College News 

Message from the College Principal

And just like that we are all back at School!

G’day everyone, 

I hope you all had the best break and festive season,  but now we are back at school and the whole place is pumping!

We have enjoyed a great start to the new school year and it has been lovely to welcome lots of new year 7’s and in fact lots of other students at all year levels. Our school has never been bigger!! 

We have also welcomed a great team of new teachers and I’m so pleased to say that we have a full team at each campus and over the last couple of years that hasn’t always been the case. 

Of course at the start if any school year there are a few challenges and ‘hiccups’ to sort out and these things are currently being worked through but by and large Id like to thank our families, students and staff for the positive way that they have gone about engaging with  their learning as part of the Kurnai Learning Community.

We have a busy term ahead with swimming trials, athletics day and lots of excursions and camps on the go. We’ve already had the Year 7 welcome BBQs, which provide a catchup opportunity for our new families. Its been awesome to say g ’day to them.

As always, if you need help, have questions or concerns reach out and let us know, we are always here to assist where we can. 

Looking forward to the term ahead.

Anthony Rodaughan

College Principal 

College Captains

University Campus

Kurnai College University Campus College Captains Arabella Altavas and George Stevens were inducted into their roles during Kurnai College’s Awards Ceremony held in December 2025.

The Churchill Campus & Morwell Campus are currently in the process of determining their School Leaders, who will be announced in the coming weeks on Facebook and the next Campus Newsletter. 

Young Citizen of the Year

We are incredibly proud to congratulate Sage Jobling, who was recognised as Yinnar Young Citizen of the Year at the recent Australia Day Ceremony.

Sage is currently a Year 10 student at Kurnai College’s Churchill Campus and was awarded this honour in recognition of her outstanding commitment to her community. She has made a significant contribution to community sport, particularly through her involvement with the Churchill Park Run, where she is not only a regular participant but also generously volunteers her time to support this community event.

Beyond sport, Sage has demonstrated strong leadership and civic engagement as a member of the Latrobe Youth Council in 2025, where she has actively contributed to youth voice and community initiatives across the region.

Sage is also a dedicated and well-rounded student at Kurnai College. In 2025, she proudly represented the College at both Gippsland and State Cross Country events, showcasing her determination and commitment to excellence. She is a KAAP student and takes on leadership responsibilities within the school as a Peer Support Leader, supporting and mentoring younger students.

Sage’s passion, leadership, and willingness to give back to her community make her a truly deserving recipient of this award. Congratulations, Sage — we are so proud of you and look forward to seeing all that you continue to achieve! 🌟💙

Year 7 student, Nathan McLaren was also nominated by his Primary School and was a recipient of the Churchill Australia Day Awards.

Music News

Year 7 Welcome BBQ

It was a privilege to provide musical entertainment for our new Year 7 students and their families. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and warmly welcome you all to our learning community.

Learn an Instrument

Kurnai College offers students across its three campuses the opportunity to be part of a vibrant and engaging music program.

The program caters for students with mixed abilities and interests, whilst providing numerous learning and performance opportunities.

Specialist instrumental tuition is available for a variety of instruments including woodwind, brass, percussion and stringed instruments.

Learning a musical instrument can help develop a variety of skills, from improving concentration and memory to boosting creativity and self-discipline. Plus, it's a great way to make new friends and express yourself in ways words cannot.

If you’re interested in starting your musical journey or advancing your skills, please see your music teacher, contact your Campus office, or speak to the College Music Coordinator, Mr Chris Gretton to find out more information.

Chris Gretton

College Music Coordinator

Sports News

Swimming Trials

The College Swimming Trials will take place at the Gippsland Regional Aquatic Centre next Thursday 26th of February. Students who meet the required times will have the opportunity to compete in the Wellington Swimming Carnival later in Term 1.

Students interested in participating should register with their Campus Sports Coordinator. Permission forms will be available on Compass shortly, and parent consent will be required for students to attend.

College Athletics

Kurnai College will hold the Athletics Carnival on Tuesday 3rd of March, normal classes will not be running. All students are expected to attend the athletics carnival and come along dressed in their house colours. They will compete against other Kurnai College students in their age group in athletic events. Students who place in the athletic events will have the opportunity to compete against students from other schools in the Wellington finals (in July). 

Students will also have the chance to compete in fun events such as limbo, water balloon throw, three-legged race and football kick. Students who do not participate in actual events are still encouraged to attend this event and cheer their house members on. This is a great fun day that promotes engagement within the school community. A free BBQ lunch will be provided, and the kiosk at the venue will be open for students to buy food. 

Interschool Sport

With the start of a new year, students have the opportunity to represent Kurnai College in a range of interschool sporting events.

Participating in interschool sports offers more than physical activity — it helps students develop teamwork, communication, resilience, and school pride. These events also provide opportunities to connect with peers, build friendships across the college, and experience the excitement of representing their school in a positive, supportive environment.

This term, students can get involved in Cricket, Tennis, Volleyball, and Softball/Baseball.

Sign-up sheets are available in the designated area at each campus.

Here is the report from the senior students at University Campus who represented the College in the interschool cricket this week.

Senior Cricket 

On February 19, our Senior Boys and Girls cricket teams travelled to Sale to compete in a “winner stays on” format against strong opposition.

The boys faced a confident Sale College side, fresh off a convincing win against Traralgon College. Our team delivered an outstanding performance in the field, restricting Sale to just 36 runs from their 10 overs. Dom led the charge with a brilliant spell of 3/2 and took a sharp catch in the field. Jude, Liam U, Liam D and Harry all contributed with important wickets to keep the pressure on.

Opening the batting, Harry and Jack built a strong partnership to set the tone. Jack was our highest scorer, making an impressive 26 runs off just 15 balls before retiring. It was a dominant team performance that has seen the boys progress through to the Gippsland Championships in March, a fantastic achievement!

The girls took on a very strong Maffra College side, who entered the match after a convincing win over Yarram Secondary College. The girls showed great determination, posting over 30 runs, with co-captain Milee striking two impressive boundaries. In the field, the team worked tirelessly, with co-captain Alex F showcasing exceptional pace down the pitch to claim a clean bowled wicket.

A big thank you to Alex S for umpiring on the day, and to our captains Milee, Alex F and Ashton for their outstanding leadership.