News from SMC 

Celebrating heritage through convent art 

During Term 1, the College's Year 7 Art classes spent time sketching the historic St Mary's College convent and Cathedral buildings, capturing the architectural beauty of these landmarks. These sketches formed the foundation for a collaborative Public Art project designed to enhance the school grounds.

Back in the art room, students learnt how to reinterpret their drawings in clay. They experimented with viewpoints, cropping their imagery and selecting specific details. Using slab-building techniques, texture scratching and indenting methods, each student crafted a relief sculpture based on their design. 

The final artwork is now displayed on an exterior wall near the Reflection Garden for students, staff and visitors to enjoy. They are well worth a look next time you are at the College.

First Nations voices shine with the TSO 

On Thursday 19 June, our First Nations students from Years 5 to 8 were invited to the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra's (TSO's) school performance of Australia: One Land, Many Stories. 

Our students opened the event with a Welcome to Country, taught to students by Palawa artist Dewayne Everettsmith. Their performance, guided by Junior Music Teacher Mary Heferen-Faulkner, set a powerful tone for the concert and was a true highlight of the day.

The students represented our school with pride and cultural integrity, demonstrating courage and leadership in front of an audience of more than 850 students from across Tasmania. Their voices and presence honoured Country and connected us all to the land and stories that unite us.

After the performance, the students were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the TSO by Learning and Community Projects Manager, Jack Machin. They had the opportunity to meet the conductor for the day, Aaron Wyatt, and were also warmly welcomed by two inspiring St Mary’s College alumni: TSO Brand Manager, Frances Darcey (Class of 2010) and CEO, Caroline Sharpen (Class of 1991), who made a special visit backstage to meet the girls. 

We are incredibly proud of these students, not only for their powerful performance, but for the way they stepped into this moment with humility, confidence and care. They embodied the spirit of storytelling, and shared pride in place.

Warm hearts, generous spirits: Supporting the Vinnies Winter Appeal

In the spirit of warmth and generosity, the St Mary's College community rallied together to support those facing hardship this winter through our annual Winter Appeal for the St Vincent de Paul Society. 

On Wednesday 25 June, students and staffed donned their cosiest pyjamas, Oodies and Ugg boots for Winter Woolies Day, raising awareness and funds while also donating dozens of blankets, beanies, scarves, gloves and warm clothing.

The highlight of the week was our Vinnies Quiz Night on Friday evening, where students, families, staff and friends came together for an evening of fun, trivia and social justice. Held in the Mary Morgan Wing, the night was a huge success, filled with laughter, spirited competition and a powerful sense of community. Our special guest speaker, Louise Wilson, Southern Regional President of Vinnies, reminded us why this cause matters so deeply, especially in winter, when the need is greatest.

A heartfelt thank you goes to our incredible SMC Cares student team, who coordinated every detail of the night, from collecting silent auction donations to running the kiosk and making sure everything ran smoothly on the night.

Thanks also to our generous local sponsors, who donated a stunning array of silent auction items, including cruises, yoga memberships, beauty products, wine and framed Tasmanian photography.

Whilst we don’t have the final tally just yet, early estimates indicate more than $2,000 for the Vinnies Winter Appeal – a wonderful reflection of our community’s compassion and commitment to social justice.

Thank you to everyone who supported this important cause.

Back-to-back success at the Junior Ethics Olympiad

We are delighted to announce that our Year 6 Ethics Olympiad team has once again achieved outstanding success, securing gold at the 2025 Junior Ethics Olympiad. This marks the second consecutive year that our students have earned top honours in this prestigious international competition. 

This year’s event brought together schools from across Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Remarkably, our Year 6 team were the only representatives from Tasmania, making their achievement all the more commendable.

Since Term 1, the students have been diligently preparing for the Olympiad, engaging with complex ethical issues and refining their skills in critical thinking, collaboration and respectful discourse. One of the team’s most thought-provoking cases involved a debate on the use of tracking software on school computers, weighing the importance of student safety against the right to privacy.

The Ethics Olympiad provides a valuable platform for young learners to explore moral reasoning and ethical decision-making in a structured and intellectually stimulating environment. Our students demonstrated exceptional insight, maturity and teamwork throughout the competition. 

Congratulations to the team on their outstanding achievement, and sincere thanks to Mrs Jenny Noble for her dedicated coaching and support throughout their journey. 

Pictured, from left, Year 6 students Mia Wanandy, Harper Bowerman, Lottie Zabel, Emily Yan and Sylvie Gundry.

Work experience 

This term, our Year 10 students have been out on work placements across a wide range of industries. These snapshots highlight just a few of the diverse settings where they’ve been gaining hands-on experience. 

Pictured, L–R: Cara on an excursion with Year 2 students during her work placement in the SMC Junior School; Addison and Alice enjoying work experience at St John's Catholic School in Richmond; Amy showcasing her green thumb at Harmony Garden Centre; and Ayzia, who is passionate about working with children, completing her placement at Little Bee Early Years Learning and Childhood Centre.

College life in pictures | Term 1–2 highlights