Lilydale Heights College

KITCHEN GARDEN
The focus this term was looking at how agriculture has changed in Australia with technological innovations. As part of this unit, we spent two days at Yarra Ranges Technical School. In their Smart Farming Program, we visited Yering Christmas Farm for a first-hand look at challenges farmers face. Students then spent time learning about farming technology (including heat sensors and drones) and developed a plan for a farm in the Yarra Valley to help them overcome a challenge while considering the impact on the environment and associated costs.
There were certainly some creative suggestions.

Back at school, the weather slowed down growth in the garden and most summer crops have been replaced with winter varieties. The herbs and chillis continued to flourish, providing great additions to the much loved gnocchi and tomato pasta sauce students made in the kitchen.

More highlights from the Central Australia Tour 2026!

Central Australia Tour
After breakfast, students set off on their first hike of the trip, completing the Hills Homestead Walk in the Flinders Ranges. Along the way, they enjoyed the stunning natural surroundings, including Wilpena Creek, beautiful native vegetation, and a historic homestead. The day also had the introduction of the Goggles Game, where a student's name is called and hands are held up over their eyes in the shape of goggles. If they turn around and look, it's push-up time! The game was such a hit that it had to be paused by dinner.
Following some downtime, students took part in the Native Art Challenge, creating artworks using only natural materials they found on the ground. Their creativity, imagination, and effort were exceptional, with staff thoroughly impressed by the results.
To finish the day, we walked up to a lookout near camp to watch the sunset before gathering around the campfire for an evening of singing, storytelling, and reflection.

📍 Renmark to Flinders Ranges
Our first big pack-up of the tents was a success as we continued our journey north. Along the way, we explored the Burra Mine and Open Cut before stopping in Peterborough for lunch, where students were excited to watch a huge cargo train roll through town.
Arriving in the Flinders Ranges, we were treated to some incredible wildlife sightings, including emus, kangaroos, quolls and possums. Students took charge of setting up and maintaining the campfire, with many enjoying roasted marshmallows and sharing stories under the stars.
The fun continued into the evening with more camp games, including a very competitive and wildly entertaining game of spoons!

Central Australia Tour – Day 1
A big travel day from Lilydale to Renmark, SA! We hit the road at 6:15am and arrived at camp just before 5:00pm.
The day was filled with stops in local towns, plenty of Australian music, admiring silo art, and karaoke on the bus. What started as a punishment for being late quickly became a highlight of the trip, with many students volunteering to perform.
Once at camp, students learned how to set up their tents and settled in for a chilly evening of games, chatting, and getting to know one another even more. We also celebrated our first Central birthday of the trip (Happy Birthday, Hudson!).
Before bed, students received the much anticipated Central T-shirt, proudly designed by one of our own students.

🎉 GREASE IS THE WORD! 🎉

Get ready to go back to Rydell High — we are THRILLED to announce that this year's school production is the one, the only… GREASE! 🎶🕺

Since the end of Term 1, our incredible cast, ensemble, and backstage crew have been working extremely hard every Thursday and some Saturdays — perfecting every song, dance move, and iconic moment. From costumes to set design, props and beyond, this production is shaping up to be something truly special. ✨

📅 SHOW DATES — save them NOW:
👉 Thursday 27th August
👉 Saturday 29th August
👉 Friday 4th September
👉 Saturday 5th September

Ticket details coming soon — and trust us, you will NOT want to miss this! Pencil in a date (or two!) and get ready for a night of entertainment. 🎭🎤

The Resilience Project.
One of the strategies that we will be using at LHC this year as part of the Resilience Project are GEM chats. GEM chats are brief conversations (typically 2-5 minutes) that encourage us to practice Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness. We would love for our community to also be involved in GEM chats that families can use at home to encourage conversation, reflection and to promote positive wellbeing. This week's GEM chat is....

Our Mid-Year Showcase was a fantastic celebration of the talent, creativity and dedication of our students. On Thursday 11th June, families and friends gathered at The Memo in Healesville for an evening of music and entertainment, enjoying a diverse program that reflected the hard work and enthusiasm of our young performers. Having rehearsed their pieces since the beginning of the year, every student took to the stage with confidence and pride.

It was wonderful to see so many students embrace the opportunity to perform, demonstrating not only their musical growth but also their teamwork, perseverance and commitment throughout the rehearsal process.

Year 10 Outdoor Education Kayaking Experience
Last Friday, our Year 10 Outdoor Education students enjoyed a kayaking journey down the Yarra River. Treated with beautiful weather, students developed their kayaking skills while learning about the key features of the river and environment. Throughout the day, they demonstrated resilience and embodied our College Values of Respect, Responsibility and Excellence. Congratulations to all students on a fantastic semester of Outdoor Education!

On Tuesday 9 June in the PAC, Year 12 Music Contemporary Music 3&4 student Nadia performed an outstanding rendition of Billy Joel’s Piano Man, giving the classic song her own original, reimagined interpretation. Nadia demonstrated excellent keyboard skills, dexterity, and coordination while playing the piano and harmonica simultaneously. Her performance highlighted her developing musical performance skills and was delivered with the poise of a professional, earning her a huge round of applause from the audience.

Michael Martin
VCE Music