The Koori Curriculum Leadership Retreat
The Koori Curriculum Leadership Retreat
An immersive 3-day experience for early childhood educators, leaders and consultants ready to deepen their practice and lead with cultural integrity.
Join us in 2027 for the next Koori Curriculum Leadership Retreat, a transformative experience designed for educators committed to embedding Aboriginal perspectives in meaningful, respectful, and practical ways.
Step away from the classroom and anchor your team at the spiritual heart of Australia. Towering over the ancient Red Centre, Uluru offers an unparalleled setting to reflect, strategise, and build vision.
Let the shifting colors of this 550-million-year-old monolith inspire resilient, grounded, and forward-thinking leadership in your organisation.
An immersive 3-day experience for early childhood educators, leaders and consultants ready to deepen their practice and lead with cultural integrity.
Join us in 2027 for the next Koori Curriculum Leadership Retreat, a transformative experience designed for educators committed to embedding Aboriginal perspectives in meaningful, respectful, and practical ways.
Step away from the classroom and anchor your team at the spiritual heart of Australia. Towering over the ancient Red Centre, Uluru offers an unparalleled setting to reflect, strategise, and build vision.
Let the shifting colors of this 550-million-year-old monolith inspire resilient, grounded, and forward-thinking leadership in your organisation.
Why Attend?
Why Attend?
This retreat is more than just professional development; it's your opportunity to build a supportive community of like-minded educators dedicated to making meaningful changes in their practice. The strategies we share are adaptable and can be tailored to various contexts, ensuring you leave with practical tools that empower you and your communities.
This retreat is more than just professional development; it's your opportunity to build a supportive community of like-minded educators dedicated to making meaningful changes in their practice. The strategies we share are adaptable and can be tailored to various contexts, ensuring you leave with practical tools that empower you and your communities.
Location: Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
Location: Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
Rising dramatically from the Central Australian desert, the huge red rock of Uluṟu is one of Australia’s most iconic attractions.
For Aṉangu peoples, Uluṟu is inseparable from Tjukurpa, or traditional law. The actions of the creation ancestors are still visible around the rock, and their stories are passed on from generation to generation, just as they have been for thousands of years.
Uluṟu is a spectacular panorama, but it’s real beauty can be found by looking closer. This ancient monolith is home to rare plants and animals, important spiritual sites and caves painted with remarkable rock art.
Lunch is provided across all 3 days, along with tea & coffee.
Rising dramatically from the Central Australian desert, the huge red rock of Uluṟu is one of Australia’s most iconic attractions.
For Aṉangu peoples, Uluṟu is inseparable from Tjukurpa, or traditional law. The actions of the creation ancestors are still visible around the rock, and their stories are passed on from generation to generation, just as they have been for thousands of years.
Uluṟu is a spectacular panorama, but it’s real beauty can be found by looking closer. This ancient monolith is home to rare plants and animals, important spiritual sites and caves painted with remarkable rock art.
Lunch is provided across all 3 days, along with tea & coffee.
What to Expect
What to Expect
Over three full days, you’ll experience a carefully curated program that balances deep cultural learning, collaborative professional discussions, and restorative time in nature and community.
Each element of the retreat is intentionally designed to nourish both your personal and professional growth. You'll walk alongside knowledge holders and cultural practitioners, engage in open and honest conversations with peers, and spend time on Country to connect with the land and its stories.
This unique blend of learning and reflection allows you to step away from the everyday demands of your role, reconnect with your vision, and return to your setting feeling re-energised, grounded, and equipped with practical tools to lead reconciliation work in your early learning service with integrity.
Over three full days, you’ll experience a carefully curated program that balances deep cultural learning, collaborative professional discussions, and restorative time in nature and community.
Each element of the retreat is intentionally designed to nourish both your personal and professional growth. You'll walk alongside knowledge holders and cultural practitioners, engage in open and honest conversations with peers, and spend time on Country to connect with the land and its stories.
This unique blend of learning and reflection allows you to step away from the everyday demands of your role, reconnect with your vision, and return to your setting feeling re-energised, grounded, and equipped with practical tools to lead reconciliation work in your early learning service with integrity.
Facilitated & Hosted by Jessica Staines
Facilitated & Hosted by Jessica Staines
Jessica Staines is an early childhood educator, professional speaker, author, advocate and advisor. As the founder and director of Koori Curriculum, Jessica is committed to helping educators embed Aboriginal perspectives into early childhood education.
She has played many significant roles nationally and internationally in building cultural understanding, reconciliation and harmony, including as an Indigenous advisor to ABC’s Playschool.
Jessica’s family are originally from Wiradjuri country, but due to displacement have lived off-country on Gadigal and Wangal lands for four generations. Jessica is proud to be a Wiradjuri woman, and today lives on Darkinjung Country with her husband and two children.
Jessica Staines is an early childhood educator, professional speaker, author, advocate and advisor. As the founder and director of Koori Curriculum, Jessica is committed to helping educators embed Aboriginal perspectives into early childhood education.
She has played many significant roles nationally and internationally in building cultural understanding, reconciliation and harmony, including as an Indigenous advisor to ABC’s Playschool.
Jessica’s family are originally from Wiradjuri country, but due to displacement have lived off-country on Gadigal and Wangal lands for four generations. Jessica is proud to be a Wiradjuri woman, and today lives on Darkinjung Country with her husband and two children.
Testimonials from Retreat Attendees
Testimonials from Retreat Attendees
"The whole experience has shifted something deeply within me. Its beyond what I ever thought it would be."
Jenn - Director, Urban Discovery
"The whole experience has shifted something deeply within me. Its beyond what I ever thought it would be."
Jenn - Director, Urban Discovery
"Its hard to pick a highlight. The smoking ceremony definitely. That was very spiritual for me and I got allot out of that."
Sharon - Educator, Happy Turtle Childcare
"Its hard to pick a highlight. The smoking ceremony definitely. That was very spiritual for me and I got allot out of that."
Sharon - Educator, Happy Turtle Childcare
"To listen to somebody talk from their personal experience in a group like we had last night, that were really engaged and willing to listen, it broadened your perspective a little bit more."
Emma - Regional Mobile Playgroup Mobile Facilitator
"To listen to somebody talk from their personal experience in a group like we had last night, that were really engaged and willing to listen, it broadened your perspective a little bit more."
Emma - Regional Mobile Playgroup Mobile Facilitator