Kinross Wolaroi School is an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

Uniting Church The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) is a united church in Australia. The church was founded on 22 June 1977 when most congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, about two-thirds of the Presbyterian Church of Australia and almost a ...

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

early learning,

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Work ...

, and secondary

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and

boarding Boarding may refer to: *Boarding, used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals as in a: **Boarding house **Boarding school *Boarding (horses) (also known as a livery yard, livery stable, or boarding stable), is a stable where hor ...

school, located in

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower ** Orange juice *Orange (colour), the color of an orange fruit, occurs between red and yellow in the vi ...

, a rural city west of

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, Australia. Founded in 1886, it is the oldest school in Orange and is situated across two campuses. The school was originally established in 1886 as Wolaroi Methodist Boys College, also known as Wolaroi College Orange. The modern school however was formed in 1975 with the merger between Wolaroi Methodist Boys College and The Kinross School, which was also known as Presbyterian Ladies' College, Orange (PLC). Kinross Wolaroi is a non-selective school and currently caters for approximately 1,110 students from early learning, through

Kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

Year 12 Year 12 is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It is sometimes the twelfth or thirteenth year of compulsory education, or alternatively a year of post-comp ...

, including 350 boarders. They do this through the three separate areas of the school that operate. Those being the; Pre-Preparatory School; The Preparatory School; and The Senior School. , classes and boys boarding occur at the former Wolaroi site on Bathurst Road, while girl boarders live at the former PLC site on Coronation Drive. With the merger of the schools the previous Latin mottos were abandoned and in 2008, the school adopted the new

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

motto of ''Scientia, Amicitias, Integritas'' (Knowledge, Friendship, Integrity). The school's five core values are Courage, Respect, Inclusiveness, Resilience and Commitment.

History

Wolaroi Methodist Boys College

Weymouth House, a small privately owned school for boys, was established in 1886, in the Union Bank building, Orange. The school was established by Mr Thomas Richards, the sole owner and teacher, having come to Orange from All Saints College in Bathurst. The school was a success, and in 1893 the Wolaroi mansion, built by Mr John Charles McLachlan, was purchased, enabling the boys to move to a larger campus. The move led to a change of name for the school, to Wolaroi Grammar School. In 1913, Mr Charles Campbell secured the site and became the third headmaster. In 1925 however, Mr Connell who had succeeded Campbell left Orange and the school consequently closed. This provided an opportunity for the

Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

to secure the site and the continuation of a boy's college in Western New South Wales. WolaroiMansionOrange

In 1925, the

took control of the school and changed the name of the school again, this time to Wolaroi Methodist Boys College. The college reopened in 1926 under the direction of Mr Stanley Brown who continued to expand the school and increase the diversity of subjects and programs offered at Wolaroi. He is widely credited with having saved the college from financial ruin. As thanks the College Council named the entrance gates to the school 'The Stanley Brown Memorial Gates'. The school continued to flourish in the years following the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

until a drought hit the region in the 1970s. In 1973, suffering financial difficulties and with changing societal attitudes, the college decided to become fully co-educational. This culminated with the Methodist Church asking The Kinross School to take over the management of Wolaroi College in 1975.

Presbyterian Ladies' College / The Kinross School

There had been substantial

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

immigration to Orange since its foundation in the 19th century which had led to a sizeable

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

community. Throughout the 1920's the Presbyterian community realised that there was a need for the establishment of a girls' school that could provide a well-rounded education based upon the ideals found within reformed

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

. In response to this The Presbyterian Ladies' College (PLC) opened in Orange in 1928 on a 43-acre site, named "Campdale". With Miss Eleanor Linck as its first Headmistress. Dorothy Knox took over in 1932 and she led the school until 1936 when Ina Miller became headmistress. PLC Before 1973

For the next 33 years Miller would shape the direction of the College and set very high standards for the student body as well as staff. In 1973, PLC also became co-educational, and changed its name to The Kinross School. During this time Wolaroi was in financial difficulty and the

approached the Presbyterian Church to take over management of Wolaroi. In 1975 The Kinross School took over the management of Wolaroi and became Kinross Wolaroi School.

Kinross Wolaroi School

The Kinross School Council accepted the responsibilities of Wolaroi College, and in 1975 the schools amalgamated to become Kinross Wolaroi School. With the creation of the

Uniting Church in Australia The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) is a united church in Australia. The church was founded on 22 June 1977 when most Wiktionary:congregation, congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, about two-thirds of the Presbyterian Church o ...

in 1977, the School became a part of that Church. After initial difficulties the school flourished in the region and a new era of development began. The direction came under the leadership of the schools second Headmaster, Mr Alan Anderson. Wolaroi Manor

After a period of rapid expansion and after having pursued an aggressive marketing strategy in Western NSW to attract more regional boarder's the school entered a period of consolidation. This involved the upgrading and maintenance of the schools existing facilities and infrastructure. This expansion saw students being able to be involved in a variety of programs from drama and music to cadets, sport and the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. By 1988, the school had grown to 728 students and was now the largest co-educational boarding school in New South Wales, with 384 boarders. Wolaroi Mansion

New Zealand born Reverend David Williams was appointed as the third Headmaster in 2002. He was succeeded by Mr Brian Kennelly in 2007. Under Mr Kennelly's leadership the school continued to expand and flourish, with an extensive building program being undertaken on the Wolaroi site, to upgrade much of the ageing infrastructure such as the auditorium and many classroom facilities In 2016, the school had its 130-year anniversary and Dr Andrew Parry took over as the fifth Headmaster of Kinross Wolaroi School and the school has continued to expand and flourish. As of 2023, the School provides co-education and single-sex boarding using its two main

campus A campus traditionally refers to the land and buildings of a college or university. This will often include libraries, lecture halls, student centers and, for residential universities, residence halls and dining halls. By extension, a corp ...

es. Classes and boys boarding occurs at the Wolaroi Campus on Bathurst Road, while female boarders live at the PLC Campus on Coronation Drive. A former Preparatory School Principal at Kinross Wolaroi, John Thomas Kennett, was in 1998 convicted on a range of charges for sex offences against 12 boys.

List of Headmasters

Boarding and Day Houses

The school has eight days houses and eight boarding houses. The 'Day Houses' are mixed sex and are used for drama activities and sport contests. The 'Boarding Houses' are single-sex with boy and girl houses being located on different sites.

Day Houses

Boarding Houses

Co-curricular activities

Cadets

The Kinross Wolaroi School Cadet Unit (KWSCU) was established over 60 years ago, and today has a Unit strength of 300 cadets. KWSCU is a member of the Australia Services' Cadet Scheme, with a total enrolment of approximately 23,000 cadets Australia-wide. Unless a student is selected in the band or orchestra, membership of the Cadet Unit is compulsory for all students in semester two of Year 7, Year 8 and the first semester of Year 9, with further service encouraged following the award of rank. A camp, bivouacs and leadership courses are held annually. The unit

parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...

s through Orange on

Anzac Day Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia, New Zealand and Tonga that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and ...

, and also conducts a farewell parade to Senior Cadets (Year 12) and band members, and in recent years a Ceremonial Parade on Open Day. A formal mess night is held annually for the Senior Cadets and Band members, their parents, and officers. Each platoon is commanded by a Cadet Under Officer (CUO), with the assistance of a Platoon Sergeant (SGT), and is divided into three sections, with each led by a Corporal (CPL). Rank is attained after a cadet with suitable experience attends and passes the relevant promotion course. Typically, a CUO is in Year 11, and has served for four years in the cadet corp.

Music

The co-curricular

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

programme at Kinross Wolaroi includes elective instrumental, musicianship, vocal tuition, and a range of ensemble music, including an orchestra, concert band, stage band, chamber strings, chamber choir and many more. Instrumental and vocal tuition occurs during the normal school day with individual students attending lessons once a week. Students may also choose to study musicianship in groups according to grade level.

The Regional Engagement Enterprise (TREE)

In 2017, Kinross Wolaroi School launched The Regional Engagement Enterprise (TREE) initiative, which provides community-based learning experiences, especially opportunities in local agribusinesses, for all students from Kindergarten to Year 12.

Sport

The Kinross Wolaroi Prep School is a member school of both the Heads of Independent Co-Educational Schools (HICES) and

Junior School Heads Association of Australia The Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA) formerly Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA), is an incorporated body representing the heads of independent primary schools in Australia. Officially established in Septem ...

(JSHAA). Through these organisations, students have the opportunity to participate in Athletics, Swimming and Cross-Country through to a national level. Boys and girls from Kindergarten to Year 6 may play in a sports team during the winter season, and from Years 3 to 6 in the summer season. Sport is then compulsory for all students from Year 3 onwards. In the Senior school, boys may participate in sports such as

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby union: 15 players per side *** American flag rugby *** Beach rugby *** Mini rugby *** Rugby sevens, 7 players per side *** Rugby tens, 10 players per side *** Snow rugby *** Tou ...

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

, cross country,

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

water polo Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...

and

tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...

. Girls may compete in sports such as

hockey ''Hockey'' is a family of List of stick sports, stick sports where two opposing teams use hockey sticks to propel a ball or disk into a goal. There are many types of hockey, and the individual sports vary in rules, numbers of players, apparel, ...

netball Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of seven players. The primary objective is to shoot a ball through the defender's goal ring while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own. It is one of a ...

, basketball, waterpolo, swimming,

aerobics Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness (Flexibility (anatomy), flexibility, Muscle, muscular strength, and ...

, squash, diving, rowing, softball, soccer and tennis. Sporting competition in the senior school is facilitated through the school's membership in a number of associations, including Orange Town Competitions, Western Associated Schools (WAS), Independent Schools Association (ISA), Association of Independent Co-Educational Schools (AICES), and NSW Combined Independent Schools (CIS).

Other activities

In addition to sport, music, and the Cadet Unit, a number of other activities are available to students. These include: the

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (commonly abbreviated DofE) is a youth awards programme founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 by the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, which has since expanded to 144 nations. The awards recognise adolescents and ...

, stud cattle, cattle paraders,

ski Skis are runners, attached to the user's feet, designed to glide over snow. Typically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partially secured heel. For climbing slopes, ski skins c ...

tour,

public speaking Public speaking, is the practice of delivering speeches to a live audience. Throughout history, public speaking has held significant cultural, religious, and political importance, emphasizing the necessity of effective rhetorical skills. It all ...

debating Debate is a process that involves formal discourse, discussion, and oral addresses on a particular topic or collection of topics, often with a moderator and an audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for opposing viewpoints. Historica ...

, art club,

archives An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials, in any medium, or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organ ...

, computer club, photography club, crusaders,

community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community contributing to a noble cause. In many cases, people doing community service are compensated in other ways, such as gettin ...

, peer support, young achievers, student representative council and

library A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...

Affiliations

Kinross Wolaroi School is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the

(JSHAA), the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA), Association of Independent Co-Educational Schools (AICES) and is an associate member of the Independent Schools Association (ISA). In 2021 Kinross also joined the

Round Square Round Square is an international network of schools, based on the educational concepts of Kurt Hahn, and named after a distinctive building at Gordonstoun. Founded by a group of seven schools in the late 1960s, by 1996 it had grown to 20 member ...

international schools program

Notable alumni

Alumni Alumni (: alumnus () or alumna ()) are former students or graduates of a school, college, or university. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for groups of women, and alums (: alum) or alumns (: alumn) as gender-neutral alternatives. Th ...

of Kinross Wolaroi School, Kinross School, the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Orange, or Wolaroi College may elect to join the Kinross Wolaroi Ex-Students' Association. *

Jason Belmonte Jason Belmonte (born 29 July 1983) is an Australian professional ten-pin bowling, ten-pin bowler. He plays on the PBA Tour in the United States and in world events. He is known for being one of the first bowlers to gain media attention for usi ...

(2000) – Professional tenpin bowler *

Edwina Bone Edwina Claire Bone (born 29 April 1988) is an Australian field hockey player. Her regular position is as a defender. Bone was a member of the Australia women's national field hockey team that were runners-up at the 2014 Women's Hockey World Cup ...

(2005) – Australian International and Olympian Hockey player * Janet Carr (1949) – Physiotherapist and Academic, world authority on rehabilitation after stroke (DEC) * Susan Cullen-Ward (1958) – Susan of Albania. Australian born wife of Leka, Crown Prince of Albania (DEC) * George Finch – Mountaineer *

Ashleigh Gardner Ashleigh Katherine Gardner (born 15 April 1997) is an Australian cricketer who currently plays for the national women's team as an all-rounder. A right-handed batter and right-arm off spinner, Gardner also plays for New South Wales in the Wome ...

– Cricketer *

Phoebe Litchfield Phoebe Elizabeth Susan Litchfield (born 18 April 2003) is an Australian international cricketer who plays as a left-handed Batting (cricket), batter who represents Australia in all three formats of the game. She plays for the New South Wales Br ...

(2021) – Australian Cricketer * Ben McCalman (2006) – Wallabies and Western Force Rugby Union player * Jemima McCalman (2017) – Australian Rugby Union player, playing internationally for Australia and the Brumbies *

Belinda Neal Belinda Jane Neal (born 10 January 1963) is an Australian politician who currently serves as a councillor for Gosford West Ward on Central Coast Council since 2024. She was a member of the Senate from 1994 to 1998, before later serving as the ...

(1980) – Former Labor Senator for NSW (1994–1998) and former Member for Robertson (2007–2010) * Ian Stapleton (1969) – Australian heritage architect * John Sumegi (1974) – Olympic Silver Medalist in Canoeing 1980 *

Jone Tawake Jone Tawake (born 17 April 1982), is a Fijian born rugby union player. He currently competes in the Top 14 for Toulon. He previously played in the Super 14 competition for the ACT Brumbies and the New South Wales Waratahs. His position of choice ...

(2000) – Brumbies rugby union player *

Chris Tremain Christopher James Tremain (born 1966) is a New Zealand businessman and retired politician. He served as member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the National Party from until his retirement in 2014. Family and personal life Bor ...

(2009) – Big Bash League, Sheffield Shield and One Day International Cricket player * Cody Walker (2015) – Australian Professional Rugby League Player, currently playing for South Sydney Rabbitohs * Jono West – former NSW rugby union player * Anna Windsor (1993) – Swimmer who competed at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games

References

External links

Kinross Wolaroi School website
{{Authority control Boarding schools in New South Wales Private primary schools in New South Wales Private secondary schools in New South Wales Educational institutions established in 1886 Junior School Heads Association of Australia Member Schools Independent Schools Association (Australia) 1886 establishments in Australia Uniting Church schools in Australia Orange, New South Wales