Motto: Towards Tomorrow

Kormilda College Incorporated was established in 1968 as a post primary hostel and boarding school for isolated Indigenous students. The property had been an Army Hospital in World War II and then a Qantas Transit Centre for people travelling to and from Europe. The Commonwealth Government acquired the property for education in 1967. The school commenced with 121 students from 27 remote communities in the Northern Territory. The school was initially run by the Commonwealth Department of Education and following self-government it was transferred to the Northern Territory Department of Education. In 1986 conversations commenced about Kormilda becoming an Independent School and in 1989 the ownership of the College was transferred to the Anglican and Uniting Churches and an impressive new sign was erected saying “The New Kormilda”.

At that time in Australia a number of schools were established as ecumenical enterprises of churches and Kormilda became one of these administered by two Churches through a Board of Directors appointed by them. Key positions on the board included the Anglican Bishop and the Secretary and Moderator of the Uniting Church Northern Synod. The first Board Chair was Dr Jan Hills an Anglican. The school was now not exclusively for Indigenous students but was multi-cultural and included not only boarders but day students from Darwin and surrounds. With generous NT Government support the school was impressively refurbished and a new state of the art boarding facility added. A Director was appointed to lead the initial development, Dr Peter Harris, who was very experienced at developing new schools and was also, at the time, Principal of Billanook College a Uniting Church School in Melbourne. Later Peter founded the Uniting Church National Education Committee. Peter threw his vast energy and creativity into establishing the new school which obviously meant transitioning Kormilda from the old to the new. The NT Government in handing it over provided a generous grant so that it could be refurbished. As was Peter’s creative spirit, the campus was colourfully painted and teaching areas were modernised. A large sign was placed at the edge of the property on which was carved the new title, “The New Kormilda”. Peter during his 2 Years as Director shared his time with Billanook. Peter is a man of immense energy and creativity and he flew regularly between the two schools and indeed set up a strong sister school relationship between the schools.

Derek Hunter was appointed as the first Principal. A number of teachers with particular expertise were brought up on loan from Billanook by Peter to help establish the school. Some stayed permanently.

The College through the years was able to attract high caliber Principals. Derek Hunter came from Wilderness School Adelaide. He was a fine academic and educator and the administered school well and creatively. He will be remembered for annual participation in the Darwin to Ambon Yatch race. He was followed by Stephen Kinsella who after a fine innings at Kormilda became Head of Irrawaddy Grammar School in Wollongong. Next to be appointed was Malcolm Pritchard who had founded and had been running the Caulfield Grammar Campus in Nanjing. He eventually left to head a school in Hong Kong. David Shinkfield replaced him, coming directly from the traditional Rugby School in England where he had been Deputy Head. He moved on to become Headmaster of Harrow International School in Beijing. Dr Helen Spiers, a very experienced and highly regarded Territory Educator took over from him.

Back to the early days. The NT at this stage was sailing on the crest of a developmental wave and the downturn in the early 1990s had not occurred. The Northern Territory University enrolled its first students in 1987 and quickly started exploring the International market. Darwin was indeed the gateway to Asia and looked to attracting students from there to the University and to Schools. The relationship between Indonesia and Darwin was burgeoning with a consulate set up in Darwin and an education trade office established in Kupang. Agents and offices were established through a number of the Asian and Southeast Asian countries. The New Kormilda looked towards tapping into this Asian market which was a reason why the College took on the International Baccalaureate. The late 1980s was also the time when a group of entrepreneurs were trying to establish the Darwin International Grammar School. In 1990 the Territory Government sent a delegation to an International Education Marketing Fair in Jakarta. It was a delegation of three: the officer responsible for education marketing in the department, a person from the Catholic Education Office, and a person from AISNT. This was a great example of the positive relationship between the government and non-government schools and the strong acceptance of the economic benefits which could be gained from the international student market.

From the start the New Kormilda wanted to offer the International Baccalaureate and in 1991 applied to the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Geneva for membership enabling it to teach the IB Diploma course to students in years 11 and 12. The College commenced teaching the IB in 1993. however, it continued to also offer the Northern Territory Certificate of Education which was based on the South Australian Certificate of Education. In 2004 the College added year 7 and in 2006, after a rigorous review, it became a fully accredited member of the Council of Internationally Accredited Schools, Australasian branch.

With its large population of Indigenous students, many of whom were boarders, Kormilda became known as a leading light in Indigenous education. In addition to offering the IB and the NT certificate of education in the senior years, Kormilda also became an RTO and offered a suite of VET courses. This broad curriculum provided real opportunity for all students and in particular indigenous students. In 2015 Kormilda opened a new primary school making it a K-12 school. It also opened an Early Learning Centre. All Principals were accepted as members of AHISA, the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia.

By 2016 Kormilda was well recognised nationally and internationally as a high performing school. In 2010 it was registered to deliver the Middle Years Program (MYP) of the IB and was accredited with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students to enable the College to accept up to 25 international fee-paying students.

Over these years Kormilda grew in an innovative and exciting way.

The first Principal of the New Kormilda , Derek Hunter, was an enthusiastic and experienced sailor and entered the College in the annual Darwin to Ambon Yatch race and from this, created a relationship with an Indonesian school in Ambon, SMA Negeri 5. The College also embroiled itself in the annual Darwin to Adelaide Solar Car challenge (3000 kilometres) and gained a good reputation for its enthusiastic participation. The College developed a strong Outdoor Education thrust giving students the chance to develop through this vital educational medium.

Kormilda has a large, impressive oval. During the time of Principal Stephen Kinsella, a keen cricketer, turf wickets were created in the centre of the ground, a wonderful acquisition for the students. Stephen was an excellent Head good with students, sport and academics. He spent years as an examiner for the International Baccalaureate. Kormilda developed well under his watch.

In 2011 Kormilda introduced the Clontarf Foundation into the College.” The Clontarf Foundation exists to improve the education, discipline, self-esteem, life skills and employment prospects of young Aboriginal men and by doing so equip them to participate more meaningfully in society.” By the end of 2016 almost 100 boys engaged in the program. That year they participated in an NT umpiring course and completed their Community Surf Rescue and CPR courses.

In 2012 the College opened its “Strong Girls' Academy” which focussed on encouraging behavioural change, developing positive attitudes and assisting Indigenous female students to complete school and secure employment. Fundamental to this, was the development of values, skills, and abilities that assisted the program participants to improve self-esteem and achieve positive life outcomes. Part of the program was to have the girls tackle the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Over the years that it operated as an Independent School the campus developed impressively - modern classroom, workshops, worship centre and a magnificent oval with an excellent turf wicket in the centre.

In 2015 the day and residential population exceeded 640 students in years K-12. The students were representative of a diversity of cultural backgrounds with about one third being indigenous. The majority of boarders were indigenous.

In 2017 Kormilda was closed then acquired by Haileybury, a large Melbourne Independent School and was renamed Haileybury Rendall School. It adapts “the best of Haileybury’s academic, social justice and international programs to the education environment in the Northern Territory”.

Kormilda had “certainly done a sterling job” in the 28 years it had operated as the “New Kormilda”. It was an energetic, creative school that made a fine contribution to not only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education but also to many, many other students from Darwin and surrounds. It had the benefit of a strong Board and a number of highly skilled Principals who were prepared to create and innovate and for the years it operated, the College had a wonderful reputation.

Written by Chris Tudor