Chewton Primary School
Newsletter 13th November 2025
Newsletter 13th November 2025
Chewton Primary School is situated on Djaara Country!
We acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people, the custodians and caretakers of the land. We thank them for the care they have taken and continue to take of Country: the rivers, mountains, trees and animals. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
We follow Bunjil's teachings: Care for self , Care for others, Care for Country
We commit to Be Brave and Make Change.
We will be a voice for generations.
Now, more than ever.
Giranal (Perch) and Wirrap (Cod) Time (November to December) Djaara seasons
Prep Transition Days
Tuesday 18th November 9:00am - 11:30am
Tuesday 25th November 9:00am - 11:30am
Tuesday 2nd December 9:00am - 12:30pm
Tuesday 9th December (Whole School Step Up Day) - 9:00am - 2:30pm
Preparation for Puberty Grade 5-6 students
Tuesday 18th Nov at 9:30- 11 am
Thursday 20th November 9.30- 11am
Tuesday 25th November 9:30-11am
19 November Bike Ride 3-6 (we need 1 more parent helper please)
3 December International Day of persons with disability
9 December Whole School Step Up Day
10 December Human Rights Day
16 December Xmas Carols, Yabbying
17 December Graduation/ End of year picnic 5:30pm
18 December Year 6 Big Day Out
19 December Pool Day 12-2:30
We have a number of things we need help with over the next month. We understand how busy everyone is, but do ask you to give us a few hours where you can!
Weeding garden beds
Cleaning out the music end of the Art Room storage
Raking leaves and leaf litter
Boxing up the library
Huge thanks to Dan Nixon for putting the teacher desks together this week!
Classroom news and grade 5-6 camp writing in next week's newsletter!
Monday- Friday 7am-9am
Monday- Friday 3:30pm-6pm
contact Kerrie 0410 734 733
Available for our Curriculum Days
Read more here!
Songlines and Seasons Exhibition
Dumawul, Hargreaves Mall, Bendigo
The Castlemaine Rocky Riders Mountain Bike Club, Dirt Crits Series starts Thursday 6th November and registrations are now open! Dirt Crits is a junior cross country mountain bike event series, consisting of 10 rounds of mountain biking fun (5 in Nov-Dec 2025, 5 in Feb-Mar 2026) at the Walmer Forest trailhead, Daltons Road Castlemaine.
Dirt Crits are run as a handicapped format, with individual start times and laps to complete calculated week-to-week, based on lap times. So on any given week, anyone can win!
There are two categories: Dirt Cubs (age 3-7 ) & Dirt Masters (ages 8-14 )
Dirt Crits are all about fun. We encourage riders of all abilities to come and have a go, either to compete, or to just roll around and enjoy our local trails in a friendly and inclusive environment.
Cost of entry for each week of racing is just a gold coin donation.
To register: https://events.auscycling.org.au/.../individual/events/2529
You can find out more about Yoorrook here
https://yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au/ and Four Corners have an excellent program on Yoorrook.
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/four-corners/series/2025/video/NC2503H008S00
We also heard about the current Treaty work being undertaken in Victoria. You may have heard that Djaara have begun Treaty negotiations with the Victorian government.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/djaara-treaty-first-nations-state-australia-victoria/105337078First Nations Days of Significance:
Term 1
February 13th: Anniversary of Apology to Stolen Generations
February 13-26 Anniversary of the 1967 Freedom Ride
March 21 National Close the Gap day
April 5th: Anniversary of Bringing them home report
April 15th anniversary of the Royal commission into Aboriginal Deaths in custody
April 25th ANZAC Day
Term 2
May 26th: Sorry Day
May 27th - June 3rd: Reconciliation Week
May 30th: Reconciliation Walk
July 7th -14th: NAIDOC Week
Term 3
August 4th: National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day
August 9th: International Day of the World's Indigenous People
August 13th: Anniversary of the Yirrkala bark petitions
august 23: Anniversary of the Gurindji Wave Hill Walk off
September 7: Indigenous Literacy Day
October 26: Anniversary of the Uluru handback
December 10: Human rights day
Meeting Place Dates 2025
TERM 1 - 21 February, March 7, April 4
TERM 2 - 9 May, 23 May, 13 June, 27 June
TERM 3 - 25 July, 15 August, 29 August, 12 September
TERM 4 - 24 October, 7 November, 28 November
(hide below)
September-mid-November – as the weather warms, the peak flowering season for many wildflowers begins. Frosts and rainy days are often still common.
As the water warms over spring, River Blackfish and Murray Cod become more active. These are caught in traps constructed along waterways using stone and woven baskets.
Watjarang (Platypus) along Campbells Creek breed and lay eggs. This is peak flowering season for many wildflowers, such as Murna (Yam Daisy), Gitjawil Matom (Chocolate Lily) and Bam (Bulbine Lily), which can be seen at the Muckleford Nature Conservation Reserve, Kalimna Park and Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park. Gurndi (Cranberry Heath) berries ripen and are ready to eat.
• This is peak flowering season for many wildflowers, such as Murna (Yam Daisy), Gitjawil Matom (Chocolate Lily), Bam (Bulbine Lily), Sticky Everlasting, Clustered Everlasting, Grey Everlasting and Orchids, as well as for shrubs such as Downy Grevillea, Rough Mint-bush, and Fairy Wax-flower.
• Watjarang (Platypus) breed and lay eggs
• Brushtail Possums carry their young from nests
• River Blackfish spawn
• The bush is bright with yellow daisies that provide a landing pad where insects can warm up on cold mornings
• Australian Reed-warblers begin calling along creeks and rivers
• Rainbow Bee-eaters arrive from northern Australia to nest along creek and river banks
• Large flocks of White-browed and Masked Woodswallow arrive from northern Australia and can be heard calling in the sky
• This is peak frog breeding season – large frog choruses can be heard in wetlands and along creeks and rivers
• Black Wattle and Red Box flower.