Gumbaynggirr, the language of the original inhabitants of the Coffs Coast, arrives on the Sydney academic scene today.

Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative & Many Rivers Aboriginal Language Centre, in association with the Koori Centre at the Univeristy of Sydney, are facilitating Ngaawa-Garay, a summer school which will offer one week courses in Guymbaynggirr and Gamilaraay.

Preserving Indigenous languages is an important goal for teachers at Nambucca's Muurrbay Language Centre.

However, developing effective techniques to keep the language alive is the challenge, according to Professor Stephen Neyooxet Greymorning - a Native American anthropologist and Hino'cinit man who recently visited Muurrbay.

Bridges are not only built over rivers in the Thora Valley.  At Orama
Pre-School students from as young as two-years-old have been having fun learning the local Gumbaynggirr language with language teacher, Michael Jarrett, from the Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Cultural Co-operative.