Aunty Agnes Shea OAM

Aunty Agnes Josephine Shea OAM was a proud Aboriginal woman and a senior Ngunnawal Elder who dedicated most of her life to bettering the world for future generations of Aboriginal Australians. She worked tirelessly in many different roles for the varying range of communities that call Ngunnawal Country home.

The 92nd and newest public school in the Australian Capital Territory is named Agnes Shea High School to honour Aunty Agnes as an outstanding person and the accomplishments she achieved in her lifetime.

Born on 4 September 1931 at Oak Hill just outside Yass, Aunty Agnes Shea grew up in a home with no electricity or running water and would walk 10km each way to and from school.

In the late 1960s, a family member’s need for ongoing medical care saw Aunty Agnes and her family move to Narrabundah, which is where her involvement with the Canberra community began.

Among her many achievements and contributions to Canberra and its various communities, Aunty Agnes Shea was a founding member of the United Ngunnawal Elders Council, which has played a significant and longstanding role in representing Ngunnawal voices to the ACT Government.

Aunty Agnes was also a member of the advisory board to ACT Health and contributed to the Galambany circle sentencing project, which since 2004 has culturally supported Indigenous people who have committed offences in the ACT.

Aunty Agnes Shea also helped to establish the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm – a culturally appropriate rehabilitation service that offers traditional healing concepts, cultural programs and life-skills training to tackle participants’ underlying social and emotional issues.

As a member of the ACT Heritage Council, Aunty Agnes worked to improve non-Indigenous Australians’ understanding of Aboriginal culture.

As a result of her dedication to improving the lives of so many people, in 2001 Aunty Agnes Shea was awarded the Centenary Medal, which commemorates recipients’ contribution to the Federation of Australia, Australian society and government by its citizens and other persons.

In 2004, Aunty Agnes was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to Ngunnawal people by contributing to the improvement and development of services for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the ACT and region.

Aunty Agnes Shea’s achievements and dedication have also been recognised through other honours including the ACT Senior Citizen of the Year award and a place on the ACT Honour Walk in 2010.

Aunty Agnes, who passed on 11 March 2023, was a true champion of the Aboriginal community and a great Canberran. She has shown just how much positive impact one person can have on the lives of those around them. The naming of Agnes Shea High School will continue to inspire young Canberrans to live life to its fullest while looking out for everyone in our community.

Where is the school located?

Agnes Shea High School is in Taylor, North Gungahlin, next to Margaret Hendry School. This site was chosen for its central location within Taylor and its proximity to Margaret Hendry.

How are ACT public schools designed?

ACT public schools are designed using the Education Directorate’s Infrastructure Specification (EDIS). To achieve best practice in both the design of our Learning Spaces and the effective operation of a sustainable ACT public school.

To achieve this EDIS is underpinned by a set of principles: a focus on contemporary, flexible Teaching and Learning; Inclusive for all students and staff; Cultural Integrity – their connection to the land on which they are built; Sustainable Design and the Wellbeing of our students and staff.

What will be included in the school?

The school will cater for up to 800 students in years 7 to 10 and provide high quality general and specialist learning environments. This will incorporate both indoor and outdoor learning areas, as well as integrated spaces to support the individual needs of all students.

The new high school responds to the strong connections with nearby parklands, the strong cultural significance of the region and with an emphasis on environmentally sustainable design.

Consistent with the ACT Government’s commitment to act on climate change, the school will be fully electric in its operation. The buildings will use sustainable materials, double glazed windows, air permeability membranes and a large solar panel array.

Internal spaces in the school will have access to natural light, as well as access to external learning environments.

Spaces for community use will be provided and positioned for ease of access. These facilities will include a double gymnasium with basketball, netball, futsal, volleyball and badminton markings, covered hard court suitable for basketball and netball, kickabout spaces for ball sports and external fitness equipment.