From the Principal

Kinross Wolaroi School Celebrates 50 Years Since Amalgamation 

In 2025, Kinross Wolaroi School is celebrating a significant milestone: it will be half a century since the amalgamation of two of the region’s most respected educational institutions - Kinross School (formerly PLC) and Wolaroi College - forming what is today a leading independent school in Orange and the Central West.

The story of Kinross Wolaroi’s formation begins in the early 1970s, a time of change in Australian education. PLC Orange, a Presbyterian school for girls, and Wolaroi College, a Methodist school for boys, had both built strong reputations for academic excellence. However, by the early 1970s, social shifts and growing demand for co-educational models led both institutions to consider a merger.

The mid-1970s was a period of significant educational reform in Australia. With the Whitlam Government’s increased investment in education, there was a national push for inclusivity, equality, and the expansion of secondary and tertiary education. The rise of co-education was a key part of this broader shift. Co-ed schools were seen as a way to foster equality between the sexes and provide students with a more holistic educational experience. This made the idea of merging PLC Orange and Wolaroi College not only practical but visionary.

Discussions between the schools began in 1970. By 1972, both schools had separately embraced the idea of creating a unified co-educational institution and as negotiations continued, integrated classes were established. In 1973 under the leadership of its new principal, Mr David Loader, PLC became co-educational under the new name, Kinross School. In January 1975, Kinross Wolaroi School officially began operations, uniting the legacies of its founding schools and led by Principal David Loader.

The decision to merge was not without its challenges. The school operated across two campuses - Wolaroi and Kinross - while the logistics of integration, financial sustainability, and governance needed to be carefully managed. Despite these hurdles, the vision of a unified, forward-thinking school community began to take shape.

A milestone in the early years of the school’s existence was the establishment of a Senior College for Years 11 and 12, offering students a broader range of subjects and specialised learning opportunities. This model was part of a wider trend in Australian education that provided students with greater flexibility and choice in their learning, a response to both changing societal needs and increased federal funding for education. The school also prioritised significant infrastructure development, with plans to consolidate operations at the Wolaroi campus.

Kinross Wolaroi quickly became a cornerstone of education in Orange and the surrounding areas. Its commitment to academic excellence, strong community ties, and a vibrant co-curricular program helped it establish a reputation for nurturing well-rounded individuals.

As the school celebrates this anniversary, it also reflects on the visionaries, educators, and families whose efforts turned the dream of unification into reality. Today, Kinross Wolaroi remains committed to providing students with a dynamic education in a supportive, inclusive environment.

The school community is marking this special milestone with events and reunions, honouring both the school’s legacy and its future. As it looks ahead, Kinross Wolaroi remains a symbol of resilience, innovation, and unity in education - values that will continue to guide it for many more years to come.

The School has created a dedicated page on its website with details about the events of this era in the school’s history.

Did you know? Origins of the Kinross Wolaroi Name 

'KINROSS'

From 1 January 1973 PLC was to be a coeducational school, with a name change to 'The Kinross School'.  The name’s source is explained in this announcement of the formation of the new school by the School Council in ‘The Gleam’ in 1972: “The name ‘Kinross’ was chosen because it relates to our past and present. Kinross was a name suggested for PLC Orange [at its formation] in 1927 by the chairman of the Educational Trust Committee of the Presbyterian Church in NSW. The name reminds us of the Rev. Dr John Kinross who was an important Presbyterian educator and church statesman. Kinross also reminds us of our Scottish heritage in that Kinross is a county in Scotland. This change is an important step forward for PLC Orange and reminds us that tradition is a living thing.” 

John Kinross was born in Perthshire, Scotland in 1833. He studied for the ministry in Edinburgh and Berlin. He was one of a number of a number of young ministers encouraged by the Presbyterian Church of Scotland to migrate to Australia. Kinross was to become prominent in church affairs in Sydney as well as maintaining an expansive country ministry. He was a Moderator in 1863-64 and again in 1873-74, when he laid the foundation stone of St Andrew’s College at the University of Sydney – where he became principal in 1875. He retired from position of principal in 1901, continuing as Hunter-Baillie Professor in the Theological Hall until his death in 1908.

Kinross led a special committee in 1883 to consider the role of education and the church. He recognised the need for boarding schools in remote areas, a matter separate from the education strategies of the Parkes government of the era. His interest in this matter alone provides a substantial link to the story of the development of independent boarding schools in Orange.

By the end of 1973 The Kinross School had enrolments of 260 students, however only a year later it was announced that the school would amalgamate with Wolaroi College to form Kinross Wolaroi.

'WOLAROI'

The origins of the name ‘Wolaroi’ remain unclear. The School's campus is located on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri nation. Wolaroi has been noted as an alternative name and dialect of the Weraerai, an indigenous people of NSW. Their country is thought to have extended over some 11,000km on the northern side of the Gwydir River from Moree to Bingara, taking in Warialda, Inverell, Wallangra and Garah. 

In another version, the word is said to mean ‘echidna’. This is interpretation has not been verified, but it may well have been the case that the McLachlan family believed this to be so. From the Central Western Daily on 18 August 1947:

“First information of ‘Wolaroi’ where the Methodist boys’ college now stands, dates back to a remote day with the crude map of the locality had written upon it, ‘land applied for to purchase by T. Kite.’ The area was then a gum tree forest and remained so for a long time. ‘Wolaroi’ (the [indigenous] word for the echidna) was the name applied to the area by J C McLachlan, who built the mansion…” *

*https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/282011740?searchTerm=wolaroi%20mansion

Congratulations

Last Friday, we held our Annual Open Day for both our Junior and Senior Schools. These events are crucial for showcasing our school to prospective families and providing them with the chance to explore whether our school is the right fit for their children. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved for your terrific support in making this day a success.

A special thank you goes to our Prefects and House Leaders, who led the tours. Once again, I received fantastic feedback from families about how impressive our student leaders were and how they served as exemplary ambassadors for the school.

Our Round Square Service Group did a marvelous job in driving and facilitating our Worlds Greatest Shave campaign. It was wonderful to see the tremendous support of the School and our community in raising awareness and financial resources to support families and fund critical research projects to fight blood cancer. Over $32,00 raised! An amazing effort. A very special thank you to Caitlyn Milne, Ebony Inman, Gemma Blattman, Rosie Hedley and Rev. Sally for your inspiring leadership - well done!

I am also thrilled to announce that Bianca Wong and Milo Mages have been selected to participate in Ten4Ten. Ten4Ten, an outstanding program run by Regional Development Australia, offers ten carefully chosen youth leaders the unique opportunity to engage with ten community leaders for meaningful conversations and mentoring experiences. Competition for places in this prestigious program is fierce, and it’s a wonderful achievement for Bianca and Milo from Year 11 to be chosen for the 2025 program.

A huge congratulations to Phoebe Johnston in Year 10, who has been selected for the NSW All Schools Under 19 Girls Cricket Team! Phoebe is one of the youngest members of the team and will be playing in the NSW vs Queensland Masters in September—an incredible achievement!

We are also proud to announce that Laura Chudleigh, Bell Clinton, Rahni Jarick, Emily Wise, and Jane Bruce have been selected to compete in the Rowing NSW Junior Pathway Team. Well done to all these talented athletes for their hard work and dedication!

Let's continue to support and celebrate the amazing achievements of our students.