Farewell Class of 2025!

Farewell Class of 2025!

Year 12,

It has been a privilege to walk alongside you since your early years of Senior School. I still remember arriving in Year 8, seeing you all full of energy, curiosity and possibility (and that was just my Junior B netball team!). From those first days, I knew you were a group with a spark. Over the years, I’ve watched you grow in confidence, in resilience, and in your ability to look out for each other.

Some of my fondest memories with you are of the journeys we have shared together. In Year 9, we explored Canberra and Sydney together on Rites of Passage, learning about the responsibilities of being part of something bigger than ourselves in a world outside the Burradoo Bubble, lighting up the cities with our noise and adventures, learning about good decision making too! In Year 10, so many of you took on challenges that pushed you beyond your comfort zone—whether trekking through the mountains of Nepal, or serving in communities far from home. Those experiences showed me your courage, your heart, and your willingness to step into the unknown.

Now, as you move through your final year, I encourage you to keep drawing on all those lessons. Life will keep giving you opportunities to test yourself, to discover more of who you are, and to share that with the world.

My advice to you is this: live out loud. Take up space. Be unafraid of standing tall in who you are and who you want to become. And most importantly, never let anyone into your world who makes it smaller—through their words, their doubts, or their control. This is your life, your story. Write it boldly.

With pride and belief in you all, good luck!

Ms Whiteley, Director of Students 7-12

Graduating Student Profile – Violet F

Graduating Student Profile – Violet F

This month, Ruby C (Year 9) sat down with graduating Oxley Prefect Violet F.

When did you begin your educational journey as a student at Oxley?

In 2020, I started as a Year 7 student after completing K-6 at Bowral Public.

What would be the highlights of your schooling at Oxley?

The Duke of Edinburgh has truly been the best part of my Oxley experience. When I tell people I have my Gold, they always seem surprised, and honestly, I am too. The person I was when I came to Oxley never would have gotten that award, but hiking in torrential rain, heat waves, through blisters, freeze-dried food, gale force winds and horrendous flus, I realised I was so much more than the labels I’d assigned to myself at 12 or 13. I wasn’t just my grades, or my achievements, or even what people thought of me, and that really changed my life.

Looking back what piece of advice would you give your Year 9 self?

This is super cheesy, but stick with me. Sometimes, it will get dark, suffocating, and feel like it’s hard to breathe. Don’t be scared. That’s what being planted feels like.

Every challenge, set back, low point, or heartbreak is just the precursor to growth, and growing pains are very, very real, but also very, very worth it. Life has a funny way of making the worst parts feel worth it, I promise.

What would your favourite subject be at Oxley and why?

I honestly couldn’t pick. I have a policy of saying every subject is my favourite subject, just in case the HSC gods are listening so they don’t smite me (but also because I firmly believe in having a growth mindset).

I really think it’s not a question of the subject itself, but your teacher, and you. It’s all about how you two work together and how much work you’re willing to put in.

The ‘Spoken Word’ plays a significant role in your educational journey at Oxley, what is a memorable highlight for you?

Winning the State Championships was huge. Something people don’t realise is that I’d lost three beforehand, so that medal meant so much more than success to me.

Sure, it was validating to win – and I do love prize money – but truly, it was so rewarding to know that I’d grown. I’d learned. I’d taken every punch to the gut, every almost-but-not-quite, every setback and every heartbreak and I’d made it into something positive.

I’d wanted to win state since I was six years old, and the feeling when they finally called my name after 11 years of hard work meant the world. 

What teachers have left an everlasting impression on you and why?

So, so many people. Ms McGuiness is genuinely one of the funniest people I know, Mr Brett is incredibly sweet and Mr Cadwallader has seen me through everything and is always up for a deep chat. Mr Verco will always do the accents and has genuinely marked at least 50 of my practice papers for modern in the past year (when you get to the senior years, you’ll realise how insane that is). Mr Clewett has always supported me – I’m not kidding, he once bought an entire Gumnut chocolate mud cake because I made my first (and last) successful shot in basketball in the final game – and Ms McVean is the absolute best for balancing making sure my grades are ok and that I’m ok. Mr and Mrs Simpson are genuinely two of the nicest, most talented people I know. Mr Lee still looks over my English work for me even though he hasn’t taught me in years and Ms Pascoe made me love English again. Mrs Patterson is one of the coolest, most fashionable people there is and cooked some of the best meals of my life on Outback, and lest we forget Mr Bevan, who almost made me like science. Almost.

Dr Mulford, in his brief tenure as interim head master, also made a significant impact on my life. His kindness, humility, grace and sense of humour have always stuck with me. Mr Cunich, for casting me as a lead in a school play and always chatting to me when he sees me around. Mr Dibdin, for seeing me at the lowest points of my life and the highest, and for smiling knowingly when I lose it about how stupid it is to hike in the rain, knowing I’d thank him later and call it one of the most rewarding experiences of my life in a Pin Oak article. Maturing is realising Mr Dibdin loves Duke of Ed for a reason.

Also, a shout out to Sue who calls me ‘lovely girl’ every time she sees me. That makes my day. I’ll miss you Sue.

I’m grateful to each and every one of them.

What would your favourite excursion memory be?

Outback is truly the best thing you can do at Oxley. If anyone is even considering not going, I beg of you to reconsider.

From stargazing in the middle of horse racing tracks, cooking gourmet curries on red dirt, sleeping under ground in Coober Pedy, trekking around Uluru, to long, hot, bus rides spent learning how to play every card game under the sun, Outback let me understand Oxley, my year, my teachers, and myself.

Also, my life hack for you if you like reading, is bring a kindle and a solar-powered charging bank. There is a lot of time on the bus. I read my way through 12 books by the time outback was done. So much fun. 

And do not buy the Big W cutlery sets. Don’t do it. Bring metal cutlery. And spare cutlery. Also, always shower if there’s a good shower, eat your fruit and veggies, and make sure you stock up on snacks when you get the chance.

Going forward, what are your plans for next year after finishing your journey at Oxley?

The goal is to travel around Europe for a bit before I head home and buckle down for a dual degree in law and arts. With that, I’ll hope to become a barrister. So I’m not saying commit a crime, but if you do, and then you wait 10 years until I have my degree and I’m practising, I’m your girl.

Murder by mushroom: the Erin Patterson case

Murder by mushroom: the Erin Patterson case

This case captured the attention of the entire world, the infamous mushroom killer, Erin Patterson. Reporters from across the globe have flocked to cover her marathon murder trial, crowds line up each day for a seat in court, and thousands dissect every detail of the case online. But the real question is why did Patterson do this, was it just a cruel revenge plan on her ex-husband’s family or an accidental poisoning?

Past co-workers of Patterson from her previous jobs such as animal management for the RSPCA and more recently being an air traffic controller, have described her as “a little bit strange” and “aggressive at times”. This also included statements from the small air traffic controller crew such as “We always joked and supported each other, she was never part of that,”.

Then in 2007, Patterson received a $2 million inheritance from her late grandmother and “this is when things started to change” according to her ex-husband Simon Patterson, whom she separated from in 2017. During this period, Patterson’s relationships with Simon’s family became strained and tense, exacerbated by her rants to online friends about “deadbeat” Simon and his “lost cause” family.

In 2022, Simon and Erin started having disagreements over finances, child support, schools and properties, worsening their already strained relationship and leading Erin to miss more and more family events as her rants on Facebook continued.

On 29 July 2023, the middle-aged mother of two, hosted a lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria. The meal served was Beef Wellington containing a mushroom paste. Evidence showed it was laced with death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides), which are highly poisonous. The attendees included her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and a relative, Heather Wilkinson, along with Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson. Don Patterson, Gail Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson died as a result of the poisoning. Ian Wilkinson survived but was seriously ill and required hospitalisation.

Patterson was charged in November 2023 with three counts of murder and several counts of attempted murder when a Sunbeam food dehydrator owned by her was found dumped at an e-waste station. Forensic tests on residue trays showed death cap toxins. Patterson initially denied ownership of the dehydrator, claiming the mushrooms used came from an Asian grocer and that she didn’t intend for harm. Additionally, phone data, messages, and other digital evidence showed that Patterson travelled to mushroom-growth areas in May 2023, only a couple of weeks before the lunch. She also posted information about dehydrating mushrooms and how she would incorporate them into different foods multiple times before the triple murder on the website iNaturalist.

Patterson’s trial started in April 2025, in Latrobe Valley Supreme Court, presided by Justice Christopher Beale. Patterson maintained her innocence, saying the toxic death cap mushrooms in the dish she prepared were accidentally added and that she never intended to harm her relatives.

The trial lasted 11 weeks where, on 7 July 2025, a jury found Patterson guilty of murdering Don and Gail Patterson and Simon’s aunt, Heather Wilkinson. The jury also convicted Patterson of attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson.

On 8 September 2025, Justice Beale sentenced Patterson to three life sentences for the murders and 25 years for the attempted murder of Mr Wilkinson, setting a non-parole period of 33 years.

After the hearing, the survivor, Ian Wilkinson, stood before the swarm of media outside the Supreme Court to thank Victoria Police for their “professional, efficient and effective investigation” into the deadly lunch. The prosecution was unable to uncover an adequate motive for Patterson’s murders, so we really don’t know why she decided to do this, and maybe we never will.

Lucy A, Year 11

Staff Spotlight: Mrs Bernadette Norton, Senior Science Teacher

Staff Spotlight: Mrs Bernadette Norton, Senior Science Teacher

This month, Ruby C (Year 9) sat down with the legendary Oxley institution herself, Mrs Bernadette Norton.

How long have you been teaching at Oxley?

8 years at the end of this year – I started in January of 2018.

What inspired you to become a Science teacher?

For 20 years I worked as a microbiologist in infectious diseases and biotechnology, then one day one of my colleagues told me that he had just switched careers to teaching. I thought, “What? Are you completely mad?” Long story short – here I am.

What do you believe fosters problem solving and critical thinking in Science?

You can’t do either of these if you have not delved deeply enough into the content. Do not believe this nonsense that we no longer need content, that we just need skills. When you dig into the content, that is when the interesting questions arise and the conflicts in thinking that you have to resolve. Of course, this usually leads to more questions!

What area of Science do you specialise in?

My background is medical microbiology and biotechnology applications so the HSC subject that best aligns is Biology – it’s great, I just love it because it is so integral to our health and it’s rapidly evolving. Kids these days learn all about DNA and bioengineering processes that I didn’t encounter until Uni. What will be taught in classrooms in 2050?

What do you think is a remarkable scientific discovery of our day?                       

In recent years, the mRNA vaccine for Covid-19. We have it to thank for saving millions of lives and saving world economies from collapse. The result of many years of collaborative research and the great minds and persistence of many scientists.

Why is Science such a crucial and important subject for students at Oxley?

Students at Oxley are citizens of the world. To live responsibly and meaningfully in our world we must be grounded in reality. Science directs us to think logically and base our understanding on justified knowledge and not opinion and feelings. Science is based on valid experimentation and evidence, and I think it essential that we train our students how to do this or at the very least recognise when an opinion being thrown around as factual has not formed from such rigorous investigation.

At Oxley, what opportunities does Science offer to students?

Very often Year 7 Science is the first real experience of formal science for our students. From there we build on their knowledge, understanding and skills so that they will be well equipped to specialise in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Environmental Science and Extension Science in Years 11 and 12. We have a high proportion of our students study one, two or even three sciences for the HSC, and so many students from Oxley go on to study a field of Science at Uni – so the Oxley Science teachers must be doing something right.

When it comes to teaching Science, what are you most passionate about and proud of?

It is so satisfying for me when students tell me that they have decided to go into science at Uni. I love that because I know they have caught the bug! Good on them – we need more scientists and good thinkers to solve many problems and many future ones. I know too, that they will never have a dull moment.

OxLit: Get your creative writing in the Pin Oak!

OxLit: Get your creative writing in the Pin Oak!

Each month, we’ll feature a new prompt to get your creative juices flowing.

Send your completed pieces to the Editor before October 24, 2026.

Prompt: Write a short story (400-500 words) based on a song of your choice. Incorporate lines or motifs from the song, and make the song title the title of your story. 

Featured work: Sonoma Raceway

Round and round and round,
A multicoloured haze.
Round and round and round,
Arranged like dominoes.

Round and round and round,
Eye-catching spectacle,
Round and round and round,
One great cacophony.

Until      –      one domino 
Turns on the rest           –          out 
Of sync           – 
Screeches

Off the track    –
The well-oiled mechanism
No longer
In control                                – 

The crowd crescendos, 
As the dominoes fall. 
But the rest go on,
In circles and circles.

Round and round and round,
Burnt rubber in the air,
Round and round and round,
‘Til one wins, fair and square. 

Justification

My poem, ‘Sonoma Raceway,’ explores how circumstances can quickly go out of control, yet life continues even in the face of disaster. To demonstrate this, I wrote about my personal experience of seeing a car go off the track at the Sonoma Raceway in California. Through the experimentation with conventional and unconventional rhythm and structure, as well as figurative language, I represented the patterns and disruptions that can occur in the place of a racetrack.

 I employed both structured and unstructured verse to reflect the predictable, repetitive and unpredictable, chaotic nature of a car race. Stanzas one, two, four and five are all structured as quatrains, each alternating between pentasyllabic and hexasyllabic lines, to mirror the circular movement of the cars around the track: “Round and round and round / One great cacophony.” Whereas I made my form look chaotic in the stanza three, using em-dashes and fragmentation to disrupt this rhythm, describing how one car goes “out / Of sync – Screeches / Off the track.” By making my own rhythm go out of sync, I imitate the way a car that goes off track alters the synchronised rhythm of a race. Therefore, I mirrored the duality of my chosen place through my form.

Furthermore, I developed the simile and metaphor of dominoes to create a clear visual image of the orderly performance of the cars being in sync. In my first stanza, I used a simile to describe how the cars were “Arranged like dominoes,” which reflects the meticulous, careful arrangement of the cars. This early simile evolves into a metaphor, as I describe how “one domino / Turns on / The rest,” which demonstrates how the race morphs into a chaotic mess. This was influenced by Mackellar’s figurative language, as she uses personification and metaphors to present Australia as a “sunburnt” and “opal-hearted country.” Hence, through my figurative language, I was further able to juxtapose the calm and chaotic atmosphere of racetracks.

Thus, my poem, ‘Sonoma Raceway’, uses its structure and its figurative devices to show how raceways – just like life itself – can rapidly change in the blink of an eye, shifting between stability and instability.

Amber M, Year 7

What’s new with the Empowerment Group

What’s new with the Empowerment Group

This term the Empowerment Group has worked hard on raising awareness about domestic violence and the impact it has on many. After seeing that May is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we made the decision to focus on the topic this term since we believe that continuous awareness-raising is necessary, not only for a single month but all year long. Unfortunately, domestic violence is a serious issue in Australia and globally. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, around 41% of Australians aged 18 and over have experienced violence since the age of 15. Of these, about 27% of women and 12% of men have experienced violence from an intimate partner or family member. These statistics show us the importance of raising awareness and supporting those in need. The Empowerment Group hoped to educate our school community and raise funds.

To do this we hosted out first ever Masked Singer event in the PCC! Students from all year levels paid a $2 entry fee. Students came together to watch our teachers perform in disguise, bringing laughter, excitement, and the guessing game of “who’s behind the mask?” made it lots of fun! Students also purchased $5 lolly bags to enjoy throughout the performances.

Here is a recap of the unforgettable performances:

Mr Verco (Oodgeroo Tiger) sang Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Ms Pasco (Florey Bee) performed Like a Prayer

Ms Stace (Mawson Bear) delivered A Thousand Miles

Mr Houghton (Monash Bird) sang Feed the Birds (acapella)

Mr Bevan (Dobell Frog) charmed us with The Rainbow Connection

Mr Gauchat (Durack Hippo) brought the energy with Uptown Funk

This term, we also partnered with DV Safe Phone, an organisation that collects old mobile phones and redistributes them to people experiencing domestic violence. We have had a phone box in the library and have collected some phones. Having access to a phone can save a life.

Chloe S, Year 11

How ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ should have ended

How ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ should have ended

This term, Year 10 English students have been studying J.D. Salinger’s ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ and exploring how the novel reflects the complicated American post-war context through the lens of the deeply flawed protagonist, Holden Caulfield. Students were tasked with penning an additional chapter to the text; the results are testament to their thoughtful engagement with the unit and developing creative writing skills.

I’ve been out of the place for a couple weeks now. They said I was “rested enough,” whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean. It’s fall now, and I’m supposed to go back to school, to this crumby new joint my parents picked out. They think a fresh start’ll do me good. They’re always thinking that sort of thing.

I finally bumped into old Jane; I was sitting in the park reading one of those corny new magazines. If you want to know the truth, I just felt like being outside for a while.

I was just looking around and there she was: horsing around with her hot-shot friend. I figured I was hallucinating or something, I swear to God I thought I was dreaming. Sleeping’s a pain in the ass after coming out of that dump. But then she looked at me, caught me staring at her and her corny friend. For a minute there, I figured she’d be all weirded out, but she wasn’t. A kind of fat smile spread across her face.

I watched old Jane whisper something to her friend, and then the friend shot me the kind of dirty look you’d expect If I’d just slapped her mother or something. Then the broad sprinted off to the playground like she was late for recess or something. I didn’t even bother to feel pissed off, which, I guess means I’m getting a little better at dealing with crap like that.

Jane then starts walking my way, like she wasn’t in a hurry or anything. She looked pretty good, if you want to know the truth. She had her hair all tied back in some kind of bun thing, wearing this brown trench coat like she was trying to look all fashionable or something. I gotta say, she didn’t look half bad, not that I really give a damn about fashion or any of that crap. Still, it was enough to catch your eye if you weren’t totally out of it.

She knew I was looking at her, not that she was cocky or anything, but she knew she looked good. You could tell, even if she tried not to care. It’s funny how people act like they don’t care when they really do.

I opened my mouth to say something, but to be honest, I didn’t have a clue what I was gonna say. Before I could even get a word out, she just threw herself down on the bench next to me and wrapped her arms around my neck like it was no big deal.

I wouldn’t say this to just anybody, but for a minute there, when old Jane had her arms wrapped around me like she was sucking the oxygen right out of my lungs, it actually felt pretty nice. Like all the lousy crap in the world just kind of disappeared for a while.

After what felt like a whole goddam year, Jane finally pulled away, that same big, goofy smile still plastered on her face. “My parents wanted to head back down to Maine for the fall,” she said, “but I figured we hadn’t been to the city in a while.”

I don’t know, it killed me, her saying that. Like maybe she actually missed this crummy city, or maybe she just missed me. I wasn’t about to ask, though. That’s the kind of thing you don’t ask if you don’t want it screwed up.

I tried to say something again, but the talkative broad just wouldn’t let me get a word in.

“I heard about Pencey,” she said. “Your stupid friend Stradlater told me.”

I could feel my face turning red like some goddam kid. It figures old Stradlater would run his mouth after the brawl, probably made it sound like I got kicked out for setting the place on fire or something. The bastard had this way of making everything sound worse, especially when it came to people like Jane. I don’t know, I got this lousy feeling maybe he’d said something to her he shouldn’t have, the way she said it. And the worst part is, I couldn’t even ask.

“You don’t have to look like that,” Jane said, tilting her head at me a little. “I’m not mad or anything.”

I swear to God, that kind of thing always kills me, when people act like you’re about to turn psycho or something. I wasn’t even sure what kind of face I was making, but I could feel it.

“Yeah? Well, I sort of figured Stradlater would say something crumby,” I said. I tried to play it off as a joke, but it came out all stiff.

She shrugged, “He’s a real moron. Always was.”

I swear, hearing her say that nearly knocked me over. Old Jane, calling Stradlater a moron, that’s the kind of thing you don’t forget.

“Yeah,” I said. “He is. A real royal pain.”

She gave me this soft laugh, the kind you don’t really hear much. It was like she meant it, like she actually found it funny.

“He said you got kicked out again,” she said. “I figured; I don’t know. That you’d be around.”

I could’ve said a hundred things right then, a hundred goddam things. But I didn’t. Instead, I just said, “I’m around.”

And for once, it didn’t feel like I was lying.

She didn’t say anything for a moment. Just sat there, fiddling with hair. I watched her for a second, not in a creepy way or anything, just watching.

“There’s something different about you Holden,” she said, soft.

I almost shot back with some comment. That would’ve been the old me, the real hot-shot. But instead, I just sort of smiled, a real one this time, I think. I could tell she meant it in a soft way. “Yeah. I think I guess there is.”

She smiled back, and for once, I didn’t feel like I had to explain myself or act like a goddamn fool. We just sat there, not talking much. And it wasn’t phony or anything at all. It felt… Nice.

When she finally stood up, wrapping her coat closer to her chest, she said, “I’ll see you around, Holden.”

“Yeah. I’ll see you,” I said.

Maybe I would. And maybe I wouldn’t. But this time, it didn’t scare the hell out of me.

Sofia B, Year 10

It was starting to get pretty cold out, but Luce wasn’t going to show for another goddam half hour. I didn’t want to go into the bar yet – I’d rather stay out of that pretentious place as long as possible – but there were barely any other open joints around, and I had to get out of the goddam arctic. The only place was this sad second-hand bookshop on the corner of 54th. The roof was sagging and there was tape across the windows – you’d swear the thing was about to crumble – but it was better than the lousy street, so I went in.

As soon as I did, I wished I hadn’t. I’d never been hit with such a depressing smell in my life; old crummy paper and cheap candles. I damn near beat it the hell out of there, to tell you the truth, but I’d already sounded the bells on the door.

‘Come in.’ A lady at the counter was labelling books, or doing whatever the hell else you do at a bookshop, about in her late thirties, I’d say. But her face said it all – you’d think she hadn’t slept since last Christmas, for chrissake. She didn’t even look up, just kept sticking labels on books. Gotta feed the family, I guess. But hell, what a depressing job.

 ‘You got any children’s literature? “The Secret Garden” or something?’ I was partly asking for Phoebe, but mostly just trying to make the lady feel like she had business. You’d do the same, if you knew how depressing it felt in there. You really would.

The lady shrugged. ‘Dunno. We just stock what we find. We’re second hand, kid.’ Boy, somebody wasn’t in the mood to chat.

I tried browsing a bit, pretending to look for the book, but I wasn’t sure what the cover looked like. I’d only seen it once – this little girl on the train, splendid pink dress and all, was grinning while reading it. Guess it left a good impression on me. But judging by the dusty shelves that damn near choked me, I doubted I’d find it here.

I must admit, I was sort of in the mood to chew the fat a bit, so I asked, ‘You ever read that stuff you’re labelling?’

‘Only when I forget what boredom feels like,’ the lady replied. I smirked – she was witty, she really was.

‘So you’re not a reader?’

‘I didn’t say that. I read. Just not the nonsense in this dump.’

‘Right.’ I wished I hadn’t started the conversation then, because that only made me feel more depressed. She knew how crummy the place was and still came back every day. ‘So you never thought about leaving your job, then?’

Lady shrugged. ‘I used to. Thought I’d do something else, but time kept passing. Now, guess this is my “something else”.’

‘But why stay here if it’s such a dump?’ That got her to stop her goddamn labelling.

‘Kid, it’s just different books on the same shelves. Leaving doesn’t mean you’ll find better – just more of the same. So it’s easier to stay.’ I was confused then – don’t get me wrong, hearing that was miserable – but at least she wasn’t pretending to love her job or any of that crap like those lousy Pencey parents. God, they were such phonies.

‘It is what is is. Worse jobs exist,’ she continued. You had to admire her optimism; I could hardly work a day in her job without becoming suicidal. At least she just accepted it.

‘Anyway kid, you here for anything, or just hanging around hoping for a floor show?’ She was forward, that lady. She really was. Maybe she managed that dull job without going nuts by keeping herself entertained with customers like me. Finding control in her little book-stamping routine and all. I wasn’t sure I could live that way, but I saw her logic.

‘No, sorry. Actually, I’d better go,’ I said, glancing at my wristwatch. Damn it. I was due to meet Luce five minutes ago.

I was halfway out the door, when I stopped and looked back.

‘Hey. You ever know where those ducks at the lagoon go in winter? When the lake’s frozen over and all?’ I only asked because she had more wits than any of those damn taxi drivers; maybe she had a clue. But she just screwed up her eyebrows like I’d asked if books could bleed or something. Most people do that when I ask them damn near anything – hell, I don’t even know why I cared about those stupid ducks.

 ‘I always thought they just stayed in the park and stood the cold. Waited it out till spring.’ She said.

‘But wouldn’t you see them if they were just hanging around waiting?’

‘Well, I don’t know, but they always return, don’t they? Look kid, some things we don’t know. We won’t find out. Best to accept that, rather than chase answers we won’t find.’

I shrugged, sceptical but intrigued. I almost wanted to stick around, hear more of that lady’s cryptic crap. But Luce was waiting, so I said thanks and left. She was weird, that lady, she really was. But damn clever too. Her whole philosophy about ‘staying’ and all sounded cliché, but maybe there was something to it.

Matilda L, Year 10

I left the hotel in a rush that morning. I just had to get out of there. I looked around at the crowd of the street. A hive of bustling people, each caught up in their own flimsy problems. An old man waddled along with a walking stick, ignoring the queue gathering up behind his slow steps. A girl, looking all posh and everything, out of place the rowdiness of the street, prancing around like she owned the place. A small boy, with a red beanie covering his hair, hidden amongst the crowd. I stopped, right there in the middle of the path, with people pushing against me from all over, staring at him. For some reason, this kid remined me of my brother Allie. He was walking ahead of me, making a tunnel through the swarm of people. I swear, I don’t know why, but I followed the boy, right down the street, even though I had already been that way. I kept behind him for a while, but I didn’t speak. He was alone, just like me. 

I don’t know how long I was chasing after him for. I wasn’t aware of anything around us, heck, I could have walked right out of New York, and I wouldn’t have noticed as long as that goddamn kid stayed in front of me. As I followed, I heard the boy humming a tune. I don’t know what it was, but it sure did sound familiar.  

 After a while, the kid stopped. Looking around, I realised where we were. The lake in Central Park South was pretty quiet at the time, just me, the boy, and a few other people, lost in their own worlds. The ice of the lake was clouded and foggy. I looked for some sign of fish, like that taxi driver said, but I couldn’t see anything. The kid turned and looked at me. It kind of shocked me how confident he was. He didn’t shy away or lose interest, just stared me down like I was some mysterious alien from outer space. I didn’t really know what to do, if I’m being deadly honest. How often is it that you see a kid that looks exactly like your dead brother?  

“Hey, look here kid, I’ve got a question for you” As I spoke, the boy turned finally turned away from me, his eyes settling on the lake in front of us. It’s not like a kid this young would know, but it was worth a shot, I thought. “Where do you think the ducks go in the winter?” 

He turned to me, confused. “What ducks?” 

“You know, the ones in the lake in the summer.” 

“Oh.” He sat for a moment, all thoughtful and everything, on that stupid bench, which was getting colder by the minute. “Don’t you know? They fly away. Down south, where its warmer.” 

I was surprised. The first person to give me an answer to this goddamn question was a kid, no more than ten years old. Of all the people in the world, of course it had to be a goddamn kid.  

“All of them?” I asked. 

“I guess so” he said, returning his attention to the water. 

We sat like that for a while, just two people on a bench. It was kind of nice, I guess. They’re funny, kids. Pulling your leg or acting like everything’s the end of the world or something. They kill me, usually. But not this one. This one was different. 

“But what if one of them can’t? What if it can’t fly away from the winter?” I said. 

“What do you mean? They can all fly. They’re ducks” 

“No, not this one. It’s still a duck, but it can’t fly. What the hell is it supposed to do? Just stagger on its feet, all the way down south, while the others are flying way above it?” 

“I don’t know!” The kid threw his arms up in the air, something Allie would do. “I guess it just has to learn.” He stood up, satisfied with his answer. “I have to go. See you around then.” He waved as he skipped down the path, away from the lake. He really was just a goddamn kid after all. 

“Yeah. See you.” I called out behind him. 

I sat there the rest of the day, till my fingers got numb and the red hunting hat was coated in frost. With a pang in my stomach, I got up and staggered, half-frozen, back to the hotel. 

Louisa HB, Year 10

Snowsports Season Wrap

Snowsports Season Wrap

Oxley has wrapped up another successful season of Snowsports activities with the State and National Snowsports Championships held throughout Term 3. Students competed in the disciplines of Alpine, Ski Cross, Moguls, Snowboard GS, Snowboard Cross, Slopestyle Ski, Slopestyle Board, Cross Country Classic and Cross Country Relay.

State Championships

Over 40 students from K-12 formed Oxley’s State Snowsports Team to compete at the NSW State Snowsports Championships at Perisher from August 18-22.

Congratulation to our medal winners at this event:

  • Chilli S, Xanthe M, Nicola G: 1st Place – Div 1 XC Classic (Team) and 2nd Place – Div 1 XC Relay (Team)
  • Sapphire S, Sophie H, Madison C: 3rd Place – Div 3 XC Classic (Team)
  • Chilli S: 3rd Place Div 1 XC Classic


Australian Championships

Nineteen students achieved results to qualify them to compete at the Australian Snowsports Championships, held at Mount Buller, Victoria from September 2-7.

Congratulations to the following medal winners and students who placed in the top 10 of Australia in their event:

  • Chilli S: 2nd Place – Div 1 XC CLassic
  • Chilli S, Xanthe M, Nicola G: 3rd Place Div 1 XC Relay (Team)
  • Albert H: 9th Place – Div 4 XC Classic
  • Sapphire S: 10th Place – Div 3 XC Classic
  • Cora B: 10th Place – Div 4 Moguls

Snow Australia Laser Biathlon Schools Event

Fourteen students also competed in the Laser Biathlon Schools Event held at Perisher. Oxley proudly took out the Senior School Championship School for the second year in a row.

Congratulations to the following medal winners for this event:

  • Chilli S: 1st Place Div 1
  • Xanthe M: 2nd Place Div 1
  • Sapphire S: 2nd Place Div 3
  • Albert H: 3rd Place Div 4

Interschools Training Scholarships

This year, Snow Australia partnered with Interschools to offer training scholarships. Nine Oxley students applied and received a scholarship to attend a training day at the National Snowsports Training Centre in Jindabyne. Students took part in strength and conditioning sessions, acro training on the facility’s trampolines, and took part in a 2-hour session on the bag jumps. All students were grateful for the opportunity to learn from professional Snowsports athletes and found it to be a rewarding experience.

Congratulations to all Oxley Snowsports athletes on a wonderful season. We look forward to the return of Snowsports next year and hope to see many new faces from both the Junior and Senior School join the team in 2026.

Karinne Bedingfield
Snowsports Co-ordinator

Interschool Mountain Biking Championships

Interschool Mountain Biking Championships

Sixteen riders from Oxley College MTB team joined 466 students from 37 schools, descending onto Mt Stromlo Mountain Bike Park for the ACT Interschool Mountain Biking Championships on Friday 29 August. Standout team performances from the Senior Girls Isla T (Year 12), Chloe D (Year 11) and Olivia H (Year 10) who won their category and the Senior Boys Harry G (Year 12), Jude O (Year 11) and Alex N (Year 11) who came second in their category. Great individual performances by Harry G (second fastest senior boy), Isla T (third fastest senior girl) and Alex W (Year 7) (11th fastest junior boy).

Oxley’s Maths Stars

Oxley’s Maths Stars

This year 60 students in Years 7-11 participated in four competitions run by the Australian Maths Trust. The purpose of our participation is to allow students the experience of the rigour and enrichment of internationally recognised competitions. We are especially proud of the excellent achievements of the competitors this year and it says great things about the future of Oxley Maths that our results improve year-on-year. Below we will celebrate by name every student who achieved a Distinction or higher, but we recognise and applaud the enthusiasm and competitive spirit of all the students who participated.

Two of the competitions are more focussed on logic and sequential thinking:

  • Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge, held in April, is a fun and engaging computational thinking challenge that involves 3 million students from 60 countries. Lithuanian for beaver, Bebras was the name chosen in honour of the animal’s collaborative nature and strong work ethic.
    Congratulations to Emily B (Year 11) for her Distinction and to David W (Year 8) for earning a High Distinction.
  • Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) Competition, held in May, gives students the opportunity to develop their problem-solving skills through algorithmic thinking, incorporating tasks that encourage students to develop informal algorithms and apply them to test data of increasing size or complexity.
    Congratulations to Cassius B (Year 7), Claire A (Year 7), Elena C (Year 7), Jameson C (Year 8), Arthur P (Year 8), Layla C (Year 8), Marco S (Year 8), Theodore B (Year 8) for their Distinctions. Congratulations also to Annabel B (Year 7), David W (Year 8), Madison C (Year 8), Benjamin B (Year 8), Evelyn H (Year 8), and Oscar V (Year 10) for their High Distinctions. Special mention goes to Coen B (Year 9) for not only earning a High Distinction but for earning the rarely awarded Certificate of Excellence for solving all 15 problems perfectly.

Two of the competitions are exclusively mathematical:

  • Kangourou sans Frontières (KSF), held in March, is now the largest maths competitions in the world, with more than 6 million participants each year.
    Congratulations to Jameson C (Year 8), Matthew B (Year 8), Oscar V (Year 10), Jude O (Year 11) for earning Distinctions, and also to Coen B (Year 9) for his High Distinction.
  • Australian Maths Competition (AMC), held in August, is Australia’s longest running, largest and most well-known maths competition for school students.
    Congratulations to Madison C (Year 8), Oscar C (Year 8), Oscar V (Year 10), Emily B (Year 11), and Jude O (Year 11) for earning Distinctions, and Jameson C (Year 8) for his High Distinction.

A reminder that a call for competitors goes out in February of each year and once students have expressed their interest parents are contacted so they can pay the small fee and grant permission.

Mr Houghton, Head of Mathematics

As part of the many Enrichment opportunities available in the Junior School in 2025, selected students took part in three prestigious mathematics competitions: Kangourou sans Frontières (KSF), Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT), and the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC), all organised by the Australian Maths Trust (AMT). These competitions provide our students with the opportunity to engage in the rigour of internationally recognised problem-solving while also building strong connections to opportunities within the Senior School.

Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT)
Credit Awards: Archie T (Year 5), Drake F (Year 6), Clara HJ (Year 6), Chloe W (Year 6), Oliver C (Year 6)
Distinction Award: Heidi S (Year 6)

Kangourou sans Frontières (KSF)
Credit Awards: George K (Year 4), Mark R (Year 4), Emily S (Year 4), Hamish W (Year 5), James B (Year 5), Esther S (Year 5), Chloe W (Year 6), Heidi S (Year 6), Drake F (Year 6), Oliver S (Year 6), Annabel H (Year 6), Hannah C (Year 6), Clara HJ (Year 6), Zoe C (Year 6), Zofia C (Year 6)

Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC)
Credit Awards: Stavros B (Year 4), Mark R (Year 4), Emily S (Year 4), James B (Year 5), Esther S (Year 5), Archie T (Year 5), Hannah C (Year 6), Clara HJ (Year 6), Oliver S (Year 6)

Ms Noonan, Junior School Enrichment Teacher

Year 6 Showcase – Legends and Legacies

Year 6 Showcase – Legends and Legacies

On Wednesday 25 September, Year 6 finally got to show off our Legends and Legacies Showcase – and it was amazing! This is an Oxley tradition, and this year was the 11th time it has run. Lots of Year 12s still remember doing it, and now it was our turn.

We each chose an Australian legend and spent weeks researching their life, achievements and the legacy they left behind. Our projects had to include a biography, timeline, video biography, bibliography, banner, interactive element and explain how they represent the Oxley values. Some of us went further with extras like costumes, artefacts, portraits and poems. It was a lot of work, but definitely worth it!

On the day, the Clock Tower rooms were buzzing. There were displays about actors, scientists, athletes, conservationists and more. Visitors asked us questions like “Why did you choose this legend?” and “What legacy did they leave behind?” and it felt great to share everything we had learned.

We got some awesome feedback too:

  • “I loved the choices for your legends. All of the videos and posters were awesome!” – Grace, Year 3
  • “So cool to see what I did in Year 6 now that I am almost in Year 12!” – Oxley student
  • “Students were well prepared, enthusiastic, and demonstrated confidence when speaking.” – Ms Gaffney

It wasn’t always easy because there were stressful moments and lots of focus needed, but when it all came together, it was one of the best things we’ve done in Year 6.

A big thank you to Mrs McGrath, Mrs Rasheed, Mr Smith and all the staff who supported us. Legends and Legacies is something we’ll never forget!

Lily B, Chloe W, Frankie R & Zoe C (Year 6)

HICE G&T Camp

HICE G&T Camp

From Monday, 1 September, to Friday, 5 September 2025, we were lucky enough to attend the HICES Gifted and Talented Camp at AGH Camps in Douglas Park, along with Drake, Sammy, Amelia, Hannah, and Ruby. Altogether, there were 115 students from 16 schools across NSW and the ACT. It was amazing to meet so many other children who enjoyed learning as much as we do.

The camp gave us a chance to try all kinds of classes – both creative and academic. One of the best parts was being able to choose the courses we attended, such as Stop Motion, Minecraft Coding, Stock Market Simulation, Write and Compose a Song, and The Science of Stuff. Miss Noonan, who organised the camp, also ran the Realism in Portraiture class, which many people enjoyed – especially Amelia, who said, “It was an enriching and enjoyable experience, and I absolutely loved it.” We also had outdoor challenges, fun evening activities, and a cultural session with Indigenous leader Adrian. His “Web of Connection” activity made us think deeply about empathy and how we are all connected. That session really stood out for both of us.

We are grateful to Ms Noonan for organising the camp, as well as to Mr Smith and Mrs Rasheed for supporting us during the week, and to Ms Shvetsoff for coming to visit. The camp was such an unforgettable experience. We came back feeling proud of how our Oxley group approached everything with enthusiasm and creativity, and we will always remember the friendships, challenges, and opportunities we had there.

Annabel H & Albert H, Year 6

Year 12 Graduation Assembly

Year 12 Graduation Assembly

📷 Oskar F, Year 8

HSC Design & Technology Showcase

HSC Design & Technology Showcase

HSC Visual Arts Showcase

HSC Visual Arts Showcase

HSC Drama Showcase

HSC Drama Showcase

HSC Music Showcase

HSC Music Showcase

Oxley Colour Run 2025

Oxley Colour Run 2025

📷 Daphne H, Year 9

Junior School Awards

Junior School Awards

Term 3, Week 6

Term 3, Week 7

Term 3, Week 8

Term 3, Week 9

Year 8 Outdoor Education

Year 8 Outdoor Education

As part of their Outdoor Education practical assessment, the Year 8 elective class went on a
short hike to the Mt Alexandra Reserve, Mittagong.