Rather than recognising World Mental Health Day (Saturday 10 October) with a single event, we celebrated with four days of activities designed to give students practical and positive ways to support their wellbeing. Students had the opportunity to participate in yoga and breath work with Hope Carmody on Tuesday, movement and fitness activities such as boxing and rowing with Bluewater Fitness on Wednesday, an exam stress session for VCE students with Andre from One Movement on Thursday, and a community walk around the oval with Let's Talk Colac, Headspace Colac and the Colac Otway Shire Youth team on Friday.

Connecting our students with the wider Colac community was also an important part of the week. We always look for opportunities to welcome local organisations into our school, build their presence, and increase awareness of the services and support available to young people. Most importantly, we wanted our students to understand that looking after their wellbeing is a strength, seeking support is okay, and they are surrounded by people and organisations who are there to help.

Mrs Natalie Holt
Director of Wellbeing

Across three year-level categories, 14 students presented persuasive speeches to an audience of family and friends, alongside our judging panel. After progressing through classroom presentations and year-level speak-offs, these students demonstrated their ability to engage an audience, communicate their ideas, and speak passionately about issues that matter to them.

We congratulate all our finalists and commend them for the dedication and courage they showed in preparing and delivering their speeches.

Our 2026 finalists and their speech topics were:

Junior:

Intermediate:

Senior:

Congratulations to our category winners:

We sincerely thank our judges, past Trinity College Captain Sophie Darroch (Class of 2022) and Trinity English teacher Mrs Shani Gill, for generously sharing their time and expertise. We also thank our timekeepers, Ms Caroline Paatsch and Ms Kate McCormick, for their valuable assistance in ensuring the evening ran smoothly.

Events such as the Oratory Competition give students valuable opportunities to develop their communication skills, build confidence, and engage thoughtfully with a range of contemporary issues. We are incredibly proud of all 14 students who took part and congratulate them on their achievements.

Mrs Courtney Williamson and Mr Daniel Rodway
Learning Area Leaders: English

Through a range of activities, presentations and hands-on experiences, participants are encouraged to consider their future career options and the many exciting pathways available within the agricultural industry.

Congratulations to Anna for taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity, and thank you to the Rotary Club of Colac Otway for supporting local students in exploring their future pathways.

A word from Anna:

Defying the Drift program at Longerenong Agricultural College, or Longy, is a 3-day leadership camp. It is a program that helps young people learn more about agriculture, leadership and future career opportunities. It encourages students to stay connected to rural communities and explore different pathways within the agricultural industry. Throughout the program, we developed skills such as communication, teamwork, confidence and leadership, while learning from farms, agricultural businesses and people working in the industry.

The main thing I took away from the program was a better understanding of the different opportunities available in agriculture and how many different career pathways there are. Before doing the program, I mainly thought about farming as working directly with animals and machinery, but I now understand that agriculture also involves technology, business, leadership and communication. Visiting different agricultural businesses and learning from people in the industry helped me see what opportunities could be available to me in the future. The program also helped me build my confidence, improve my public speaking skills and become more comfortable sharing my ideas in front of others. I learnt the importance of teamwork, communication and listening to other people's experiences.

Overall, this experience has helped me think more about what I want to do after school and has encouraged me to keep exploring opportunities in agriculture, whether that is studying at agricultural college or taking a gap year to travel and gain new experiences.

Mrs Julie Demasi
Careers Officer & VET Coordinator

To ensure these items can be cleaned, kept in good condition and reused, we ask students to take their lunchboxes and containers home each day.

Several lunch items were left in the Year 7, 8 and 9 areas at the end of last term. We collected these and washed them on the final day of Term 3, and they are now ready to be reunited with their owners.

Students can collect their lunchboxes and containers from Student Reception and put them to good use again.

Thank you for helping us continue these positive sustainability practices at Trinity!

Mrs Sarah Glennen
Sustainability Coordinator

Salt Creek Scholarship, is an annual $30,000 award that supports local students from our region who are planning to start university next year.

In recognition of the importance of education in our local community, Salt Creek Wind Farm established this scholarship to help a deserving local student who can illustrate how the support will benefit them. The scholarship aims to make tertiary education more accessible for students who might otherwise struggle with the costs of living away from home and supporting themselves near their place of study.

Selection is based on personal qualities, demonstrated leadership, and academic ability. Applications open on Wednesday, 21 October 2026 and close at 5pm on Thursday, 31 December 2026. Shortlisted applicants will be notified by 11am on Monday, 4 January 2027, with interviews conducted via Zoom between 11–15 January 2027. The successful recipient will be offered the scholarship prior to 22 January 2027.

The scholarship is open to students who live in or attend school within the Colac Otway Shire and are Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must be first-time tertiary students who have completed their final school year within the past five years and provide proof of a university offer and accommodation by 18 January 2027.

Students can apply online at saltcreekscholarship.com.au by submitting a short personal statement and a reference from a teacher or community member. The successful scholar will also share updates on their studies and career journey to inspire future applicants.

Further information ca be found at Salt Creek