YEAR 10-12 NEWS

Year 10

Students Build Futures at Geelong Site Tour

On Thursday 15th of May, a group of our students had the opportunity to take part in the Building Careers Geelong SITE TOUR, an inspiring and hands-on career exploration day focused on the building and construction industry.

The full-day event gave students exclusive access to both residential and commercial construction sites, where they witnessed active projects in progress and heard directly from professionals across a wide range of trades and occupations. From carpenters, bricklayers, and site managers to electricians and apprentices, students gained a deeper understanding of the many pathways within this thriving sector. Following the site visits, students toured The Gordon TAFE’s Building & Construction trade teaching areas, where they took part in Try-a-Trade experiences and heard from guest speakers currently working in the industry. These presentations were both informative and inspiring, offering insights into real career journeys and the steps students can take to get there.

Importantly, the event also highlighted opportunities for Work Experience (WE), Structured Workplace Learning (SWL), VET in Schools, and both School-Based and Full-Time Apprenticeships. With Victoria currently in the midst of an infrastructure boom, students learned that now is a particularly exciting time to consider a career in construction, with jobs in high demand and growing rapidly. The program was engaging, well-organized, and incredibly valuable for any student considering a trade or construction-related career. With support for transport, morning tea, and lunch provided, as well as a few prizes and giveaways, it was a rewarding experience for all who attended.

We thank Building Careers Geelong, The Gordon, and all the industry professionals who made this opportunity possible, and we look forward to supporting more students as they explore their futures in the building and construction industry.

A big shout-out to all the students who participated on the day! Your enthusiasm, curiosity, and active participation, especially during the hands-on activities, truly made the day a success. We're proud of your engagement and excited to see where your passions take you!

Student Testimonials

“Great way to cement what I would like to do in the future.” – Sam, Year 10

“Amazing Day!” – Brodie, Year 10

“It was pretty interesting.” – Riley, Year 10

Senior Years Art Enrichment Tour

Western Heights College recently partnered with Belmont High School to offer 19 of our Year 10 to 12 students an unforgettable four-day Art Enrichment Tour to Bundanon, New South Wales.

The adventure began with a flight to Sydney, where students spent a day exploring the Naala Badu building and the First Nations exhibitions at the Art Gallery of NSW. The next morning, we journeyed south by charter bus to the Bundanon Homestead, nestled on the banks of the Shoalhaven River.

Bundanon holds special significance in Australian art history. The property was once owned by renowned artists Arthur and Yvonne Boyd and was bequeathed to the Australian Federal Government to support artist residencies and art education programs. The homestead is located on the traditional lands of the Dharawal and Dhurga language groups, a place where the landscape continues to inspire creativity.

During our time at Bundanon, students learned about the rich history of the site, including a tour of Arthur Boyd’s studio. The studio, left almost untouched since Boyd’s passing in 1999, still contains his art tools, paints, and even the last piece he worked on. Our first creative workshop took place by the Shoalhaven River, where students used ink and natural materials like reed pens, wattle foliage, and even river water to create their own interpretations of ‘Arthur’s Rocks,’ a recurring subject in Boyd’s paintings.

One of the highlights of the tour was the workshop led by local Dharawal artist, Jaz Corr. Jaz shared her personal story and artistic practice, guiding students through a personal response artwork. The experience allowed each student to create a personal artwork that reflected something significant to them. Jaz also spoke about her current exhibition, Isolated Ruins – Middens and Wounds, offering students an in-depth look at her evolving work.

On Thursday, we visited the Bundanon Riversdale property, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects, as well as the Boyd Education Centre by Glenn Murcutt. After exploring the stunning architecture, students participated in a landscape painting workshop en plein air, where they practiced underpainting techniques with acrylics. The group then visited the museum to view an exhibition by Filipino artists Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan, renowned for their large-scale cardboard installations. Students contributed to the exhibition by creating their own 3D cardboard sculptures, which were added to the museum’s evolving installation.

The day ended with a photography workshop, where students experimented with low-light night photography under the stars, creating abstract images with a sense of mystery and intrigue.

On our final day, we returned to Sydney, making a special stop at Jaz Corr’s exhibition at Seven Marks Gallery to see her powerful and evolving works in person. A huge thank you to Jaz and Seven Marks Gallery for making this experience possible!

Student Reflections

The tour provided our students with invaluable creative experiences and insights. We spoke with a few Year 12 students to hear about their highlights and challenges during the trip:

Sienna: "The highlight was definitely the landscape. It was pristine and beautiful, and it gave me the chance to be truly creative. The workshop by the river, where we used natural tools and materials, was my favourite. After seeing Arthur Boyd’s studio, I felt inspired to be in the landscape he painted."

Creative challenge: "The hardest workshop for me was Jaz’s because it was difficult to weave something personal into the theme of 'seeds.'”

Biggest takeaway: "It reinforced how different every artist’s perspective is and how diverse art can be."

Tia: "The visual effects workshop by the river was amazing because I got to use ink in a completely new way with tools from the environment. It was really interesting to experiment with those materials."

Creative challenge: "The landscape painting was tough for me since it’s not my usual style of art-making."

Biggest takeaway: "I learned so much from hearing other people’s perspectives during discussions about the artworks."

Bella: "The landscape painting was definitely a highlight. Being in that beautiful environment was so inspiring, and it was a great way to express myself through art."

Creative challenge: "The 3D sculpture workshop was the hardest because I’ve never worked in that medium before. It was tough to come up with ideas and create something in such a short time."

Biggest takeaway: "I learned new techniques with acrylics and graphite that I’m now using in my Year 12 Art Making and Exhibiting folio.""I’d recommend this trip to anyone! It was life-changing. Being out of Victoria and immersed in the landscape pushed me to use different colour palettes and take risks. It’s given me valuable experience that I’m now applying to my VCE work."

Owen: "The highlight for me was the landscape painting workshop. I loved the creative freedom and the opportunity to express myself outside in nature."

Creative challenge: "The hardest part was visualizing and creating an artwork based on how I saw it in my mind."

Biggest takeaway: "It was an enjoyable and unique experience, and even though I’m not an art student, I still learned a lot about history, artists, and the work of Arthur Boyd."

A big thank you goes out to Marty West, who accompanied us on this enriching tour, and to Kirsty Zahra and the team at Belmont High School for partnering with us on this inaugural Senior Years Art Enrichment Tour. The students’ artwork will be on display at the college for everyone to enjoy.

We look forward to future creative collaborations and experiences that inspire our students to explore new artistic possibilities.

Year 11

This week the year 11s dissected a cows eye to look at the physical structures that enable us to visually perceive the world around us.

Year 12

Just a reminder that we have a big couple of weeks in VCE coming up.

Mid-year practice exams from Tuesday July 18th onwards and the GAT on July 17th for all students in year 12 (and any year 11’s doing a unit 3/4 subject). We will be holding an assembly closer to the date to ensure the students are aware of the processes and expectations around these assessments. Pass GAT’s are available online on the VCAA website.

Students should be aware that a scientific calculator can be taken into both parts of the exam, but the Ti-nspire graphics calculator is not allowed. The school has a very limited supply of these calculators, so it may be best to purchase one soon to ensure one is available.

Exams also end unit 3 classes, so more than likely we will also see an increase in SAC’s over the next couple of weeks, so I would be expecting that a little bit of anxiety and stress might start to creep in. My best advice is to set up a timetable and spread the load over several nights, not just the night before.

Also, with an increase in colds and flu in and around town, it’s a timely reminder that if a SAC is missed due to illness, a Doctor’s Certificate is required.

~ Brett Bullock, Year 12 LCL