Senior School

Adventures in Country Victoria

As a Cowes resident I am often reminded by members of the Newhaven College community that I tend to limit myself to the local delights on offer on Phillip Island over the weekends and particularly over the summer holidays, at the expense of some pretty amazing offerings available to me in Gippsland, just a few kilometres away on the other side of the bridge. Being a creature of habit, I tend to laugh off many of these recommendations and get on with my usual routine. Last weekend, however, was different.

Inverloch-Kongwak Football & Netball Club on Saturday, 24 May

I have realised I have been neglectful of the around 50% of our college community that live ‘off island’, so I took advantage of the plea from Year 11 student Harry Ashmore to visit the home ground of the Inverloch-Kongwak Football & Netball Club on Saturday 24 May. I am a proud New Zealander and I love my rugby, but my experiences at a Gippsland AFL match and Netball game taught me that community football and netball are the lifeblood of country Victoria – our young people live for these games. They love the fierce competition, the battle on court or on the field, but at the end of the day, it is the love of the games they play, and the community spirit generated that is the true winner on these days.

National Motocross Championship events at Loy Yang on Sunday 25 May 

On Sunday, I was welcomed by the Townsend and Fox families to one of the most extraordinary sporting events I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing, the National Motocross Championship event at Loy Yang, near Traralgon. I experienced the exhilaration and meaning that this sport brings to the lives of so many, and in my world, to the lives of three of our current students,  and one of our past students. I was indeed transfixed at times when watching these incredibly skilled riders fling themselves around the track with no regard for their own safety. At the end of the day, I reflected on how lucky the school really is to have such talented individuals, and how amazing their incredibly supportive families really are. It begs the question – what do our Newhaven families sacrifice to ensure their children have everything they want in life? Based on today, it would seem a great deal.

Please read my comprehensive musings via the link below:

Head of Senior School article 29 May 2025

Brett Torstonson

Head of Senior School

International Engineering Competition

A team of five dedicated students from Newhaven College has achieved international recognition for their outstanding work in the Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) - an annual STEM competition that engages high school students (Years 9–12) in solving real-world engineering problems faced by leading industries.

This year, teams were tasked with designing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of flying into fire zones to deliver and retrieve supplies; an urgent and highly relevant challenge in today’s world. Students were required to use professional engineering software to develop their solutions and submit an academic paper, alongside a presentation detailing the design, functionality, and impact of their proposed UAV.

The Newhaven team began working on the challenge in 2024 and dedicated many months to researching, designing, and refining their concept. Their academic paper was of such a high standard that they were invited to present it at the RWDC finals in Washington, D.C., a significant achievement and testament to their hard work and ingenuity. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond their control, the team was unable to attend the finals in person. The team came close to winning, missing out on the $US50,000 scholarships to Embry Riddel University in the US.

Maths teacher, Melinda Kelly served as the team’s coach, providing day to day support and fostering collaboration and critical thinking throughout the project. The team was fortunate to be mentored by aeronautical engineer Clint Heinze, whose industry expertise and technical guidance were invaluable throughout the project. Clint generously volunteered his time to support the students, bringing real-world engineering insight and helping to ensure the team’s work met professional standards. His mentorship played a critical role in shaping the students’ understanding of the design process and preparing them for international competition.

We congratulate the students and commend them for representing Newhaven College with such innovation, determination, and professionalism on the international stage.

Students: Issy Mahon – Project Manager and Project Scientist, Eli Bowker (Software Engineer), Freya Berry (Project Mathematician), Jasmine Ruffin (Communication Analyst and Strategist) and Tilly Stecher (Systems and Test Engineer).

Melinda Kelly

Mathematics Teacher

Jordan Crugnale MP visit 

Newhaven College was honoured to receive a visit from the Local State MP for Bass, Jordan Crugnale MP on Monday 19 May.

Jordan visited the College to meet with our Youth Parliament team (Gabriel Di Falco, Miranda Zalunardo, Nissa Campbell-Walker, Jasmine Ruffin, Tilly Stecher and Matilda Feehan) to consult with her on the ins and outs of State Parliament, to give them a better understanding of the requirements for passing bills through Parliament. In addition to the Youth Parliament team, Joey Thompson joined the group, and together they were regaled by stories from the Bass electorate, discussing the frustrations associated with going through a budgetary process and the joy of seeing a community need turned into a reality for constituents. 

We cannot thank Jordan enough for her generosity of spirit and the thoughtful way she engaged these young people in the political process.

Year 12 Society Function

On 14 May, our Year 12 students gathered for their first social event of the year - the Society Function. This occasion provided a chance to embrace formality, foster camaraderie, and reflect on the journey ahead.

Year 12 students dressed in their finest ‘neat casual’, with everyone looking very professional. They spent some time mingling, eating profiteroles and vol-au-vents, and drinking mocktails, served by younger students, in the PAW Foyer. They then moved into the Black Box Theatre where they were regaled by stories from three past Class of 2020 students: Sam Taylor, Ruby Formosa and Holly Buckley. Our alumni were wonderful in telling the Year 12 students about their University experience. Their stories were informative and inspirational, and we thank them for sharing their experiences with our Year 12 students.

Brett Torstonson

Head of Senior School

Year 10 Food Studies: Community Catering Initiative 

The Year 10 Food Studies program places a strong emphasis on developing students' skills in community catering. As part of this focus, students prepared a warm morning tea for Mother’s Day, thoughtfully serving homemade scones accompanied by jam and freshly whipped cream. In line with industry standards, students wore hairnets and gloves during food preparation, mirroring expectations within a professional commercial kitchen. Their attention to detail and pride in presentation were evident, prompting them to extend their catering efforts. 

In a subsequent session, students explored the preparation and professional presentation of salad wraps. Under the guidance of our experienced Food Studies Technician, Meagan Hollings, whose background in professional catering greatly enriches the program - students learned to roll wraps with precision and secure them neatly in paper to maintain structure and presentation. Approximately 65 wraps featuring a variety of fresh ingredients were prepared and proudly served to members of the school community, demonstrating the students' growing confidence and competence in culinary service.

Carmel Roberts

Food Studies Teacher

Year 9 University Workshops

Our students recently participated in a range of Workshops facilitated by Country Universities Centre (CUC) Bass Coast and Swinburne University. The purpose of the afternoon was for students to be able to experience workshops in the areas of Law, Film and Technology, Engineering and Exercise Science, to gain an understanding of what studying these areas at a tertiary level may entail.

Students loved the practical and hands on activities and for many this has sparked an awareness about future pathways. Our thanks to CUC and Swinburne for facilitating this event.

Anthea Bennett

Head of Careers

Year 11 & 12 Careers Seminar 

Our students are approaching a future with more career diversity than ever before. Newhaven College provides support to our senior students as they embark on their future endeavours, including visits to universities and residential colleges, hands on careers counseling and talks by professional speakers.

As part of our annual Careers Seminar, Year 11 & 12 students had the opportunity to hear from a group of highly experienced individuals from a diverse range of fields. The purpose of the afternoon was to showcase a range of industry speakers highlighting their career journey, education and training requirements, and career challenges. We thank our Newhaven College community members who shared their passion and insights with students: Karl Dunham – Fire Fighter; Belinda Egan – Builder & Small Business Owner; Clint Heinze – Engineering, Science and AI; Denisa Syrova – Architect; Kate Williams – Victoria Police; Adrian Di Falco – Business, Economics & Finance.

The future is bright for our Senior School students and we can't wait to see where life takes them!