St Mary's Primary School Clarkes Hill welcomes the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour
Staff, students, families and the wider school community at St Mary's Primary School Clarkes Hill were delighted to host a special visit from the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, featuring Australia's most famous sporting trophy and racing legend Damien Oliver.
The school was honoured to be selected as one of the tour destinations, providing students with a rare opportunity to see the iconic Lexus Melbourne Cup up close. Valued at approximately $1 million and crafted from 18-carat gold, the Melbourne Cup is one of Australia's most recognised sporting trophies and a symbol of excellence, determination and achievement.
The visitors were warmly welcomed by Principal Clare Scanlon, alongside staff, students, parents and community members. The event commenced with a series of videos showcasing the rich history of the Melbourne Cup and highlighting the remarkable career of Damien Oliver.
Widely regarded as one of Australia's greatest jockeys, Damien Oliver is a three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, having claimed victories aboard Doriemus (1995), Media Puzzle (2002) and Fiorente (2013). He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame and is celebrated for his outstanding contribution to Australian racing over a career spanning more than three decades.
Students were captivated by Damien's inspiring stories, which highlighted the importance of perseverance, dedication and following one's dreams. They were also given the opportunity to ask questions about his career, favourite racing memories and what it takes to succeed at the highest level of sport.
One of the highlights of the day was the chance for students and staff to hold the Melbourne Cup and have photographs taken with the prestigious trophy. The excitement continued when students challenged Damien to a friendly race around the school playground, creating plenty of laughter and memorable moments.
The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour is a community engagement initiative of the Victoria Racing Club (VRC). Since its launch in 2003, the tour has taken the famous trophy to hundreds of communities across Australia and around the world, allowing people to experience the excitement and heritage of the Melbourne Cup firsthand. The program aims to connect communities, inspire young people, celebrate local stories and support charitable and community initiatives through various engagement activities.
The visit was a memorable experience for everyone at St Mary's Primary School Clarkes Hill and a wonderful opportunity to be part of a celebrated Australian tradition.
Building belonging through student-led lunchtime clubs
This year, as part of the 'DOBCEL Strategy 2035', four of our students have been taking part in an action research project as part of the Schools that Listen initiative.
After surveying the Years 3-6 students to find out what was important to them, the students settled on the question: 'If we had more clubs at lunchtimes in Term 3, would this build the Years 3-6 students’ sense of belonging?' The clubs that were introduced were Pokémon Club, Chess Club, Lego Club and Crochet/Knitting/Art club. These clubs have been running for most of the term and have averaged about 12 -15 students at each club. Our intrepid investigators asked the students for feedback this week about how they thought the clubs were going:
Are you enjoying the club?
- Art - yes, we like drawing and being with friends.
- Knitting/Crochet - Yes, the school is providing the wool and it is calming to be inside with friends.
- Pokémon - Yes! We have enjoyed the colouring sheets and looking at our Pokémon cards and books with friends.
- Lego - Yes because we love to build stuff with Lego. Chess - Yes, it's good to be able to come inside and play chess with other people.
When the students in all the clubs were asked if they would like to see the clubs continue, it was a resounding yes from all! Sounds like they have been a success. This week, the Years 1/2 students also joined in the fun, which they were very excited about.
Next term, our four students will attend a Showcase Day, along with many other primary schools in our Diocese, where they will share our project and how it has gone. We look forward to sharing more about this in Term 4. Below are some photos of the students enjoying the range of clubs on offer.
[Content and Photos shared by Tanya Stevens, Deputy Principal of St Mary's Primary School, Hamilton]
Building Strong Maths Skills Across Our Schools
At St Joseph’s in Charlton, the Foundation and Year 1 students have been recognising and adding Australian coins to investigate how much items cost, with a favourite purchase being ice cream!
On the otherhand, students at Sacred Heart Mildura have been improving their fact fluency during their Explicit Maths Program (EMP) lessons.They’ve been working on answering addition and subtraction problems with increased speed and accuracy, with teachers noting an improvement in the number of correct answers in two minutes since the beginning of the year.
[Content and photos shared by Fiona Hudson, Education Officer of DOBCEL]
Book Week celebrations at St Mary's Primary School Warracknabeal and St James' Parish School Sebastopol
Students and staff had a fabulous Friday at St Mary’s Warracknabeal celebrating the 2026 Book Week with the theme "A Symphony of Stories." The entire school dressed in costumes representing a wide variety of stories with staff becoming the 'symphony' in music notes. All the students then gathered in the library area to listen to a short listed book of the year; Tiwi in Paris. by Glen Farmer Illortaminni. After the story, students were mixed into groups to make and decorate a felt suitcase. There was lovely energy throughout the day as students and staff worked together, having some fun and celebrating Book Week.
[Content and photos shared by Julie Leonard, Principal at St Mary's Primary School Warracknabeal]
On the other hand, at St James’ Parish School, Book Week is all about the magic of books, stories and the joy of reading. Rather than a traditional dress-up day, we have intentionally created a more inclusive and accessible celebration that keeps the focus where it belongs, on discovering stories, meeting authors and sharing the pleasure of reading together.
Our wonderful Community Team has been busy creating a week full of engaging experiences for students. Across the school, students explored new authors, discovered different stories, and enjoyed reading together through special story time sessions with parents, grandparents, and special people, author studies, shared reading experiences, and a whole-school read. These experiences provided opportunities for students across all year levels to connect through a shared love of books.
Of course, that didn’t mean we couldn’t have a little fun with the Book Week spirit! You may have spotted our Principal embracing his inner caterpillar, much to the delight of the students. It was a playful reminder of the imagination and creativity that stories can spark.
A highlight of the week was our whole-school Book Swap, allowing students to share a much-loved book and discover something new to take home and enjoy.
A huge thank you to our Community Team for the thought, creativity and time that went into bringing Book Week to life. It was a wonderful week of stories, imagination, connection and a shared celebration of reading across our school community.
Watch some of the highlights of their Book Week activities on this link.
[Content and photos shared by Viv Mcloughlin, Deputy Principal at St James' Parish School]
❤️ Jump Rope for Heart – jumping for healthy hearts!
At St James Parish School Sebastopol, we are excited to once again participate in Jump Rope for Heart, a fantastic initiative that encourages our students to get active, have fun, and learn about the importance of keeping their hearts healthy.
Throughout the program, students will have opportunities to practise their skipping skills, challenge themselves to learn new tricks and enjoy being active alongside their friends. From first-time skippers to our skipping superstars, everyone can get involved!
Jump Rope for Heart is about much more than skipping. It helps students understand how regular physical activity supports a healthy heart, healthy body and healthy mind, while also raising awareness and funds for the important work of the Heart Foundation.
We look forward to seeing plenty of skipping, laughter and determination across the school as our students jump, move and work together for healthier hearts! ❤️
[Content and photos shared by Viv Mcloughlin, Deputy Principal at St James' Parish School]
St Patrick’s College in Ballarat strengthens commitment to wellbeing and community
St Patrick’s College continues to find meaningful ways to support student wellbeing and foster a strong sense of community. Recently, the school unveiled a Blue Tree in its front gardens as a lasting tribute to former student Rohan Cosgriff and as a powerful reminder that no one stands alone. The Blue Tree Project is a recognised mental health awareness initiative that encourages conversations about wellbeing and reminds young people that support is always available. The project was championed by student leaders and reflects the school's ongoing commitment to caring for the whole person.
The school is also looking ahead with excitement to the return of its popular Break the Cycle initiative in 2026, with plans for the event to be bigger and better than ever. The program continues to bring students and the wider community together in support of important causes, highlighting the spirit of service, connection and compassion that is central to life at St Patrick’s College.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate how St Patrick’s College is building a culture where wellbeing, belonging and community engagement remain at the heart of the student experience.
Photos sourced from article links below:
SPC unveils Blue Tree as reminder that no one stands alone
Break the Cycle bigger and better in 2026 | News | St Patrick's College
[Content shared by Jo McKee, Executive Assistant to the Principal of St Patrick's College, Ballarat]
St Patrick’s School Nhill teacher receives National AFL Award for Championing Inclusion
Congratulations is extended to Nhill's St Patrick's School teacher, Mrs Tracey Bell, who has received national recognition for her outstanding contribution to inclusion in community sport, having been named the AFL National Diversity Ambassador of the Year for 2026.
For more than a decade, Tracey has played an important role in building a strong and lasting connection between the Nhill Tigers and Nhill’s Karen (Myanmar) refugee community, whose first families began arriving in the town in 2012.
Tracey has helped dozens of junior players and families from culturally diverse backgrounds, become part of a thriving local sporting club.
Her support has extended well beyond the football field. Tracey has assisted families with PlayHQ registrations and helped ensure young players can attend away games, whether by driving them herself or coordinating transport with other club families.
Today, culturally diverse players make up close to half of some Nhill junior teams — a wonderful reflection of how sport can bring a community together. Tracey’s work has also made an important contribution to the sustainability of the Tigers’ junior program, particularly during periods when the club had lost junior grades and was facing discussions about potential mergers.
Tracey has supported many young players throughout their entire junior football journey, serving as team manager as they progressed from Under 12s through to Under 17s.
The national honour is fitting recognition of Tracey’s many years of dedicated service to the Nhill Tigers, its players and families, and the wider Nhill community.
As the 2026 national award recipient, Mrs Bell will receive a ticket to the Toyota AFL Grand Final, an invitation to the official welcome dinner, three nights’ accommodation in Melbourne, attendance at the AFL Grand Final Parade and a $250 prepaid EFTPOS voucher.
Mrs Bell is also heavily involved in netball and basketball. Mrs Bell (centre, back row) is pictured here with some of the young footballers and netballers.
This announcement comes in the same month that fellow St Patrick's School staff member, Mary Dagleish, was recognised by School Sport Australia for her ten years of service to the SSA Australian Football Championships. Mary is the National Umpires Coordinator.
[Content and photo shared by Kingsley Dalgleish, Principal at St Patrick's School Nhill]