The 17th Annual Nanga Mai Awards were presented at the Sydney Opera House on 30 November 2022.

 Among the many winners was Aunty Karen Lane, a proud Yuwaalaraay woman from the small remote community of Goodooga.  

Karen Lane has won a 2022 NSW Department of Education Nanga Mai award for her invaluable work advancing Aboriginal education.

She is known as the ‘mother away from home’ sharing her skills, attributes, and life experience to provide strong emotional and cultural support, so students can achieve their goals.

 “My family has supported me through-out my journey and I was very honoured & humbled to receive this award”. 

“I was raised in Goodooga, I had the honour of my elders sharing the culture with me. I also had the opportunity to do my schooling at Goodooga from Pre-school to year 10,” said Karen. 

Aunty Karen works as an SLSO at Goodooga Central School as well as being President of the local AECG (Aboriginal Education Consultative Group).

This dedicated and inspiring woman has spent the past 17 years providing leadership and cultural knowledge.

Aunty Karen says she has high expectations of her students and for the past six years has supported secondary student in completing Year 12, focusing on creating a pathway to further education and or employment.  

This year two young women will complete traineeships in Business Services and Education Support.

One of these women is Tylera Cochrane, a young Yuwaalaraay woman and strong role model for younger students who travelled with Karen to Sydney and received an award of her own.

  Tylerah Cocherane and Karen Lane with their awards. PHOTO: Anna Warr

“I’m very proud of my relationship with many students past and present I am involved in many organisations in my community,” Karen said. 

 “The students that finished Year 12 this year - I was there the day they commenced their first day at GCS.” 

Karen travelling away to Dubbo with the female students while they complete their block work placements.

She is now known as ‘mum away from home’ because she makes sure the girls are well looked after.

She oversees their grocery and clothing shopping and every evening she makes sure the girls have completed their work journals just like a caring mother.  

“My passion is working with children to get a good education and take the opportunities that they are given," she said.

"I also take High School students out of their comfort zone when they go to Dubbo for work placement, I’m like their mum away from home.”