What a fantastic and busy start to the year it has been so far. 

In our first week we celebrated the induction of our new student leaders for the Junior, Middle and Senior schools. As student leaders, they will all play an important role in shaping the experience of their peers for 2025 and I am confident that their leadership will set an example of respect, kindness, and dedication to the role. I congratulate you all as you step into these new roles.

I also had the opportunity to host our quarterly “Captain’s Lunch” with our six School Captains. We have a fantastic group of leaders across all three of our schools, and I am looking forward to working closely with our Captains as they strive to lead their cohorts, while developing their own leadership capabilities in 2025.

This week, we held our Scholars Assembly which involved all current Year 5 to 12 students and award recipients from the Year 12 2024 cohort. At Scholars’, we recognised our top ATAR students, as well as Year 5 to 11 students from 2024 who achieved well academically in Semester 2 (Cum Laude Awards). Over 270 students were recognised at the assembly; an outstanding number of recipients.

We thank our guest speaker, Dr Katie Gough, for her address and sharing the importance of looking after one’s mental health and wellbeing in pursuit of goals. We also thank our University guests Ms Helen Nolan (University of Southern Queensland), Dr Sarah Prestridge (Griffith University), Professor Firuz Zare (Queensland University of Technology) and Professor Kris Ryan (University of Queensland) for taking the time to join us at our assembly.  Thank you also to Ms Stewart for her tireless work in coordinating the Scholars Assembly.

The academic excellence demonstrated by our students is indicative of the hard work and dedication put in by the students and teachers alike. It speaks to the “Pursuit of Individual Excellence.”

Finally, I also had a very special visit from our three Prep classes. They were full of curiosity with some truly great questions and are all a constant reminder of the bright future ahead for WestMAC. It was a pleasure to meet these future stars of our school and to see their eagerness to learn first-hand. All three classes have started the year exceptionally well and are a credit to their teachers and their families. Photos of their visit are available via NEST.

Andrew Peach
Principal

I can’t believe we are nearly halfway through Term 1 already! For me, time is in top gear, and I’ve been feeling like I need more, or at least for it to slow down a little bit.

Time is one of the most precious gifts we have. It shapes our lives, gives rhythm to our days, and reminds us of both beginnings and endings. But when we think about time in relation to God, we discover that it is more than just clocks and calendars—it carries deep spiritual meaning.

What is time? In the Bible, two Greek words describe time: Chronos and Kairos.

Chronos refers to measurable time—the seconds, minutes, and hours that structure our daily lives. It is the time we track with schedules and deadlines, the time that can feel too fast when we are busy and too slow when we are waiting. We live much of our lives in Chronos time—waking up to alarms, rushing to appointments, meeting expectations. It helps us stay organised and productive, but it can also make us feel hurried or disconnected from what truly matters.

Kairos is God’s time—the sacred, appointed moments where we experience something deeper. These are the moments when we feel God's presence, when an opportunity opens before us, or when we realise something significant about our faith or purpose. Kairos time is when we pause, listen, and recognise God's movement in our lives. It might be found in a quiet moment of prayer, in an unexpected act of kindness, or in the beauty of creation. These moments remind us that life is more than just tasks and schedules; it is about meaning, relationships, and faith.

Jesus understood both types of time. He followed daily rhythms—teaching, healing, traveling—but he also took time to step away, pray, and be fully present with those in need. He teaches us that while Chronos time is necessary, we must also make space for Kairos time—moments to slow down, reflect, and allow God to speak to us.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us:
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

May we use our time wisely, embracing both the structure of daily life and the sacred moments where God calls us to something greater.

Many blessings,

Rev’d Jane

World Day of Prayer 2025

World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumenical movement of women of many faith traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday in March. Throughout the entire day, we collectively pray all over the world, beginning with the first sunrise and ending at the last sunset. Our prayers follow the sun’s path around the globe. WDP’s motto is “Informed prayer leads to prayerful action.” Through World Day of Prayer, women affirm that prayer and action are inseparable and that both have immeasurable influence in the world.

Coordinated services of Christian worship and prayer are held across the world in over 170 countries, directed by the international body – the World Day of Prayer International. The program for the service is prepared well in advance by women from one focus country of the world. Each service has an advertised theme and involves Bible readings, prayers and songs and a reflection and is attended by women and men.

This year the Ipswich Central event for the World Day of Prayer on Friday, 7 March is being hosted by St Paul’s Anglican Church. If you are interested in attending or would like to participate, please contact 3812 0377 for more information.

Invitation to Taizé Service

On Sunday, March 9 at 6pm, Holy Spirit Anglican Church, Kenmore, is delighted to welcome Br Merrick who is visiting Australia from the Taizé Monastic Community in France.

The Taizé community is an Ecumenical Monastic Order with a strong devotion to peace and justice through prayer and meditation. Taizé worship provides a prayer experience unlike any other, offering unique respite from the busy world and a practice of both spirituality and mindfulness. All are welcome to attend.

World’s Greatest Shave 2025

It’s back! This year WestMAC will again host a World’s Greatest Shave event raising much needed funds for The Leukaemia Foundation. This College event will occur on Thursday, 27 March.

Blood cancer is Australia's hidden cancer crisis. Today, there are 150,000 families facing blood cancer, and 17 Australians will lose their life. Every year, thousands of Australians step up to Shave, Cut, or Colour their hair and raise funds in support of those affected. 

Every dollar you raise will help provide families with practical and emotional support to get them through the many challenges that blood cancer can bring. And you'll power Australia's brightest research minds, bringing us closer to our goal of zero lives lost to blood cancer by 2035.

For more information, please contact Rev’d Jane or Mr Alcorn.

You have a vocation from God.

If you already know what it is, pray to be faithful.
If you are still searching, pray to hear God’s voice and to respond generously.

Are you thinking about your life's direction? 

All those seeking to explore vocation in its many and varied forms are welcome to join one of our Seekers events in 2025.

You will hear from people in all walks and stages of vocational discernment, both lay and ordained. All are welcome to come, seek and maybe even find your next step on the journey!

Contact the Discernment and Vocations Office for more details and to register your interest. Click here to email and register: vocations@anglicanchurchsq.org.au

Many blessings,

The WestMAC Chaplaincy Team

Brains – our superpower

Recently at Assembly the picture book Love your Brain by Chrissie Davies was shared with students. The message in the story is about the amazing capacity of our brains and how we can look after our brain by:  

• Learning about emotions and feelings
• Getting lots of sleep
• Eating lots of healthy food
• Drinking plenty of water
• Listening to music
• Taking a brain break
• Spending time in nature
• Saying kind things to our brains

Further information about the book can be found via the link: Love Your Brain and it will love you back. 

Student Protection

Students in the Junior School receive regular messages and information about protecting their personal safety. Parents are encouraged to initiate and continue these conversations at home. Details about Student Protection Officers and a number of resources are available for parents on NEST.

Uniform Focus this fortnight – Shoes and Socks

At Assembly this week students were reminded about:

• Regularly polishing black school shoes
• Keeping shoelaces tied
• Keeping grey socks pulled up and neatly folded
• White ankle socks being neatly folded once
• Not wearing WestMAC sports socks with black school shoes

 A word from Michele Juratowich - Brain Battle

The limbic system within the brain is responsible for rapid emotional responses; whereas the prefrontal cortex is responsible for more considered, objective thinking, including functions such as impulse control. Like an intergalactic space battle that takes place on our movie, television or computer screens, these two areas can be locked in a protracted battle, each wanting to achieve dominance. The difference is that this all takes place within the brain.

Emotional drives sometimes win and at other times, the battle is won by the prefrontal cortex, exercising impulse control. Like battle-hardened warriors, the more one area is exercised, the more skilled and dominant it becomes. So it is in developing impulse control.

Approximately fifty years ago, Walter Mischel, a professor of psychology at Stanford University, conducted what later became known as the marshmallow experiment. Young students were each given a marshmallow or other treat and told that they could eat this immediately or if they were able to keep the marshmallow until the researcher returned (about fifteen minutes later), they would receive a second marshmallow. This was a test to determine which students were able to delay gratification. For students who had a strong emotional drive, the temptation proved too much and their marshmallows were eaten before the time was up. Other students were able to activate the prefrontal cortex and use impulse control to resist eating the marshmallow. These students exercised restraint, delayed gratification and eventually, claimed their reward.

Walter Mischel’s book, “The Marshmallow Test” explores this recurring battle in the brain by examining a range of subsequent studies, inspired by his original experiment. These other studies demonstrate, as Mischel’s did, that there were significant cognitive, academic and social benefits for students who were able to exercise self-control and override reactive emotional drives. Follow-up research identified that students who were able to delay gratification were those who had better focus, achieved the highest academic results, experienced fewer behavioural difficulties and experienced the most satisfying peer relationships.

It was found that genetics, parenting patterns and environmental factors all contribute to strengthening one ‘force’ or the other in this ongoing battle. Where students experienced uncertainty that they would be given the promised reward, they were more likely to take the first offer and not risk losing out altogether. This experience of uncertainty strengthened the emotional drive within the brain battle and weakened their self-control. These studies emphasise that it is important for parents to deliver on promises made in order to help students feel confident about rewards and help them to delay gratification and develop self-control.

© Michele Juratowich

michele@clearingskies.com.au

Band Reading Day

On Sunday 09 February, musicians in Performance Band and Symphonic Band gathered at school for the annual Band Reading Day. This is a pivotal event in our rehearsal schedule, allowing our ensembles to come together and create music through intensive rehearsals and sectionals, setting our ensembles up for a successful year of music making. Our students sight read new repertoire for our many internal and external performances, as well as developing ensemble skills and fostering a sense of community across the Middle and Senior Schools.

For Symphonic Band, who have already performed at the Principal’s Commissioning and Scholars’ Assembly, this rehearsal allowed them to focus on more challenging repertoire and has given them a strong head-start in their preparation for Ipswich Eisteddfod. Students and staff in both ensembles are to be commended on their dedication to the extra-curricular ensemble program. 2025 is promising to be another successful year of music making.

TAS Term 1 Launch

As is a tradition at the College, our Term 1 TAS First teams were presented with their jerseys, musically accompanied by Brass Ensemble and Saxophone Ensemble. These groups came together, under the direction of Miss Ebony Westwood, and created incredible music that had the Lostroh Centre energised and excited for the term ahead. Thank you to these students and Miss Westwood for their commitment and dedication to this launch, creating a sense of pride and College spirit at this wonderful celebration.

Year 12 Music and Music Extension Recital

On Wednesday 12 February, 10 dedicated Music and Music Extension students presented their first recital for the year. The evening saw 14 performances and 2 compositions from our talented music students, who continue to shine on and off the stage. A highlight of the night was a performance from Samuel Wicks, accompanying his dad in a very musical rendition of Take Five by Paul Desmond. Special thanks must go to Mr Bruce Ramm, College Accompanist, for his unwavering support of our students throughout their musical journey, as well as the instrumental tutors who are integral in our students’ continued success.

The Addams Family Cast

Introducing The Addams Family cast!

• Gomez Addams – Max Rossow
• Morticia Addams – Anna Fazackerley
• Uncle Fester – Callum Brady
• Grandma – Layla Fulton
• Wednesday Addams – Sophie Mullens
• Pugsley Addams – Jesse Frommelt
• Lurch – Samuel Markotsis
• Mal Beineke – Samuel Wicks
• Alice Beineke – Ruby Wilson
• Lucas Beineke – Joshua Ngo

Thank you to all students who registered to audition for our 2025 College production of The Addams Family. The audition panel acknowledges the dedication, preparation, resilience and courage that all students displayed throughout the audition process. Staff were blown away with the pool of talent we have at the College, resulting in some challenging decisions to be made. While not all students were successful, we commend their enthusiasm and effort, and we encourage them to continue developing their talents and seek future opportunities in the performing arts in the coming years.

Congratulations to the students who have been successful in securing a Lead, Supporting Lead, Dancestor or Chorus role within the cast. It is promising to be an outstanding musical!

Important Dates for Term 1

• Friday 21 February: Vocal rehearsal. 3.15pm - 4.45pm
• Friday 28 February: Vocal rehearsal. 3.15pm - 4.45pm
• Saturday 1 March: Musical rehearsal. 12.30pm - 5.30pm
• Friday 7 March: Vocal rehearsal. 3.15pm - 4.45pm
• Friday 14 March: Vocal rehearsal. 3.15pm - 4.45pm
• Saturday 15 March: Musical rehearsal. 12.30pm - 5.30pm
• Friday 21 March: Standby rehearsal (no Year 12s). 3.15pm - 4.45pm
• Friday 28 March: Vocal rehearsal. 3.15pm - 4.45pm
• Saturday 29 March: Musical rehearsal. 12.30pm - 5.30pm
• Friday 4 April: Vocal rehearsal. 3.15pm - 4.45pm

The rehearsal schedule will be updated regularly on the 2025 Musical Cast group page on NEST. Please ensure that you are checking this frequently and noting your rehearsal commitments. Any last minute changes will be communicated via the College app. If you cannot attend any rehearsal, please email Ms Hoiberg at your earliest convenience. We look forward to a rewarding musical experience!

“Morticia: Wednesday is growing up.

Gomez: She'll be Thursday before you know it!”

Tina Paliadelis

Leader of Learning - Music

Year 8 GATE Program

This week saw the commencement of Gifted and Talented Enrichment (GATE) classes. The curriculum is founded on the development of effective thinking skills that are transferable across subjects and contexts. This week, the Year 8 students explored an ethical dilemma based upon the following scenario:

You are the captain of an interstellar cargo transport headed to port when you receive two distress calls. The first is from a labour ship providing services to their community; its passengers are running out of oxygen. The other is from a luxury space cruiser which has lost a thruster, sending them careening into a dangerous asteroid storm.

With only enough time to save one ship, which should you choose?

Students worked collaboratively to develop as many questions they could think of in response to watching an animated scenario. They then had the chance to view others’ questions and categorise them into one, two and three star questions. For example, a one star question was “What work did the labourers do?”, while a three star question was “Is it more ethical to sacrifice 20 people to save 30?”, and “Who has the right to decide who lives and dies?”  The students certainly left the class with more questions than answers, which is the essence of becoming a curious, collaborative learner and an independent thinker.

Sharee Verdon

GATE Coordinator

Joshua Newham

Former student Joshua Newham is a very keen young man who worked to pursue a school based apprenticeship in carpentry. His persistance and strong work ethic have resulted in a postive step forward in his persuit of future goals. Initially things weren’t happening as planned, but he picked himself up after the disappointing lack of progress. He identified an opportunity to engage in a work experience program with McNab builders.

As a component of the work experience, students have the chance to demonstrate their suitability to the business and the trade. He worked hard at proving he was worthy and could be a valuable future employee.

Later in the year McNab held interviews for post school positions as carpentry apprentices. Joshua applied, having already gained a feel for the company through his work experience placement. He was successful in achieving his dream job, and with a great organisation. This year I made contact with his mum to check in to see how Joshua was travelling with his new job. To say the least, mum is so proud and happy for such a wonderful outcome. I have shared below some of the email response from Joshua’s mum.

I would like to emphasise the career opportunities ahead for Joshua. We are seeing organisations are more often investing in young employees with study options for future progression within the business.  

From Mrs Newham: 

Hi Rob,

Oh Josh has struck gold with McNab. What a wonderful company they are. Josh is loving it. He is working locally on a housing project at booval. They are building some community housing units. He has also been working at Oxley on a retirement village project. 

They treat him with respect and the training and safety is next level. He’s worked overtime every day so he’s very excited about his pay check. 

He has a career path with McNab and they asked that the apprentices just bring a positive attitude and they will do the rest. Trevor and I are very impressed. 

The best thing he did was apply for that work experience in the holidays. He has his confidence back and he gets up and heads off to work without complaining.  

They have given him tool vouchers and health and well-being vouchers. It’s unbelievable. These kids don’t know how lucky they are. Highly recommend them for students!

Thank you again for giving Josh such a great start. 

In the previous newsletter, I outlined that this year I would sharing lessons learned from Ted Lasso. For those that missed it, Challenge No. 1 was “Courage is the willingness to try”.

The next challenge is “winning is an attitude”.

How do you approach winning? What are your steps to success?

Last week, I was please to discuss this topic with a WestMAC student. They were reflecting on personal bests (PBs) and setting a new Western Ranges (District) swimming record. For this story, it is important to note this was the students first PB (and record) for some time. They discussed being on a challenging journey and, at times, this was a challenging commitment. The need to maintain focus, keep trying, have a growth mindset and a positive attitude was vital. Achieving PBs was ongoing goal, but setting records was a long-term goal. It is fantastic to see that, with consistent effort and a positive attitude, this student achieved two goals at one event.

My thanks to the students that auditioned for the 2025 College Musical and congratulations to the students selected for the production. Given the talent displayed at auditions and the exceptional staff working on the Addams Family, it promises to be an outstanding production.

A huge congratulations to the Sports Department for their work in week 3. They managed to fit Middle and Senior School Swimming Carnivals, District Swimming Carnival and a Junior TAS and TAS season launch into one week! A big thank you for these excellent experiences.

It has been wonderful to hear our talented musicians at the College events over the past three weeks. A big thank you to the Music Department team for the music contributions to these events, for your ongoing work in rehearsals and at the on the Band and Choral reading days.

A reminder to all parents and students regarding the importance of attending rehearsals, training, sessions and fixtures. It is essential that we approach all we do with a team-mindset and a focus on commitment and excellence. If you are unable to attend a planned activity, please ensure you communicate with staff as early as possible. Alternatively, you can use the Clash Notification Form found on the Student Experiences NEST page.

A couple of reminders:

• Wednesday 19 February – Year 12 Ski Tour Update meeting for parents and students
• Thursday 20 February – Meet the Music Tutors concert
• Sunday 23 February – Choral Reading Day
• Monday 24 February – Singapore Tour Update meeting for parents and students
• Wednesday 26 February – Year 10 Camp departs (returning Friday 28 February)

Heath Del Favero

Director of Student Experiences

The WestMAC team started strong in 2025 with students braving hot conditions at dressage and show jumping events in January and February. Marissa Wilkins attended an Australia Day show jumping competition in Toowoomba and gained first place in the 80cm class.

On 8 and 9 February, Kayla Moore, Willa Boersma, Marissa Wilkins, Tamika Donald, Ava Steedman, Macy Hews, Isla Cotton and Karina Reeve-Johnson attended the Stuartholme Dressage and Show Jumping event at Fig Tree Pocket.

Congratulations to Willa and Karina who claimed Champion School Team in the 100cm show jumping class, and Willa, Isla and Marissa who achieved Reserve Champion School Team for 80cm. Tamika placed as Champion medium dressage rider and Willa was also Champion in the 100cm show jumping class. All riders achieved fantastic results in large classes.

We look forward to a big year of Interschool competitions with the 2025 Equestrian Team.

Alison Sewell

Equestrian Coordinator

Year 7-12 Debating and Public Speaking in 2025

This week is the ‘kick-off’ for 2025 Debating and Public Speaking for Year 7-12, with our Information Session held during lunch on Thursday (20 Feb) in SA17. Any Year 7-12 students interested in debating or public speaking at WestMAC is encouraged to bring their lunch and come along to learn more about the various debating and public speaking opportunities we offer at WestMAC. The information session will also include the opportunity to sign-up for a team to join the Ipswich Secondary Schools Debating Competition, which takes place in Term 2.

Debating and Public Speaking opportunities at WestMAC in 2025 will include:

• Ipswich Secondary Schools Debating Competition – held at St Mary’s College during Term 2
• Coordinate Debating (Short Prep) Competition – held at WestMAC during Term 3
• AIDPSC (Australian Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship) – held interstate during the September School holidays
• Lions Youth of the Year Public Speaking
• Rotary Youth Speak
• English Speaking Union – Public Speaking Competition
• Mooting

If you were unable to attend the Information Session held on Thursday, and would like more information about the above events, please contact Mrs Victoria Fehringer (Yr7-12 Debating Co-Ordinator and Leader of Learning – English).

Victoria Fehringer

Senior Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator

TAS and Junior TAS Season Launch

The Term 1 TAS Season Launch brought together students from the Junior, Middle, and Senior Schools to celebrate the beginning of another exciting season of TAS and Junior TAS sport.

Culture and spirit are central to WestMAC sport, and this event highlighted the power of sport to unite the community. The TAS Season Launch, led by College Captains Halle Anderson and Oliver Ryan, as well as Sports Captains Lachlan Appleby and Rachael Wilson, is now a regular tradition each term, recognises the dedication and achievement of the College’s Firsts teams. Being selected for a Firsts team is a significant accomplishment, and these athletes represent the highest level of sport at WestMAC, both on and off the field.

This term, the College proudly supports its TAS and Junior TAS athletes across basketball, cricket, hockey, football, tennis, volleyball, and swimming. The event reinforced the message that success at WestMAC is a shared effort—students were encouraged to play with passion, support their teammates, and show up to cheer on their peers.

A key moment in the launch was the jersey presentation, where Grade 3 students handed the 2025 Firsts teams their jerseys—a symbolic gesture highlighting the legacy of WestMAC sport and inspiring younger students to strive for excellence. The event also introduced a new tradition: an Alumni vs. Firsts basketball and volleyball game, allowing current students to see their sporting role models in action.

As the season unfolds, all WestMAC athletes are encouraged to give their best, represent the College with pride, and contribute to making this a memorable and successful term. Go Eagles!

TAS Sport
Over the past fortnight, WestMAC faced off against St Columban’s and CHAC in the TAS competition. We secured an overall victory against St Columban’s, while going down to CHAC—the reigning Trimester 1 Champion School—after a competitive showing. Highlights included winning 3 out of 5 cricket matches, victories for our Year 7 and Year 8 Volleyball teams, and a dominant performance by the Year 7 Girls Basketball team. Our Year 8 Footballers also continued their strong season with a hard-fought win. This weekend, we gear up for an exciting local derby against St John’s, followed by JPC in Round 5. Both these fixtures are crucial to building momentum as we head toward the final rounds of the season.

Fixtures and ladders can be found here https://fixtures.clipboard.app/tas/fixtures

Good luck to all teams. Go WestMAC!

Junior TAS Sport

The first two rounds of Junior TAS Cricket and Hockey saw enthusiastic WestMAC students take to the field with bats and sticks, embracing the spirit of fun and teamwork. It has been fantastic to witness their weekly improvement and commitment to the WestMAC Way, both at training and on game day. This dedication was reflected in the results, with WestMAC securing 4 out of 5 wins in Cricket and an impressive 6 out of 7 wins in Hockey. Best of luck to all students for the next round—Go WestMAC!

TAS and Junior TAS Fixtures - Clipboard

From 2025, TAS is transferring to Clipboard, and all ladders and fixtures will be available on the following website:

https://fixtures.clipboard.app/tas/fixtures

All TAS and Junior TAS coaches, players, parents and supporters of a WestMAC sporting team will need to refer to this website for all fixture information. The fixtures are live and there may be changes. All coaches, players, parents and supporters are asked to check the fixtures on the day before the fixture to ensure there has not been any changes. If there are any changes on the day before the fixture, an alert will be sent via the College App.

Handy Hints:

If you are having difficulty finding your match details, here are some handy hints:

• If accessing the website by your mobile phone, hold it in landscape position.
• Use your finger to swipe across so you can see time and venue.
• Be sure to use the filter and:
  • Select Season: 2025 – Trimester 1
  • Select Activity: e.g. Basketball
  • Select Round: Round 3

You will then be able to see the fixtures for TAS Round 3 Basketball. If you need to see a different sport, simply select this sport in the Activity box.

Training and Facilities

The training schedule for the remainder of the Term has now been set and is available on the College App and NEST. We thank all parents and students for their patience as we navigate our way through the resurfacing of the Senior Courts, as well as the state-of-the-art roof construction on our Keswick Rd Courts. Please note, the training schedule is subject to change as any of these projects become available for use again.

Term 2 TAS and Junior TAS Sport Expression of Interest

There are a number of TAS and Junior TAS sporting opportunities available at WestMAC in Term 2. The sports on offer include:

Parents and students are to ensure they express their interest to participate in their chosen sport. Please refer to the Term 2 sign-on email by Mrs Kerri Ellis.

Eagles Rising Running Club  

The Eagles Rising Running Club will commence shortly. The Eagles Rising Running Club has always proven to be popular with students and is an ideal way for students to prepare for the upcoming Interhouse Cross Country carnivals as well as improve their fitness for their various team sports including Rugby, Netball and Hockey. Sessions will conclude by 8.00am and students should ensure that they bring sufficient water as well as something to eat following training each morning. Further information regarding the Eagles Rising Running Club will be sent out shortly.

Western Ranges Swimming Success

Last Thursday, 57 WestMAC swimmers attended the 10-19 Years Western Ranges Swimming Carnival it Gatton. Of the 57 students, WestMAC had a staggering 41 students qualify for the Met West trials next week. WestMAC dominated the pool all day, with our swimmers producing many records and showcasing our talent in the pool.

TAS and Junior TAS Swimming

The TAS and Junior TAS Swimming teams has been named and selected students and their parents received an information letter this week. The TAS Carnival will be held on Thursday 20 March, with the Junior TAS Carnival being held on Thursday 21 March at Chandler.

Interhouse Swimming Carnivals

Congratulations to the Middle and Senior School students on a wonderful Interhouse Swimming Carnival last week. The spirit was well and truly alive, and it was great to see so many of our students participate in the multitude of events. A full list of results and photos will be available in the next edition of the newsletter.

Congratulations to...

Briar Rowe - Karate

Congratulations to Year 9 student Briar Rowe who recently received her Black Belt in Karate. Briar’s journey to get to this achievement is a wonderful example of persistence and resilience – key attributes of the WestMAC Way! Briar began her Karate journey in Sydney at just five years old, dedicating herself to intense training across technique, Kumite (combat), and weapons classes. Her hard work paid off in 2018 when she made history, winning gold in every event at the National Championships—an achievement never before held by a single individual. Set to represent Australia at the World Championships in Japan in 2020, her plans were halted by Covid. After moving to Queensland, Briar adapted to a new Karate style, displaying remarkable resilience by earning her black belt despite a fractured finger. Guided by the belief that "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard," Briar now shifts her focus to music, accepting an invitation to join the WestMAC Stage and Performance Bands with her electric and acoustic guitars.

Andrew Wilson and Caleb McLellan - Queensland Next Gen 7's U16 Boys Team

Over the Christmas holidays, Andrew Wilson and Caleb McLellan took a bold step in their sporting journeys by applying to trial for the Queensland Next Gen 7s U16 Boys team. Their hard work and dedication paid off as both students not only earned a place at the trials but also secured spots in the squad. Being selected for the Queensland Next Gen 7s squad is a remarkable achievement that reflects their commitment, athleticism, and perseverance.

Andrew and Caleb proudly represented Queensland on the iconic turf of Ballymore Stadium on 9 February and faced a tough New South Wales team. This marked an exciting milestone as they joined the first-ever U16 boys squad to participate in this prestigious competition.

Congratulations to Andrew and Caleb and we look forward to watching their talents on the rugby field in Term 2.

We are aware that there have been multiple Western Ranges District and Met West Regional trials happening during this month and next. We congratulate the many WestMAC students who have been successful with Western Ranges District selection. Unfortunately, we don’t always hear from families or Regional conveners when students have been successful with Met West Regional selection. We’d love to hear from you if you have been successful with your trials and been selected in a Met West team. Please email all achievements to sport@wmac.com.au

Rob Hillier 

Head of Sport 

Blast Off to Space Camp Easter holidays 2026!

Attention all budding astronauts and thrill-seekers aged 15-18! Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime with our Space Camp trip, a journey that will take you to some of the most exciting destinations in the U.S. dedicated to space, science, and adventure! You will participate in hands-on experiences at a US Space Centre, designed to give you a taste of life as an astronaut. Other experiences may include theme parks, shopping, airboats to name a few.

Trip Details:

• When: Easter Holidays, 2026. Dates are to be confirmed once the itinerary is finalised.
• Who: Students aged 15-18 at the time of the trip. This is an age requirement of the Space Camp program.
• Cost: Approx $10,000. Final costs depend on student numbers/itinerary but will be provided before a deposit is required in March/April 2025. A minimum of 16 students is required to run this trip.
• Information Evening: Tuesday 4March 5:30pm - 6:30pm MBG2
• Expressions of Interest: Opens Monday 10 March. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to embark on a journey that is out of this world!

Pam Burt

Leader of Learning - Science

In the last newsletter, you were introduced to the WestMAC P&F including the Friends of the Arts, a small sub-committee dedicated to supporting the College’s fabulous arts programs. Best known as FOTA, the group was established about nine years ago and was the brain-child of Mr Neil Flottman, Head of Performance Music, and Mrs Susan Boyle, a mum of three past WestMAC students, who dedicated herself to helping the College in any way she could. The group is now headed up by Allyson Hodgson as Chairperson, Emma Mitchell as secretary, Karlie Bulow as treasurer, with Natalie Reeve and Natasha Wicks as the Music & Arts Liaison Officers, while the Dance Liaison Officer is currently vacant.

The aim of FOTA is to support students in the arts – dance, music, drama and visual art – both in the classroom and as extracurricular activities. We do this by raising funds which then goes directly into the various initiatives set out by the College. In the last few years, funding raised by the group has enabled the music department to purchase 20 new keyboards; contributed to the costs associated with musicals, music camps and dance eisteddfods throughout the years; aided the arts department to showcase student artworks at art shows; and provided all dancers with costume bags, just to name a few.

Funding is raised through a variety of activities including BBQs, bake sales, doughnut stalls and refreshment stands at other College events such as Live at the Lostroh. Not all our activities are about raising money though - we also hold the much loved and very fun Junior School disco, provide breakfast to our dancers each morning, and put on morning or afternoon teas for guests at Junior School music immersion events. FOTA is there for the community and we’re happy to help wherever we can. And have a lot of fun in the process too!

Our first event for 2025 was the annual Bake Sale was Friday, 21 February in the OLA. Our bake sale is only successful thanks to the generosity of the College community so thank you!

If you would like to join FOTA, take on the Dance Liaison Officer role or just find out more about our activities, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to contact any of the executive mentioned above or email info@WMAC.com.au. We look forward to a fun and successful 2025!

P&F Update – Thank You & Upcoming Events

A huge thank you to all our wonderful volunteers who helped make the recent Swimming Carnival a success! Your time and effort were truly appreciated, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Over the two days, we served:

• 336 sausage sizzles
• 400 beef burgers
• 210 chicken burgers
• 1,046 drinks

It was a fantastic two days, and we are grateful for the support from our school community.

Looking ahead, we have some exciting events coming up and would love for more volunteers to join us!

Upcoming P&F BBQs – Volunteers Needed!

We will be running BBQs for the TAS sports events on the following Saturdays:

• 22 February
• 1 March
• 8 March
• 15 March

Additionally, the Junior School Colour Run is happening Friday, 21 February. This will be a fun-filled day, and extra hands will make it even better!

If you can spare some time to help, we’d love to have you on board. For more information or to volunteer, please contact us at pandf@wmac.com.au.

Thank you for your continued support!

P&F Committee

Are you interested in working at WestMAC in our Tuckshop or Uniform Shop? We're looking for people who are open to working flexible, school-based hours at these two locations.

If you, or someone you know might be interested in working a few extra hours, please encourage them to reach out to Pauline Bussian (pbussian@wmac.com.au). 

Ipswich City Council have advised that work on the Keswick Road footpath has been delayed while awaiting the delivery and installation of metal materials.

The footpath near Bartholomeusz Gate is set for completion on Friday 14 March, following the installation of the final kerb ramps and footpath sections.

Thank you for your patience as these works progress.