18 June 2025

Message from College Principal

Dear Western Cape College Community

As we move through the heart of Term 2, it’s certainly feeling like event season at Western Cape College — and what a celebration of student talent, effort and community spirit it has been!

Our Athletics Carnival was a true highlight of the term. Over two action-packed days, students across the College demonstrated not only their athletic abilities but also the values that make our school community so special — effort, pride, sportsmanship… and even a little bit of dancing for good measure! It was particularly heartening to see our Mapoon students travel down each day, joining in with energy and enthusiasm, and being supported so warmly by Secondary students with connections to Mapoon. This strong sense of belonging and community pride is something we should all be proud of.

Congratulations to Evans House on their well-earned overall win and to Mapoon House for taking out the House Spirit Award — a true reflection of encouragement, joy and positive energy.

Last week, I and a number of other staff, were fortunate to have an exciting conversation with NASA, organised through Space Centre Australia following their presentation at the Western Cape Futures Symposium. As plans progress to build a launch pad right here on Cape York, we’re exploring how these developments could be integrated into our curriculum — from STEM-based learning to future career pathways in aerospace and engineering.

Continuing with our focus on future opportunities, I also met with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to explore how we could introduce maritime subjects into our senior curriculum. Just imagine: a Year 12 student graduating from WCC with a Coxswain Certificate, ready to step directly into meaningful work on our waters. This is a growing industry and an exciting opportunity we’re eager to pursue.

Finally, we know that strong partnerships with families are key to student success, and communication is at the heart of that. In the coming weeks, we’ll be asking for your feedback through a short parent and carer survey. We want to better understand how you’d like us to stay in touch and what kind of information you’d like to receive more of. Your insights will help shape how we continue to strengthen our connection with you.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of our students, our staff, and our shared College vision.

Kind regards

Dan Tonon
College Principal

Message from Associate Principal – Secondary

As we approach the end of Term 2, I encourage all students to remain focused and finish the term strong. Every lesson matters, and consistent attendance is vital to ensuring students make the most of every learning opportunity.

Attendance continues to be a key area of concern, and we ask families to partner with us in ensuring that students are present, engaged, and learning each day. Research shows that higher attendance is closely linked to stronger academic outcomes. Attending school regularly also helps young people develop social and emotional skills, strengthen friendships, and feel more connected to their school community.

Even a few days away from school can create gaps in learning, leading to difficulty catching up, reduced confidence, and an increased risk of anxiety or disengagement. If your child is finding it difficult to attend, please don’t hesitate to reach out to their Deputy Principal. Our wellbeing team is here to work with families and students to improve attendance and ensure every student feels supported.

A reminder that the final two days of term will follow an alternate timetable designed to support student wellbeing. Further details will be provided to students and families.

As we look ahead to Term 3, now is a great time to ensure your child is prepared for a successful start. Please take a moment to check that they are stocked up on essential school supplies — including pens, pencils, exercise books, and other necessary items.

This term, our student leaders have continued to demonstrate their commitment and care for our school community. As part of their leadership development, they have been volunteering one hour per week in the primary school, supporting younger students in their learning. It has been wonderful to see our leaders’ building relationships and setting strong examples of respectful, responsible behaviour.

In addition, our student leadership team recently attended a leadership camp at Scherger, where they completed a 7-kilometre bushwalk. Guided by the theme of “leaving no footprints,” students reflected on the importance of leading with care, integrity, and purpose — values that align closely with the spirit of our school.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to finishing the term well and beginning Semester 2 with energy, clarity, and focus.

Kind regards
Kelly Dorries
Associate Principal – Secondary

Message from Associate Principal – Primary

As we come to the end of another productive and vibrant semester, we’d like to thank our students, staff, and families for their continued support and commitment to our school community. Here are some important updates and announcements as we head into the break:

Academic Reporting

Academic reports are currently being finalised and will be released to families on Friday of Week 1, Term 3. These reports provide valuable insights into your child’s learning progress and achievements for the semester. We encourage families to take the time to review the reports and celebrate the effort and growth shown by all students.

Prep Renovation Update

Our much-anticipated Prep classroom renovation has been rescheduled, with the new projected start date set for the beginning of Term 4. This revised timeline will ensure the upgraded space is ready for the 2026 school year, providing our youngest learners with an enhanced and modern learning environment.

Staffing Updates

As always, we strive to ensure continuity and support for all students during periods of staff change. We have a few key updates to share:

4A: Miss Kate Corbett will be taking leave for all of Term 3, and we warmly welcome Ms Natalia Daley, who will be joining us to teach 4A for this time.

1A: Mrs Mollie Grinstead will continue teaching Amy Williscroft’s class until a new Head of Campus – Mapoon is appointed.

Year 5 Inclusion: We’re pleased to announce that Ms Lydia Harris will transition into the Inclusion Teaching role in Year 5 starting Term 3.

Teacher Aide changes: There will be some broader changes to Teacher Aide allocations across our primary classrooms in Term 3. These adjustments are aimed at better supporting student learning needs and classroom dynamics.

P&C Update

Unfortunately, we have been unable to attract enough members to run the AGM for this year. If this is something you are interested in re-establishing, please reach out.

As always, we appreciate your understanding and partnership as we continue to adapt and strengthen our school community. I will be taking some personal leave at the beginning of Term 3, but look forward to continuing with a successful Semester 2 once I return.

Kind regards
Amanda Allender
Associate Principal – Primary

2025 Athletics Carnival – A Huge Success!

What an incredible two days of athleticism, determination, and house pride at our 2025 Athletics Carnival! A huge thank you to all students, staff, and families who contributed to the smooth running of this fantastic event.

We are proud to announce the overall winning house for this year was Evans – congratulations on your outstanding performances across all events!

The coveted House Spirit Award went to Mapoon, who impressed everyone with their energy, teamwork, and unwavering support throughout the carnival.

Well done to all participants – you showcased exceptional effort, sportsmanship, and pride in your houses. We look forward to even bigger things next year!

Age Champions for 2025

Secondary Update

Senior Schooling Update

Finish Strong

Wow – we’re nearly at the midpoint of the academic year! As we prepare for a well-earned break, it’s important that we stay focused and finish the term strong.

To our students – with exams, assignments, and certificate coursework still ahead, now is the time to remain committed. Do not let the upcoming holidays distract you from giving your absolute best right through to the end of term.

Western Cape Careers Expo

A recent highlight was our annual Western Cape Careers Expo, which featured over thirty exhibitors from Weipa, Cairns, across Queensland, and interstate. A heartfelt thank you to all the exhibitors and businesses who generously gave their time to speak with our students about their future pathways – your support is deeply valued and appreciated.

School Spirit

We also saw fantastic school spirit at two recent events. The school disco was a fun and memorable celebration – thank you to all the staff who helped make it a success.

Our athletics carnival was another wonderful display of pride and respect, with students showing great encouragement for one another, whether competing or cheering from the sidelines. A big thank you to Miss Tacita, the HPE team, and all staff involved in making the day so special.

Year 10 Work Experience

A special shoutout goes to our Year 10 students who will be participating in work experience during the last week of term. This is a valuable opportunity to gain real-world insights and develop key skills. I encourage you to approach the experience with curiosity, professionalism, and a willingness to learn. Thank you to our local business community for your ongoing support in hosting our students, and of course to Miss Fiona for her tireless work in coordinating the program. A reminder that Year 10 students not participating in work experience are still required to attend school as normal.

I’d also like to acknowledge and thank our teachers and school staff for their continued dedication and hard work. Your commitment to supporting our students every day does not go unnoticed – thank you for everything you do.

As we head into the break, I’d like to extend my warmest wishes to all students and families. May the holidays bring rest, renewal, and quality time with loved ones. We look forward to welcoming students back on Monday 14 July, ready to start Semester 2 with fresh energy and purpose.

Thank you all for your ongoing support – and remember, let’s finish this term strong, together!

Kind regards
Siobhan Wilson
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary

Western Cape Careers Expo 2025: A Great Success!

This year’s Western Cape Careers Expo commenced with a special Expo Exhibitor’s Meet and Greet evening on Wednesday, 4 June. Generously hosted and sponsored by the Heritage Resort, the evening provided a valuable opportunity for exhibitors to connect and network ahead of the main event. Western Cape College extends sincere thanks to Brian and Flo from the Heritage Resort for their outstanding hospitality and support of this important initiative.

On Thursday, 5 June, Year 7–12 students attended the 2025 Western Cape Careers Expo at the Weipa Storm Surge Shelter. The event brought together a diverse range of exhibitors, including local, state and nationally owned businesses, educational institutions, and vocational training organisations, all eager to share their knowledge and career opportunities.

It was also a pleasure to once again welcome the students from Aurukun. We were especially honoured to have the Weipa Community Centre as our special guest speakers. Their presentation provided students with meaningful insights into the vital work carried out within the community services sector and the rewarding career pathways it offers. Thank you to the Weipa Community Care staff for sharing their stories with our students.

Throughout the day, students engaged with industry professionals, asked questions, and explored a wide variety of career options. Many discovered new interests, learned about training and apprenticeship pathways, and left feeling inspired and more confident in their future aspirations.

Western Cape College sincerely thanks all the following incredible exhibitors for their commitment and support, which were instrumental to the success of this year’s expo. Their passion for guiding and mentoring our students was evident and deeply appreciated. The Careers Expo continues to equip students with the knowledge, inspiration, and confidence needed to make informed choices about their futures—laying the foundation for bright and promising careers ahead.

We were also pleased to welcome Mr Matt Smith, Member for Leichhardt, and Cape York News, who attended the Expo and took time to engage with our students.

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Exploring Respectful Relationships with the NQ Cowboys

Our Year 10–12 students recently had the exciting opportunity to take part in an engaging and thought-provoking Respectful Relationships presentation, delivered by Ray Thompson from the North Queensland Cowboys.

This interactive session explored the foundations of respectful relationships—what they are, how we build and maintain them, and what to do if support is needed. Students gained valuable insight into the different types of relationships, the characteristics of healthy versus unhealthy relationships, and the importance of boundaries, consent, and communication—particularly within intimate and digital contexts.

Key topics included:

• Understanding relationship types
• Recognising the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships
• Navigating intimate relationships and consent
• The impact of technology on relationships
• Respect and the role each individual plays in creating a respectful and inclusive society

Ray’s message resonated strongly with students, highlighting the importance of empathy, self-awareness, and making informed choices. His role as a mentor and advocate for positive change left a lasting impression.

Western Cape College extends a sincere thank you to Ray Thompson for taking the time to mentor and inspire our students through this important and empowering session.

Weipa Community Care Work Experience

A huge thank you to the Weipa Community Care Association for their amazing support during Semester 1. Through their ongoing volunteer work experience program, our students have had the fantastic opportunity to volunteer at the Centre’s Opportunity Shop.

This hands-on experience has given students valuable skills, boosted their confidence, and allowed them to give back to the community. We’re so grateful to the Weipa Community Centre for providing this wonderful chance for our students to learn and grow.’

We look forward to continuing the work experience program in Semester 2 and seeing more students benefit from this wonderful opportunity!

Aggreko School Base Traineeships

Congratulations to Billy Reynolds and Billy Daniel on commencing their Diesel Fitting School-Based Traineeships with Aggreko, based at Amrun!

This is a fantastic opportunity for both students to dive into the world of diesel mechanics while gaining real-world, hands-on experience with one of the industry’s global leaders. Aggreko is known for designing cutting-edge energy solutions — providing power, heating, and cooling systems using the latest fuels and storage technologies. With over 30 years of experience in Australia, they’ve supported industries ranging from mining and construction to events and food production, offering everything from emergency power to complete off-grid microgrids.

A huge thank you to Aggreko for supporting this incredible learning pathway! A special mention goes to Aggreko team members Sofie (Communications & Indigenous Engagement Manager), Alex (Project Manager), and Corey and Ryan (Site Supervisors), as well as Jenni  from AI Group, whose dedication and support have been instrumental in making this traineeship opportunity possible. We’d also like to extend our sincere thanks to the families of Billy Reynolds and Billy Daniel for their encouragement and ongoing support throughout this journey.

We’re excited to watch Billy and Billy grow their skills and confidence as they begin this exciting journey — the future looks bright and full of opportunity.

Steady Contracting School Based Apprenticeship

Thank you Steady Contracting for your ongoing support of our students and their career pathways. As a valued and active supporter of our school, Steady Contracting plays a vital role in nurturing our students’ development and helping build the next generation of skilled workers.

A shining example of this commitment is their support of Wylie, one of our Year 12 students currently completing his school-based diesel fitting apprenticeship. Thanks to Steady Contracting’s mentorship and hands-on training opportunities, Wylie is gaining real-world experience while continuing his studies — a powerful combination that sets him up for long-term success in the industry.

We extend a sincere thank you to Steady Contracting for investing in our students and helping build a stronger future for our students and community. Your partnership is deeply appreciated, and your impact is truly making a difference.’

Deadly Start School Base Traineeships

We are proud to celebrate Shenlyah and Rere-Moana on successfully completing their Deadly Start Health School-Based Traineeship. This is a fantastic achievement, and we commend their hard work and dedication!

A big thank you also goes to Ash Wanganeen from Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service and Dolly Targent from Seed Foundation for their invaluable support and guidance throughout the traineeship journey. Your commitment has made a real difference in helping our students succeed.

Well done to everyone involved — we can’t wait to see what’s next for Shenlyah and Rere-Moana!

Future Health Stars Shine Bright

Join us in congratulating Year 11 students Faith, Rasmie-Dell, Rhonda, and Sienna on securing their Deadly Start Health School-Based Traineeships with Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS) and the Seed Foundation!

Last week marked the official sign-on for these exciting traineeships, and the students are all set to begin their journey in Term 3. This is an incredible opportunity for the students to gain hands-on experience, build real-world skills, and take the first steps toward rewarding careers in the health sector.

A very big thank you to Ash from TCHHS, Dolly from the Seed Foundation and Selin from Busy at Work for their continued support and for helping make this pathway possible.

We can’t wait to see where this journey takes our future health leaders.

Duke of Edinburgh

Student Leaders’ Camp

Last week, our student leadership team completed their first Duke of Ed Adventurous Journey at the Scherger RAAF Base. This was an opportunity for our leaders to development their teamwork and communication skills through hiking, team building activities, and student-led packing, cooking and cleaning. Students excelled, and by the end of the two days they were a cohesive team who could undertake any challenge with enthusiasm and confidence!!

IQCE Camp

This semester, Year 10 and 11 students in IQCE have begun their Duke of Edinburgh course. The program encourages students to build lifelong skills through community service, physical activity, skill development, and outdoor adventure. So far, students have enjoyed volunteering at Weipa Hospital’s aged care facility and learning how to cook on Trangias—a skill that will be especially useful on our upcoming camp later this year. So far they have cooked tacos, burgers, BBQ and noodles!

Primary Update

Prep-2 Sector Update

It has been a productive and energised end to Term 2 across Prep to Year 2. Students are currently engaged in assessment tasks and proudly demonstrating their learning from throughout the term. Teachers have been working hard to support and guide students through each learning area, and we are looking forward to sharing their progress with you in Semester 1 report cards, which will be issued in Week 1 of Term 3.

Our students continue to uphold our high expectations for behaviour, which was especially evident during our recent Under 8s Day - what an outstanding group of young learners we have.

Under 8s Day

What a brilliant day Under 8s Day was! It was an absolute joy to see the smiles, laughter and enthusiasm from our youngest students as they explored the many activities on offer. A heartfelt thank you goes to all of the local community groups, St Joseph’s and our emergency services who joined us and contributed to such a successful and engaging event. We are incredibly grateful for your time and efforts in helping make the day so special. A very special thank you must also go to our amazing WCC staff for the planning, preparation and behind-the-scenes work that brought the whole day together. Events like this are a real team effort and we’re so proud of what was achieved.

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Prep 2026 Enrolments Now Open

We are excited to announce that enrolments for Prep 2026 are now open! Children born between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021 are eligible to begin Prep next year. There are a few changes to the enrolment process this year: please collect an enrolment pack from the P–4 office. Inside, you’ll find a questionnaire to complete with some general information about your child. This year, formal interviews are not required, but if you would like to book a time to meet with me personally, please indicate this on the form and our administration team will be in touch to schedule your meeting.

Prep 2026 Experience Days will begin in Term 3. A flyer is attached with more details. Children who currently attend kindy’s on the scheduled days will participate as part of their program, but families are more than welcome to bring their child and join in the fun too.

Additionally, there will be three formal transition and parent information sessions held in Term 4 - please refer to the attached flyer for those important dates.

P–3 Fun Day – Tuesday 24 June

To finish the term on a high, our P–3 Fun Day (Athletics Day) will take place on Tuesday 24 June on the Secondary Oval. This is always a highlight for our students and a wonderful celebration of teamwork. Families are warmly invited to attend and join in the fun - we’d love to see you there.

Kind regards
Lydia Jamieson
Deputy Principal P-2

5/6 Sector Update

Year 5 Camp

On Wednesday and Thursday of Week 8, our Year 5 cohort attended the very first WCC Year  5 camp at the 51^st Battalion Army Barracks on Kerr Point Road.

Over the two days, the students engaged in a variety of activities that intentionally targeted their personal and social capabilities. They developed their teamwork, leadership and collaboration skills. The focus for the two days was very much centred around the themes of perseverance and collaboration. The students excelled over the two days and went from strength to strength, keenly tackling challenging tasks with a positive mindset. All staff who attended the camp were extremely proud of this cohort, who are already showing what great leaders of the primary school they are going to be next year.

WCC would like to extend a warm thanks to the 51^st Battalion Army Barracks and their staff for hosting us again this year!

Kind regards
Danielle Phillips
Deputy Principal - Years 5 & 6

Community Announcements

Term 3 After-School Netball Program

Ready, Net, Go! is coming to the Weipa Aquatic and Sports Precinct.

The program is designed to encourage physical activity, teamwork, and confidence in a fun and inclusive environment.