Diocesan News

Students as Authors Writing Competition

Last week we launched the 2026 Students As Authors Writing Competition with our Diocese librarians. Please promote this wonderful opportunity to celebrate creative writing with your school communities.

You can find the publications for last year’s winning entries on SORA:

• My Sister The Snoring Dinosaur. By Charlotte Hammond - St. Mary's Armidale
• Boris the Bruise: Tale of Jealousy and Adventure. By Jessica Hammond - St. Patrick's Walcha
• The Case of The Killed Kookaburra. By Elsie Walshe - St. Mary's Gunnedah
• The Thread Between Us. By Eva Maloney - McCarthy Catholic College Tamworth

Entries close April 17th.

Vocational Education and Training (VET)- Tiny Homes Project- O’Connor Catholic College

The Tiny House Program was developed by RIEP to strengthen connections between schools and local industry. At O'Connor Catholic College, the Tiny House Project will be delivered as a targeted Stage 5 engagement initiative.

As part of the project, a fully functional “tiny home” on wheels will be designed and constructed with trade professionals involved at every stage, from planning and construction to interior fit-out, marketing, and ultimately auctioning the completed home.

A large number of local businesses, parents, and alumni have already expressed interest in supporting the school throughout this journey. The program aims to provide students with valuable opportunities to connect with local tradespeople, gain meaningful work experience, and explore employment pathways, including School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs) or full apprenticeships.

The school has successfully secured $50,000 in State Government funding through the Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP) initiative. This funding will support the first year of the project, with proceeds from the public auction helping to establish the program as a sustainable legacy initiative for years to come.

A huge congratulations to Rachael Galvin, VET Coordinator at O'Connor Catholic College, for her dedication and commitment to bringing this project to life. Rachael’s tireless efforts have been instrumental in securing the funding and launching this exciting initiative.

We look forward to following Rachael, her team, and the broader O'Connor Catholic College community as they embark on this innovative and inspiring journey.