What's happening in Boarding? 

Weekend Rec Activities

Pilates and Frozen Yoghurt

On Sunday 18th August, the Kambala Boarders enjoyed a refreshing outing that combined fitness and fun. The girls kicked off the afternoon with a Pilates class, where they stretched, strengthened, and centred themselves. The session was both energising and relaxing, providing a great way to unwind and focus on wellness. Some of the moves were very challenging however; all girls showed their best efforts throughout the class and there were plenty of laughs along the way. 

After the workout, everyone headed to Yo-Chi for some delicious frozen yoghurt. The girls had a fantastic time customising their froyo with a variety of toppings, making it the perfect treat after their Pilates session. It was a wonderful day of bonding, with plenty of laughter and good vibes all around.

This outing was a great reminder of the importance of balance—taking care of both body and mind, while also enjoying some sweet moments together!

Kambala Boarders’ Outing to Birkenhead Point

Last weekend, the Kambala Boarders enjoyed a fun and relaxing outing to Birkenhead Point Outlet Shopping Centre. The girls took full advantage of the variety of shops, exploring everything from fashion to accessories, and picking up some great deals along the way.

The trip was not just about shopping; it was a chance to unwind, spend time together, and enjoy a change of scenery. Whether they were browsing the latest trends, enjoying a delicious snack, or simply soaking in the lively atmosphere, the Boarders made the most of their day out.

The outing was a perfect blend of fun and relaxation, leaving everyone with big smiles and some new additions to their wardrobes!

Boarder Birthdays 

Happy birthday to all of our girls that celebrated birthdays in the past fortnight. A special big happy 18th birthday to Angie in Year 12 who was able to spend some weekend time with family before coming back to Fernbank on her actual birthday, ready to display her amazing work in the 2024 Kambala Art and Design Showcase. She should be very proud (as she looks in the photos!) as she had 3 different works on show. Angie starts her Yr 12IB Mock exams this week. We wish her all the best and commend her on how hard she works.

Lucy Yr 8 - August 17th

Angie Yr 12 - August 21st

Zanna Yr 11 - August 24th

Tivoli Afternoon Rec Activities

Heavenly Marshmallows!

The girls always enjoy the cooking activities and the marshmallow crispy treats were no exception! Each year group was in charge of a different step, whether melting the marshmallows, distributing the mixture into equal servings or decorating them with sprinkles. There was lots to go round and the girls enjoyed the finished product as a snack after Prep.

Staff Update/ Staff Profile

Staff Member Profile: Kayla Baker-Peris

Kayla is a Kambala Old Girl from the class of 2018 and has been working in Kambala Boarding for just over 12 months. As a Yalari Alumnae and the second Yalari student to go through Kambala she is a wonderful role model to all our students and knows first hand what life as a Boarder is like. She is currently studying a double degree in communications and international studies at UTS.

Kayla is an extremely active and passionate member of our team, with many community roles including sitting on the Yalari Alumni advisory board, being the Northern Territory Ambassador for “You Can Sit With Me”, a Student Ambassador for Jumbunna Institute of Research, as well as providing cultural competency training and insight in our day school. In addition to these roles, Kayla supports weekly student tutoring for Social Sciences.

With ambitions to move to Japan and work in tourism marketing after graduation, Kayla is currently learning Japanese as part of the International section of her degree. 

She loves going back home to Darwin, spending time with family on country and watching the spectacular Darwin sunsets. 

Saturday Sport

The hockey girls were soaking up the last bit of the nice weather and headed to training on Tuesday afternoon in week 5.

Others unfortunately had a few training sessions called off throughout the week due to wet weather, in particular our netball girls. Nonetheless, they were ready for their matches on Saturday. Some girls enjoyed an easy walk up to Kincoppal for their basketball match on Saturday, however a tough loss 27-24.  

Tivoli girls had a well earned rest on the Saturday morning of Week 4 with most girls having a BYE for sport.

Phoebe (Yr 12) had a very exciting basketball game in Week 4 at Sydney University. After a very even game the opposition were up by just one point in the final seconds of the game. Kambala scored just prior to the buzzer and won by one point followed by huge celebrations from the team. Mrs Andrew was there watching the game and was impressed by the effort put in by all the players. 

The Hockey girls played a challenging game in Week 5 and played in unpredictable conditions with on/off rain, despite their best efforts, the other team won the match.  Our Yr 12 girls, Audrey and Scarlett both played their last game of netball in week 5 with an amazing win 27 to 17! Well done!

There was some great success in Tivoli in Week 5 - Isabelle (Yr 7) won her Netball game. Playing both GK and GD her defensive skills were invaluable in securing the win against Reddam. Caitlyn (Yr 9) played soccer against Loreto at our local Lyne Park in Rose Bay. Whilst her team didn’t win, Caitlyn played a fantastic game scoring two goals for her team. Well done girls!

Events

Taiwanese Visitors

Our Yalari girls and Shona Goggin (Indigenous Program Coordinator) hosted a fun afternoon of sports games on the oval with Yalari students from a range of schools and our visitors from Taiwan.

“Here is a group shot of all the Heping Junior High School students from Taiwan together with some Indigenous boys from Scots and students from Ascham and KRB. The prefects were great and they all had a great time running around together. “ - Shona

In week 4, Alicia (Yr 11) accompanied the Taiwanese students, with a number of other Kambala day girl buddies, for an exciting final day out. They visited Sydney Tower and then took a ferry to Manly for an afternoon in the gorgeous sunshine. At the end of the day our international visitors left the school for the final time. Alicia was very sad to farewell her new friends, especially her buddy Karhis. They plan to stay in touch and maybe visit each other one day. 

Yalari Gala Dinner-

The girls were dressed immaculately in their full school uniforms as they headed off to the Annual Sydney Yalari Gala Dinner at the Sofitel Wentworth. The event hosts all NSW participants of the Yalari program as well as a range of sponsors, alumni and special guests. Ex students, current staff and mentors including Kayla Baker-Peris, Taleyah Hippi-Laurie, Ellie Di Biagio and Shona Goggin joined our girls for the evening. 

The dinner celebrates the achievements of Yalari’s students and alumni, whilst raising funds to support ongoing work. The evening includes inspirational speeches, entertainment, live and silent auctions, and quality food and company. With a sit down dinner, stunning performances of cultural dance and wise words from founder of Yalari Waverly Stanley, it truly is a special evening. Awards of recognition followed this, with our very own Yr 12 Head Boarder Kailani the recipient of  the coveted “Leadership Award”. Congratulations Lani! 

Our girls had the pleasure of meeting with other Yalari students from Shore, St Ignatius, Abbotsleigh and Kinross Wolaroi as well as a few students from Western Australian partner schools. Some girls also met with their individual sponsors and were able to thank them for their support. 

Yr 12 had the wonderful opportunity to showcase their hard work in Week 5 in Alexander Hall at the Art & Design Showcase. It was fabulous to see their work come alive after seeing the work in its various stages on the bedroom floor and laid out in the Boarding common rooms for so long on display for everyone to see the finished product. Many of the girl's parents travelled from overseas to see their work which was also fabulous to see.

Prep

Most of Tivoli have been enjoying their small break from assignment work and have been diligently working on study for their upcoming assessments. There has been a lot of Maths preparation in Year 9 and others have been doing some general work with English with some nice creative breaks doing their DT, Art, Music or Drama work.

Our Yr 10 and Yr 11 Fernbank girls have been focused on their upcoming Maths assessment and Commerce assignments during their prep time.

Our HSC girls have been handling their trial exams phenomenally!

They started strong with English and Maths and all reported back with happy reflection. After a few pep talks here and there, they all divided into their elective subjects with everyone getting more confident before every exam. Some girls enjoyed the early finish in the schedule and caught up on sleep whilst the end of the exam block came to a close.