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The Oracle 

Incorporating the Collegian Communicator Semester One Edition 2011 

ormistoncollege.com.au

The Oracle 

Ormiston College 

Ormiston College reflects the 

individual spirit, integrity and values 

of a co-educational, independent, 

nondenominational Christian school, 

catering for students from Prep 

through to Year 12. 

The Early Learning Centre, Puggle’s 

Burrow, offers a quality Kindergarten 

program that is aligned with the 

Early Years Learning Framework for 

children from 15 months to five years, 

in a safe, caring environment. 

Enrolment applications for all 

year levels are accepted from 

birth. Parents are advised to make 

application for enrolment well in 

advance of the required year of entry. 

Scholarship information and 

enrolment application forms may be 

obtained from the Registrar. 

P (61 + 7) 3821 8999 

E registrar@ormistoncollege.com.au 


Dundas Street West 

Ormiston Queensland 4160 

Australia 

PO Box 1835 

Cleveland DC Queensland 4163 

Australia 

ABN 96 010 613 135 

Administration 

P +61 7 3821 8999 

F +61 7 3821 1311 

E admin@ormistoncollege.com.au 

Visit our website at 

www.ormistoncollege.com.au 

Oracle Editor: 

Valerie Warwick 

Prepress/Layout/Production: 

Kersive Creative (www.kersive.com) 

Nadia Gay 

Sonya Dewar 

Photography: 

Nadia Gay 

Staff, Students, Parents 

Old Collegians 

Bond University 

Candice McCall 

Quest Newspapers 

Printing: 

Fergies Print and Mail 

Contributions welcome - please 

email Valerie Warwick, Director of 

Marketing and Public Relations at 

v.warwick@ormistoncollege.com.au 

2 The Oracle Semester One Edition 2011

From The 

Editor 

From The 

Headmaster 

Gathering information for this edition 

of the Oracle has made me even more 

aware of the opportunities that are 

openly available to our students. There 

is such a wide variety of co-curricular 

options, starting from Year 1 right 

through to Senior. 

Many children arrive just after 6.00am 

for sports training, music ensembles or 

choir, many more go on to train after 

school hours. Our debaters and public 

speakers, along with various other 

groups, have the added challenge and 

excitement of inter-school competitions 

that are held at night. 

As well as offering a high standard 

academically, Ormiston College is a great 

provider of life building skills which can 

be gained through the participation of 

our co-curricular options. By flicking 

through the pages of the Oracle you will 

see that there is certainly something for 

everyone. The opportunities are all here, 

it is up to the individual child to take 

advantage of the choices and reap the 

undoubted benefits. 

From the success stories in this edition, 

it is clear to see that we have dedicated 

teachers that give encouragement and 

strong support to the goals that our 

students set. The determination of our 

students and the commitment of our staff 

are responsible for the pages you are 

about to read. 

Valerie Warwick 

Editor 

Although we are only at the end of Semester 

One, we have already added more milestones 

for the history of our College. The year 2011 

will go down in the school archives as the year 

we officially opened our splendid Junior Arts 

Centre, expanded our Junior School to include an additional Prep stream 

and the year we welcomed a third class of Year 5 students to our campus. 

It will also be noted that the construction of a new Sports Pavilion became 

a reality due to the generosity of parent support for the 2010 Annual Giving 

program. 

The growth of Ormiston College, in just over two decades, is quite 

remarkable. Where we are today is due to the faith and determination of 

Members of the Board, past parents, Old Collegians, past and present staff 

and current students. All have played a part in determining the spirit and 

reputation of our College and its Community. 

It is no surprise that modern facilities and state of the art technology 

serve to enhance our academic, sporting and cultural results. When an 

orchestra, choir or drama group is given the opportunity to perform on 

a professionally equipped stage, which has lighting, sound and a well 

designed auditorium, its students and teachers, unconstrained, are better 

positioned to lift their performance to commensurately professional levels. 

In the same way, sports students who are fortunate enough to be well 

coached on indoor courts of international standard, or on quality ovals, are 

more likely to produce a superior performance. Visual art students are more 

conscious of their presentation of art work when there is the possibility of 

its display in our art gallery. 

Spacious, well equipped, modern air conditioned classrooms, dedicated 

staff and a longstanding history of academic excellence, certainly goes a 

long way in assisting students with goal setting and the desire to uphold the 

great academic, sporting and cultural tradition of the College. 

Our facilities have certainly heightened the quality of achievement 

throughout the school. What is more important is that we are continuing 

to raise the bar. As we provide learning spaces and buildings that assist 

students and staff to achieve even stronger outcomes, we in turn strengthen 

the spirit, unity and pride that we share as members of the Ormiston 

College community. 

Brett Webster 

Headmaster 

The Junior Arts Centre was officially opened on Friday, 18 March by Senator Claire Moore, 

photographed here with Ormiston College Board Chairman Mr John Miller and Federal Member for 

Bowman Andrew Laming. 

Semester One Edition 2011 The Oracle 3

ACADEMIC 

RESULTS 

We congratulate the graduates of 2010 and wish them every success in their tertiary studies. The cohort upheld the high 

standard of academic achievement, for which Ormiston College is well recognised. Five students received an OP1 and 

four students received an OP2. 

OP 1 OP 2 

Laura Cohalan 

Harrison Hope Momar Hughes Robert Lulham 

Sarah Nguyen 

Kelly Farrah 

Natalie Grondin 

Jamie Peters 

Andrew Williams 

Furthermore, 88% of the cohort 

achieved an OP score of 15 or better. 

These outstanding results represent 

another very strong performance for 

Ormiston College and will ensure that 

our 2010 graduates will have every 

opportunity to follow their chosen 

career pathways and accomplish their 

goals. 

We thank the Class of 2010 for the 

academic, cultural and sporting 

contribution they made to the College 

and the leadership they displayed. 

We look forward to hearing their 

news now that they are valued 

members of the Old Collegians 

Association. 

The Class of 2010 


ACADEMIC 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Momar Hughes: UQ Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship 

We are very proud to announce that Momar Hughes was awarded the prestigious 

University of Queensland Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship. The University received 

1800 scholarship applications, 70% having achieved an OP 1 – 3 but only 31 

students were awarded this coveted scholarship. Our congratulations go to Momar, 

who is to be studying Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. 

Momar also received the highly competitive Australian Student Prize. This is a 

monetary prize awarded to exceptional students by the Australian Government. 

A personal letter, congratulating Momah on his academic achievement and 

commitment, was received from the Minister for School Education, the Hon Peter 

Garrett, AM., MP. 

As College Captain, Momar, alongside Kelly Farrah, was a well-respected figure 

among his peers and the younger students in the school. We thank him for the 

high standards he displayed at Ormiston College and wish him every success in his 

chosen career. 

Harrison Hope: UQ Excellence Scholarship 

Congratulations to Harrison who won an Academic Excellence Scholarship from the 

University of Queensland. 

Harrison was one of 136 recipients chosen from more than 1600 applicants and 

received his award at a special ceremony staged at the University earlier in 

the year. Harrison was also offered a scholarship by Queensland University of 

Technology. 

Having chosen the University of Queensland, Harrison will be putting his natural 

talents in maths and science to good use and is pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering 

with a view to specialising in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The course is 

challenging with his first semester project comprising the design of an automated 

water craft. 

Robert Lulham: UQ Merit Scholarship 

Our congratulations also go to Robert Lulham who received a Merit Scholarship 

at the University of Queensland. He is currently enrolled in a three year Bachelor 

of Science program, majoring in Physics. Robert made special mention of the 

“wonderful teaching and inspiration” that he received from teachers in the Science 

Department. His current plans are leaning towards a career in either Physics or 

Medicine. 

“I’m now enjoying the results of my efforts at school, finding the transition to 

University study very smooth, relishing the relative freedom university life offers, 

while being able to commit to the work load, having had the benefit of training for 

this experience at Ormiston College. My thanks must go to all my teachers at OC, 

from Year 6 all the way through to Year 12.” 

Laura Cohalan: QUT Corporate Partners in Excellence Scholarship 

Congratulations and best wishes go to Laura Cohalan who was offered three university scholarships, 

but her preference was for the Corporate Partnership in Excellence. This scholarship requires Laura to 

undertake a Bachelor of Business at Queensland University of Technology. 

During the course of study, she will be given the chance to complete two semester long internships with 

a corporate firm, Laura is hoping she will be able to work for Mercedes Benz. 


Overall Maths Champions Once Again 

Our mathematicians did us proud 

in the prestigious Maths Team 

Challenge. 

Ormiston College performed 

exceptionally well against 

some of the best and brightest 

mathematicians from many top 

performing schools. The exciting 

annual event has grown to such an 

extent that the 2011 session had to 

be split between two venues. Our 

teams excelled with Years 11/12 

coming 1st and 2nd, Years 9/10 

placed 2nd and 12th and Year 8 

coming 2nd and 14th. This splendid 

result awarded Ormiston College the 

Overall Champion Trophy for the 

third year. Mr Ian Thomson, Head 

of Mathematics, congratulated and 

thanked students and staff and said, 

in the words of Freddie Mercury, “We 

are the Champions”. 

Geography Students Excel in Acclaimed National Competition 

The National Geographic Channel 

Australian Geography Competition 

is a joint initiative of the Royal 

Geographical Society of Queensland 

and the Australian Geography 

Teachers' Association, sponsored 

by National Geographic Channel. 

This prestigious event takes place 

in approximately 750 schools 

throughout the country. 

The annual competition is renowned 

for its ability to test Australian 

geography students’ depth of 

understanding in the subject. 

Under strict time constraints, 

students are required to respond 

to stimulus material testing their 

knowledge and skills. The demands 

of the competition can be extremely 

challenging yet our geographers 

came out on top – as they have done 

in previous years. 

Head of Department, Mr Ian Burgess, 

was not at all surprised at the 

results from this year’s competition, 

Head of Department, Mr Ian Burgess, with High Distinction Geographers 

Absent: Jonathan Dunne, Aaron Curtis and Dylan Grey 

remarking “When you have such 

great staff, as we have in the 

Humanities Department, and inspired 

students, you can’t help but come up 

with great results”. 

This year our students received 17 

High Distinctions, 25 Distinctions 

and 44 Credits. Congratulations to 

all students but especially our High 

Distinction recipients: Jarrod Allen, 

Joshua Burton, Jonathan Dunne, 

Lily Greer, Quangvy Ho, Jai Lordan, 

Keely Lynch, Alexander Muirhead, 

Rachel Naulls, William Pilgrim, 

Matthew Reynolds, Lachlan Bishop, 

Aaron Curtis, Dylan Grey, Jade 

Grigg, Georga McLean and Nicholas 

Stratford and our special Humanities 

staff. 


Sensational 

Season for 


Swimmers 

Our swimmers have, yet again, proven 

their strength in the pool. Both Senior and 

Junior teams dominated the District and TAS 

competitions. 

Junior Swimming Captains, Kayla Hoey and Gabriel Soner with Winner’s Shields 

Redlands District Championships for 

Juniors 

Junior School swimmers competed in the Redland Districts 

Trials winning both the Overall and Percentage shields. 

Six swimmers set new district records: Lance Ash (100m 

Breaststroke and 100m Freestyle), Teneka Ash (50m 

Butterfly and 100m Butterfly), Kayla Hoey (100m Freestyle), 

Casi McDonnell (100m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke), Gus 

Moloney (100m Breaststroke) and Kate Robertson (100m 

Breaststroke and 100m Freestyle). 

Of the 25 Ormiston College Junior School students that 

competed, 14 students went on to represent Redlands 

District at the Metropolitan East. 

11 Year Girls Freestyle Relay Team 

Chiara Gay, Casi McDonnell, Teneka Ash and Rochelle Hoey 

Record Breaking ‘Eleventh JTAS 

Championship’ for Juniors 

The Ormiston College Junior School swimming team 

accomplished a record breaking feat of eleven successive 

swimming championships in this year’s Junior TAS 

Competition. 

Despite some tough competition rivalry from John Paul 

College and St Peter’s Lutheran College, the Ormiston 

College swimmers maintained their lead throughout the 

carnival. All swimmers put in a tremendous effort with 

many realising their personal best times. Our 11 Years 

swimmers successfully contested the JTAS records with 

Lance Ash setting a new record for the 50m Butterfly 

and the 11 Years Girls Freestyle relay team, consisting 

of Teneka Ash, Chiara Gay, Rochelle Hoey and Casi 

McDonnell, breaking the record for their event. 

Head of Junior Physical Education and Sport, Mrs Jane 

Cunningham, stated “At the presentation, the students 

were congratulated on the phenomenal performance 

and standard that they set. This was an outstanding 

achievement and I am very proud of every one of them.” 

Lance Ash, sets a new record for the 50m Butterfly 

Deputy Head of Junior School, Mr Phillip Makridakis, 

was very excited, exclaiming “We did it again! I was so 

fortunate to see our champions raise the trophy for the 

eleventh year in a row. This success comes after plenty of 

preparation to get it right on the day and the pressure was 

on from the very start. Our thanks go to Mr Craig Davidson 

(Harwood Swimming School) and his team and Mrs 

Jane Cunningham for her tireless work and of course our 

formidable students”. 

Junior Swimming Captains, Gabriel Soner and Kayla Hoey with trophies of the day 


Year 12 Cheer 

Squad 

Bayside District 

Swimming 

Championships 

Senior School Swimmers 

were triumphant again at the 

Bayside District Swimming 

Championships with a 480 

point win. Ormiston College 

has now won five out of the 

last eight Bayside District 

Carnivals. Stars of the Carnival 

were Age Champions Shayna 

Jack and Charlton Otene with 

runners up, Maddison Bruce, 

James Copperthwaite and Emily 

Bennett. 

Eighteen Ormiston College Senior 

School swimmers qualified for the 

Metropolitan East Trials. Director of 

Activities, Mr Greg Cudmore, was 

particularly pleased with the result 

given that Ormiston College is one 

of the smaller schools, by student 

population, in the competition. 

Third Successive TAS Win 

For Seniors 

Congratulations to the Ormiston 

College Senior School swimming 

team in securing their third 

successive swimming championship 

in TAS competition. 

The team’s record margin win at the 

TAS Carnival highlighted the depth 

and consistency of Ormiston College 

swimming. The performance of the 

Year 8, 9 and 10 year level swimmers 

augurs well for future success; Year 

8 student, Shayna Jack, smashed 

two records held since 2000 in the 

100m Freestyle and 50m Backstroke 

events. Age Champion Trophies were 

awarded to Keani Otene (13 Years 

Girls), James Cameron (14 Years 

Boys), Emily Bennett (15 Years Girls) 

and Charlton Otene (15 Years Boys). 

Year 12 student and Swimming 

Team Captain, Maddison Bruce, 

was awarded the 17 Years Girls Age 

Champion Trophy. 

Director of Activities, Mr Greg 

Cudmore, commented that “The 

Redbacks continued their domination 

at Chandler with the results 

appearing obvious less than two 

hours after the Competition began. It 

was a clinical strike with the Redbacks 

collecting another ten trophies and 

five individual Age Champions, 

thanks to Manager, Mrs Sandra 

Middleton, new swim coach, Mr Craig 

Davidson, officials, Mrs Judy Zemek, 

accompanying teachers and our Year 

12 cheer squad.” 

Maddison Bruce and Mitchell Lancaster received the TAS 

Championship trophies on behalf of the team 

Viva Le Redbacks! 

ANNUAL INTER HOUSE 

CARNIVAL AND THE 

WINNERS WERE... 

HOUSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONS: 

For a record fifth year in a row 

WICKHAM HOUSE literally left the 

opposition in their wake with a 

massive 184 points win in the 

House Swimming Championship. 

TROPHY OF SPIRIT – WAR CRY: 

House spirit was best ever with 

NORMAN HOUSE clinching the 

mantle. 

TROPHY OF SPIRIT – NOVELTY 

EVENTS: 

Won by CHAPPELL HOUSE for sheer 

consistency. 

INTER-HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY: 

Was won by LAVER HOUSE 


Cross Country Success for 

Senior and Junior Teams 

Bayside District: 

In May our Senior Cross Country 

Team retained the title of Bayside 

Champions, beating Sheldon College 

by 48 points. 

Age Group Champions, 16 Years 

Boys, 17 Years Boys (equal with 

Sheldon), 14 Year Boys runners-up. 

Tas Cross Country: 

Ormiston College had a very 

worthwhile day at TAS Cross 

Country, receiving five trophies in 

all, plus being declared Overall Boys 

Champions for the first time. 

Junior TAS Cross Country: 

Ormiston won the Red Division Cross 

Country this year with a number of 

students placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd. OC 

also won the Girls Overall Trophy. 

Cross Country Captains, Katherine Stevens and Ryan Spence 

Mrs Sandra Middleton with TAS Trophies 

Great Results For 

Trimester One 

The Redbacks won four Trimester 1 

season Premierships: Year 8, 10 and 

First Grade Volleyball and 2nds Girls 

Tennis. This result ranked Ormiston 

College as the runners-up TAS 

Champion School for the season. 

The Stuff That Dreams 

are Made of 

Mrs Erin Ware (Year 5 Netball) and 

Mr Brent Malcolm (Year 7 Rugby) 

achieved what every coach dreams of 

– an undefeated season! 

To Date: 

TAS Swimming – a record 11 Trophies 

Well done to Mr Makridakis and the Year 5 Blue Premiership Team. A great end to the season. 

TAS Cross Country – a record 5 Trophies 

Champion Teams - 22 


ACH 

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS 

Tyler Blah competes in Russia 

Tyler Blah, College Captain, Year 12 and 2010 Ballroom 

Youth Champion, travelled to Russia earlier in the year to 

represent Australia when he was placed 25th in the world. 

Tyler was also a recipient of the RSL Youth Development 

Program grants, receiving his award for sporting 

achievements. BothTyler, Jordan (above) and their families 

were invited to attend the Leadership Weekend at Bond 

University, when our students were officially awarded with 

a plaque and certificate. 

Gabriel Soner – 

A great Ambassador for Australia 

Not too many Year 7 students can say they have actually 

represented their country but Gabriel Soner can proudly 

say he has. Gabriel proved to be a great ambassador, not 

only for Australia but also for the Redlands Martial Arts 

Academy and Ormiston College. 

Gabriel was selected as part of the Queensland Koshiki 

Team, to represent his country in the International Pan 

American Titles, held in Jerome, Canada, in May. Gabriel 

proved to be a successful participant in the high power 

international competition and a very worthy competitor. 

We certainly applaud you Gabriel on your high 

achievement: 

1st Place (Kata) 

2nd Place (Weapons Kata) 

3rd Place (Koshiki Sparring). 

Ashleigh Buckton received 

Australia Day Award 

Ashleigh Buckton, Year 10, received the Redland City 

Council Cultural Award as part of the Australia Day 

celebrations. Ashleigh is a member of the Australian 

Girls’ Choir and has toured Australia with the choir 

and performed in many high-profile events. Well done 

Ashleigh. 

Daniel Long and Caleb Colledge – 

Aspiring musicians 

Percussionists, Daniel Young, Year 11 and Caleb Colledge, 

Year 12, performed under the direction of Tom O’Kelly 

at the Redland Performing Arts Centre earlier in the 

year. The performance of Tchaikovski’s Capriccio Italienn 

enabled them to display their versatility, knowledge and 

understanding of their instruments and received great 

applause. The workshop was offered by Tom Kelly from a 

RADF grant. 

Jordan Bartley pursues his dream 

Talented basketball player, Jordan Bartley, Year 11, plays 

for the Brisbane Spinning Bullets and has been named 

in numerous representative sides including the Under 

19 Australian Spinners. Jordan’s talent has sparked the 

attention of many prominent basketball figures including 

Australian coaches, 

Ben Ettridge and Tom Kyle, who recently invited Jordan 

to attend a four-day basketball camp at the Australian 

Institute of Sport in Canberra. 

Jordan received a share in the RSL Youth Development 

Program grants, enabling him to purchase new wheels for 

his custom built wheelchair which was given to him by 

Brisbane Spinning Bullets player Adam Bates. The new 

wheels will improve power and speed. Jordan commented 

“I love the spirit out there on the court, when you get 

knocked down in your chair and get back up, there is 

passion. My goal is to represent Australia in the Rollers 

Senior Men’s team”. We wish Jordan every success in 

achieving his goal. 


IEVEMENTS 

Off to Tasmania for the National Schools 

Aerobics Championships 

Congratulations to the talented aerobics team consisting of 

Talia Glover, Amelia Creswick, Emma Hooper, Georgia Van 

Veen, Sophie Hordern and Paige Edwards (photographed 

with their Coach, Faith Wild). The girls will now be 

representing Queensland in the National Championships. 

The team have been in training since the beginning of the 

year, working together for 1.5 hours a week. For most of 

the girls it is their first year in Sport Aerobics. Earlier in 

the season they were placed 2nd in the preliminary finals 

which qualified them for the State finals that were held in 

June. 

For a month the girls trained extremely hard in order to 

improve their performance, which paid off handsomely 

as they then moved up the ladder to 1st place. Winning 

the State event will mean they will be in one of the 

Queensland teams eligible to travel to Tasmania to 

compete in the National School Aerobics Championships 

in August. We wish them luck. 

Congratulations to our Swimmers 

Casi McDonnell (Year 6) attended the State Primary 

Swimming Championships in March and achieved a 

Silver Medals in the 11 Year Girls 100m Freestyle and two 

Gold Medals as part of the Met East Relay Team for both 

Medley and Freestyle Relays. 

Teneka Ash (Year 6) is a member of the Queensland Swim 

Team and will represent Queensland in three events at 

the National Primary School Swimming Championships in 

Melbourne in August. Teneka’s talent as a swimmer plus 

her determination and dedication to training has resulted 

in her selection to represent the Queensland Swim Team 

for two years in a row. 

Taylar McDonnell (Year 9) attended the Australian Age 

Championships in Adelaide in April and had five individual 

swims at the meet. Taylar was also a recipient of a 

Local Sporting Championships Grant from the Australia 

Government. 

George Storey, the youngest ever club 

member to gain his Black Belt 

Congratulations to George Storey (Year 6), who was 

the youngest in the history of the Kodoman Karate Club 

to gain a Black Belt. In March, 11 year old George was 

presented with his Black Belt by his Sensei, Glenn Irvine 

(4th Dan). George, who took up karate just over five years 

ago, has trained hard and enthusiastically to achieve this 

qualification at such a young age. 

In May he competed in the Queensland State 

Championships in Kumite (Combat), Kata (Forms) and 

synchronised Kata disciplines, the result of which saw him 

in the playoffs for the Queensland State Squad. George 

also secured a spot in the Kumite (Fighting) team and 

will be part of the squad representing Queensland in the 

National titles in Caloundra in August. 

George is also to be congratulated on another talented 

front, for receiving a Silver Medal for piano at the 

Redlands Music Eisteddfod. Well done George. 

Three students selected for the 

Torpedo Team 

Earlier in the year Finn McMahon, Casi McDonnell and 

Andrew Fowler were selected by the Brisbane Swimming 

Association’s Torpedos Team to represent Brisbane at 

Pittsworth. Casi (Year 6) received Gold in the 10 Years 

50m Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle and 

Gold in the 10 Years and Under Individual Medley. Andrew 

(Year 6)received a Silver in the Male 10 Years and Under 

200m Individual Medley and Silver in the 50m Breaststroke 

and Finn (Year 5) received a 4th in the 200m Individual 

Medley. 


SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS 

Speed, skill and tactic secured places for 

Callum and Cooper 

Callum Warden and Cooper Hancock (both Year 3), took 

part in the Under 9 trials at Redland United Football Club 

earlier in the year. The trials were held over two nights 

with 120 boys vying for only 20 positions. The trials were 

to seek out boys who demonstrated above average skills, 

who played with more speed and tactics and who had the 

required expertise to become a member of the Komodo 

Dragon Teams. 

Both boys were selected, Callum now plays for the 

Komodo Team ‘United’ and Cooper plays for the Komoto 

Team ‘Fury’, which has given the boys a wonderful 

opportunity, not only to play against some of the best 

teams from outlying clubs but also to develop their motor 

skill and playing skills. 

Queensland State Title win for Emily 

Emily Storey trains twice a week as a member of the 

Aquiline Club. At the end of 2010 she entered her first 

competition at the Sleeman Aquatic Centre at Chandler 

and came away with a 1st Place in her individual event 

and a 3rd Place in the team event, giving her a taste for 

competition sport and all the excitement of the challenge. 

In April this year Emily entered her second competition, 

this time at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre at Southport, 

where she notched up yet another win. Emily commenced 

synchronised swimming just over a year ago and found 

that she really enjoyed it, so to win her class in the 

Queensland State Titles (State Champion) added to her joy 

of competition swimming. 

As well as playing on home ground in Cleveland the boys 

also visit other club grounds. Callum and Cooper are very 

enthusiastic about the sport and have learnt not only new 

skills but also sportsmanship, respect for other players and 

the importance of being a team member. 

Zane named as Vice-Captain 

Zane Stock (Year 7) was delighted to be named as Vice- 

Captain of the Under 12 Met East AFL and was thrilled to 

receive his jumper. He was even more excited holding the 

position of Vice-Captain when he played in the recent State 

Championships. This is now Zane’s seventh year playing 

for the Redland Sharks. 


Easter Celebration 

Pre-Prep - Year 3 

A lot of excitement and a great deal of creative art work 

took place in the Early Learning Centre as the Pre-Prep 

children prepared for the Easter Celebration. In the Junior 

School, children from Prep and Years 1 to 3, displayed 

their artistic talents by creating a colourful array of Easter 

headwear. There were coloured bunny ears, crowns and 

coronets, feathers and bows, bunny whiskers and fluffy 

tails, all were completed and put aside for the big event. 

When the day came, all children proudly placed their 

Easter creations on their heads and in several different 

lines set off across campus to the Lingo Lin Theatre. When 

they reached their destination there was lots of excitement 

and a blaze of colour from the various different year 

groups. 

The screen on stage read EASTER CELEBRATION and what 

a celebration it was for the younger members of Ormiston 

College. Each year level took it in turns to entertain their 

audience with their own special Easter poem and an Easter 

song. 


The Official Opening of the new 

Junior Arts Centre 

The Ormiston College community 

welcomed Senator Claire Moore to its 

campus on Friday 18 March for the Official 

Opening of the Junior Arts Centre. The 

new building provides improved learning 

spaces for the Junior Music, Visual Arts 

and Drama programs and was funded 

through the Federal Government’s ‘Building 

the Education Revolution’ program. 

The impressive facility also offers a 150 

seat lecture theatre surrounded by six 

additional music practice rooms which will 

greatly assist in meeting the demand for 

co-curricular music and drama tuition at the 

College. 

Senator Moore complimented the College on 

the quality of its arts program, evident in the 

displays at the centre and the performances 

on the day and she acknowledged the 

contribution by the Board and College 

community. 

Also attending the ceremony were Federal 

Member for Bowman, Andrew Laming, State 

Member for Cleveland, Dr Mark Robinson, 

Redland City Mayor, Melva Hobson and 

Councillor, Wendy Boglary. Senator Moore 

commented that the presence of three 

levels of government reflected a shared 

commitment to education within the 

Redland community. 

Performing at the Official Opening: The OC Singers (Year 6 and 7 Choristers) 

Attending the Official Opening: Chairman of the Board, Mr John Miller and Mrs Patricia Miller, College Captain, Jessica Langshaw, 

Senator Claire Moore, College Captain, Tyler Blah and Headmaster, Mr Brett Webster. 


Year 7 Cultural Committee representatives, Tess Photinos 

and Chelsea Mitchell, on behalf of the students, staff and 

Ormiston College community, extended a vote of thanks 

to Senator Moore for the Federal Government’s generous 

donation which enabled the building of the Arts Centre. 

The Federal Government Grant has also facilitated the 

refurbishment of the building which previously housed 

the Junior music and art classrooms at Ormiston College, 

providing additional classrooms and allowing for the 

expansion of the Junior School. 

Meeting the demands of our music and art students 

Junior Arts Centre Lecture Theatre 


‘Magnificent performance’ 

‘Brought genuine tears 

to my eyes’ 

In the words of the Producer, Miss 

Peta Egan, “Ormiston College has 

forged a reputation for presenting 

professional-quality live theatre and 

the 2011 production of Les Miserables 

was no exception.” 

The tireless dedication of cast 

and crew was truly phenomenal, 

every performance had audiences 

absolutely spellbound and the 

memory of the production will remain 

with us for many years to come. 

Les Miserable touched all our senses; 

visually it was a superb feast of 

colour from scenery, costume and 

lighting. Musically we were 

treated to an unbelievable 

measure of talent from our solo 

vocalist, chorus and incredible 

STANDING OVATIONS AT EVERY PERFORMANCE 

LES MISERABLES 

orchestra. Emotionally we travelled 

the journey alongside the actors 

whose convincing portrayal of the 

various characters was so powerful 

that we were lost in their storyline. 

It was indeed a memorable and 

magnificent performance that 

received standing ovations at each 

performance. 

The actors, chorus, production team, 

technical crew, wardrobe department, 

scenery and props team, support 

groups, technical and backstage 

crews and the dozens of people who 

worked behind the scenes, are to be 

‘A class Act’ 

‘Absolutely incredible’ 

congratulated for the magnificent 

team spirit they created throughout 

the rehearsals and leading up to the 

actual performances. 

There are far too many people to 

thank but we must mention the 

commitment and dedication of the 

Producer, Miss Peta Egan, Musical 

Director, Mr Shane Tooley, Theatrical 

Director, Matthew Kopelke and our 

cast leads. Your performance brought 

admiration to all who were lucky 

enough to experience your very 

special rendition of Les Miserable. 



Marine Studies Comes to 


Last year Ormiston College introduced the senior board 

subject Marine Studies to its curriculum. With a strong 

Marine Industry in Queensland and Moreton Bay on the 

College doorstep, the subject seemed a natural choice for 

our Senior School students. 

Marine Studies covers a mixture of the classical sciences 

such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science in 

a marine context. The aim of the subject is to develop, in 

the individual, an awareness of environmental issues and 

gain skills unique to the Marine Industry. Many tertiary 

institutions now have Marine Studies programs in which 

students can gain degrees. Ormiston College students 

wishing to enter the field have the opportunity to apply 

to several Universities offering specific Marine Studies: 

• University of Queensland – Bachelor of Marine 

Studies 

• James Cook University – Bachelor of Marine Science 

• University of New South Wales – Bachelor of Science 

majoring in Marine Biology or Marine Science 

• University of Technology Sydney – Bachelor of 

Science majoring in Marine Biology or Environmental 

Science 

• Australian Maritime College – Bachelor of Maritime 

Engineering and Hydrology, Bachelor of Applied 

Science majoring in areas like Marine Environment, 

Maritime Logistics, Aquaculture, etc. 

Marine Studies is a board subject that offers a mixture 

of theoretical course components with practical skill 

acquisition. Many students use Marine Studies to gain 

extra skills and knowledge that can give an individual 

an edge in job applications. For example, it can be 

extremely useful to have a Boat Licence, Marine Radio 

Licence and SCUBA Licence when completing a degree 

in Marine Biology and later seeking work as a Biologist/ 

Ecologist/Educator with organisations like the Great 

Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority or National Parks and 

Wildlife Service. 

Students may cover the 

following topics in the 

Marine Studies Course: 

Year 10: 

• Introductory Marine Communications 

• Marine Biology (with an excursion in Semester 1 that 

includes the option of snorkelling) 

• Introductory Boating (with 2 days of excursions in 

Semester 2 where all students will learn to operate 

power boats) 

• Marine Conservation 

Year 11: 

• Oceanography 

• Boating (With the opportunity to obtain their 

Recreational Ship Master’s licence during their 

studies) 

• Maritime Communications (with opportunity to 

obtain their Marine Radio licence during their 

studies) 

• Navigation (both chart work and using G.P.S.) 

• Weather and Tides 

Year 12: 

• Snorkelling (with opportunity to obtain their Open 

Water SCUBA licence during their studies) 

• Marine Biology 

• Personal Water Skills (with opportunity to obtain 

their Senior First Aid Certificate during their studies) 

• Managing Marine Resources 

• Commercial and Recreational Fishing 

Employment in Marine Industries around 

the country include careers as diverse as: 

Marine Biologist 

National Park Ranger 

Customs Officer 

Fisheries Officer 

Oceanographer 

Marine Ecologist 

Naval Officer 

Marine Surveyor 

Ship’s Engineer 

Marine Architect 

Boat or Ship Builder 

Fish Export Inspector 

Tourism Manager 

Environmental Scientist 

Aquaculture 

Technician 

Port Authority Management 

Ship Captain 

and much more. 


of coral fish, turtles and the occasional shark proved to 

be both entertaining and educational. Reef walks and 

Island treks brought many encounters with bird life and 

reef creatures. In future trips to the Island students will 

have the opportunity to complete coral surveys for the 

University of Queensland’s Coral Watch program and in 

doing so help with monitoring the health of our reef. 

Marine Studies allows students to learn and develop 

knowledge about our precious marine environment. 

It includes a demanding theoretical component to the 

course that requires a certain level of Mathematical 

and English skill to complete successfully. The subject 

involves assessment like research tasks, assignments, 

examinations and extended written responses over the 

two years. 

There are also a number of mandatory and optional 

excursions in Marine Studies. Trips that all students 

must currently participate in include four days of 

Boating spread across Year 11 to obtain advanced 

power boating skills (plus their Boat Licence), a day of 

snorkelling in Year 12, at the end of the snorkelling unit 

and a day trip for Marine Biology. Optional excursions 

or trips in the subject include participating in an Open 

Water SCUBA course, weekend snorkel and SCUBA 

trips, a four day camp to either Lady Elliot Island or 

Heron Island during holidays, and a weekend fishing 

trip by boat in Moreton Bay. 

Learning how to protect our 

environment 

Marine Studies is a subject that will enable Ormiston 

College students to be better citizens when using 

Moreton Bay Marine Park, as well as safer boat users and 

successful fishermen/women. The knowledge and skills 

they will develop during this subject will allow them to 

educate others, plus protect and preserve the marine 

environment for future generations to enjoy. 

Marine Studies is a science subject that is new, 

innovative, and available to students from Years 10 to 12 

at Ormiston College. 

Our Students visit the 

Great Barrier Reef 

In the first week of the term one break 22 Ormiston 

College students, plus five teachers, spent four days 

at Lady Elliot Island located on the southern end of 

the Great Barrier Reef. The only way to reach the 

island was by small plane but as all agreed, it was 

well worth the journey. The trip gave individuals the 

chance to experience marine life on a Coral Atoll 

Island at the height of the bird and turtle nesting 

season. Students were able to observe turtles 

hatching and even save some of the less fortunate 

hatchlings that lost their way to the water. 

Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef with a myriad 


Collegian Communicator 

Youngest ever to gain 

entry to School of 

Medicine 

After graduating from Ormiston 

College with an OP2 and a reputation 

for high achievement in many 

co-curricular activities, Haddy Hughes 

secured a Collegiate Scholarship 

from Bond University. Once there, 

Haddy completed a Bachelor of 

Biomedical Science in two years, 

opting to accelerate her degree by 

completing three semesters per year 

instead of two. During her degree 

Haddy received three Dean’s Awards 

as well as an award from the Faculty 

of Business for coming first in class in 

the subject Entrepreneurship. 

In the last year of her degree she 

applied to study medicine at the 

University of Woolongong which uses 

a portfolio of life experiences as the 

major criteria for entry. The many 

activities that she had undertaken at 

Ormiston College, Cultural Prefect, 

Orchestra Concertmaster and 

numerous Academic Awards enabled 

her to obtain an interview which led 

to acceptance. At the tender age of 

19 years, Haddy is now the youngest 

ever to be accepted into the School of 

Medicine. 

Haddy is now delighted to be 

doing a four year postgraduate 

medicine course which was her goal 

throughout high school. The course 

is rurally focussed and in June she 

participated in a placement based on 

the North Coast of New South Wales. 

Haddy, who also has a keen interest 

in aid work and field medicine, is 

currently fundraising for the Tanna 

Island Hospital Relief Fund in 

Vanuatu. For two weeks in her June/ 

July holidays and six weeks over 

Christmas, she is working on the 

Island assisting with an aid project 

to help with tuberculosis screening, 

immunisation and other community 

health projects. 

Ian’s debut with the 

Queensland Reds 

At the beginning of the year, Ian Prior 

(Class of 2007) made his debut for the 

Queensland Reds, playing the second 

half of the trial game against the 

Crusaders in Cairns. 

Every bit ‘An Ormiston 

College Wedding’ 

On 8 January, Daniel France (Class 

of 2000), married Belinda Rantall in 

the beautiful Island Hideaway on 

the South Stradbroke Island. Daniel 

qualified as a teacher before joining 

the Queensland Police to further his 

dream of becoming a police forensic 

investigator. 

Several other Old Collegians attended 

the wedding including Daniel’s 

sister, Stephanie France (Class of 

2003), who is a manager in a textile 

business, Dexter Tan (Class of 

1996) who is working as a software 

consultant with an IT company and 

Luke Cudmore (Class of 2000) who is 

currently studying law at Queensland 

University of Technology. 

The Celebrant was our own Greg 

Cudmore, Director of Activities, who 

was delighted to officiate and hopes 

that this will be the first of many 

Ormiston Old Collegians weddings. 

Haddy Hughes receiving the Dean’s Award from the Dean of the Faculty of Heath Science 

and Medicine 


Emirates Airline has new 

Purser 

Nicholas Slorach (Class of 1998) has 

been living in Dubai and working for 

Emirates Airline as cabin crew since 

December 2003. Two years ago he 

joined the A380 fleet, the new double 

decker aircraft, and in June this 

year he graduated as a Flight Purser 

(on-board manager). The position of 

Purser is a very prestigious job and 

one of great responsibility as duties 

include being accountable for the 

entire 26 cabin crew as well as all 

passengers on-board (517 of them!). 

Emirates Airlines is one of the 

world’s fastest growing airlines. 

When Nicholas joined the cabin crew 

there were 5,000, today there is over 

12,000. In addition to all their other 

aircraft, Emirates currently have 15 

of the double-decker A380’s with a 

further 75 due to arrive over the next 

few years. 

Over the years, Nicholas has been 

able to travel the world and visit 

many places. He says that while 

he has spent more than 10 years 

overseas (2.5 years in the UK 

previously), Brisbane will always be 

home. 

Nic on-board the A380 

Nicholas farewells 

Rebecca Bird 

Nicholas recently said goodbye to his 

good friend Rebecca Bird (now Bec 

Gil) an Old Collegian also from Class 

of 1998. Bec had been working with 

Emirates for the last six years and left 

in June this year with her husband 

Luis Gil from Portugal. Bec and Luis 

plan to return to Australia for a few 

years before moving to Costa Rica to 

build and run a health resort. 

Family fly in from the 

other side of the world 

We send belated ‘Congratulations’ 

to Debbie Marshall (nee De Wet) on 

her marriage to Daniel in October of 

last year. Debbie 

(Class of 2003), 

was married 

at the Figtree 

Restaurant in 

Ewingsdale, just 

outside Byron 

Bay. Among 

her guests 

were Debbie’s 

grandparents 

who flew in from 

South Africa 

and Daniel’s 

grandparents who 

travelled from 

the UK. Debbie’s 

cousin also came 

Debbie and Daniel on honeymoon in Bali 

from South Africa to be bridesmaid 

on the special day, her other 

bridesmaid was Debbie’s close Uni 

friend who graduated with her as a 

Speech Pathologist. Debbie’s brother, 

Peter De Wet (Class of 2005), acted as 

MC on the day. 

Debbie and Daniel live in Balmoral, 

Brisbane and Debbie works as a 

Speech Pathologist in Paediatrics, 

Child Development and Behaviour 

Services, for Queensland Health on 

the Gold Coast. 


Gossipy Snippits 

Dr Catherine Hughes 

extends her gratitude to 


Congratulations to Catherine Hughes 

(Class of 2006) who has completed 

her Optometry Degree and is now Dr 

Catherine Hughes. 

Catherine writes: “I have several 

teachers to thank for my success, 

along with the great curriculum 

structure Ormiston College offers in 

the final three years of schooling. I 

was hoping I could extend my thanks 

and gratitude, in particular, to Mr 

Farnworth. My success is testimony 

to his dedication and commitment 

as a teacher and mentor, one who 

supported me, ensuring I reached 

my potential whilst at Ormiston 

College. Mr Farnworth spent 

tireless hours helping me strive 

for perfection and has left a lasting 

impression. Earlier this year I moved 

to Mackay to commence my career 

as an Optometrist. I look forward 

to receiving an invitation to attend 

the Biennial Prefect’s Breakfast as a 

past Ormiston College student and 

Prefect.” 

Kieran Broome - 

Congratulations on your 

Ph.D 

Kieran Broom (Class of 1999) has 

received his Ph.D from Queensland 

University. Kieran is an Occupational 

Therapist with Queensland Health 

and also lectures on the Sunshine 

Coast. 

News from the Cook 

family 

Courtney Cook (Class of 2004) 

celebrated her engagement to Jeremy 

Allan earlier in the year. 

Ben Cook (Class of 2006) left for 

London at the start of the year 

having won the Ann Garms Award 

for Excellence in Hospitality. Ben will 

work for 12 months at the Sofitel St 

James. 

Working as a DJ 

Harrison Hope (Class of 2010), 

recipient of an Academic Excellence 

Scholarship is studying for a Bachelor 

of Engineering and thoroughly enjoy 

University life. “My true ambitions 

lies in entrepreneurship; I hope 

to gain experience studying at an 

overseas University, possibly the 

Paris Institute of Technology or the 

California Institute of Technology.” In 

between studies Harrison works as a 

DJ and is enjoying life at Queensland 

University. 

Luke McCann living in 

Sydney 

Luke McCann (Class of 1999) recently 

paid a visit back to Cleveland and 

enjoyed a meal on the Harbour at 

the Italian restaurant ‘Noci’, owned 

by past Ormiston College Captain, 

Matthew Oui (Class of 1998). Luke is 

now living in Sydney, working as a 

Senior Private Wealth Manger in the 

banking field. 

Kara, praising Ormiston 

College from South Africa 

An email from Kara Ross, nee Baines 

(Class of 1995) informing us that 

she loves receiving the Ormiston 

College Oracle. Kara lives in Cape 

Town, South Africa and was recently 

working with Jake White and Eddie 

Jones, the Rugby World Cup 2007 

winning coaching partnership. 

Kara comments “I loved attending 

Ormiston Collge, many, many years 

ago and it is great seeing the school 

going from strength to strength. My 

time at Ormiston College cemented 

my love for sports and influenced my 

career decision in Sport Marketing 

nearly 12 years ago. It is great to see 

Ormiston sport so strong. Keep up 

the awesome work!” 

We certainly will Kara, you can’t keep 

a good school down! 

Graduates choose art 

degrees 

The 2010 Visual Arts Dux, Naomi 

Smith, was invited to display a 

selection of her Year 12 work at 

the recent ACT for Kids Charity 

Exhibition. All art works were for 

sale and the night raised $25,000 for 

ACT, the charity that helps children 

in need. Naomi exhibited alongside 

successful Brisbane artist, Michael 

Zavros. Ormiston College dedicated 

its 2010 Biennial Art Show to ACT for 

Kids and plans to maintain a strong 

relationship with the organisation 

through the arts program. 

Four of our 2010, Year 12 Graduates 

have gone on to study Visual Arts 

related courses: 

Naomi Smith, Bachelor of Fashion 

and Business at Queensland 

University of Technology 

Ashleigh Gurney, Bachelor of Visual 

Arts at Griffith University 

Kyla Nelson, Bachelor of Visual Arts 

and Drama at Queensland University 

of Technology 

Julianna Davis, Bachelor of Design at 

Griffith University 

OOCA on Facebook 

Looking for a school buddy from 

days gone by Can‘t find their phone 

number or email address anymore 

With over 500 past students already 

members, the ‘Ormiston Old 

Collegian Assoication’ Facebook 

group is a great way to stay 

connected with your old school 

friends and your College. 

Simply search for ‘Ormiston Old 

Collegian Assoication’ from within 

Facebook and join. Membership is 

free and is a great way to reconnect. 

Members will also be kept up to date 

with upcoming OOCA events and 

functions. Go on... join now! 


From the College Archives 

How many of you remember 

singing the Year 7 Graduation Song 

when you finished your primary 

years and celebrated your move up 

to Year 8 

All of you who graduated from 

Year 7, can now look back on those 

words knowing that – You 'did 

fly', you did 'reach for the sky' and 

whilst you were here, 'you were the 

heart of Ormiston College'. 

We are extremely proud of our Old 

Collegians. 

The old Ormiston College Year 7 

Graduation Song 

It’s another step we take 

In the fortunes of our lives, 

And with heart and determination 

We’ll do more than just survive. 

We’re surging even onward 

With spirit, joy and youth 

And of Australia’s bright new future 

We’re the living proof. 

Let us fly! 

Let us fly! 

Let us reach out for the sky. 

With hope and drive and knowledge 

We’re the heart of Ormiston College 

So it’s onward that we strive 

On roads that are unfolding. 

And we know we’ll overcome 

With our knowledge and our learning. 

For we’re all part of something 

In which we must have a hand. 

And it’s with our total effort 

That we’ll make a better land. 

Let us fly! 

Let us fly! 

Let us reach out for the sky. 

With hope and drive and knowledge 

We’re the heart of Ormiston College. 

Please pass this information 

on to your parents: 

Parents of Past Students (POPS) 

POPS Annual Trivia Night 

The Parents of Past Students (POPS) are making major changes to this year’s Trivia Night 

This annual event is one of the most popular, eagerly awaited, well supported, 

overwhelmingly successful nights of the College calendar. Since its inception, it has been 

themed as ‘Christmas in July’ and always held during that month. This year, however, 

they are ringing the changes, just to prove that the Parents of Past Students can still 

come up with a cracking good night, full of fun as well as the unexpected! ‘Christmas in 

July’ will now become ‘Halloween in October’. 

Due to its immense success over past years, the format for the evening will remain 

unchanged but the atmosphere and the wicked plans that they have in store for you, will 

add an exciting new spark to this year’s event. 

Date: Saturday, 8 October 

Venue: The Hall of Fame 

Old Collegians and POPS, this is a great opportunity to get together and catch up. Please put the 

date in your diary, make up your team, think up your group name and the décor for your table 

and design outrageous costumes – see you there! 

Booking and enquiries: Valerie Warwick v.warwick@ormistoncollege.com.au

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