Not long ago, the Gamilaraay language was close to disappearing. Spoken for thousands of years across north-western New South Wales, it survived only through the memories of a small number of Elders. Many people feared it would be lost completely. That story has changed — and it’s changing inside a classroom at Coonabarabran High School. In the early 2000s, there were estimates that only a few dozen people still remembered how to speak Gamilaraay. By 2025, Year 7 students at the school are confidently learning and using the language again. It’s not treated as a novelty, but as a real system of meaning and structure. The program is led by Indigenous language teacher Craig Ashby, who returned to regional NSW after teaching in city schools. His goal was simple but ambitious: bring serious language learning back to Country and trust students to meet the challenge. Rather than simplifying lessons, students are introduced to real linguistic frameworks — grammar, sentence structure, and sound patterns. Lessons feel like solving puzzles, and students have responded with enthusiasm and pride. School principal Duncan Graham says students rise when expectations are high. The work they’re doing would not be out of place at university level, yet teenagers are embracing it because it connects intellect with identity. Students are also discovering how many everyday Australian words come from Gamilaraay, such as galah, brolga, and budgerigar. Realising this helps them see that Aboriginal languages have always shaped Australian life, even when they weren’t acknowledged. For Indigenous Education teacher Alison Stanton, the program is deeply personal. She traces her lineage to Mary Jane Cain, also known as Queenie Cain, a respected community leader who recorded Gamilaraay words in the late 1800s. Those records now help bring the language back to life. Each lesson spoken in Gamilaraay represents continuity, resilience, and pride. What was once close to silence is being spoken again.