College News, Sports & Events
WELLBEING
State Schools Relief
State Schools Relief, provide support to help ease the costs of purchasing uniform, travel passes & other related school supplies.
Students in need can receive up to 3 x $85 State School Relief vouchers per calendar year towards the cost of uniform. Please contact your relevant year level coordinator who will put in an application for your child.
Breakfast Club
Acacia Campus run Breakfast Club on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays from 8am – 8:45am. Monday & Wednesdays – Toast & cereal. Hot & cold drinks. Fruit. Fridays – Hot breakfast. Toast & cereal. Yoghurt cups. Fruit. Hot & cold drinks.
Banksia Campus runs Breakfast Club every day of the week 8:15am – 8:55am. Monday, Tuesday & Friday cereal & other items. Wednesdays – toasties. Thursdays – bacon & egg sandwiches + yogurt cups.
NO COST! Looking forward to seeing you there!
THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Rehearsals are Underway!
Over 70 students attended the first rehearsal for Keysborough College’s 2025 production of The Addam’s Family. To be performed in the first week of September 2025, staff and students attended the first after-school rehearsal, Tuesday 25th February.
The energy was high and our students are excited to develop this show over the coming months. We would like to welcome back Alumni, Cassidy Laird – Smith, who has returned to volunteer for her fourth year! The production will also feature live music this year with student musicians, who have also begun rehearsing! Please save-the-date for either 4th, 5th or 6th of September for one of the four performances scheduled at Banksia Theatre!
MATHS HELP CLUB
BANKSIA CLEAN UP DAY SUCCESS
At Keysborough College Banksia, we believe that a clean environment fosters a positive and respectful school culture. With this vision in mind, we took the initiative to organize a Clean-Up Day aimed at both improving our school grounds and encouraging students to take pride in maintaining a tidy environment. The event was not only about cleaning up but also about raising school spirit and creating a sense of responsibility among students to keep our school beautiful every day.
The Purpose Behind Clean-Up Day
Beyond just removing rubbish, we wanted to instil a lasting sense of responsibility and enthusiasm among students to keep the school clean. By making the event fun and engaging, my goal was to shift perspectives and show that taking care of our surroundings can be rewarding and enjoyable.
Clean Up Day: What was the plan?
To ensure maximum participation, we introduced competitive and interactive events, all bolstered and advertised through our posters. The main attraction was a competition where students were challenged to pick up as much rubbish as possible. The top three students who collected the most trash were rewarded with free canteen vouchers—a great incentive that motivated many to get involved. Additionally, Mr Wood and the House leaders organized a drink can-throwing activity; Students had the chance to throw empty drink cans into their respective house bins, with each successful throw earning them a free soda. This event added an exciting element to the day, providing the house leaders an opportunity to raise spirits within their respective houses and aimed to spread awareness about the 10c recycling of cans and drinks that can be done through these house bins.
A Successful Day of Cleaning
The results of Clean-Up Day exceeded expectations! Students enthusiastically took part in both the clean-up competition and the trash-throwing challenge, making it a memorable event for everyone. By the end of the day, we had collected around eight big bags of rubbish. The drink can-throwing activity also saw a wide range of students joining in, enjoying the opportunity to compete and win prizes while reinforcing the importance of recycling and proper waste disposal.
We are incredibly proud of the engagement of both activities and hope this pride in our school environment continues within our students!
Moving Forward
With the success of Clean-Up Day, we hope this initiative inspires students and staff to continue prioritizing cleanliness and sustainability. Keeping our school clean is a collective effort, and I encourage everyone to remain mindful of their waste habits and take small actions every day to contribute to a cleaner environment.
A huge thank you to the friends (particularly Bunthong Khang, who expressed effort and assistance from the beginning of the event), student leaders and teachers who have helped organise and keep the event running smoothly.
Written by Ken Ho
Year12 Banksia Environmental Leader
LUNCHTIME FUN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DAY AT ACACIA
On March 3rd, students of all year levels gathered in front of the STEM building for a special lunchtime event celebrating Environmental Day, organized by the Year 12 Leadership Team.
The event featured a variety of engaging and creative activities, including mindful colouring, word searches, DIY pin-making, and rock painting, all designed to promote environmental awareness in a fun and relaxing way.
The rock painting station was a huge hit with many students creating multiple colourful designs! Many also enjoyed creating unique, DIY pins to wear and share. The mindful coloring area provided a peaceful space for students to unwind, while the word search challenge tested their knowledge of environmental terms and sustainability practices.
The event not only encouraged creativity and mindfulness but also highlighted the importance of caring for the environment in our everyday life. A big thank you to all who participated! We hope you had fun and got to take some Environmental Day souvenirs home!
Kim Ngo
Year 12 Acacia Environmental captain
ELC AT MORDIALLOC BEACH
Today I went to Mordialloc Beach with my entire ELC class alongside Mrs Ip and Miss Sullivan. Initially, I didn’t really like the idea of going to the beach because I hate sand and the hot sun but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
The ride there was quite hot so it was a big relief when the moment I got off the bus I could feel a cool breeze. At the beach, we walked along the pier and some of the boys skimmed rocks.
We enjoyed an ice cream on the foreshore. When we returned to the classroom, we wrote a diary entry for our EAL lesson about our first visit to Mordialloc Beach.
Meng Chou Ly
UNIT 1 DRAMA EXCURSION
On Wednesday the 12th of March, our 10 Unit 1/2 Drama students from the Acacia Campus, made the journey to Theatre Works in St Kilda to see an amateur production of Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters”. First performed in 1901, the performance tells the story follows the lives of four siblings, following the death of their father. Irina is hopeful and idealistic, Masha is stuck in a loveless marriage, Olga has accepted a life of responsibility and duty and their brother Andrei’s poor choices sends the family into financial ruin.
For many of the students, this was their first experience of live theatre, and it was fantastic to see the how engaged all the students were for the entire day. The train trip home consisted of many deep and thought-provoking discussions around the play, with all of the students sharing different ways in which the play had positively impacted them! The students consistently displayed all of the schools RED values throughout the entire day, and the engagement and joy they all took out of the experience was amazing to see.
Pi DAY & HOUSE ACTIVITES AT ACACIA CAMPUS
By Mouy Soung Ly
On the 14th of March, we celebrated Pi Day with a variety of fun and engaging activities that highlighted the importance of numeracy. Numbers aren’t just limited to maths - they’re everywhere, from art and sports to business and daily life. Students took part in exciting events such as the pi recital contest, number soccer, paint by number, and Kahoot quizzes, earning prizes and house points along the way.
One of the highlights of Pi Day was number soccer, held in the gym. Students across all year levels took part, with each player assigned a number upon entering. When their number was called, they rushed onto the court to compete in a fast-paced match, aiming to score for their team. The energy was high, with plenty of students both playing and cheering from the sidelines. In the end, the Pink Team claimed victory over the Green Team in an exciting final match. Meanwhile, in a more relaxed setting, the paint by number activity offered a creative way to engage with numeracy. Students brought their artwork to life, proving that numbers can be just as colourful as they are logical. As for our pi recital contest, Kevin Lorr from Poseidon and Sophia Teng from Artemis managed to recite 76 digits earning them 76 house points. Many students enthusiastically participated in the activities to celebrate numeracy and earn some house points!
Thank you to all who participated and a special thank you to Ms.Vieusseux who made us Pi Day earrings and badges!
AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY NETWORK
Over two sessions on 4 and 11 March, Year 10 girls from both campuses attended the ABCN (Australian Business Community Network) Focus Female Leadership Program at the Commonwealth Bank in Docklands.
The initiative addresses the under-representation of women in senior roles in Australia. It is designed to support young women to develop their leadership skills, aspire to lead in business and the community, and foster a sense of self-belief that will encourage them to aim high. Focus involves female students working in small groups with female employees who act as role models and mentors. The two fully facilitated sessions include an introduction to leadership attributes, gaining an awareness of strengths and creating a leadership picture.
The program was extremely successful with very positive feedback from the participants, and even more positive feedback from the mentors at the Commonwealth Bank and the ABCN facilitator Kate Craigie. Kate emailed the school to say:
“the group of young women who joined me on the program were just the most lovely group of students I have ever worked with. The mentors were just as impressed as can be seen in some of their comments below, however I have to add that after the session, two mentors approached me to say that they had never met such smart, caring and fun young people before and because of them, they were definitely going to sign up to do more ABCN programs”
ABCN works with schools from all over Victoria and runs dozens and dozens of programs every year. To hear this from them is an outstanding achievement. Congratulations to all the girls for such an amazing achievement and representing the school so well.
Acacia students:
Arona Ing
Liv Y Pung
Sophia Marquina
Kuenyang Dodeng
Asala Mahboub
Easter Leau
Hannah Fonoia
Roseim Keat
Mia D’Afflitto
Aster Yem
Banksia students:
Emily Chhor
Jessica Kamoh
Dana Sidawi
Souy Ung
Jelena Chhoung
Samira Abdul Rahim
Mellina Atageldieva
Sonya Armand
STUDENT VOICE RECAP FOR TERM 1
The end of term 1 is a great time to look back and highlight the events we’ve had and reflect on the memories we’ve made together as a school community.
Year 7s were welcomed into Keysborough College with a whole day of House games hosted by our House Captains which was a great way of encouraging students to get to know each other through teamwork and friendly competition.
The next event is one of the biggest events of the year, Valentine’s Day, the time to embrace all forms of love and admiration. The leaders coordinated school wide lunchtime activities and through the bake sale and roses we were able to donate all the earnings to the Australian Heart Foundation. We raised over $1,600 as a college, so thank you to everyone who contributed!
Pi Day, held on March 14th, was a new event for our school, dedicated to celebrating and appreciating numeracy. It was organised by Mr Kirk and the House Leaders who collaborated together on activities that connected us to numeracy via fun activities.
In week 7, we wrapped up our Harmony Week celebrations, everyone got to dress up in their cultural clothing and joined in on events, dancing and activities organised by a collaboration of the VCE-VM classes, Wellbeing team and some of the student leaders. It was another one of our biggest school events so I hope you were able to enjoy something in that week and were able to make really good memories with your friends.
In week 9, year level captains attended a conference in the city that brings schools across Victoria together to learn more about leadership development. It was a good opportunity to network with students from other schools, share ideas, and gain tips and insight from experienced leaders.
If you have feedback, questions or suggestions for future events, I encourage you to speak to any of your captains. Your voice at school matters and we want to make sure it’s heard.
On behalf of the SRC and Executive team, and as your student voice captain, I would like to thank everyone, students and staff, who have given their participation and support towards the events we’ve been given the opportunity to coordinate. We are incredibly grateful for your involvement, and are enthusiastic about keeping up the momentum with even more fun events ahead.
Jessica Tran
Banksia Student Voice Captain
Term 1 has been packed with events and celebrations that kick started our year with energy and fun, and I’d like to recap on what the SRC team have completed.
Immediately after term 1 commenced, we had our first event to begin planning for, which was Valentine’s Day! Being the biggest school event of the year and happening in week 2, we found ourselves busy with preparations right away. On the morning of Valentine’s Day, SRC were working tirelessly to organise, package and label each individual rose to be sent out for delivery. By the time we had finished organising over 200 rose orders, room A305 smelled like the Royal Botanical Garden, and although quite the mess was made, with no doubt it was incredibly fun! In periods 3 and 4, roses were sent out for delivery and the lunchtime celebrations followed shortly after. Tug of war was an intense watch and I enjoyed MC’ing the matches, especially teacher’s vs students! In the end, our college successfully raised over $1600 which went towards the Heart Foundation! This is an amazing effort from our school and I wanted to thank everyone for contributing to the day!
Following this, on the 3rd of March was Environmental Day. The purpose of Enviro Day was to learn and spread awareness about keeping our environment clean and to take action towards a healthy planet. We held activities in front of the STEM building such as pebble painting, pin making and colouring. Alongside this, students also participated in a school clean up. It was lovely to see students making a contribution to keeping our school a clean space and we should all continue to actively promote a clean environment.
Next, on the 14th of the 3rd, we had Pi Day! Although you may not enjoy mathematics, you can still have fun with numbers in different ways! Pi Day was full of numeracy-based activities, such as paint by numbers, number soccer and a digits of Pi reciting contest. The record for most digits of pi recited was 77 digits! Well done to all students who participated in the contest!
Finally, our most recent whole school celebration was Harmony Week!
Congratulations to the VCE-VM students for doing an amazing job at running this event. I hope that Harmony week was a great experience for all of you to learn about the different cultures of our community!
Lastly, I wanted to give everyone my encouragement to speak to your fellow leaders about your thoughts, opinions and ideas on how we can make improvements to school events and our learning space. Your captains are there with open ears to hear you out on your ideas, so please don’t be afraid to approach one of us for a conversation! Your voice matters and we are sure to take your ideas into account.
Kylie Chung
Acacia Student Voice Captain
CELEBRATING CULTURE AND CREATIVITY ON HARMONY DAY
Harmony Day was a vibrant and memorable event for our international students, with most proudly wearing their cultural attire for the free dress day. The school was filled with stunning traditional outfits, showcasing the diversity and heritage of our community. One of the highlights of the day was the paper fan decorating activity, hosted by the International Student Captain, Sika.
The activity was a huge success, drawing in a large crowd of students, and even some teachers, who eagerly embraced the chance to express their artistic talents. It was wonderful to see everyone come together, celebrating culture through creativity and connection.
The International student community at Banksia Campus had an amazing time celebrating Harmony Week. Everyone worked together showcasing their artistic skills, decorating their fans or tote bags, using colour pencils and paints. Even with all the cultural differences, the students worked together in laughter happily sharing their stories and jokes exhibiting the real point of Harmony Week.
With all the workload building up during term 1, this event was a perfect break from study for the students to relax and reconnect with others from all levels. It was a fun way to mark getting close to the end of Term 1, before the workload that is about to hit us again in term 2.
So T Neath SIM
International Student Captain - Banksia Campus
END OF TERM MESSAGE FROM OUR CAMPUS CAPTAINS
This term has been filled with incredible moments, from the fun activities of Valentine’s Day to the vibrant spirit of Harmony Week and the excitement of Pi Day! Each event has reminded us of the strong sense of community within our school, and it’s been amazing to see everyone come together.
With the term reports released, this is the time for reflection. These should help us become the best students we can be - Use your reports as a guide, not a definition of your capabilities. Growth comes from learning, adapting, and persevering. You should all be incredibly proud of your achievements thus far!
Year 12’s, congratulations! We’ve made it through the first term - The workload can feel overwhelming at times. But remember, we’re all in this together. Continue to lean on your peers, seek support when needed, and remind yourself why you started this journey. Stay focused on your goals while also making the most of the moments that make Year 12 special.
As we head into the holidays, balance is key. While it’s important to stay on top of revision and prepare for the challenges ahead, don’t forget to take time to recharge. Rest is just as vital as study. Find time for things that bring you joy, whether that’s spending time with family and friends, exercising, or simply relaxing.
A quote to reflect on: "Believe you can and you're halfway there." – Theodore Roosevelt. Confidence in yourself and your abilities is the first step toward achieving your goals. With the right mindset, you’re already on the path to success.
Enjoy your break, make the most of your time, and come back ready for Term 2 with a fresh mindset and renewed energy.
Acacia Campus Captains
Christina Wright & Harrison Brice
END OF TERM ADDRESS FROM ACACIA YEAR 11 CAPTAINS
As we reach the end of Term 1, it’s incredible to reflect on how far we’ve come. This term has been filled with challenges, achievements, and moments that have shaped us both academically and personally. From adjusting to the demands of VCE to balancing school with other commitments.
To our fellow peers, now that the reports are out, consider your progress. Your results are about growth, not just grades. Use the feedback to recognise your strengths and identify areas for improvement. Be proud of your progress no matter what.
Holidays are a time to relax and rejuvenate for the coming term. Take time to relax, but also leave some space to glance back at your work so that when you return, you'll feel ready and confident for Term 2.
Just remember, "Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." Collier, Robert.
Enjoy the break, and come back ready for another great term!
Acacia Campus Year 11 Captains
Mahira Nazari & Royce Hina
BANKSIA CAMPUS SPORTS UPDATE
It’s been a fast and successful start to the Interschool Sport year at the Banksia Campus.
So far, we have had our Senior, Intermediate and Year 8 Sport teams compete at the Dandenong and District level, with 5 teams qualifying for the regional finals, with our Volleyball teams being the big winners.
VOLLEYBALL
4 of our 6 Volleyball teams won their competitions and now move on to the regional finals early next term.
Our Senior Girls Volleyball team won against the Acacia Campus in a nail-biting contest, winning the final by one solitary point after time ran out, with both teams locked at one set all. The Senior Boys qualified for the finals, but lost to the eventual winner Noble Park in the final.
Year 8 Girls Volleyball
History repeated itself in the Intermediate Girls final, again versus Acacia. After Acacia won the first set 20-18, the second set was stopped due to time with Banksia leading 15-12, meaning once again, our girls progressed with a 1 point advantage. While it is good to win, it was a really heart-breaking way to do it. Our Intermediate Boys cruised through their pool games against Sirius College, Noble Park and Lyndale before winning their semi-final against Carwatha in straight sets. The final, unsurprisingly against the Acacia Campus, was always going to be a tough encounter but some nerves from the other side of the net saw the Banksia team race out to a 20-9 first set win. The second set was always going to be closer but the Banksia Boys team closed it out 20-16.
Year 8 Boys Volleyball
The Year 8 Boys competition was, believe it or not, the closest competition. In the round Robin format, both Keysborough teams tied in sets and points when they played each other, and in the overall competition, both teams won and lost the same amount of sets. That meant the overall winner was determined by total points won over the day, which was fittingly, the Acacia campus.
Years 9-10 Boys Volleyball
The Year 8 Girls competition also saw the 2 Keysborough teams battle it out in a round robin format, where the winner would likely be determined when they faced off together in round 4. With both teams a little nervous, it was the Banksia girls who started the faster, winning the first set 20-12. The Acacia girls fought back strongly and the Banksia girls, feeling the pressure of being behind for the first time, succumbed 16-20. In a tense third set, the Acacia girls started well to lead 9-6 before the Banksia girls struck back to level up the score 9-9. With the buzzer about to go, the Banksia girls won the next point to lead the set 10-9, and win the match overall on points.
It's incredible that Keysborough Acacia and Banksia have dominated the Volleyball competitions over the past 5 years, a testament to the commitment of the staff involved and the students for their desire to improve. Last year, 5 of our teams went to State Finals. For a non-academy school, we do pretty well. All matches this year between Acacia and Banksia have been incredibly close and competitive, demonstrating that the line between winning and losing is extremely fine. Sometimes it goes your way, other times it doesn’t. It has been really pleasing to see that the Keysborough students, although competitive, have been fully supportive of each other, win or lose.
All winning teams from Banksia and Acacia will play in the regional finals early in Term 2.
TENNIS
We had 3 Tennis teams compete this term - a Year 7 Boys team, a Year 8 Boys team and a Year 8 Girls team. Our Year 8 Girls team won through after defeating all of the schools in their competition and will now play Regional finals in September.
REGIONAL SWIMMING
For the first time at Banksia, we had multiple students qualify for the Southern Metropolitan regional Swimming championships that were held at The Oakleigh Pool in Week 9. Three students swam in individual events and we had 2 x U15 Boys relay teams.
Banksia Regional Finals Swim Team
The results were;
Aaron Tran - U14 Boys 50m Freestyle – 5th
Hirthvica Dinesh - U14 Girls 50m Backstroke – 7th
Gou Tananka - U12-20 Boys 100m Breaststroke – 5th
U14 Boys 50m Breaststroke – Silver medal
U12-20 Boys 100m Butterfly – 6th
U12-16 Boys 200m Individual Medley – Bronze medal
James Lawson, Aaron Tran, Gou Tanaka and Pak Kanjanahoti - U15 Boys 4 x 50m Freestyle – 7th.
James Lawson, Aaron Tran, Gou Tanaka and Pak Kanjanahoti - U15 Boys 4 x 50m Medley relay – 6th
Gou’s Silver and Bronze medal are the first swimming medals won at the Banksia Campus. Amazing!
LIBRARY NEWS
Reading Challenges
Keysborough College Libraries are running The Reading Challenge, in which students simply have to read fifteen chapter books (sorry, no Graphic novels or Manga) by the 1st of November, recording them as they go, in order to receive a mystery prize!
The Libraries also run the Wider Reading Program. As students explore the wonders of a variety of different genres – fantasy, biography, poetry, romance, and many more, students fill out a Wider Reading Bingo sheet, available from their nearest library. Graphic novels and manga ARE included in this one! Each square that is completed receives a stamp (and the student gets to chat with the librarian about what they have read) and 5 stamps gets a canteen voucher!! Fill out the whole sheet and receive a mega mystery prize!
Meditation Monday and Whisper Wednesdays
Monday lunchtimes have become Meditation Mondays at Acacia Junior Library, during which students are invited to listen to some peaceful and relaxing music, whilst mindfully colouring, or just using the library space as a place to relax and rest, before heading off, rejuvenated, to their final lesson for the day.Whisper Wednesday is for students who are looking for a quiet place to study or relax quietly over their lunch break on Wednesdays, knowing that it's half way to the week being over!!
Joke of the Week
To lighten things up during the serious business of study sessions, senior students can now enjoy a hilarious Joke of the Week! Library staff would love to hear YOUR jokes, too!
Literacy Night
Our dedicated Literacy Learning Specialist, Ms Solbee Yoon, has organised a very exciting LITERACY NIGHT for the families of students of both campuses. On Tuesday, 13th May, from 6-7pm, at Banksia Theatre. A famous author in attendance, insights on how to foster the very important love of reading in your children, and much more! Register now – first 50 families to do so will receive a free book!
Stay tuned for more amazing library news – next edition!
VISIT TO MELBOURNE ZOO
Today I went to the Melbourne Zoo with my wonderful ELC Classmates and our teachers, Mrs Ip and Mr J. I was so happy when I heard we are going to the zoo, I couldn’t sleep all night due to the excitement experiencing new stuff. Traveling to the zoo was not great because it takes an hour on the train to get to the zoo so it was so long and boring. After we got the zoo, I can barely hold my horses and the weather was great not too cold not too hot.
At the zoo, we walked around and saw the animals’ enclosures and we had a pleasant time with friends. I wanted to see my favourite animal the Quokka but it is a nocturnal animal so we weren’t able to see it. After a little while we got lunch at the lunch area I didn’t know we couldn’t fed the birds and I fed them until I saw the sign not to feed them. We went exploring around the zoo for a while and made jokes with classmates along the way.
After we finish visiting, we took the train back I had a great experience at the zoo and I am pretty sure everyone is tired after all the exploring at the zoo.
By Kun Leang
BADMINTON PROGRAM
The school was pleased to welcome Dandenong Council Youth Services to run a lunchtime badminton program recently. The program was aimed at our junior students in Years 7 – 9 and ran for four weeks on Wednesday lunchtimes. The aim of the program was to get students active during lunchtime and build positive social relationships. On that score it absolutely succeeded! The gym was packed for every session with over 70 students enjoying the opportunity to get some exercise and have fun with friends. While there Dandenong Council Youth Services were able to talk to students and let them know about the range of programs and support they offer for young people, including their huge range of holiday activities for young people for the upcoming school holidays. We’re hopeful, given the success of this event, that they will be able to come back later in the year and run another lunchtime sport activity.
HARMONY DAY
Harmony Day at Keysborough College was celebrated on Monday March 17 th. It was organized by the Year 12 Vocational Major students. This event requires a lot of planning and the success of the day is testament to the students working together and their hard work.
The message being promoted was ‘Everyone Belongs’ and its annual observance aimed to encourage inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural background.
The students had an extended lunchtime on the day so everyone could enjoy the BBQ, food and drink stalls. The highlight was the cultural dress parade and cultural dance displays which was a spectacle of colour and joy.
There were also other activities held during the week including a photo booth, quizzes and a special performance by the Year 8 school band.
The Year 12 VM students also were raising money for the nominated charity which was the State Schools Relief fund. The amount of $663.47 was raised and helps support students and families in need.
Keysborough College students should be proud of the way they demonstrated our expected school RED values and supported this special event.
Year 12 VM students, Mr Tobin & Mrs Riley
YEAR 11 VOCATIONAL MAJOR LITERACY EXCURSION
During Term 1, our Year 11 VM Literacy classes went on the train to the City for their first excursion for the year.
Three venues were visited on rotation, the Immigration Museum, Sandridge Bridge (which links the North and South banks of the Yarra River) and ACMI (The Centre for Moving Images in Federation Square).
At the Immigration Museum the students learned that apart from being a very historical building once called Customs House, it displayed Australia’s rich immigration history. On the first floor ‘Waves of Migration’, the students learned about why and how people have migrated to Australia, the challenges and the positives of living in Australia. The students learnt through audio visual and interactive displays, immigrant stories, their memories, cultures and how our immigrants contribute to Australian society. On the second floor ‘Identity’, the students looked at the idea of Identity and belonging through an exploration of what it means to be part of a culturally diverse society.
The Sandridge Bridge is also part of our history and was a link in the early days for our immigrants who arrived by boat and had to go to get their passports processed at Customs House. By walking on the bridge, the students got to see all of the countries our migrants have come from and the diversity of modern Victoria.
At ACMI the students got to immerse themselves in the displays and look at all of the exhibits
Post this excursion, the students have put their literacy skills to practice writing reflections, recounts and journal writing based on the themes of belonging and identity.
Having these immersive experiences and excursions are important to help our students become more informed, educated and respectful members of the community.
Mrs Riley
2025 CHINESE FILM EXCURSION TO CHINATOWN CINEMA
On the 26th of March 2025, 57 students from both Acacia and Banksia campus undertaking Chinese subject in Year 9, 10 and 11 went on an exciting excursion to Chinatown Cinema at the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. We watched the film Nezha 2, a 3D Chinese fantasy film showcasing the continuation of Neha’s journey since the previous film back in 2019. Arriving at Flinders Street station by train, we were thrilled to watch the film and the exciting day ahead in the city.
In Ne Zha 2, the story picks up after the dramatic events of the first film, where Ne Zha and Ao Bing’s physical bodies were destroyed. Their spirits, on the verge of fading away, are rescued by their mentor, Taiyi Zhenren, who attempts to reconstruct them using the Sacred Lotus, an artifact capable of restoring life. However, while Ne Zha is successfully reborn, Ao Bing’s restoration fails, leaving his soul without a physical form. To survive, Ao Bing’s spirit merges with Ne Zha’s body, forcing them to share one existence. Meanwhile, Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea and Ao Bing’s father, is consumed by grief and rage, believing his son is dead at Ne Zha’s hands. Seeking vengeance, he unleashes an army of dragons and imprisoned sea creatures upon Ne Zha’s hometown, causing widespread destruction. Desperate to restore Ao Bing’s body before their temporary fusion becomes permanent, the two embark on a dangerous journey to obtain a mythical elixir that can rejuvenate the Sacred Lotus. Their quest leads them to the enigmatic Immortal Wuliang, who tasks them with completing three perilous trials. As they near their goal, they uncover a deeper conspiracy - Ao Guang’s assault was manipulated by celestial forces that seek to eliminate both dragons and Ne Zha’s rebellious spirit to maintain order. This revelation sets the stage for a climactic battle, where Ne Zha and Ao Bing must unite their powers to challenge the heavens themselves. With the fate of their people and their own existence on the line, Ne Zha is forced to make the ultimate decision: to restore Ao Bing or sacrifice their last chance for the greater good. Ne Zha 2 builds upon the themes of the first film, exploring the struggle against destiny, the power of friendship, and the burden of choice, all while delivering breathtaking action, stunning animation, and an emotionally charged story that cements its place as a landmark in Chinese mythology-based cinema.
During the film, many students and teachers teared up at a scene where Ne Zha’s mother has to sacrifice herself to not be an obstacle for Ne Zha and Ao Bing’s upcoming battle leading to Ne Zha transforming to his real form. That scene also highlights to us howAfter the film, we roamed through the lively streets of the city for some delightful and tasty lunch break, before we making our way back to Noble Park station. In just one day, we experienced what might be the best movie some of us have ever seen, and escaped reality to Ne Zha's journey. Every party must come to an end, and at the end of the day, we felt extremely grateful for an absolutely amazing experience we have had at the Chinese film excursion on the 26th of March 2025.
Written by Harry Nguyen & Edited by Ms Wang