Senior School 

House Leadership: Service, Belonging and Contribution

At our Week 4 Assembly, we look forward to congratulating our newly appointed House Officers, who will begin their service to ‘House’ this term.

Leadership at Kambala takes many forms, and House Officers provide an avenue for students who have expressed an interest in contributing to the leadership of their House.

Working under the guidance and mentorship of our House Prefects, our newly appointed House Officers for 2026/7 will have the opportunity to contribute to the life of their House in practical and meaningful ways. Their role is centred on supporting House activities, encouraging participation and helping to foster a positive sense of connection and belonging among students. 

We look forward to seeing our House Officers grow in confidence, responsibility and service as they work alongside our House Prefects throughout the term.

GURNEY

Prefects: Raquel Chen, Hania Skimin

House Officers: Cleo Derwin, Olivia Gill, Jessica Hudson, Saskia Munro

HAWTHORNE 

Prefects: Margot Hindmarsh, Coco Sweeney

House Officers: Savanna Destro, Isabelle Lo, Charlotte Merity, Elka Mortimer 

ROSEBY 

Prefects: Jaimie Humphrey, Savanna Kirkwood

House Officers: Amiya Boot Walsberger, Hannah Heimans, Iris Liu, Charlotte McLennan

WENTWORTH

Prefects: Kalia Finau, Sarah Tay

House Officers: Aria Calabro, Samantha Cheung, Olive McNeill, Alina Meers

Ms Samantha Gooch

Deputy Principal - Pastoral Care

Sisterhood Snaps

Over the past few weeks, I have been fortunate to write references for some of our Year 12 students as they begin to consider life beyond the school gates. What a privilege to be able to share how amazing the students within our community are. During this process, it has made me reflect on how working in girls’ education for the past 18 years is something I am enormously passionate and proud of. At Kambala our Philosophy of Dispositional Learning is designed with girls in mind and invites students to seek to understand themselves, crafting their own story, being curious in their self-authorship. 

Writing the Year 12 references and sharing the amazing achievements of our students made me curious to consider my own ‘story’ and ask, ‘why is working in girls’ education important to me?’ Beyond the well documented research, a key reason is sisterhood. At its heart, sisterhood offers a rare kind of belonging, this I am fortunate to see in action every day. In the small moments such as peers volunteering to welcome each other to Chapel, shouts and cheers of encouragement on the sporting fields, enjoying a quiet conversation in a corner, an excitable joke in the canteen line, happy birthday squeals from fellow teens or waiting for a peer by their locker. 

These everyday moments of connection weave the fabric of trust in relationships. Noticing these requires our attention. In the busyness of the term, I am grateful that in ticking off one of the items on my ‘to-do’ list, it provided me with the opportunity to consider my own story and reflect upon the small moments that strengthen sisterhood at Kambala. Unlike big celebrations that require weeks of planning, small moments of reflection are around us every day and simply require our attention and have the power to ground and refocus us.

Julie Laytham

Head of Student Life

IGSA Archdale Debating

During terms 2 and 3 our Year 7–11 debating teams have been proudly representing Kambala in the Independent Girls’ Schools Association (IGSA) Archdale debating Competition, with 40 girls engaging in weekly Tuesday evening debates against Independent Girls’ Schools across Sydney. 

A special congratulations to six of our eight teams who progressed to the elimination round and will debate in the Quarter finals of the competition this week. Well done to 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B, Year 9 and Year 10. 

Ms Barlow would also like to acknowledge the commitment of all our debaters, who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and support for one another during the competition. Wishing all the remaining teams the best of luck in the Quarter Finals. 

2026 IGSA Finalists Teams

7A: Samantha, Lee, Karina Wu, Lynette Xiong, Catherine Wang and Alexa Wells

7B: Lily Austin, Charlotte Chen, Ruby Lin, Kylie Huang and Sophia Zhang 

8A: Harriet Dyer, Araminta Dusseldorp, Asha Gunalingham, Erykah Skimin and Yaira Shen,

8B: Helen Le, Felicity Wang, Annie Liang, Amelia Gow and Sabrina Zhang

Year 9: Clara Khoury, Mary Kotronakis, Saskia Munro, Hannah Heimans and Arabella Cochineas. 

Year 10: Isabel Mi, Ellie-Rose Heinmans, Ivy Hammerton, Chloe Lambert and Mingyui Wu

Strings and Orchestral Evening

In late June, the Strings and Orchestral Evening was held in the Alexander Hall. A wide variety of orchestras with students from Years 1-12 performed challenging pieces from a wide variety of styles, including Dulcie Holland Orchestra playing the musical hit, Defying Gravity by Stephen Schwartz, the Junior String Quartet playing The Entertainer by Scott Joplin and the combined item, with all students from every ensemble, playing Tico Tico no Fubá by Zequinha de Abreu. 

The evening was an amazing opportunity to see the outstanding growth of the orchestras through many different levels, and the incredible performances were a testament to all the hard work the students have put into perfecting their pieces. Congratulations to all the performers, and a massive thank you to the conductors, music tutors and music department staff for helping create such an incredible night!

Emily Carman

Year 9

Choral Gala

On Tuesday the 28th of June, Kambala held the annual Choral Gala in the Alexander Hall. The performance involved 226 dedicated Kambala choristers ranging from Year 3 to Year 12. Particular highlights were I Bought Me a Cat, a fun traditional American tune performed by the Year 3-4 choir, and Basin Street Blues, a jazzy number inspired by the red-light jazz district of the same name, performed by the Senior Chamber Choir. Other performances ranged from the Madrigals’ 17th-century How Merrily We Live, all the way up to the Contemporary Vocal Ensembles’ rendition of Photograph by Ed Sheeran. 

The final item of the night was What a Wonderful World, arranged by Louise Mitchell, combining all 7 ensembles from across the school and featuring solos from our Year 12 chamber choir students. All students have been dedicated to their rehearsals, and their hard work paid off. Special thanks go to our incredible accompanist Heinz Schweers, our choral directors Mrs Muston and Ms Grace, and of course the wonderful Mrs Mitchell. 

Ella Ephron - Year 10

Music Committee

Leadership in Action: Shadowing Mayor Dixson (Kambala Alumni )

On August 3rd and 4th, Kambala Year 10 students Olivia Dan and Georgie Doyle completed a highly successful two-day leadership placement at Woollahra Municipal Council. The highlight was shadowing Mayor Sarah Dixson, Kambala Alumni leading local government-during a busy morning and evening of council meetings and executive decisions. 

Day two shifted focus to corporate strategy, where Olivia and Georgie interviewed key leaders in Finance, Law, Digital Transformation, and HR. They will be producing a professional executive report summarising their findings. Bridging the gap between school and the boardroom, the experience provided invaluable executive mentorship for future careers in law, business, engineering, marketing and public service.

“I found the experience very rewarding, particularly the final Q&A session that we had with Mayor Dixson. Overall, the experience gave Georgie and I an amazing insight into all of the work that they do at Woollahra council.” Olivia Dan

"Spending time at the council was an amazing opportunity - and a special thanks to Mr Pettit for organising the experience! I felt particularly inspired by the female leadership and the collaboration that goes on between so many people, working together to achieve the best outcomes for our community. Olivia and I also both enjoyed meeting with managers of different areas of council - I was lucky enough to learn more about the council's role in looking after the natural environment, passing development applications and keeping all of the residents informed. A highlight was our visit onsite to the new Youth Recreation Area at Rushcutters Bay, and we can't wait to see it once opened in October. “ Georgie Doyle

Ian Pettit

Future Pathway Advisor

Work Experience - HMAS Kuttabul Royal Australian Naval Base - Garden Island

In the first week of the most recent holidays, I had the privilege of working for Thales at the HMAS Kuttabul Royal Australian Naval Base, on Garden Island, becoming fully immersed in the mechanical and electrical fields of industrial trade, offering a level of hands-on involvement rarely given to students. 

For the first two days, I worked inside one of the naval weaponry workshops, adopting the detail‑driven lifestyle of a mechanic. I assisted in preparing core components used in naval artillery and was taught highly specialised skills such as lock wiring and using precision measuring instruments. I was trusted to work independently on parts, always supervised, but genuinely responsible, which strengthened my resilience, problem solving, and confidence in my technical abilities. Unlike many schoolwork experiences where students simply observe, I was encouraged to actively participate. I studied diagrams, built components myself, and contributed meaningfully to the workshop’s workflow. 

On day three, I moved to the electrical side of operations, working inside the main powerhouse that supplies energy across Garden Island. I was taught fundamental electrical skills and had meaningful conversations with engineers and technicians about their work and career pathways. I was taken on a tour of the island and through the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre, which is now closed to the public due to strict security. One of the most striking exhibits was a preserved section of the Japanese midget submarine involved in the 1942 attack on Garden Island. After the tour, I assisted with taking oil samples from all the generators to send to the lab for analysis. These tests check for dissolved gases, moisture, and other contaminants to ensure the generators 

run safely and efficiently. 

On my final two days, I worked alongside the electricians in the offices, focusing on fibre‑optic cabling and circuit board work. I soldered a miniature functioning traffic‑light system and learned how fibre optics are used in defence technology for their 

immunity to electronic jamming, high data capacity, and secure communication capabilities. On the last day, Thales held a breakfast BBQ to celebrate the achievements of staff across the base. I had the chance to meet senior engineers, long‑time 

employees, and apprentices. It was especially encouraging to meet female apprentices and technicians; they were generous with advice and genuinely inspiring to speak with. During my final hours, after much persistence due to strict security protocols, I was graciously allowed aboard HMAS Canberra, and was shown around by my supervisor and two Naval officers. It was really interesting to see how all the projects of the many 

warehouses on the island come together with passion, precision, and teamwork to build such complex vessels. 

Annabel Rowney

Year 11

Kambala Census 2026

Please read the following attachment from the Department of Eductaion regarding Kambala's Census collection for 2026.