Visit from Meisei High School  

Strengthening Our Sister School Ties

Ballarat High School was proud to welcome a group of students and staff from our sister school, Meisei High School in Asahikawa, Japan, in August. 

The visiting students were billeted with BHS families and spent time shadowing their host brothers and sisters in classes. They experienced a slice of Australian school life firsthand, from English lessons and P.E. classes to the everyday bustle of the school grounds.

To give them a taste of Ballarat beyond the classroom, we took the group to the Ballarat Wildlife Park, where kangaroos, koalas, and emus made a strong impression and to Stockland Wendouree for a bit of local shopping. The following day, we visited Sovereign Hill, which gave the Meisei students a vivid look at our gold rush history.

We finished the visit with a farewell party at school, full of laughter, music and heartfelt goodbyes. Our students performed the 'Nutbush' (a crowd favourite) and the Meisei students responded with a stirring rendition of their school song. 

As a gesture of appreciation, Principal Fields presented Meisei staff with a book on the history of Ballarat.

This visit was another reminder of the value of our long-standing sister school relationship, one that enriches the cultural understanding and global perspective of everyone involved. We look forward to continuing the exchange when BHS students travel to Japan in 2026.

Simon Coles and Hwaja Johnston

LOTE