TIRKANDI INABURRA

About Tirkandi Inaburra
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The Catchment Area

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“Boys to Men: Learning to Live Their Dream”

Tirkandi Inaburra Cultural and Development Centre is an Aboriginal community run centre offering Aboriginal boys aged 12-15 a culturally-based residential program aimed at reducing future contact with the criminal justice system by strengthening the boys’ cultural identity, self-esteem and resilience.

The centre houses 16 boys at a time and the boys stay at the Centre on a voluntary basis for 3-6 months. Whilst at the Centre the boys engage in educational, sport, recreational, life, living skills and cultural activities which have all been designed to incrementally develop each participant’s skills and abilities. Schooling is provided on site by the NSW DET. The Centre is located on a 780 hectares rural property between the townships of Coleambally and Darlington Point in the Riverina district of south-west NSW.

The name “Tirkandi Inaburra” means “to learn to dream” in the Wiradjuri language. Tirkandi Inaburra delivers a culturally based residential program aimed at strengthening cultural identity and resilience and empowering its young participants to reach their full potential in life.

Boys who live in communities located between the Lachlan and the Murray and between Balranald and the western side of the Blue Mountains are eligible to apply to come to the Centre. Click here for a map of our catchment area.

The NSW government provides funding for the centre through the Attorney General’s Department.


Tirkandi Inaburra relies on strong partnerships with Aboriginal communities, government and non government agencies. Tirkandi receives recurrent funding from the NSW Government Family and Community Services. The NSW Department of Education and Training is another major partner, providing funding for one head teacher, two teachers and two teaching assistant positions at the Centre through the Coleambally Central School. Our Management Committee consists of seven elected Aboriginal representatives whom are community members from within Tirkandi Inaburra’s catchment area. We also forged numerous other strategic relationships that provided us with support from many other government and nongovernment agencies, including the Federal Attorney General’s Department, the NSW Department of Lands, TAFE, the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the Roads and Traffic Authority, the Department of Juvenile Justice, Murrumbidgee College, Murrumbidgee Catchment Authority, Mission Australia, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, Murrumbidgee Shire Council, Country Energy, DETNAC, Birrang Enterprise Development Company Ltd, Aboriginal Medical Services and Lands Councils.