Deputy Principal

NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week held this year from the 6 – 13 July, is an annual national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures. This year marks fifty years of NAIDOC Week, fifty years of honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture and resilience. 

The theme for NAIDOC Week this year is "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.” It celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of young First Nations leaders, the vision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and the legacy of their ancestors.

This year’s artwork, Ancestral Lines by Jeremy Morgan Worrall, is a visual representation of the lines and ties that follow a generation and the songs that come with it. Each person in the painting depicts a series of lines akin to songlines, that represent what they know, who they were and what they have passed on: 

• lore, hunting, protecting, and tracking; 

• care, weaving, fishing, and love; 

• the passing down of knowledge and care. 

Above them is the essence of the land they live and protect/care for. It is a depiction of the artist’s home, the cold skies of Tenterfield, with the swirling clouds and giant moon. It is around the fire that the next generation find their strength, vision and legacy. 

Through our collective efforts, we can forge a future where the stories, traditions, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are cherished and celebrated, enriching the fabric of our nation that is home to the oldest living culture in the world. Let us pray: 

Loving God, 

you gave life to all of creation and continue to nurture it. 

Bless this country and all people who live here. 

In celebrating NAIDOC Week, 

we ask you to bless all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

We thank you for their ancient wisdom and traditions 

and the cultural heritage that continues to enrich our nation. 

Help us to listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue, 

so that we can foster a society where the wisdom 

and contributions of our First Nations peoples, 

are fully valued and respected. 

Amen. 

Catholic Education Week Mass 

From 27 July – 2 August, Catholic schools in Queensland will celebrate Catholic Education Week. This annual event is held to promote the special ethos of Catholic schools and to highlight the great things that take place in Catholic schools every day.  The theme for this year’s celebration is “Communities of Faith, Hope and Love.” 

To mark Catholic Education Week, the Franciscans on the Hill - St Anthony’s School, Padua College and Mount Alvernia College – will celebrate a special Mass at Little Flower Catholic Church, 5.30pm Sunday 27 July. All families are welcome to attend this Mass. Students are required to wear their College uniform with their blazer. A hat will not be required.

There are various activities that are happening in the lead up to Sunday 27 July and soon after Saturday 2 August (the dates for CEW):

Kedron Youth Rally 

The Kedron Youth Rally for Term 3 will coincide with the Franciscans on the Hill Catholic Education Week Mass and will be held from 5.00 – 8.00pm on Sunday 27 July. Students are invited to attend both the Mass for Catholic Education Week and the Youth Rally. A light supper will be served after the Mass. 

Mini Sleepout

This year’s Mini Sleepout for students in Years 7 - 9 will be held from 3.15 - 5.30pm on Thursday 31 July. The focus of the Mini Sleepout will be the issue of homelessness. It will be facilitated by College staff and volunteers from Saint Vincent de Paul. Students who would like to participate are required to complete the registration form posted to News in MyMtA. Numbers are limited to 24 students. There is no cost to participate in the Mini Sleepout. Information and permission letters for all students who have registered will be issued to families this week.

Luminous Lantern Parade

The Luminous Lantern Parade will be held from 5.30-7.00pm on Friday 1 August. It is a celebration of the rich cultural diversity of our state and our nation. Again this year, staff and students from Mount Alvernia College, Padua College and the Islamic College of Brisbane, will walk together in the parade. Students who would like to participate are required to complete the registration form posted to News in MyMtA.

2026 Overseas Tours 

Next year to celebrate the College’s 70th Anniversary, we will be offering students currently in Years 9 and 10 (Years 10 and 11 in 2026) the opportunity to participate in two overseas tours: 

• Cambodia Service Tour with World Challenge (13 days during the September/October holidays)
• Cultural Tour (Art, History, Language) of Italy with Educational Journeys (15 days during the first few weeks of the Christmas holidays)

Next term, we will hold information nights for each of these experiences. 

The information evening for the Cultural Tour of Italy will be held from 6.00pm on Monday 4 August in the Assisi Room. Please mark this date in your calendar and register your attendance via the following link: RSVP 2026 Cultural Tour of Italy Information Evening

The Cultural Tour of Italy will include: 

• 3 nights in Venice
• 3 nights in Florence (travelling via Padua or Verona) with a day trip to Pisa
• 3 nights in Assisi (travelling via La Verna) with a day trip to Spoleto, Rieti and Greccio
• 2 nights at a farm stay in Orvieto, Umbria (travelling via Perugia)
• 4 nights in Rome with a day trip to Pompeii

The estimated cost of this tour is $8500 - $10,000 depending on numbers and the exchange rate at the time of confirmation. We do require a minimum of 15 students for this tour to proceed. Our maximum capacity for this tour is 25 students. 

Please see further information via the below flyer.

Ponytail Project 

On Friday 1 August, the College will be raising funds for the Cancer Council and people living with cancer by participating in the Ponytail Project. Over thirty students are keen to donate their hair to this worthy cause and already, they have raised over $8000. 

If you would like to support Team Mount Alvernia, you can do so via the Ponytail Project Donation page.  

Every year an estimated 4000 ponytails are needed just to make enough charitable wigs for those suffering from cancer or alopecia. One wig requires 20 ponytails and can cost thousands of dollars. Sustainable Salons collects all ponytails 20cm or longer, both coloured and uncoloured, and sends them to charitable organisations and wigmakers. Uncoloured ponytails 36cm+ are the holy grail for charitable wigs. 

Sony Foundation Camp 

Mount Alvernia College and Marist College Ashgrove will co-host the Sony Foundation Camp from Saturday 20 - Monday 22 September 2025. This three-day residential camp for children who are differently-abled, is provided at no cost to families. We have received our quota of applications from families of boys, but we would welcome more applications from families of girls. If you know any girls aged 10-16 years who may benefit from the camp, please direct their parent/carer to complete a Camper Application Form.

In addition, we are looking for sponsors to assist us in making this year’s Sony Foundation Camp even bigger and better. If you own a business or would like to support us in any way, please email sony@marash.qld.edu.au to discuss further.

If you would like to make a donation to the camp you can do so via the following donation link: Marist College Ashgrove & Mt Alvernia College Sony Foundation Camp Fundraiser 2025. All donations – great and small – will assist us to cover the costs of this year’s camp.

Donations Needed

The Rebel Yarners are a lively bunch of students who meet at breaktimes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to crochet, knit and yarn. At the moment, they have several projects on the go including making beanies and granny squares for blankets.

They need your help! 

Yarn: Our Yarners need 10 ply yarn in dark colours for the beanies and any type of colourful yarn for the blankets. 

Granny Squares: Our Yarners would welcome donations of granny squares, 15cm x 15cm in size. If you are a keen knitter or crocheter, the Yarners would be most grateful to receive your creations.