Marlene Moore Flexi Schools Network
About this Network
Why Marlene Moore?
Marlene was a wonderful and inspirational key worker in the very first EREAFSN Flexible Learning Centre. She embodied the spirit that continues to live on in these nurturing, supportive and loving learning communities. Marlene Moore showed that it is never too late to re-engage in and continue your education even when to do so involves strength, resilience and work to overcome the conditions that society and others impose on you. She devoted her life to enriching the lives and realising the potential of those she served both in her family and in her community.
“She touched many lives and she filled our lives with colour and joy. … She lived her life in technicolour – it was full of drama and adventure, laughter and loudness but also gentleness and love. … She was interested in everyone and invariably made everyone feel so special.” – Founding Principal Centre Education.
The person behind the name
Marlene Moore (nee Willmot) was a strong and determined Aboriginal woman who faced and overcame significant adversity in her life. She was born in 1945, the seventh of eight children and a member of the Wakka Wakka people of Gayndah in Queensland. One of the Stolen Generation, Marlene, at only two years of age, along with her brothers and sisters, was taken from her mother and relocated in the Cherbourg Mission. She was kept at Cherbourg until she was approximately 15 years of age and was then sent out to work as a domestic. Despite her considerable academic potential (eg Honours in the 1956 National Sunday School Exam, Junior A section), during her decade at Cherbourg, she only received the equivalent of a Grade 3 education and was trained in domestic duties. From 1969, Marlene and her husband Ray Moore raised their family, mostly in the Brisbane area and moved to Logan in 1975.
When her children were all at school, Marlene decided to return to study at Kangaroo Point TAFE College (now part of Southbank Institute of Technology), where she completed studies in Welfare. She also went on to complete early childhood studies through the Creche and Kindergarten Association. With these tertiary qualifications and a strong motivation to help her people, community and family, Marlene spent much of her later life working with various groups and organisations to improve human services within the Logan area.These roles included work within: the Aboriginal Medical Centre, the Logan Creche and Kindergarten Association, the Burragah School, Youth and Family Services (YFS), and the Logan Brothers and Sisters organisation. Marlene was appointed Indigenous Liaison Worker within Centre Education where she also worked as live-in caretaker. Her last few years were spent proudly working as the Indigenous Liaison Officer at Logan Hospital. Marlene passed away in 1995 aged 50.
“Marlene Moore was prepared to go ‘one step beyond’ because she had a vision and a dream about young people which she wanted to nourish and share”
The schools in our network: Deception Bay FLC, Hemmant FLC, Noosa FLC, and Gympie FLC. Each school strives to embody the EREAFSN principles of RESPECT, PARTICIPATION, SAFE & LEGAL, and HONESTY.
Our prime focus is to promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people under our care. We take our responsibilities for child safeguarding extremely seriously and therefore we commit to ensuring that all our school has appropriate policies and practices to make it a place that is both safe and inclusive. Central to this, is student voice and agency. Our school’s child safeguarding programs are regularly updated and checked for compliance with regulatory requirements.
Network Contacts Main Office
115 Beaconsfield Terrace, Gordon Park, QLD, 4031
Phone: (07) 3071 9015 | Fax: (07) 3367 8304 | Email: marlenemoore.accounts@ereafsn.edu.au