Inspire City Experience
As part of the Year 9/10 INSPIRE Program, students headed into Melbourne’s CBD to take on the Urban Quest, an action-packed challenge designed to get them thinking, problem-solving, and working together outside the classroom.
The day combined elements of an Amazing Race style scavenger hunt with real world problem solving. Using smartphones, teams navigated through the city completing a series of clues and tasks that tested their communication, leadership, and teamwork.
Their quest started and finished at the State Library and while the challenge was tough, most teams did manage to complete the full Quest within the 90 minutes allocated, with a Year 10 team from Woodlea completing in 1 hour and 9 minutes, placing them 25th on the overall leaderboard.
The aim of the day was for students to immerse them in something practical, hands-on, and memorable. Whether it was navigating unfamiliar streets, solving puzzles under pressure, or just learning to work better as a team, students walked away with more than just tired legs and hopefully some improved navigation skills within the CBD.
Congratulations to the winning teams, and well done to all involved for representing the school so well. We hope for the students to experience another city venture as a part of their INSPIRE program later in the year.
Liam McMahon – Head of Year 9 (Maddingley), Stacey Viljoen – Head of Year 9 (Woodlea) and Elese Demarchi – Head of Year 10 (Woodlea)
Maddingley
VCE Geography Fieldwork at Woodlea: Exploring Land Use Change on Melbourne’s Expanding Fringe
On Tuesday 27 May, our VCE Unit 3 Geography class ventured out to the Woodlea Housing Estate in Aintree for a full-day fieldwork excursion as part of their investigation into land use change. The day, led by VCE Geography Teacher Ms. Higgins, focused on the rapid transformation occurring across Melbourne’s western growth corridor.
Woodlea provided an ideal case study, offering students a real-world look at how formerly rural areas are being reimagined as master-planned communities. Equipped with clipboards, maps and data collection tools, students gathered a wide range of primary data throughout the day, including field sketches, photographs, observational checklists, land use surveys and community perception data. This hands-on research will form the backbone of their major fieldwork report and support their responses in the VCAA examination.
A highlight of the day was the opportunity to hear from Matt Darvell, Senior Development Manager at Woodlea, who generously spoke to the students about the planning, vision and strategic decision-making behind the development. His insights helped students better understand the role of developers and planning authorities in shaping communities that are both sustainable and liveable.
Students were particularly interested in how Woodlea balances growth with green spaces, transport infrastructure, community amenities and long-term environmental sustainability. The estate’s design prompted meaningful discussions about urban sprawl, population growth and the evolving nature of Melbourne’s outer suburbs.
It was fantastic to see students so engaged, asking thoughtful questions, working collaboratively and showing real curiosity about the landscape around them. Experiences like this make Geography so relatable and we look forward to seeing how students apply their fieldwork insights in the weeks ahead.
Claire Higgins–Teacher
Year 10 Tertiary Experience Day – Deakin University & The Gordon TAFE
On Tuesday 3 June, our Maddingley Year 10 students participated in an engaging Tertiary Experience Day, hosted collaboratively by Deakin University and The Gordon TAFE. The event provided valuable insights into the key differences between university and TAFE pathways, supporting students as they begin to consider their future educational and career options.
Students attended two tailored workshops selected from a diverse range of offerings, including Philosophy (Arts), Engineering, Exercise & Sports Science, Library Studies, and campus tours. Each session offered students a real-world introduction to tertiary learning environments—ranging from lecture-style university teaching to hands-on vocational presentations at TAFE.
The experience prompted students to reflect on their personal interests and aspirations while deepening their understanding of the expectations, skills and learning structures typical of both higher education and vocational training. It was a timely and valuable experience, particularly as students prepare for subject selections next term.
A big thank you to James Pountney from Deakin University and Grace Bodie from The Gordon TAFE for coordinating and delivering a day that was both informative and inspiring.
Mrs Alice Wu-Tollis – Assistant Principal: Director of Careers & Student Pathways and Mrs Ainslee Grinter – Head of Year 10 Maddingley Campus
