Illalong Newsletter - 13 June 2025 | A.B. Paterson College

Years 4-6 Interhouse Athletics Carnival

Following a fantastic start to the athletics season, marked by strong attendance at our early morning athletics program, the enthusiasm among the Junior School students was evident. Ready to showcase their skills, our Year 4-6 students eagerly took to the Gold Coast Performance Centre, a world-class facility that provided the perfect setting for their events. The track at the Gold Coast Performance Centre has just recently been relayed.

The students arrived at the track brimming with excitement ready and eager to run, jump, and throw, setting the stage for a day of impressive performances and spirited competition. The high standard of the venue inspired our young athletes, ensuring a day filled with notable achievements and memorable moments.

The day not only brought great house spirit but also highlighted the outstanding athletic ability of our students.

Congratulations to Dennis House for being awarded the champion house! Dennis House Captains, Lilly Hartles and Audrey Margetts accepted the trophy!

1st place Dennis
2nd place Mackellar
3rd place Wright
4th place Lawson

A special congratulations to the following students who stamped their name into the record books by breaking records on the day.

Madeline Driscoll – 9 Girls shot put and high jump
Ayami Paguti – 10 Girls long jump

Based on their overall performances on the day, students were scored on their track events and their best three field events to earn points towards individual age champions.

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded age champion recognitions.

9 Year Girls

1st place – Madeline Driscoll – Wright
2nd place – Sienna James - Dennis
3rd place – Jessica Hu - Dennis

9 Year Boys

1st place - Arta Khanizadeh - Wright
2nd place - Tomas Castano Martinez - Mackellar
3rd place – Benji Nguyen - Lawson

10 Year Girls

1st place - Ayami Paguti - Wright
2nd place – Iris Lu - Mackellar
3rd place - Eleanor Hawke - Lawson

10 Year Boys

1st place – Daniel Azzi - Mackellar
2nd place - Blake Odgers-Jewell - Wright
3rd place - Jake Hartles - Dennis

11 Year Girls

1st place - Lilyana Ozoux - Mackellar
2nd place - Soraya Leute - Dennis
3rd place - Koko Giltrap - Mackellar

11 Year Boys

1st place – Heath Kachel - Mackellar
2nd place – Will James - Dennis
3rd place – Luke Benson - Mackellar

12 Year Girls

1st place - Alexis Walmsley - Wright
2nd place – Danielle Low - Lawson
3rd place – Ivy Sun - Lawson

12 Year Boys

1st place - Mitchel Siladi - Mackellar
2nd place – Jude Higgins - Mackellar
3rd place – Jake Lowry - Dennis

We look forward to those students selected in the APS team and all the very best for their preparation.

Simon Edgar | Head of Junior School

From high-fives to high stakes! The Junior School Inter-House Athletics Carnival brought ALL the vibes-from fun games to full-throttle relays (even against the teachers! Every house brought the heat. Every student brought the spirit.

Regional Cross Country Success

Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Camp 6-7 June Gold Coast

Last weekend 25 students took part in a Bronze Duke of Edinburgh International Award camp visiting several of the Gold Coast’s top walking destinations and National Park attractions. There were 19 students completing their qualifying journey and six taking part in their first practice camp.

Three key areas scattered across the Gold Coast region were visited as part of Exploration orientated projects. Students started their Urban Adventurous Journey by hiking the hilly and challenging tracks up and around the Burleigh Head National Park. They climbed the scenic heights and from the lookouts at Tumgun and Jebbribillum were able to see far out to sea on a beautifully clear day. Despite the relatively small size of the Burleigh Park, it contains a rich variety of animals and birdlife.

Next on their busy agenda was a walk within the Federation Walk Coastal Reserve. A narrow footpath, known as Federation Walk, runs parallel to the beach, and ends at the small lighthouse at the Spit. Students firstly walked the route through the natural bush environment and returned via the coastal path along the beach where they stopped for a well-deserved rest break.

The third destination was a complete contrast to the beach environment as students headed back to the more rugged surrounds of the Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area walking along various tracks such as Wallaby Way, Koala Track and the picturesque Melaleuca Boardwalk. Many kangaroos were spotted together with fleeting glimpses of Koala’s high in the treetops.

The students were accompanied by Head of Outdoor Education, Andrew Sole, Head of Learning Enhancement, Genevieve Whittington and Mathematics Teacher, Monica Olivier.

Andrew Sole | Head of Outdoor Education

Celebrating Musical Excellence at the Queensland Youth Music Awards!

Would you like to host a Japanese student from our sister school, Honjo Higashi?

Host Family Expression of Interest - Early Access to Japan Tour Participants!

Honjo Higashi Sister School Visit: 18 – 26 July 2025

The Languages Faculty is seeking 25 families with students from Years 7-11 to host a Japanese student from our sister school, Honjo Higashi, in early Term 3 this year.

The Honjo Tour Group has 25 students ranging from 15– 8 years old. We are still seeking host families for 3 male students and 7 female students, and a family that does not have pets to host a female student.

Benefits of hosting a student in your home for the duration of the tour include:

International exchange experience that will strengthen cultural awareness
Language immersion for both host and homestay student
Develop lifelong friendships and connect with others
Learn first-hand about Japanese customs and everyday life
Personal growth in leadership skills by hosting an overseas student

If you are interested, please access the link below to fill in the application form.

Host Family Expression of Interest Form

Please also note that it is a requirement for all persons in the household over 18 years of age to have a Blue Card to be eligible to host a student. The blue card is valid for three (3) years and is free to apply for.

To apply for a Blue Card, please click on the link below and it will prompt you to provide:

Queensland Transport licence number, and
Date of birth

Blue Card Services Applicant Portal

An account number will then be generated which you will need to forward with your date of birth to: compliance@abpat.qld.edu.au

For those families who hosted last year, you will also need to provide the College with the card number and date of birth from your previous application.

If you have any questions regarding hosting a student from our sister school, Honjo Higashi, please don’t hesitate to contact our Head of Languages Faculty, Ms Cheyne Sandercoe directly by email: csandercoe@abpat.qld.edu.au

Arigatou!

Cheyne Sandercoe | Head of Languages Faculty

Honjo Higashi Visit - Official Program 2025

Basketball Structure and Pathways - Secondary School

As we move into Season Two, it is important to clarify the three distinct basketball programs available at the College. While some crossover may occur, each pathway operates independently, with unique goals and structures.

APS Basketball

APS sport is a compulsory part of College enrolment, and basketball remains a popular option during Season Two. APS Sport focuses on performing at your best, being competitive and playing in the right spirit. APS Offers more opportunities for more equal game time. From 2025, APS basketball will adopt a new structure:

Open (Years 11-12)
Intermediate (Years 9-10)
Junior (Years 7-8)

Each group will have A, B, C, and D teams, pending numbers. Students must compete within their year bracket unless selected for the Open A team. With this change in structure, Basketball training is scheduled as follows:

APS Training Times

Senior and Intermediate – Tuesday afternoons, 3:30–4:45 pm
Junior and Tier 2 Basketball – Thursday afternoons, 3:30–4:45 pm

Brumbies Basketball Club

This is a year-round community sport model, allowing students to participate in competitions beyond the APS season. Participation is optional, and students must cover all associated costs. The program is led by parent volunteers with support from paid coaches. Playing for the Brumbies does not guarantee selection in any specific APS or CBSQ teams.

CBSQ (Champion Basketball Schools Queensland)

CBSQ is Queensland's premier school basketball competition. Eligible students may play across multiple age levels but must commit to all designated training sessions in addition to APS training. For the Open A team, this includes back-to-back weekly training and essential sessions. Students unable to fully commit should not trial for CBSQ teams.

If a student plays for the Open CBSQ team and a lower year-level team, they will complete the Open A training program (court and gym) on their designated day and will join the lower team for specific team runs closer to their competition.

Additional Training Times

Sophomore (Years 7–8) and Junior Secondary Teams (Years 9–10):

Boys – Thursday mornings at 7:00 am in the Multipurpose Centre
Girls – Monday mornings at 7:00 am in the Multipurpose Centre

Open CBSQ:

Boys – Thursday mornings at 6:00 am in the Multipurpose Centre + Gym at 7:00 am
Girls – Monday mornings at 6:00 am in the Multipurpose Centre + Gym at 7:00 am

CBSQ Team Selection Guidelines

Students in lower year levels may be selected in more than one CBSQ team based on their ability and performance during trials. The needs of each team will be assessed individually. Please note that selection in a higher-level team does not guarantee selection in a lower-level team.

Students are not permitted to play down a year level; they may only be selected to play up.

If selected in the final squad for more than one team, students will be required to pay the registration fee for each team.

2025 CBSQ Trials:

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Sara Eade | Head of Co-Curricular Sport

Year 6 Bake Sale Thank You!

We would like to start by saying a huge thank you to all the students, families, and staff who supported our Year 6 Bake Sale. Whether you baked something at home, donated ingredients, gave up your time, or came along to buy a tasty treat – your help made a real difference.

Thanks to your incredible support, we are thrilled to announce that we raised $3,033.40 – an amazing total! Every cent of this money is going to Western Queensland Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc., which helps rescue and care for injured wildlife in remote parts of Queensland, especially around Winton.

This means that animals like kangaroos, birds, and other native wildlife will get the care they need – and it’s all thanks to the generosity of our school community.

But this event was also a powerful example of what leadership and teamwork can achieve. As Year 6 students, we were given the chance to lead this project – from planning and organising, baking, and running the stalls. We had to work together, listen to each other’s ideas, and solve problems as a team. And we learned a lot – not just about fundraising, but about communication, collaboration, and stepping up to a challenge.

It was inspiring to see how everyone brought their own strengths to the table – whether it was creativity in designing posters, confidence in speaking to customers, or simply being reliable and ready to help.

We are really proud of what we achieved, not just because of the money raised, but because of how we came together to do something meaningful for a great cause.

So once again – thank you! Thank you to everyone who supported us. You helped make this event an enormous success, and we are so grateful.

We hope this is just one of many ways we can show leadership and care for our wider community, now and in the future.

We are all looking forward to our Winton adventures next term and are so grateful we have been able to help Winton and surrounding areas support their local wildlife.

Tiffany Henry, Alyssa Arenson, Diane Harris & Dean West | Year 6 Teachers