Vale Ben Austin

It is with great sadness that Waverley Meadows Primary School announce the passing of one of our young alumni students and 2020 school captain, Ben Austin. 

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Austin family during this difficult time and send all our love to the entire Austin Family. 

Our thoughts are also with Ben’s teammates, in particular those involved, his extended family, friends and schoolmates at the Rowville Sports Academy where he was in year 11. 

Ben was a kind, respectful, popular and much-loved student here at WMPS. He embraced the value “nothing but your best” and was a brave risk taker. He recently completed Work Experience in 2024 and was a pleasure to welcome back. 

Our community have lost a truly great young person who was developing into a fine young adult - a true testament to his parents and brothers - and his loss will be felt by our school for many years to come. 

We will keep our community informed of funeral arrangements and how we can support Ben's family and friends in these difficult days ahead. 

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Please note: 

We are offering support for students through our wellbeing team and student support services. 

If your child has had an experience of bereavement, they may have questions over the next few days or may share their thoughts or questions with you.    

Maintaining routine is important for children affected and the school will make every effort to support students who are distressed. If you are concerned that your child is not coping well, please let us know.    

We ask that you be guided by your child’s needs. If they are obviously distressed, we encourage you to listen to them and provide comfort and reassurance where possible.   

If you feel your child needs more assistance than you can provide, don’t hesitate to seek further help and a referral from a health professional such as your GP.     

Additional support is available through:    

·                Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800 or kidshelpline.com.au   

·                The Raising Children Network: https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/connecting-communicating/tough-topics/death-how-to-talk-about-it    

·                The mental health and wellbeing toolkit: https://www.vic.gov.au/parents-mental-health-toolkit     

Rest In Peace Ben 💙