On Tuesday this week, I set the alarm early to get to Brisbane Airport for a 7:00am flight. My goal - to have a few hours at Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney. My purpose was to surprise our Year 6 students who were there en route to Canberra.

Mary MacKillop Place is a real oasis. When St Mary lived here, it would have been almost village-like. There was no Harbour Bridge and North Sydney was a town in its own right. She and her Sisters had to take a ferry across the harbour to minister in the Rocks and in other parts of Sydney. Her shrine itself is absolutely beautiful and has a very sacred feel. It is a very holy place.

My purpose in coming to Mary MacKillop Place to have time with Year 6 was to lead them in an Examen prayer as part of a pilgrimage to the shrine of Mary MacKillop. The Examen is a prayer rooted in Ignatian spirituality. In this Examen, I invited the students to look back on their journey from P-6 and look forward with hope. The focus was on their upcoming transition to secondary school - a time of excitement, change, and growth. Students were encouraged to notice what they are grateful for, what they might feel nervous about, and where they sense God’s presence guiding them. I have included the Examen below.

I pray that this quiet, contemplative moment allowed them to connect deeply with Mary MacKillop’s spirit of trust and courage. Just as Mary embraced new challenges with faith, our students reflected on how they can step into the next chapter with confidence and openness.

It was a reminder that pilgrimage is not just about places - it’s about hearts being prepared for the journey ahead. I can now turn my attention to Week 7, the Academic Awards and the departure of our senior group. It is so wonderful to have the chance to celebrate and acknowledge achievement.

A Moment with St Mary MacKillop

Be Still 

Take a deep breath. Feel the peace of this sacred place.

Give Thanks 

What are you grateful for in your primary school journey? 

Who has helped you grow?

Reflect 

When have you shown courage, kindness, or faith like Mary MacKillop? 

What challenges have helped you become stronger?

Look Ahead 

As you prepare for high school, what kind of person do you want to be? 

What gifts will you bring to your new community?

Ask for Help 

Loving God, 

Guide me as I grow. 

Help me to be brave, kind, and faithful. 

Like Saint Mary MacKillop, 

may I always trust that 

“God will provide.”

Saint Mary MacKillop, pray for us.

Mr Chris Gabbett
College Principal

I know that it is unlikely for your child to read this newsletter but just in case – full disclosure, they heard most of this from me last week in assembly!

I want to talk to you about shopping trolleys – something that I get quite obsessive about every time I go to Coles, Woolies or Grand Central.

Have a look at the images in the article:

I am sure you will recognise this situation as it is one that you will see EVERY day if you go the Highfields Village or Plaza – guaranteed. But do you know that the shopping trolley or cart is actually the subject of much research and psychological, philosophical debates / research?

Psychologists argue that the shopping trolley is the ultimate test of whether a person is capable of self-governing. To return a shopping trolley to the store or at least the trolley bay is an easy, convenient task. To return the shopping trolley is objectively right. The research argues that there are no situations, other than dire emergencies where a person is unable to return their shopping trolley. Simultaneously, it is not illegal to abandon your shopping trolley. It’s also very rare to gain any reward for returning your trolley either – even if you shop at ALDI you only get your coin or token back – no advantage is gained. Therefore, the shopping trolley is an apex example of whether a person will do what is right without being forced to. No one will punish you for not returning your trolley, no one will fine you or kill you for not retuning the trolley and you gain nothing from completing this act.

So why do it? The ‘Trolley Test’ is really all about loving our neighbour as ourselves. We would like to pull into a car park without a trolley blocking the bay. We would not like to be the recipient of a wayward trolley smashing into our car. We would like our differently-abled friends to disembark from their vehicles without being blocked by shopping trolleys. If we would like all these things being done for us, then the least we can do is return our own trolleys. 

The ‘Trolley Test’ might be a modern measure of morality but go back a couple of thousand years and the principle of loving your neighbour as yourself is right there. The ten commandments were given toward the beginning of the Bible in Exodus 20 but Jesus summed them up approximately 1600 years later in Mark 12:30, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” 

Can I encourage you to reflect and discuss with your children on how you can love your neighbour as yourself? Think about acts of altruism that do not benefit you but do impact on others in a positive way – I gave these examples to the students: putting your rubbish in the bin, keeping Penola and other paths clear from bags and obstacles, not disrupting the learning of others, not distracting teachers, volunteering to help – all these are possibilities each and every day at Mary MacKillop Catholic College and beyond.

The question I ask myself and would like us all to consider is:

Will you be the person who finds excuses to not do the right thing?

I don’t return the trolley because I don’t want to do anyone out of a job. 

I don’t return the trolley because I’m in a hurry.

I don’t return the trolley because it really doesn’t matter.

I don’t return the trolley because it’s just too hard due to my circumstances

I don’t return the trolley because it’s raining, it’s too hot, too windy, too cloudy, too dark, too bright, the sky is too blue…

I don’t return the trolley because there is no reward for doing so

Or the person that acts with integrity and compassion – doing the right thing just because?

In our busy, hectic lives we can easily justify not taking the trolley back – does it really make all that much of a difference? You may remember an article from me earlier in the year about the ‘broken glass’ theory and it’s the little things that can really make a difference. I had a good chat with Chris today about just that – it made me reflect and I hope this rambling about trolleys enables you to do the same.

PS. If you like ‘Friends’ you may recall the episode where Joey is ‘co-host’ on PBS telethon and this leads to an argument about whether there are any ‘selfless good deeds’ - here’s the link Friends - A Selfless Good Deed. Is returning the trolley THE ‘selfless good deed?’ I’ll let you ponder that one for yourselves!

RIchard Coe
Deputy Principal

Your official role at the College:

Middle Leader of Arts and Student Engagement

What does a typical day really look like:

This is my first week at Mary MacKillop and I am very excited about being part of this dynamic community. I'll hopefully spend a lot of time in between teaching Music classes getting to know the students at the College. My job is to weave together the creative opportunities across the College based on their interests, strengths, and talents. 

Secondary School attended:

I come from a semi-rural area of NSW: I grew up outside Wingham on the Mid-North Coast.

What do you like about working at Mary MacKillop?

I'm already enjoying the Mary MacKillop atmosphere of a friendly community.

What are your hobbies/Interests?

Apart from Music, I'm a board game addict with a cupboard groaning with games I need to find time to play. I do like to grow things in the garden, although I don't really have the skill to keep too many of them alive!

Other interesting facts about yourself or anything else you would like to share with the MMCC community:

I performed in the marching band that opened the Sydney 2000 Olympics and still have the brightly-coloured Driza-bone. I studied Linguistics and love languages, and I am a vast cavern of random trivia and obscure facts.

How is your work related to the 6 Ps?

My role relates to all 6P's at MMCC. Creative Arts is the area that draws together all aspects of the College experience and allows students to realise their full potential and express themselves. Although I'd like to add another P to the list... PRACTICE!

Each year, our Actioning Mary MacKillop Advocacy (AMMA) group, with the help of Year 5 Mini Vinnies, facilitate the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Gift Appeal.

This initiative is about bringing joy and festivity to families and individuals in our region who may need some extra support. For most of us, Christmas is a time of celebration with family and friends when we share the joy of exchanging gifts and enjoying delicious Christmas treats to eat. However, for more than 2 million Australians, including families and 750,000 children living below the poverty line, Christmas is a time when meeting their most basic needs can be a real struggle.

Before the school year ends, we are inviting families to join us in making this Christmas one filled with joy and happiness for families across Queensland. Your contribution to the St Vincent de Paul Society Christmas Appeal will help to provide families, children and individuals with a Christmas filled with joy and happiness.

As in past years, we ask that donations are either gift cards or presents which align with this gift list. Importantly, this appeal is not a food drive. All donations can be given to your child's classroom teacher (Junior) or their Pastoral Care teacher (Years 6 to 11) as baskets will be available in each room. Gifts do not need to be wrapped.

To enable time to sort donations, and for our local Vinnies Conference to collect these items, please bring in all donations by Wednesday, 26 November (Week 8).

We thank you in anticipation of your generous donations to a worthy cause.

Leisa Radley
Director of Formation and College Culture (7-12)

Please see important information from Toowoomba Catholic Schools regarding School Immunisation program

The School Immunisation Program provides free recommended vaccinations for Year 7 and Year 10 students, protecting them against diseases such as HPV, whooping cough, and meningococcal disease.

If your child missed their School Immunisation Program clinic, it’s not too late to catch up! Contact your GP, pharmacy, or other community immunisation provider to book a catch up appointment. The missed vaccines are available at no cost until your child’s 20th birthday (or 26th birthday for HPV), after which the vaccines will need to be purchased. Please note that while the vaccines are provided at no cost, some providers may still charge a consultation fee.

Recommended adolescent vaccines:

Year 7 Vaccines - Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough) and Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Year 10 Vaccines - Meningococcal B and Meningococcal ACWY

Learn more here:

Vaccination for school aged children and young people
How vaccines work – How vaccines work - YouTube

Is your student doing something outstanding, amazing, extraordinary that they want to share with us? We would love to hear from you!Please send your stories and photos to aimee.fitzgerald@twb.catholic.edu.au and we will highlight achievements to our College community.

Aimee Fitzgerald
Marketing and Communications

Year 9 Unique Student Identifier (USI) and Work Experience

What is a USI?

Your Unique Student Identifier (USI) is your personal education number required for all nationally recognised study, including university and vocational education and training (VET). Made up of 10 letters and numbers, it is free and stays with you for life. (www.usi.com.au)

Welcome to USI - Unique Student Identifier

This term on Thursday or Friday of Week 8 Year 9 students will be creating a USI as school. 

Students will need to have:

• a copy of either -
• Medicare card, or
• birth certificate, or
• passport
• created a personal email account. This is one they will use when they leave school. School emails cannot receive nor send to outside sources. Student computers cannot access personal emails.
• Mobile phone - students will need to access their personal email on their mobile phone to verify their USI. Permission has been granted for students to bring their mobile to class on this day. They will need to keep their mobile in their locker throughout the rest of the day. School rules for mobile use will be in place as per usual with the exception of access in the USI class.

Work Experience (WEX) Year 10 for 2026

We are currently encouraging the Year 9 2025 cohort to start the search for Work Experience placements. Year 10 students in 2026 will be able to access WEX throughout the Easter holidays and the first week of Term 2.

Dates

Week 1 Holidays - 7 -10 April (4 days)

Week 2 Holidays - 13 -17 April (5 days)

Week 1 Term 2 - 20 - 24 April (5 days)

Mrs Goddard, Mrs Richardson or a teacher will visit each student during their placement. 

The placement needs to be within 45mins of Highfields/Toowoomba.

Mrs Andrea Goddard & Mrs Christie Richardson
The Your Pathways Team

At our recent Term 4, Week 5 Assembly, our Senior School students were awarded the Walking the Josephite Way Award. The focus was across all the 6Ps.

Congratulations to all students!

Year 7 - 12

Congratulations to all Mary MacKillop students who completed the 2026 Premiers Reading Challenge. The number of students participating grows every year, with a fabulous fifty-seven students receiving a certificate this year.

The Premiers Reading Challenge is a state-wide initiative which encourages children from Prep to Year 9 to rediscover their love of books by reading 15 to 20 titles during a set period between April and August.

In 2025, 1.9 million books were read by 216, 000 participants.

Congratulations on all the wonderful reading! We love seeing young readers grow — your enthusiasm for books is inspiring.

Mrs Angela Irvine and Mrs Amy Dwyer
Teacher Librarians

Eight enthusiastic students from Years 5 and 6 recently represented our College at the first round of the annual Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers (QAMT) Quiz, hosted at St. Ursula’s College. Competing in teams against other schools from across the Toowoomba region, our students demonstrated outstanding perseverance, passion, and partnership throughout the evening.

The competition was intense, but one team—Lily Watt, Hanna Walker, and Jackson Hughes stood out with their sharp thinking and collaborative spirit, earning a well-deserved spot in Round 2. When Lily was unable to attend the second round, Tyler Dean stepped in to join Hanna and Jackson, showing great adaptability and team spirit.

Although their journey concluded in Round 2, every student who participated should be incredibly proud of their efforts and commitment to the challenge. Congratulations to Declan Stokes, Myles Kent, Tess Ehrlich, Hadley Saunders, Tyler Dean, Lily Watt, Hanna Walker, and Jackson Hughes for representing our College with such enthusiasm and integrity.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the parents who supported their children during the evening rounds. Your encouragement made a world of difference. Thank you also to Mr Langerak for offering us this opportunity and supporting us to get prepared!

We look forward to seeing these bright minds continue to grow and thrive in future academic adventures!

Mrs Lisa-Marie Preston
Middle Leader - Junior School

At our recent Term 4, Week 5 THRIVE Assembly, our Junior School students were awarded the Walking the Josephite Way Award. The focus was across all the 6Ps.

Prep - Year 2

Years 3 - 6

Congratulations to all students!

At our recent Term 4, Week 6 Assembly, our Junior School students were awarded the Walking the Josephite Way Award. The focus was across all the 6Ps.

Congratulations to all students!

Prep - Year 2

Year 3 - 5

The Parent Engagement Network will be holding a College Disco for all Junior School (P-6) students on Friday, 21 November. These have been very successful and enjoyable events for students and families. 

The details are:

Date: Friday, 21 November 2025

Location: MacKillop Centre

Disco Theme: Festive colours like red, green, gold or anything sparkling

First session: Prep - Year 2 | 5:00pm to 6:15pm

Second session: Years 3 - 6 | 6:45pm to 8:00pm

Tickets: $5 per child | No cost for supervising parents.

Purchase Tickets: All entry tickets need to be purchased online. Please CLICK HERE to register

There will be drinks, lollies and glow products available for purchase. This can be with cash or eftpos.

Volunteers: Volunteers are still required, so if any parents/carers are able to volunteer at one or both Junior disco times, can you please contact Maddy via maddybento1@gmail.com

Please see refer to the flyer with further information.

Parent Engagement Network (PEN)

For the past three terms, selected students from Years 4, 5, and 6 have been training diligently in preparation for two major touch football carnivals that occurred over the previous two weeks: the South West Primary All Schools Carnival in Toowoomba and the Queensland Primary All Schools Touch Football Championships in Redlands.

South West Primary All Schools Carnival – Toowoomba

Held on Friday, 24 October, this regional event brought together the top primary school touch football teams from across South West Queensland. Our girls team played four fiercely contested matches, narrowly missing out on the grand final after a close 2–3 loss to TAS in the semi-final. Meanwhile, our boys team delivered an outstanding performance, remaining undefeated and clinching the championship title with a thrilling 5–2 victory over St Mary’s White in the Grand Final.

This competition provided invaluable experience and momentum heading into the following week’s state-level challenge.

Queensland Primary All Schools Championships – Redlands

From Friday, 31 October to Sunday, 2 November, both teams travelled to Redlands to compete in Queensland’s largest primary touch football event, featuring over 340 teams. Battling through intense heat and torrential rain, our students showcased resilience, teamwork, and skill on the field.

Boys Team: The boys stormed through the round games undefeated, winning all four matches convincingly. Their exceptional play earned them a spot in the top 16 teams statewide—a historic achievement for Mary Mac! Although they were edged out in a tight round-of-16 match, their top-tier finish is a testament to their dedication and talent.

Girls Team: The girls had a mixed run in the round games, securing three wins and two losses. Qualifying for the Plate division, they needed four consecutive wins to claim the title—and they delivered! With each victory, their confidence grew, culminating in a nail-biting Grand Final against Rivermount College. Displaying grit and determination, the girls triumphed 3–2, earning the Plate division championship. Congratulations to our champions!

Thank You to Our Coaches

A heartfelt thank you to Mrs Lever, Mrs Campbell, and Mr Hubbard for their unwavering support and guidance throughout both carnivals. Their commitment to training and mentoring our students played a pivotal role in these incredible achievements. A big shout out to our parents for their unwavering support of their children, getting them to trainings and carnivals. Mary Mac truly has the best parents.

Photos

Thank you to Mrs Campbell, our official touch footy photographer, for her photos of both carnivals. Please click the links below to access photos from both competitions.

SWQ All Schools Touch

https://marymackillopcatholiccollege.shootproof.com/gallery/28744018

Queensland Primary All Schools Championships 2025

https://marymackillopcatholiccollege.shootproof.com/gallery/28798549

Mr Troy Brunner
Middle Leader. Sport & Student Engagement

Australasian Champion of Champions – Futsal

Last Thursday to Saturday, three Mary MacKillop Catholic College teams proudly represented us at the prestigious Australasian Champion of Champions Futsal tournament in Brisbane. Competing against elite teams from across Australia and internationally, our students showcased skill, determination, and teamwork.

Under 11 Girls – Displayed incredible growth and resilience, gaining valuable experience for future competitions.

Under 12 Girls – Entered the final undefeated, an outstanding achievement. Despite a 5–2 loss to Brookfield State School, their skill and sportsmanship shone brightly. Special mention to Lily Watt and Elliana Campbell for their contributions.

Under 13 Girls – Crowned Champions after a thrilling 2–1 victory over Lyneham High School. A phenomenal achievement!

From these teams, eight players were selected for the prestigious All Stars squads, with invitations to international tours—an extraordinary recognition of their talent.

A heartfelt thank you to Senior students Bella Scrivens and Ed Ehrlich for mentoring our Junior teams. Your leadership is shaping the future of Futsal at Mary Mac.

Veto Cup Futsal– Gold Coast

Congratulations to our Under 12 Futsal Girls and Boys who recently competed in the Veto Cup on the Gold Coast. Both teams played tremendously well against strong opposition.

The Girls team fought bravely, going down in extra time to finish as Runners Up.
The Boys team impressed with their skill and teamwork, making the College proud with their performances.

Well done to all players for representing Mary Mac with passion and determination.

South West Rugby 7s

Congratulations to our five teams who have been competing in the South West Rugby 7s competition. It has been fantastic to see so many new players stepping up and giving the game a go.

Special good luck to our Under 15 Girls, who have finished in the top four and will play in the semi-finals this week.

Thank you to Craig Faessler and our dedicated coaches for the many hours you have donated to supporting these teams. Your commitment is deeply appreciated.

Friday Basketball

Our Boys and Girls' Basketball teams have enjoyed a successful season, with many players competing for the first time. Both teams have now reached the semi-finals, to be played this Friday afternoon.

Huge thanks to our dedicated coaches—Mrs Campbell, Mrs Smith, Mrs Carter, and Will Ehrlich for guiding and inspiring our players throughout the season.

Mary MacKillop Catholic College continues to shine across multiple sports, demonstrating excellence, teamwork, and community spirit. Congratulations to all our athletes, coaches, and supporters!

Mr Troy Brunner
Middle Leader - Sports & Student Engagement

We have the honour of announcing that one of our Year 12 Visual Art students was selected to represent Mary MacKillop Catholic College at Creative Generations this year!

A huge congratulations to Rubi Lewis. Rubi is an exceptional Visual Art student who created an artwork that connects and communicates current issues with her audiences. Her work was selected to be displayed in this year's Creative Generation Exhibition at the Toowoomba Art Gallery.

The Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art recognise excellence in senior visual art education throughout Queensland state and non-state schools since 1990. The program has helped raise community awareness of the degree of sophistication in concepts, diversity of technical competence, and the high standard of visual art education in Queensland secondary schools.

This exhibition is on at the Toowoomba Gallery till Sunday, 16 November and is open to anyone in the community to go along to see the amazing artwork and support local artists. 

Mrs Megan Puhakka
Visual Art Teacher

Christmas Vacation Care at Mary MacKillop OSHC

Our Christmas Vacation Care Program has now been released!

We have many exciting experiences planned such as three excursions; we will be heading to The Strand to watch the new movie " Zootopia 2", we will be going back in time at The Royal Bulls Head Inn, and our popular TCKC Fun Day with an inflatable water slide!

Other experiences on the program include many Christmas themed games and craft activities, riding our bikes and scooters around the College, bringing our instruments in for our music day, many water play days, science experiments, face paint and coloured hairspray, nerf gun battles, backyard cricket, Nintendo switch games, and many more! Email us at TCKC - OSHC to secure your spot now.

Please see below our Christmas Vacation Care Program.

Mr Garth Rochford
Coordinator

Mass Times

Every Sunday, St Mary MacKillop Catholic Parish gathers in the MacKillop Centre, 75 Highfields Road entry to celebrate together. You are invited to be part of this celebration. Sunday Mass starts at 8:00am (unless otherwise advised) and is led by Fr Brian Noonan.

Trivia Night

Thank you to MMCC for allowing us to have the use of the MacKillop Centre and to Paula O'Rourke for getting together 2 tables for our night. It was our biggest night ever this year.

Rosary Group

Our Rosary Group meets every first Friday of the Month in the Parish Centre, 422 Meringandan Road, Kleinton at 5:30pm. Everybody welcome.

Christmas Raffle

We have started selling tickets in our Christmas Raffle already. Tickets are $2.00 each, 3 for $5.00 or $20.00 for a book. This year we have changed our format for the prize, instead of a wheelbarrow full of goods it will be vouchers.

MacKillop Catholic Parish

This year, Christian Events Toowoomba will be hosting a wonderfully exciting, free, family friendly Christmas event called Follow the Star!

Date: Thursday, 18 - Sunday, 21 December 2025

On Friday, 19 December there will be an Auslan interpreter available

Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Location: The Goods Shed, Toowoomba

Cost: Free

The event is a live, walk through Nativity. There will be sheep and goats, a donkey, Mary, Joseph, angels and of course, the star of the show, baby Jesus. You will be able to enjoy an animal farm, fairy floss, face painting and a host of stalls with gifts as well as food vans and coffee!