Winter’s Night Lanterns
June 19, 2026
I am a week back from an amazing trip to the Great Barrier Reef with year 9. Not only was it spectacular snorkeling twice a day on one of the great wonders of the world, but it was a profound experience of resilience and connection to place. I felt such a sense of celebration of young people and this time of life that calls them to get excited about the world, to be brave – step beyond their comfort, make new connections and find out who they really are in this wild world.
A couple of stories:
“I dive down adjusting the pressure in my ears. I look up at the light shining through turquoise waters. Hundreds of different fish and colourful corals, huge green sea turtles and reef sharks. You’ll never experience anything like it.”
“The turtles are so calm as we swim past them. They were so big and graceful. It was such a beautiful experience for me. I then realised how important this place is for them, and how we have to protect it for them. And how important it is for us to have experiences like this.”
“We dived in the hazy blue light, a salty taste in our mouth. Everything looked as alive as us, as different as if from another planet. We saw the slow calm drift of things below and mirrored them with our bodies and minds, like dolphins, we swam as one.” “Nighttime is the time for all sorts of creatures to come out. Turtles come up the sand to lay their eggs, crabs emerge from their holes, even crickets come down to the beach.”
Sarah has a B. Arts (UN) and a Master of Teaching (UNE). She works both as a teacher and as student support throughout the school.
“One of the most exciting things when working to support students, is when they find something that they are passionate about, that they really connect to. Finding ways to support their engagement and the depth of their learning is incredibly rewarding. As a teacher, it is a pleasure to be working in an environment where creativity, critical thinking and a real sense of love for the world is valued and imbues all you do”.
