On the 17th October 2024, 9 students, along side Mr Cleal and Tristin departed for our most anticipated 9 day immersion to the Northern Territory, where we were set to visit Uluru and the remote Santa Teresa community.

We spent our first night in Sydney, the students enjoyed a delightful Italian dinner. After an early buffet breakfast the next morning, we boarded our plane at Sydney Airport on Friday, October 18th, with our first stop being Ayers Rock. 

We spent two incredible days there, where we were lucky enough to take a segway tour around the base of the rock. Some students found it easy to glide along, while others had a bit more of a challenge staying on their segways!  We won’t mention any names ! 

 Seeing Uluru in real life was so surreal, as the atmosphere and scenery was AMAZING. We learnt about the culture and history of Ayers Rock and the Anangu people, through children’s Dreaming stories, ‘chukapa’ in the Anangu language, all which gave us an understanding of how the rock itself came to be today. 

On our last night in Ayres Rock,we were fortunate to experience the Field of Lights tour, where we watched the sunset and wandered through thousands of lights on the ground, all with the stunning Uluṟu in the background. It was a truly magical and unforgettable experience!. 

After our “mini holiday at Ayres Rock” we then ventured  onto  Alice Springs, enjoying a five-hour road trip in our hired cars filled with laughter and music—definitely a group highlight! Upon arriving in Alice Springs, we collected our nine trolleys full of groceries and boarded the 4wd bush bus and headed out to the remote community of Santa Teresa where we would spend the next 5 nights. 

Santa Teresa is a remote Indigenous community which is home to around 600 people with a small Marist School.  We were lucky enough to visit the school everyday and engage in many activities with the local students. This was a highlight for our students. 

During our immersion, our other missionaries  included preparing meals for the elderly, gardening, cleaning the church, and interacting with local elders at the spirituality centre. We also enjoyed quality time with the kids at the local pool, the sports and recreation hall, and on the impressive Footy oval. ( the only green grass within the town) 

Each experience brought us closer to the community and created lasting memories! 

On our last night, we were treated to an outback dinner under the stars, where we climbed a small mountain range as a group and marveled at the stunning sunset. The views were truly breathtaking, making for a perfect conclusion to our adventure!. 

This immersion has been an absolutely fantastic experience for the students , and we  encourage all Year 10 students to apply next year! It was a deeply fulfilling and rewarding journey as we all stepped out of our comfort zones and embraced a simpler way of life. The opportunity to experience the stunning outback of the Northern Territory—its rich culture, breathtaking scenery, and even the warmth of the sun—was nothing short of unforgettable!

The Santa Teresa community spirit is amazing, filled with simplicity and support. Br Mark and his team do wonderful things there and it was a real honour to experience the kindness and support  they show  to all. Our students have taken so much from this immersion, and their  memories will last a lifetime. 

We were truly overwhelmed by the heartfelt compliments we received from the community and even from strangers. So many people remarked on how beautiful and engaging our group was, highlighting the warmth and positivity we radiated together. It was a nice  reminder of the magic that happens when people come together.

We would like to thank the college students who contributed to our fundraising efforts, and extend a huge thank you to the local businesses that generously donated goods: Bernardis Forbes, PFD Parkes, Blayney Foods, and Officeworks Orange. Your support has been invaluable!. Thanks also to Beth Betland at MTA travel for your assistance and support throughout planning our journey. 

We would like to show our appreciation of thanks to the Santa Teresa community and the Catholic Church, especially Br Mark,  for warmly welcoming us into their community during our Immersion and sharing their experiences and stories with us. 

We would like to sincerely thank the parents for entrusting us with their children and for all the support that made this experience possible. Your trust and encouragement are greatly appreciated. 

We want to extend our gratitude to Steve Dwyer and Matthew Pearce, as well as our colleagues here at school, for their unwavering support and the behind-the-scenes work that makes this immersion possible. . 

Lastly, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the students, Ruby, Bronnie, Mykel, Leah, Luke, Immie, Callie, Cooper and Phoebe, for  wholeheartedly immersing themselves in the community and representing our school with such pride. Your enthusiasm and dedication truly shine, making a lasting impact and exemplifying the spirit of our school. 

#gingysforever

Pat Cleal and Tristin Nicholls

Game Changers is a Marist Youth Ministry program available this year to students in Years 7 to 9. This in-school youth group focuses on Leadership, Community, Service, and Faith. We meet three to four times each term during lunch, and all upcoming events are posted on the Game Changers Google Classroom.

We also connect with other Marist schools for regional retreat days. On Friday, 1st November 2024, Marist College Canberra joined us for a day of games, food, and engaging retreat-style activities. With over 40 students attending, we shared time socialising and discussing Jesus’ ministry, reflecting on how we too can be like him in the way we serve and connect with others.

If you’re interested in joining and are in Years 7-9 this year, reach out to Mr Pearce to get involved!

RBCC is proud to have hosted the Wilcannia-Forbes Diocesan World Mission Month (Socktober) launch on Monday, 21st October. This event aims to raise awareness and funds for communities in need, with a special focus this year on Mongolia.

Mongolia, a country recently visited by Pope Francis, has a small Catholic community of around 1,500 people. This highlights the importance of reaching out to those on the margins, a call that resonates with the broader mission of World Mission Month. Through initiatives like Socktober, we are supporting individuals striving to break free from poverty and create better futures for themselves.

RBCC students from years 9 and 10 helped throughout the day and also ran the activities centred around using old socks and a theme of Mongolia. They created games such as Sock Archery, Mongolian sock horse racing and Sock Camel Caravan to name a few.

Many thanks to all those in our College and Diocese who made this event happen. To learn more or to donate, please visit the Socktober website. To learn more or donate, visit the Socktober website. 

Last week Year 9 and 10 Agriculture classes were taken on a tour to meet some of our local farmers and agribusinesses.  

Year 10 Ag visited the Central West Livestock Exchange where students viewed some of the 1800 head of cattle offered for sale and watched the agents and buyers bidding for cattle. It was interesting to see a large variety of cattle breeds being offered for sale. We also had the opportunity to investigate the pig selling area where two pigs were waiting for the next sale. 

Our Year 9 Ag students attended the Saleyards to witness the 41,000 sheep on offer for sale.  It was a busy place with producers, buyer and agents, and 40 Red Bend students abound.

Next on our program was to visit Rick Schofield at Hillview Dairy. He showed the students how he milks his cows using his herringbone dairy, where the milk goes to and how he cools the milk to below 4 degrees to store before the milk tanker collects the milk. Rick showed us how he grows and mixes his own food for his cows. He was very generous with his time and knowledge and we greatly appreciate the education he provided to our students.

Later in the day we visited Tom Green (ex Red Bend student) who took us on a tour of his cropping enterprise.  We looked at his Fava Bean crop which will be harvested in the next few weeks.  It was interesting to be shown the nodules on the roots of the legumes which fix nitrogen in the soil. We then drove out to another site where Tom has a pivot irrigator in operation to help his wheat crop.  We also had the opportunity to see a crop of canola which had been windrowed and waiting to dry off. Tom also showed us the technology used to monitor his crops and water systems. A valuable visit and we are extremely grateful for the amount of knowledge and time Tom provided us -a true product of Red Bend.

Our last visit was to GrainCorp where another ex Red Bend student Alex Clifton - now site Manager at Forbes showed us how the sampling of each truck load is collected and sampled. We drove around the bunkers where the canola seed is stored and looked at the silos where the wheat and barley are stored.  Again we value the generous time taken out of his day that Alex provided us.

The Cattle Team have enjoyed an excellent few days at the Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza. They're done everything from setting up their site, washing and blow drying the animals, attending a careers evening along with educational workshops on the cattle industry, through to presenting the cattle for judging and participating in Junior Judging and Junior Parading.

In the Prime Heifer judging:

Wattle - 2nd

Dame Edna -  3rd

Arnott - 5th

KATH - 1st in class and champion heifer overall

In the Led Steer judging:

Steve Irwin - 2nd

Vegemite - 2nd

Warney - 5th

In the Unled Steer judging:

Paddle Pop - 4th

Uluru- 2nd in class and Reserve Champion Unled steer

All students competed in Junior Judging, with no finalists from our team. However the Junior Parading was very successful:

15 Years -

Zara Payne placed 4th

Kourosh Bavafa placed 1st

16 Years -

Brooke Middleton placed 5th

Charlie Sturgiss placed 2nd

Jack Smyth placed 1st

Alana Haynes placed 1st

17 & 18 Years -

Claire Moore placed 5th

Charlie Spry placed 2nd

Lachlan Haynes placed 1st

Congratulation to all the students involved; Lachlan Haynes, Claire Moore, Brooke Middleton, Charlie Spry, Alana Haynes, Kaylea Pengilley Little, Charlie Sturgiss, Zara Payne, Kourosh Bavafa, Ruby Arnott and Jack Smyth.

Our choir students practicing 🎵

Our Year 8 students celebrated French culture with the school At recess the students played a game of Petanque, and at lunch they enjoyed some delicious French cuisine 🥐

All the Year 7 and 8 MacqLit classes are busy completing their novels including Surviving Hitler, Storm Boy, Lion, Blueback and Holes. 

They have also been learning about the Hamburger techniques of writing; this helps give visual assistance to a written task, which assists many students.  

Preparation is also underway for exams, as students review their spelling, vocabulary study, grammar, punctuation, comprehension and writing skills, and Jock has been working his barista skills!

In Year 9 Commerce, students have been immersed in two exciting and practical units; Investing and Travel. These topics equip students with essential knowledge and skills they will carry into adulthood, helping them make informed decisions and navigate the complexities of the modern world.

The Investing unit introduces the basics of personal finance, including shares, savings strategies, and managing financial risk. Students explore how investments grow over time, learning the importance of planning for the future and building financial literacy.

In the Travel unit, students dive into the world of budgeting, planning, and international travel logistics. They gain insight into creating travel itineraries, understanding exchange rates, and exploring how to manage money abroad. These valuable skills promote independence and prepare students to explore the world confidently.

Through these real-world topics, Year 9 students are building practical knowledge that will help them navigate financial markets and embrace global experiences. We look forward to seeing them apply their learning to future endeavors!

Congratulations to Asha Munodawafa, who last night was awarded the Young Volunteer Achievement Award by @tennis_nsw at the 2024 Tennis NSW Awards.

These awards recognise clubs, organisations and individuals in the NSW tennis community, and align with the national Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards.

Winners of a Tennis NSW Award, for which there is an equivalent Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards category, will be the Tennis NSW nominee for that category.

Front L-R: Isaac Page, James Wallace, Jack Bryant, Harry McDonald, Sam Rayner

Back L-R: Coby hall, Patrick Ryan, Angus Irvine, Aidan Rayner, Archie McDonald, Nate Reid, Mich Dunstan

Coaches: Mr Boshoff and Mr O’Connell

We are thrilled to announce that one of our Year 12 Industrial Technology students, Ashton Gates, has been nominated for possible inclusion in SHAPE 2025.

SHAPE is an exhibition showcasing exceptional HSC works from Design and Technology, Industrial Technology, and Textiles and Design students across NSW. Ashton’s work has been recognised for its outstanding quality and creativity. 

The final selection will take place before the exhibition, set to be held at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct in March 2025. Congratulations, Ashton, on this remarkable achievement! 

This term, our Year 9 students have been hard at work in their Industrial Technology classes, creating a variety of impressive projects. 

In Timber, they’ve crafted sturdy wooden stools and personalised timber boxes, while in Metal, students have designed and built their own BBQs. 

These projects not only emphasise the importance of design and craftsmanship but also develop practical problem-solving skills. We’re incredibly proud of the students’ dedication and the quality of their work—keep it up! 

This semester, our Year 7 Technology Mandatory students are exploring both Engineering and Digital Technology through a series of exciting projects. 

They are constructing CO2-powered cars, honing their hands-on skills, and using Google Sheets to accurately record and analyse race data. In addition, they’re crafting their own wooden pencil boxes, developing essential woodworking techniques. 

It’s been a term packed with creativity, problem-solving, and technical skill-building! 

This term, Year 11 Hospitality students have been busy honing their skills in preparing a variety of appetisers and salads. As part of their practical learning, students have explored a range of sweet and savory canapés, focusing on presentation, flavor combinations, and essential culinary techniques. 

This week, they showcased their creativity by crafting a delicious assortment of bite-sized treats, demonstrating both their technical skills and an understanding of flavor profiles. It’s been a fantastic start to the term, with more exciting recipes on the menu in the coming weeks!