Big entrances. Bigger moves. Even bigger laughs.
The setting looked beautiful against the sunset, and even though most of the dresses were covered by jumpers and jackets as the temperature dropped, the students had a wonderful evening and created lots of memories.
The Year 10 Winton Semi-Formal was everything they had hoped for - and more.
Thank you to Rebeckah Brodie and the incredible committee, who have been planning this unforgettable night since Term 4, 2024.
Enjoy reading the day-to-day itinerary of the Year 10 Winton camp below - written by Peter Brookes.
WINTON SERVICE LEARNING - THE MURALS
A group of students under the guidance of Rebeckah Brodie, Olivia Wilkins and Erin Keogh have created two murals. One at Winton State School, and the other at Barty's Place. The shared design celebrates the heritage and history of the outback, the town on Winton and the long standing connection between our communities. The students worked non-stop for two days to complete the works, and in the process engaging the Year 9 students of Winton State School in painting their own mural. It has been a wonderful opportunity to see art created by these students, from two blank walls last Thursday morning to two beautiful murals by Friday afternoon.
The students have taken such pride in what they are creating, as well as the legacy they are leaving behind at both sites. And now the work of our students is on display, and no doubt there will be opportunities for future year groups to leave a similar mark.
WINTON - DAY 3 - SERVICE LEARNING
For a second day our students immersed themselves in their service learning projects in the Winton community and around Barty's Place.
Our students worked with the students of Winton State School to join in with their NAIDOC Celebration Day. Students joined classes from Kindy up to Year 12 to take part in the activities led by the school and indigenous educators. The connections made between some of our students over the two days have been wonderful to see. We have left them a supply of musical instruments that our Term 2 fundraisers paid for, as well as music programs generously donated by our Arts faculty.
Our intrepid bunch of gardeners, fresh from the amazing job they did clearing 25 bags of weeds from the famous Arno's Wall, carried on the job of preparing Barty's Place for the Semi-Formal, as well as planting some new shrubs in the travellers rest over the road from our base.
The day ended with a campfire gathering to celebrate two days of extraordinary service learning in the Winton community.
WINTON SERVICE LEARNING - THE CEMETERY
A number of our Year 10 students took on the task of clearing and caring for graves in the Winton town cemetery. It is fair to say that some were not initially inspired by this task, but they were lucky that they were accompanied by Mr Tim Grosser - A.B.'s very own bush poet! He encouraged them to read the stones and consider the stories they told about the town, the outback and the individuals. From this engagement sprung a genuine care for the space and people they were working with. The students have truly shown excellence, care and commitment to the task over the day and a half of hard work in the sun. Such was their commitment that they asked Mr Grosser if they could go back in the afternoon, and this then encouraged another 12 students to join them.
The work they did tidying and clearing the graves may possibly be the first care they have had in decades; one group spent nearly an hour searching the cemetery for pieces of a broken gravestone so they could repair the stone and 'put family names back together'. The heading image for this post is that repaired and cleaned grave that they worked so hard on. I have included some more before and after images below.
In 18 years at this College, I have always been proud of our students, but never more so than this.
WINTON - SEMI-FORMAL PREPARATIONS
Last Saturday afternoon, students have come together to set up for their Semi-Formal dinner and dance. They worked all afternoon to create a wonderful venue that will undoubtedly make for an unforgettable evening for them.
Once again, a huge thank you to Rebeckah Brodie and her semi-formal organising committee who have been planning this event since term 4 of 2024.
WINTON TRIP - DAY 6 - LONGREACH
On day 6 we packed up and said our farewells to Barty's Place. There is no doubt that the four days we spent in Winton had a significant effect on some our students and, judging by the number of people who approached staff in the street and at the cinema, a positive impact on the Winton community as well.
We have certainly left a number of locations in the town better for our presence here this year, and this legacy from 2025 will ensure that there will be many more service-learning opportunities in the town for future cohorts.
On Sunday afternoon, we arrived at Longreach Station, owned and run by Dan Walker and his family. They have a long relationship with our College, having generously hosted and entertained our students for many years. They now own a wonderful facility to accommodate our students in what to them is comparative luxury (i.e. beds).
As soon as we arrived, we had lunch and moved straight into our first activities which included; making our evening meal in camp ovens, meeting and feeding the pigs and learning how to crack a whip.
In the afternoon, we headed out to the actual station for a history lesson and the inaugural A.B. Paterson Outback Olympics.
WINTON TOUR - CAMBDEN PARK SUNSETS
Our first evening in Longreach was a visit to Cambden Park Station to enjoy some time with 'one-armed Davo'. A great character and someone who has been shearing every year for 30 years despite losing an arm in a car accident as a young man. He kept the students captivated with his combination of jokes, history, poetry and passion for the country life. Students also took part in the Outback Olympics. Unfortunately our staff were so captivated by the beauty of the outback sunsets that most of the photographs we took were of the natural beauty our students have been enjoying for the past six days.
On Monday, we had an early start, off on a river cruise in the morning, with damper for morning tea. In the afternoon we visited the Stockman's Hall of Fame for more insight to life in the bush.
WINTON DAY 7 - RIVER CRUISE & DAMPER MAKING
On Tuesday morning, students woke up refreshed after a night sleeping in an actual bed, had an early breakfast and then jumped on the buses to travel out for a morning of damper-making and a relaxing river cruise.
WINTON DAY 8 - BARCALDINE
This morning, we packed our bags and loaded them onto the bus to begin our journey back to the Gold Coast. We bade a fond farewell to our wonderful hosts, the Walker family. Once again, their generosity in hosting our students and ensuring the had a packed schedule in Longreach was greatly appreciated. They are already looking forward to the arrival of our Year 6 students in a few weeks.
From there we travelled to Barcaldine, via the Ilfracombe Heritage Mile, to meet the wonderful Cheryl. Cheryl is a passionate educator, and many students remember their experience with her under the Tree of Knowledge in 2021. Cheryl guided our students through the Australian Workers Heritage Centre, giving them a social insight into the story behind 'Waltzing Matilda' and the work of Banjo Paterson in publicising the plight of the striking shearers in Barcaldine.
We then moved to the Desert Dreaming Centre, where students got to create their own boomerang, illustrating it to tell the story of their journey over the past 8 days. Some chose to show the physical journey we have been on, some went for a more philosophical approach. Either way, all students were extremely engaged in the process. Students were also given the opportunity to write a card of gratitude or wellbeing for another member of our touring group, again this was something that many of them took considerable thought and time over.
Our time on Barcaldine will conclude with some Dream Dust Dancing and dinner. After this we board the coaches and begin our overnight drive home.
There are lots of tired students (and staff), but it has been wonderful to see this group of students come together to support, encourage and care for each other over the last week. So many students have stood out for their leadership, engagement and compassion at one point or another. It really bodes well for their progress through the next two years at the College.
This morning the students thanked our wonderful drivers and caterers from Kangeroo Bus Lines. As ever they have gone beyond their jobs to become part of the group. It says so much about their relationship with the College that two drivers deliberately changed schedules so they could take this year group to Winton for a second time.
None of this would have been possible without the constant support and encouragement of a wonderful team of staff throughout the tour. A huge thank you to Shane Barr, Lauren Brake, Rebeckah Brodie, Tim Grosser, Jayde Hartfiel, Callie Hewitt, Erin Keogh, Tom Lee, Jake Turner, Oskar Tycho, Terri Wagstaff, Maggie Brignone and Olivia Watkins for being such a proactive and positive team throughout the tour. They set the tone right from the start for students to seize the opportunities on offer to them during our tour.
HOMEWARD BOUND
We finished the tour with a night of dancing with Cheryl and will be making our way back home in the morning.
As the Gold Coast emerges as a dynamic global city, the future is not just arriving - it is being shaped by the young minds of today.
We are proud to announce A.B. Paterson College as the exclusive school partner of Future Gold Coast 2025, presented by The Gold Coast Bulletin.
This prestigious event brings together the city’s most influential leaders to shape tomorrow’s Gold Coast - and this year, our students are not just attending - they are participating, engaging, and taking their rightful place at the table where the future is designed.
We are the only school invited to stand alongside industry, government, and business as a key stakeholder - and we are sending our student leaders straight to the heart of the conversation.
Read the full story here https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/.../081f0bf9a3a31bfe...
College leaders, Nevindu Dammannagoda, Ellie Sinclair and Matilda Grant shared their vision for the Gold Coast - and it's BIG.
Alongside Principal Joanne Sheehy - the students were front and centre in the Gold Coast Bulletin this week!
Our leaders shared powerful insights on the evolution and future of our city, and will take the stage at the Future Gold Coast event this week.
Proud of these remarkable voices shapin
g tomorrow, today!
As College Captain, Nevindu Dammannagoda is not waiting for change - he is leading it.
This week, Nevindu and a select group of A.B. Paterson College students will be the only student delegates attending Future Gold Coast - the city’s premier industry event.
They will sit alongside top-tier leaders, decision-makers, and innovators - shaping real conversations about the future of our region.
Proud does not even begin to cover it.
Don’t miss his full interview with the Gold Coast Bulletin: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/.../17d10829a5618acc...
Our students sat down with the Gold Coast Bulletin and shared what the future of our city really means to them. For College Captain Ellie Sinclair, she has her sights set on a career as a psychologist on the Gold Coast.
Ellie and her peers will be taking a seat at the table on Friday 25 July at the Gold Coast Bulletin’s Future Gold Coast event, where they will get to meet with some of the Gold Coast’s most influential voices to help shape the city they will be leading in years to come.
Read the full story here https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/.../17d10829a5618acc...
What happens when a student has something powerful to say? You hand them the mic.
As Community & Wellbeing Captain and Head of our Sustainability Club, Matilda Grant is a force for change - championing eco-awareness and inspiring her peers every step of the way.
On Friday 25 July, Matilda will be one of the only students on the Gold Coast who gets to take this one step further by joining the city's most influential voices at Future Gold Coast.
Read our students full interview with the Gold Coast Bulletin here: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/.../17d10829a5618acc...
Congratulations to all the swimmers who competed at the Gold Coast Short Course Championships over the weekend!
This was, without a doubt, the most successful meet the club has ever had—highlighted by the outstanding quality of performances, a record number of competitors, and an impressive depth of talent, especially among our junior swimmers.
Our team brought home a total of 27 medals, including 15 golds—eight more than we have ever won at this event before. Even more impressively, those gold medals were spread across seven different swimmers.
We now have nine swimmers qualified for the Queensland State Short Course Championships—four more than ever before!
Liam DuFeu | Swimming Head Coach
Although this week’s excursion to St Helena Island was cancelled due to forecasted weather, we are excited to share a creative highlight from our Visual Art program instead!
This term, students have been learning about One Point Perspective, a fun and important drawing technique that helps them create the illusion of depth and space, making their artwork look more realistic. By using a single vanishing point on the horizon line, students are discovering how to make flat drawings appear three-dimensional.
In class they have been putting this into practice by sketching scenes like train tracks, roads, hallways, classrooms, and other everyday environments. These activities not only build their technical drawing skills but also help develop their attention to detail and spatial awareness.
It has been wonderful to see students gain confidence as they experiment with lines, shapes and proportions to build structured, visually engaging artwork. We have also had some great conversations about how artists use perspective to guide the viewer’s eye, create atmosphere and show space and scale.
This unit is a great example of how Art encourages both creativity and critical thinking to help students see the world in a more thoughtful, imaginative way.
Tim Collins, Kelly Harker, Kate Lewis and Zoe Truss-Michaelis | Year 4 Teachers
Our Year 2 students recently took part in a fantastic hands-on learning experience that combined their Science and Design and Technologies lessons in a fun and meaningful way.
In Science, students have been learning all about the natural and urban water cycle, discovering how water moves through our environment and why it is important to save water—especially here on the Gold Coast. To connect their learning, students were given a mock design brief in Design and Technologies: create a t-shirt that promotes the importance of water conservation.
Students followed the design process step by step. They brainstormed ideas, planned their messages, and used Canva to bring their designs to life. They carefully considered fonts, colours, images, and layout to make their message clear and eye-catching. Each student then manually transferred their design onto a real t-shirt—turning their ideas into wearable art!
To celebrate their hard work, students proudly wore their t-shirts to school and presented their designs in the Elderslie Theatre in front of members of the College leadership team. Each student had the chance to share their design and explain their water-saving message.
This exciting project brought learning to life by combining science knowledge with creative design skills. It was a full learning experience that connected knowledge, creativity, and real-world application in an engaging and memorable way.
Ashlee Lord-McMaster, Jade Lucy, Donna Symms and Georgia Smith | Year 2 Teachers
Congratulations to Catherine Sun of Year 8 who recently represented South Coast at the 13-19 State Golf Championships in Wacol. Catherine played a fantastic tournament contributing to the South Coast team’s impressive overall victory.
More recently, Catherine participated in her first international event — the Future Champions Golf Junior World Callaway Golf Tournament held in California.
Competing in the 13–14 years girls age division, she delivered an outstanding performance, finishing 22nd with scores of 72, 72, and 76, just four over par. This result is a testament to her talent, composure, and commitment to excellence.
Congratulations, Catherine, on these fantastic achievements!
Sara Eade | Head of Co-Curricular Sport
Congratulations to Charlie Price-Wigg of Year 12 who recently represented South Coast at the 16-19 State Australian Football (AFL) Championships in Cairns.
Although an ACL injury sidelined Charlie during the carnival, she played an instrumental role in supporting and coaching the team, showcasing exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment — qualities that are a true reflection of her character.
Well done Charlie on this great achievement!
Sara Eade | Head of Co-Curricular Sport
Congratulations to Louis Robertson of Year 12 who recently represented South Coast at the 13-19 State Golf Championships in Wacol.
Louis played an incredible tournament finishing third overall and has been selected to represent Queensland at the School Sport Australia National Championships in Bribe Island later this month.
Well done Louis on this outstanding achievement!
We wish you the best of luck at the National Championships.
Sara Eade | Head of Co-Curricular Sport
On Sunday 17 August there is a FUN RUN opportunity at Dreamworld Theme Park.
There will be two distances:
Link to register with discount code. Please enter AB Paterson as the 'Barcode' when requested. Feel free to email me at tmitchell@abpat.qld.edu.au if you are registering so we know who to look out for.
Make FUN RUN memories and register for our 5km Fun Run supporting LIVIN, or the 2km Junior Dash supporting Guide Dogs Queensland, where you will weave through Dreamworld and Whitewater World, and enjoy plenty of entertainment along the way! Meet your favourite characters and enjoy sensory experiences like bubbles, artificial snow and a colour smash!
Prefer to walk it, skip or hop along? That's perfectly okay!
This is a fun event that would be great for all Brumbies, Junior Brumbies and parents of Brumbies to attend.
Any questions, reach out to me at tmitchell@abpat.qld.edu.au.
Tennille Mitchell | Cross Country Coordinator
We are excited to announce that the popular Picture Book & Writing Competition is returning this year! This year's Children's Book Week theme is Book an Adventure, and we can't wait to read the epic quests, tantalising twists and turns, and amazing escapades that students and staff create.
There are four categories in the competition:
Please click on the above category for more information or pick up a flyer at either of the A.B. Paterson College libraries.
Entries are due on Monday 28 July (Week 3, Term 3). The winners will be announced during Book Week, which we celebrate in Week 10, Term 3.
Please email librarystaff@abpat.qld.edu.au if you have any questions after reading the instructions for entering on each of the flyers.
Good luck to all our authors and illustrators!
Kelly Whiteway | Head of Library Services
Attention Class of 2024 - Your First Reunion is Here!
We are so excited to welcome you back to the College for your very first reunion as Old Collegians!
Join us on Friday 1 August for a relaxed breakfast and the chance to reconnect with your classmates, hear what everyone’s been up to since graduation and enjoy a morning of memories and mateship.
We will also be handing out your 2024 College yearbook – The Banjo!
Date: Friday, 1 August 2025
Time: 7:30am – 9:00am
Venue: Matilda’s Café, A.B. Paterson College
Registrations close Friday, 25 July – RSVP now via the Community Hub:
🔗 https://communityhub.abpat.qld.edu.au/event/class-of-2024-welcome-back-catch-up
We can’t wait to see you back on campus!
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