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"Every opportunity you miss, leads you towards something better."

Tiana Koehrer joined Yarra in Year 7, only a few weeks after the devastating Black Saturday bushfires swept through Victoria.

鈥淛oining Yarra at that time was important for me 鈥� it was a defining moment. I arrived on my own but I ended up meeting a wide range of people and personalities. Everyone knew everyone in my year level and I鈥檓 still good friends with my Year 7 group.鈥�

Tiana remembers Year 7 camp being moved due to the bushfires and later the excitement of the Debutante Ball. She also remembers teachers who had an impact on her because of their unbridled passion for their subjects.
鈥淏eing in philosophy classes with Mr Manning opened my eyes to the world. There were many interesting debates.鈥�

Tiana is a proud Yorta Yorta and Wurundjeri woman and since leaving school and studying Public Relations, she鈥檚 used her communication and organisational skills to work within Aboriginal communities.

鈥淚 resonate with my Aboriginal culture and heritage. My grandmother is a Wurundjeri elder who is heavily involved in the justice system and I鈥檓 grateful that my family have documented our history and connections,鈥� she says.

Tiana works in the treaty process with organisations and the state government. The end aim is to navigate agreements with Aboriginal traditional land owners on issues that can include water rights, reparation and language revival.

鈥淚t is a big step for Victorian Aboriginal people and it is a complex process but Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people can benefit, share and learn about our culture, language and experiences,鈥� says Tiana.
Yarra鈥檚 motto remains firm inspiration for her, years after leaving the school.

鈥淭o me it means seeing beyond the horizon, rather than just looking at what is in front of you. It鈥檚 about keeping moving ahead and I carry that with me.

I also remember going to see the counsellor at Yarra to talk about careers, because I felt anxious 鈥揑 didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do then. He said 鈥榤aybe the career you want to do doesn鈥檛 exist yet, so make up your own.鈥� That was one of the most important pieces of advice I鈥檝e received.鈥�