KCSJ – Archbishop of Brisbane
The Venerable Geoff Hoyte – Archdeacon of the Gold Coast and Rector of St Mark’s Anglican Church
Reverend Peter Moore – St James Anglican Church, Jimboomba
Directors of the Canterbury College Board
Commercial Building Partners – Rohrig Constructions, Wilsons Architects, Commonwealth Bank, M5 Advisors and TLPC
Logan and Mununjali Elders – Mununjali Elder Aunty Janis Page and Logan Elder Aunty Robyn Williams
Mrs Natalie Williams – Chair of the Canterbury Parent Consultative Committee (CPCC).
Members of the College Executive Leadership Team, Senior Management Staff, Teachers, the 2025 School Captains, and our Years 1-2 students.
This major event commenced with a traditional ‘Smoking Ceremony’ led by Mununjali Elder Aunty Janis Page, followed by a ‘Welcome to Country’ from Logan Elder Aunty Robyn Williams.
These two rituals set a meaningful and respectful, yet warmly welcome tone for the formalities ahead.
The Junior School Spirituality Captain Alexandra Weier then delivered the Opening Prayer:
Heavenly Father, We give thanks for our new educational building, a symbol of growth and opportunity.
We pray that this space will be a beacon of knowledge and inspiration for all who enter here.
May we use this building with humility and gratitude, honouring the vision and efforts of those who made it possible.
We pray for strength to uphold our values and serve our community with compassion.
We ask these things in Jesus’ name – Amen.
The Most Reverend Jeremy Greaves – Archbishop of Brisbane, then gave his Formal Address to the gathering, sharing his thoughts on the importance of history, culture, education and community, before offering the Prayer of Dedication:
By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. (Proverbs 24:3)
As we gather today, we offer our hearts in gratitude for the Bareibun Precinct.
May it be a place of welcome and refuge, where minds are enlightened, and hearts are inspired to serve others selflessly.
Grant us the wisdom to steward this space with integrity and diligence, using it to advance the mission of this school and to uplift those in need.
May the work conducted within these walls be guided by your grace and dedicated to the betterment of our community and beyond.
We ask for your presence to dwell within this precinct, infusing them with your peace, wisdom, and love.
May the Bareibun Precinct stand as a beacon of inclusion and unity, reflecting your light for all to see.
And so we thank you, Lord God for the gift of the Bareibun Precinct, and for the life and work of Canterbury College, now and in the future.
In the name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity we bless and dedicate the Bareibun Precinct, to the glory of God; in the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Spirit – Amen.
The Archbishop then blessed the precinct space, guests, staff and students by splashing Holy Water and giving this special prayer:
May God give his blessing to this place. God bless it from roof to floor, from wall to wall, from end to end, from its foundation to its covering.
Next, Mr Vaughan Whitworth – Chair of the Canterbury Board’s Infrastructure Committee, spoke about the journey that brought the Bareibun Precinct to life.
Good morning special guests, and on behalf of the Board, I thank you all for being here today as we celebrate an exciting milestone in the growth of our College.
When I walked through these grounds in the late 1980s, I couldn’t have imagined what was to come.
It’s an honour to stand before you at the opening of this remarkable new building – a symbol of our vision, dedication and the incredible journey that has brought us to this moment.
I’d like to take a moment to express my gratitude to everyone who made this possible.
To the architects, designers, contractors, and every team member who worked to bring this vision to life – thank you.
Your dedication has created something to be proud of, however, we are not just opening a new building today.
We are opening new opportunities – opportunities for growth, creativity and connection.
Students – this building is for you. It’s for your dreams, your potential, and your future.
It is a space for you to explore, to grow, and to become the leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers of tomorrow.
We are so excited for all that you will accomplish in this space, and we are honoured to be part of your journey.
As we move forward, let this space be one that encourages us to push boundaries, embrace change, and work together to achieve even greater things.
Let it remind us that with ambition and collaboration, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
And of course, to all of you here today, thank you for your continued support and belief in what we do as part of the Canterbury community.
So, let’s take a moment to appreciate the space we’ve created, and then let’s look ahead to all the amazing things that will happen here. Thank you again.
Principal Mr Dan Walker then gave his Official Address, engaging the audience with a strong shared enthusiasm for the new facilities, and showing how the Bareibun Precinct will support students in their academic, creative and personal growth.
His presentation was highlighted by a special timelapse video detailing the major construction process over the last 11-12 months.
This was followed by a heartwarming student video, capturing the joys and dreams of some of our Years 1 and 2 students.
It is abundantly clear this new Junior School precinct is a place where young students will thrive and achieve great things.
2025 Junior School Captains Lekith Sudhakaran and Aisha Singleton also addressed the crowd, thanking all those who made the Bareibun Precinct possible, and expressing excitement for their peers to enjoy the new space.
My name is Aisha and this is Lekith, and as the 2025 Junior School Captains, it is our honour to be speaking to you under the shelter of our fantastic new Nabei outdoor space.
As a Junior School, we are exceptionally grateful for the support and hard work dedicated to planning, demolishing, constructing and completing our brand new Bareibun Precinct.
Home to eight Years 1 and 2 classrooms, a specialist Junior Library, a state-of-the-art Dance Studio and specialist STEM Room – making the Bareibun Precinct a fantastic addition to our school facilities.
Our students right across the Junior School now have a fantastic place to gather, learn and play.
We would like to thank the Queensland Government, the College Board, Mr Walker, the College’s Executive Leadership Team, the architects, builders and all of the construction contractors, the Facilities Team and everyone who played a part in the process.
Following their address, the Junior School’s Strings ensemble – Bravura Strings, delivered an enjoyable musical performance ‘Fiddle Tune’ by Timo Jarvela, directed by Mrs Rachelle Lee.
Finally, the official opening of the Bareibun Precinct took place with the ribbon cutting and plaque unveiling, carried out by Archbishop Greaves, Mr Whitworth and Principal Mr Walker.
Guests then enjoyed Morning Tea in the Junior School Library and Dance Studio, with the opportunity to explore the new facilities.
We extend our thanks to everyone who joined us in celebrating this grand opening ceremony.
The FULL PHOTO GALLERY can be found HERE and HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO COMING SOON…