Our Place
Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School is on Bundjalung Land—a former rainforest that was cleared for grazing, and later banana plantations, as part of the 19th century rural development of the Mullumbimby Valley. Cradled by the green hills of the Byron Shire hinterland, Shearwater’s 52-acre site, which incorporates a biodynamic farm, is bounded by Mullumbimby Creek to the south and the changing face of Koonyum Range to the west.
With our emphasis on sustainability, farming and connection to nature, improvements to the non-built environment have included the planting of many thousands of trees, creating wildlife corridors and transforming the denuded, weed-choked section of our creek into a place of beauty, brimming with life.
With our emphasis on sustainability, farming and connection to nature, improvements to the non-built environment have included the planting of many thousands of trees, creating wildlife corridors and transforming the denuded, weed-choked section of our creek into a place of beauty, brimming with life.
Our History
On 8 February 1993 our first 37 students—Kindergarten and a combined Class 1 and 2— sat down on the circle rug and began the Shearwater story. The new school quickly outgrew Sally and Stan’s house and moved onto the current site in September of that same year.
The children kept coming and so did the buildings--Primary classrooms, administration buildings, a library, performance hall, high school classrooms and science, art and design labs.
In 2006, the School purchased a 15 hectare property adjoining our western boundary, which today is home to our biodynamic Farm, sports fields and our Early Childhood Centre.
Then came a time of crisis. The School encountered financial difficulties and would have folded in 2010, if not for the outpouring of support from families and community members.
A period of stability and cautious growth followed. The completion of our Early Childhood Centre in 2016 and the bringing ‘home’ of our Preschool and Kindergarten, after several years in rented premises off-site, was a major milestone in the School’s history.
Almost 30 years in the making, the story continues...
The children kept coming and so did the buildings--Primary classrooms, administration buildings, a library, performance hall, high school classrooms and science, art and design labs.
In 2006, the School purchased a 15 hectare property adjoining our western boundary, which today is home to our biodynamic Farm, sports fields and our Early Childhood Centre.
Then came a time of crisis. The School encountered financial difficulties and would have folded in 2010, if not for the outpouring of support from families and community members.
A period of stability and cautious growth followed. The completion of our Early Childhood Centre in 2016 and the bringing ‘home’ of our Preschool and Kindergarten, after several years in rented premises off-site, was a major milestone in the School’s history.
Almost 30 years in the making, the story continues...