Prestigious private school abandons school camps on island it has visited for 60 years after Native Title ruling
A private school will no longer be able to hold school camps on a South Australian island after a Native Title ruling.
Students at Adelaide’s Scotch College had enjoyed going to Goose Island, on the Yorke Peninsula, for school camps since 1966, taking part in activities like snorkelling, kayaking and sailing.
The school’s licence to access the island was due to expire in 2027, but trips to Goose Island will now end later this year.
Scotch College was permitted to use the island for camps through a licence agreement with the Department of Environment and Water.
However, in March last year, the Federal Court ruled the Narungga people were Native Title holders of the state’s Yorke Peninsula, which includes Goose Island.
Scotch College Principal Trent Driver said he was ‘profoundly disappointed’ that a request had been made for the school to ‘hand the island back to traditional owners for alternative uses’.
‘After several months of good faith negotiations and discussions between the College and DEW, we were informed the licence agreement with Scotch will now end in December 2024, and we will not have access to the island for school programs in the years ahead,’ he said in a letter to parents on Tuesday, The Advertiser reported.
‘The College made every effort to negotiate a collaborative solution and will keep lines of communication open with the Narungga People.’
Scotch College (pictured) had to give up its licence to operate school camps on Goose Island in South Australia after a Native Title ruling was made
The Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation (NNAC) had made a request regarding the island, with the organisation’s CEO thanking the school for relinquishing their licence.
‘For the 60-odd years Scotch College has held their licence to operate on the island we’ve not really been able to access it, so now we want to develop a three-pronged approach,’ Mr Milera said.
‘We want to look at how to spiritually reconnect with the island, look at how our Sea Ranger program can play a part in caring for and conserving the environment and also look at the economic opportunities that come from ecotourism.
‘This provides an opportunity for everyone to come there and enjoy, while understanding the cultural and spiritual connections to the island.’
School fees for senior Scotch College students cost $30,360 per year.
Students at Adelaide ‘s Scotch College had enjoyed going to Goose Island, on the Yorke Peninsula, for school camps since 1966, taking part in activities like snorkelling, kayaking and sailing (pictured are Scotch College students on school camp)
