Bonjour, Guten Tag, Ni hao, Ciao, Annyeonghaseyo, Sveiki, Sata sri akala, Hallo, Kia ora, Wominjeka, Konnichiwa!
We write to you at the conclusion of the weeklong Language and Culture Festival, a vibrant Camberwell Girls celebration that embraces the School’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity. The School has been abuzz with different performances and cuisines at lunchtimes, and other vibrant activities delivered by our dedicated Languages Department. It has been wonderful to see students and staff share and further develop their understanding of other cultures and languages from around the world.
Staying global, we also held our annual International Women’s Day Breakfast, where Old Grammarian (1977) Julie Lander, former CEO of Care Super, provided valuable insights into how we can create greater gender equality through the development of financial security and literacy of women. In doing so, Julie highlighted the importance of questioning and challenging historical constructs to make change and strive for a more gender-equal world. A very important and powerful message.
In this edition of CamNews, we are excited to share news and achievements from across our school community, ranging from the adventures of Year 10 Camp Week to our triumph at the GSV Swimming Carnival. We hope that you enjoy reading the array of highlights from the past two weeks.
Kath Woolcock
Head of Senior School
Tom Clark
Head of Middle School
It is with huge excitement we share the results from last week’s GSV Swimming Division 2 Championship Carnival.
Making history, CGGS finished in 1st place overall with an amazing whole team performance and a significant gap of 76 points clear of second place. With over 50 swimmers competing, all students performed to their best and the support they provided each other was outstanding.
In preparation for the competition, many students have been attending twice-weekly GSV training and others are part of the CGGS Aquatics Squad program and train multiple days each week. This dedication to training from all students enabled our team to have depth and consistency in times and results. We are so proud of all swimmers and thank Yuriy for his dedication and leadership of both coaching programs.
A special part of the program is the relay events and CGGS had an astonishing 10 top 3 placings, with 8 teams making it through to the GSV Finals competition. We also have students competing in 28 individual events on Tuesday 26 March. We wish all the swimmers well for this competition and look forward to some great results.
A special mention to the year 12 students who have been committed members of this team for their entire school journey. They have led by example and demonstrated to the younger students the value of co-curricular involvement in helping balance their academic studies.
My thanks to Elysia W who captained the team this year and to all the students who represented CGGS with pride and determination. Their elation after being crowned Division 2 Champions was a precious moment for everyone on pool deck, and one we will continue to motivate us for years to come.
Nareen Robinson
Head of Sport
On one of the most stunning mornings this year, 39 CGGS triathletes assembled at 6.00am for the much-loved GSV Triathlon.
As the sun rose over the foreshore at Altona Beach, students were buzzing with excitement and anticipation about the event ahead. With all students opting for the teams event this year, the start time was 7.00am and the water was presenting perfect conditions, albeit very cold. In 60 second intervals, each age group were sent off into the water for the 300m swim.
We were thrilled with the emergence of Amelia L (Year 8) out of the water in first place with an incredibly strong swim leg, handing over to her teammate Eden C (Year 8) for the cycle leg. Other very strong swims from Claire F (Year 10), Emily P (Year 12) and Anneka S (Year 10) ensured the CGGS teams were out in front early.
Incredible cycling legs from all team members, including a standout performance from Eden C (Year 8), kept the excitement high and with some very smooth transitions into the run, the CGGS teams were well placed in all age levels. A special mention to Bella F and Sofia P (Year 12), Aneria P (Year 7), Nini (Year 8) and Poppy (Year 9) who ran impressive 3km time splits to finish the teams event strongly.
Provisional results show a huge number of teams in the top 20 overall, with one of our junior teams placing 7th from 82 teams. Final confirmation will be provided by GSV very soon and we look forward to sharing these results with you in full.
Nareen Robinson
Head of Sport
The small and mighty CGGS Diving team competed in the Division 1 Championship Carnival for the second year in a row. Having steadily improved in the school rankings each year, we have reached the pinnacle of the competition and CGGS is very proud of each member of this team. At this level, many of the divers train with community clubs and compete regularly throughout the year.
Our divers worked hard to learn new dives and to perfect old ones in the short time we had prior to the carnival. Under the expert guidance of Jenny our long-time coach, we were well prepared and performed exceptionally well. I would like to extend my thanks to both Jenny and the students for their comradery and support of each other and their dedication to the diving program. Ably led by Emma D and Romy M, our senior team finished 7th, Intermediate team 6th and the Junior team in 7th place. This resulted in an 8th place finish overall.
Many of the divers were also part of the winning swimming team in the morning, so a long and successful day for them.
Congratulations to all students and we look forward to more success in 2025.
Nareen Robinson
Head of Sport
Over the long weekend, a group of our CGGS Aquatic swimmers travelled to Tasmania to compete in the Long Course State Championships. Everyone gave it their best and we saw some great swims. Almost all of us got the opportunity to swim in a State Final which was an exciting experience. Ivy X (Year 6) came 3rd in 100m backstroke, 2nd in 100mbutterfly and 3rd in 100m freestyle. Emily P (Year 12) also placed 2nd in the 100m breaststroke.
Tasmania is always an enjoyable trip and we made sure to do some other fun things in between competition sessions. We can’t wait to go back next year.
Thank you to Yuri, our coach, for his dedication to our club and our swimmers and to all the parents/guardians who came down, we appreciated your support and encouragement.
Anneka S
CGGS Aquatic Club Captain
Representing Victoria at the 2024 U13 Australian Indoor Hockey Championships in Canberra in January was the absolute highlight of my summer holidays. It was an honour to represent my State and challenge my skills against some of the country’s best indoor hockey players. I will never forget our wins and draws against NSW and QLD who are the two most feared and dominant states in hockey. Even though, we did not come 1st, representing Victoria in hockey as well as being able to visit Parliament House and seeing some of the national monuments and museums, was an experience I will never forget.
Charlotte C
Year 9
On Tuesday 12 March, the International Coalition of Girls Schools hosted their annual International Women’s Day Breakfast at Parliament House. The annual event attracts attendees from schools all over Melbourne and this year, guests enjoyed hearing from Professor Katie Allen, Fmr Federal Member of Parliament, public health professor and pediatrician, and Georgie Crozier MP.
Four Year 11 Students, Aashi S, Aliyana R, Disha M and Samantha H attended, along with the Year 11 Coordinator Mrs Nareen Robinson. Aashi, Aliyana and Disha share their reflections below.
I loved being surrounded by fellow leaders from other girls schools, and hearing from powerful and strong women in Parliament. We were lucky enough to hear from former Federal Minister Dr Katie Allen, and it was a breath of fresh air to hear that within Parliament now, women make up 50%, suggesting we are achieving gender equality in a field that is often heavily dominated by men. The valuable advice the inspirational female leaders gave us about entering fields of work we are interested in, despite gender imbalance, will definitely stick with me. – Aliyana R
Attending the International Women’s Day Breakfast at Parliament House was such an amazing experience. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing current and former MP’s Jess Wilson, Georgie Crozier, and Professor Katie Allen talk about their experience and process of being a woman in politics, some things they struggled with, and what they hope for the future in Australian politics. It was a very valuable experience to be able to hear from these speakers directly, and to think about steps I might take in the future. – Disha M
The International Women’s Day Breakfast was an enlightening and unforgettable experience. When we arrived at Queens Hall in Parliament House, I was enamoured by not only the food and the presence of female portraits but more importantly the ability to hear three inspiring MPs speak. They spoke about the importance of women going into politics, their elaborate and varying journeys to politics, the change they wish to make to impact Victorians and Australians, as well as what the future could hold for our generation. It inspired me about going into politics in the future and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. – Aashi S
Nareen Robinson
Year 11 Coordinator
It is always heart-warming to celebrate the languages we teach and learn as well as the languages we speak in our community.
We started our week of celebration with staff and students dressed in or inspired by international costume. Donations of $450 from the Free Dress Day went to the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre. At recess, the courtyard transformed into a Hofbrauhaus with jaunty accordion music and German Brezeln for sale. At lunchtime, a competitive game of Marngrook between staff and students was refereed by Murrundindi, resulting in an 11-11 draw. In assembly, Dr Jo Rittey put out the challenge to pick up a language at any stage of life to unlock doors to new worlds, forge deeper connections, and become more well-rounded, adaptable citizens of our interconnected world. Natasha C, Year 9 recited a poem in French, the Year 10 German class performed a short play in German, the Musicians of Bremen and Silvia Z, Year 11 played Spring Time in Tian Shan on the Pipa.
On Thursday, the I Love Dumplings truck visited CGGS. Students enthusiastically lined up to order dumplings and it was impressive to see many students and staff ordering dumplings in Chinese. It was a great opportunity for students to have such social and cultural engagement as a part of their language learning.
Friday was Crêpe Day with the delicious aroma of crepes wafting throughout the school. Always a popular choice, students lined up to order crêpes au chocolat, crêpes au citron sucre et crêpes à la confiture. French students ordered in French and others gave it a good go.
A highlight for many was the International Concert organised by Culture Captains, Angela D and Nina Z which featured a range of cultural performances across three lunchtimes in the courtyard.
Between staff, students and their families, we speak at least 40 languages and with language comes a different way of seeing the world. We love celebrating what we can share and learn from each other.
The Languages Department
On Friday 1 March, the VCE Extended Investigation students attended Top Talks at the State Library of Victoria.
Extended Investigation is a VCE subject where students develop a research question and complete a 4000-word thesis coupled with a 10-minute oral presentation to defend their findings.
Top Talks showcased some of the outstanding oral presentations from the 2023 VCE Extended Investigation students, one of whom was 2023 CGGS graduate, Xara Anderson. Xara presented her topic, Parasocial Relationships and Australian Politics.
The 2024 Extended Investigation class enjoyed listening to the varied presentations and were inspired by the speakers on the day.
Below are some students’ reflections:
“My favourite part of the day was hearing the diverse range of ideas and experiences amongst the student speakers. My favourite speaker was Alyna, as her research on South Asian and East Asian beauty standards was inspiring to me, as a south Asian young person”. – Sienna V
“We had the privilege of watching a fellow CGGS past student Xara Anderson present her oral on Parasocial Relationships in Australian Politics – her presentation was inspiring and analytical, and it was so wonderful to see her succeed”. – Helena M
Adriana Szili
Senior School Teacher
The 2024 Year 12 Physics class had an exciting and educational experience at Luna Park on Tuesday 5 March. The Luna Park VCE Physics Day offers practical experiences of Motion concepts covered in Unit 3 Area of Study 1 of the VCE Physics Study Design.
Throughout the day, the class engaged in recording data and making observations while enjoying the rides. They gained firsthand understanding of how forces act on our bodies, especially when travelling upside-down and at high velocities.
Between the bus ride to Luna Park and the return journey, there was never a dull moment in this experience. These elite physicists were mentally challenged and for some, physically pushed, resulting in a deeper understanding of physics.
This excursion will be a core part of their VCE journey and forever a cherished memory.
Kingsley Ren
Physics and Mathematics Teacher
The Year 10 campers were blessed with glorious weather as they snorkelled, paddled, camped, rode, hiked, climbed, and surfed their way around the Mornington Peninsula. Students were able to explore their strengths, develop new skills and foster new connections.
Student Reflections
Year 10 Camp fostered courage building activities that encouraged students to try new experiences. I had the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and snorkel under the pier. In the beginning I was not confident with my swimming ability, but through the support offered by the staff and my peers, I ended up enjoying snorkelling and am proud of myself for trying it.
Sharon T (10A)
During camp, I was given the chance to hike out for an overnight campout and cook a meal on a Trangia, which was an unforgettable experience. Bonding with my peers whilst hiking to the grounds was something that meant a lot to me. I was able to become closer to my friends and teachers and the camp staff. Overall, Year 10 camp, being the last one, strengthened my skills of independence, perseverance, and the ability to see the best in everyone and myself.
Amalia P (10B)
Year 10 Camp is a memory that will forever be cherished by the whole of the cohort. Activities such as the boat snorkel was one of the most interesting experiences of my life, exploring marine life and dancing with the seals!
Yasmin T (10A)
Shane Maycock and Nicole McKie
Year 7 students participated in an incursion with Murrundindi, the Ngurungaeta (Headman) of the Wurundjeri People. This learning opportunity was designed to foster an awareness, respect and appreciation of Indigenous Australian culture.
Students had the opportunity to examine over fifty artefacts from Murrundindi’s personal collection. They were set the task to inspect an artefact, to sketch it, determine what materials the artefact was made from, describe interesting features of the artefact and hypothesise its function. Murrundindi also shared personal stories and explained the purpose of these artefacts.
Through this immersive experience, students learnt first-hand the significance of land and tradition on cultural identity and community.
We are most grateful to Murrundindi for sharing his incredible collection of artefacts with us and making this experience so memorable for our students.
Karin Lemanis
Head of History
Student Reflections
“Murrundindi was an amazing storyteller and was so knowledgeable on all the facts” – Charlie D, 7P
“The best thing was exploring old materials and different types of old inventions made by the Australian Aboriginals” – Lydia Y, 7T
“The best thing about this incursion was learning about all of Murrundindi’s family names and their meanings” – Olivia W, 7T
“One fact I learnt was that their Aboriginal names all have meanings commonly associated with animals” – Lily H, 7T
“I learnt about the different types of boomerangs and weapons” – Ashleigh D, 7T
“It was very interesting to hear about their culture” – Ailey P, 7P
“The best thing was finding out about the different types of boomerangs and how they affect hunting skills as well as finding out what other tools are called and how they are used” – Amiya R, 7W
“I learnt that the possum rug was very special to Murrindindi and was passed down through his family” – Aaratrika K, 7P
