Byron Breeze tERM 4 | weEK 9 2025

The items on the Workbook and essential materials list can be purchased from any stationery or department store.

The Byron Bay High School office sells the following items:

• Excel Essential Skills: Mathematics Revision & Exam Workbook - Year 7 ($20)
• Scientific calculator: Casio fx-82AU PLUS II ($40)
• Process Art Diary - A4 size 120-page spiral bound with vinyl cover ($5)

You can order book and stationery packs online through Dolphin Office Choice

For your convenience, most of the workbooks and essential stationery items needed for all Year groups can be purchased online through Dolphin Office Choice via the link provided below:

Visit the Essential Guide to Byron Bay High School linked below for more details about how to order your items through Dolphin Office Choice.

Essential guides to Byron Bay High School

Everything you need to know about our school can be found either on our website or in our Essential Guides to Byron Bay High School. There are 2 versions to choose from, depending on which Year group your child is heading into. In these documents, you will find:

• Uniform guidelines and where to buy uniforms
• Bell times, student cards and timetables
• Workbooks and essential items needed for learning
• Bring Your Own Device details (if your child is bringing laptop to school)
• School buses and travel passes... and LOTS more!

Year 7 students

Years 8 to 12 students

Up The Shells!

BBHS basketball boys have an ex’shell’ent showing at Nationals

Our Byron Bay High School basketball team 'The Shells', reached the quarterfinals of the Foot Locker Australian School Championships, where they lost in a hard-fought battle to the eventual champions, finishing tied for 5th out of 12 teams.

The Foot Locker Australian School Championships is a yearly basketball tournament where schools from Australia, New Zealand, the US, and beyond, compete to be crowned the best secondary school basketball team.

This year's competition saw 226 schools competing on the Gold Coast across a week of group play and knockout rounds.

The Shells were led by their captain, Jethro E, the team’s high scorer averaging 13.2 points per game. Shae O-T was the team’s sharpshooter, averaging nearly two made three-pointers per game. Defensively, the team was anchored by Arlo W, who recorded three blocks in a single game and averaged over 10 rebounds per game.

A highlight of the tournament was the team’s 25-point victory over a bigger and older team from New Zealand. Fynn H led the way with 23 points, displaying an impressive array of layups and jump shots. On separate occasions, we also celebrated 2 first-time dunks from Arlo W and Jethro E— huge moments of individual accomplishment that energised the team.

Throughout the tournament, the boys displayed impressive sportsmanship and an unrelenting competitive spirit, overcoming plenty of adversity on their way to a quarterfinal appearance.

The Shells will look to build on their impressive performance this year. With the tournament set to stay on the Gold Coast for the next 3e years, we’re excited to return, continue strengthening our squad, and provide even more students with the opportunity to represent our school on a national stage.

Gaining real-life skills

Students dive into the BBHS Work Experience Program

This term over 100 students participated in work experience: 83 went to education facilities, such as Byron Bay and Bangalow Public Schools, the Byron Bay Community School, and the University of Queensland. From all accounts our students contributed by assisting the school's staff and working with the students enthusiastically.

All reports from our BBHS students indicated they enjoyed their experiences, and some students are even considering teaching as a future career path.

Another group of students took up opportunities to pursue work experience in barbering, real estate, bicycle repair/maintenance, veterinary/animal care, hospitality, metal fabrication, automotive/mechanics, retail, maritime, fashion, finance, music retail, production and repairs, film and construction trades, such as landscaping, carpentry and plumbing. It is quite possible that students from this group may be offered holiday work, school based apprenticeships or even full time apprenticeships as a result. Congratulations and well done Year 10!

I encourage students to seriously consider work experience as an important resource when planning a their career path. Barista and White Card courses have been organised by our school this year and are also useful credentials that will come in handy as our students start their career journey.

Please don't hestiate to reach out to our Career Advisors if you have any questions about work experience.

Mr Brian O'Connor (Careers Adviser) and Mrs Leah Miles and Ms Lara Cranfield (Year 10 Year Advisors)

Year 10 wraps up a busy year at Dreamworld!

On Tuesday, 9 December, our enthusiastic Year 10 students embarked on an unforgettable end-of-year excursion to Dreamworld and WhiteWater World on the Gold Coast. This combined theme park adventure was a well-deserved celebration after a year of hard work and achievement.

The excursion not only offered a chance to unwind, but it also helped strengthen friendships and promote team spirit among the Year 10 cohort.

The day concluded with tired but happy students returning home with great stories to share from their thrilling rides and splash-filled adventures. It was a memorable way to celebrate the end of a successful school year.

Mrs Leah Miles and Ms Lara Cranfield - Year 10 Year Advisors

Year 8’s fun-filled day on the Gold Coast

Year 8 end-of-year excursion

On Monday, our Year 8 students enjoyed an unforgettable day out as they took on the Gold Coast Aqua Park, followed by an afternoon exploring the Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.

The Aqua Park was a highlight, with students spending 2 hours launching themselves across giant jumping pillows, scrambling over obstacles, racing their friends, creating teams, and laughing their way through every challenge. Teachers didn’t just watch from the sidelines - we jumped in ourselves and had an absolute ball trying to keep up with the students! The energy, teamwork, and shared joy lit up everyone's faces.

In the afternoon, students moved through Pacific Fair in their friendship groups, enjoying their independence with maturity. They made thoughtful choices, supported one another, and represented Byron Bay High School with genuine pride. Every staff member commented on how respectful, responsible, and considerate the cohort was from start to finish.

It was a day filled with plenty of laughs, new connections, and moments that highlighted how capable and mature our Year 8 students are. We were incredibly proud to take them out into the wider community - and even prouder of how they carried themselves throughout the entire excursion.

Thank you to the accompanying teachers Miss Healey, Mr Russell & Mr Humphreys for helping to make the trip possible.

Ms Phoebe Kiddle - Year 8 Advisor 2025

Science sparks in 2026!

A year of discovery, curiosity, and exploration

What an exciting and inspiring year it has been in the Science Department! Our students have explored the natural world through hands-on learning, thoughtful inquiry, and plenty of curiosity.

One of the highlights of the year was our excursion to Minyon Falls, where students experienced the Earth’s geological processes up close, while deepening their appreciation for the unique local environment.

Throughout the year, classes carried out a wide range of engaging experiments—many producing impressive results that sparked lively discussion and further investigation.

Across all year groups, students strengthened their scientific skills, from conducting fair tests and analysing data to evaluating evidence and communicating findings. They also gained rich content knowledge to help them better understand the environment around them, the systems that shape our planet, and even the wider universe beyond.

We are incredibly proud of the growth, enthusiasm, and hard work shown by all our budding scientists. We look forward to another year filled with discovery, questioning, and creativity!

Mr Sean Nicholas - Science teacher

Marine Studies news

Term 4 saw our Marine Studies class complete their Unit of work of Commercial and Recreational Fishing. In between lessons understanding the problems of large scale commercial fishing, various rules, regulations and practical skills of recreational fishing and protected species affected by the industry, students had many opportunities to complete practical classes.

We had several lessons down the beach with Oliver scoring a nice legal size bream to take home for dinner.

We also practised the skills of scaling and filleting some nice size snapper and then cooking them up the following day to make awesome fish burgers!

Mr Nick Hart - Marine Studies teacher

Year 9 Outdoor Ed students reach new heights

Ballina Climbing Jungle

Our Year 9 Outdoor Education students have just wrapped up a fantastic series of mini-excursions to the indoor Climbing Jungle in Ballina. It was a great chance for them to put their classroom learning into action — starting with bouldering on soft sprung floors, moving on to auto-belay climbs, and finally tackling paired 'top rope' climbs. Every student was encouraged to stretch their comfort zone, with graded routes offering just the right amount of challenge for everyone, including our natural mountain goats!

The gym staff were full of praise for the group, commenting on how enthusiastic, polite, and easy to host they were. Some students discovered a new hobby, while others walked away with an experience they won’t soon forget. I would like to say a huge thank you to the whole group for being such an awesome bunch to take out and about.

Mr Drew Minton - HSIE teacher

Growing through creativity

Art Access Program Term 4

During Term 4, Byron High School proudly partnered with Byron Youth Service to offer a selected group of Years 7 and 8 students the chance to take part in the Art Access Program. This 10-week initiative used creative expression as a pathway for personal growth, wellbeing and connection.

Through a range of hands-on art activities, students were encouraged to explore new skills, discover their strengths and build confidence in a supportive small-group environment.

During the program, students developed a stronger sense of belonging within the school, peer group and wider community, working closely with youth workers and creative mentors who guided them in setting personal goals and developing strategies to overcome challenges that may impact their learning or wellbeing.

A key feature of Art Access is the opportunity for each student to plan and complete a meaningful personal creative project. This project allows students to apply newly developed skills, express their ideas and experiences, and celebrate their achievements at the end of the program.

We are excited to see the positive impact the Art Access Program will have on students’ confidence, resilience and creative capabilities, and we thank the Byron Youth Service for their ongoing partnership and support.

Mr Damian Bisogni - Learning Support

Optimism of the East

Daniela Bradley painting

Byron Bay High School is pleased to announce that Optimism of the East, by Victorian artist Daniela Bradley, is now on permanent display in our school. The oil painting (2000 700mm, framed) appears in Bradley’s 2014 catalogue and was originally commissioned for the Bank of Queensland Byron Bay branch.

Following the branch's closure, the work was eventually relocated and generously donated to the school by the BOQ Branch in Ballina, former Bank of Queensland employee Mr King, together with BBHS Librarian Miss Ellis in December 2025.

Miss Bradley, who has family attending Byron Bay High School, has expressed her delight that the painting remains part of the community fabric and will now be enjoyed by students, staff, and visitors.

The school looks forward to incorporating the work into its story.

Mr Matt King - TSO

Congratulations to our lucky raffle winners!

The P&C 'Sounds of Summer' fundraising raffle has been drawn!

Dear Parents, Carers, and Community, We’re thrilled to share that the 2025 P&C Fundraising Raffle has now concluded — and thanks to our incredible community, we raised over $12,000! A big thank you to Amanda W and the fundraising committee of the P&C!

This achievement was only possible because of the generous support from our local sponsors and the parents, carers and community members who bought raffle tickets.

Thank you for helping us make a lasting difference for the Byron Bay High School community. With gratitude, The Byron Bay High School P&C Association

From the Library

Keep our native critters safe

Please keep pets indoors at night

Pets are a big part of our lives and many of us love the companionship of a cat or dog. But did you know that letting cats, and even some dogs, roam freely at night can pose a serious threat to our precious native wildlife, especially here in Byron Bay where bushland and suburban gardens often overlap?