The McDonald College of the Performing Arts
Encyclopedia
The McDonald College is an independent
, co-educational, non-denominational, performing arts
, day
and boarding school
, located in North Strathfield
, an inner western
suburb of Sydney, New South Wales
, Australia
.
Established in 1984, the school currently caters for approximately 495 students from Preparatory (4 years of age) to Year 12, including 37 female boarders from Year 7 to 12. It is Australia's only P to 12, independent school that provides specialist training in the Performing Arts on a daily basis.
The college
is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Junior School Heads Association of Australia
(JSHAA), the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA), and the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales (AISNSW).
and history
dating back to the establishment of the Ann McDonald College of Dancing by Ann McDonald, a dance
and singing
teacher
, in 1926.
On Ann McDonald's retirement her daughter, Margaret Markham, took over the Ann McDonald College of Dancing. In 1983 Markham saw the opportunity for establishing a specialist academic and performing arts school for gifted children, and subsequently, in partnership with Ann Fraser and Maxine Kohler, agreed to change the Ann McDonald College of Dancing from a private company into a community-based, not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, thus facilitating the establishment of The McDonald College Limited.
The McDonald College commenced in 1984 with 75 students in Strathfield
. The school moved to its current campus, formerly the site of the Telstra
Training School, in North Strathfield in 1999.
and Bicentennial Park
, and is 25 minutes from the Sydney Central business district
.
Facilities include air-conditioned classrooms, science and computer laboratories, art studios and exhibition space, nine dance studio
s, music studios and recital
room, acting studios and performance spaces, television studio
, recording studio
, library
, canteen, adjoining facilities and play equipment for junior students, and a boarding residence for up to 30 girls.
for all years. The school is however unique in that its curriculum includes a performing arts focus.
, dance
and music
.
Junior School (Kindergarten
to Year 6) students participate in performing arts, together with the Key Learning Areas as set out by the NSW Board of Studies. A Gifted and Talented program is integrated at this stage to cater for students identified as 'academically gifted'.
caters for students in Years 7 and 8. At this stage, the academic curriculum consists of the core subjects in English/HSIE (Human Society and its Environment) and Maths/Science. Specialist staff are utilised for subjects such as LOTE (Languages other than English), Design & Technology, Visual Arts
, Music and
PDHPE (Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education). The Middle School day also incorporates a challenging performing arts programme.
In Years 9 and 10 students are prepared for the New South Wales School Certificate
. At this stage students continue with the core subjects and also choose electives. The performing arts programme is an extension to the mandated academic curriculum and typically supports much of the study in the elective
courses. Students participate in a performing arts
programme for two hours each day. Students experiencing learning difficulties are assisted through the 'Learning Assistance Programme'.
The Senior school (Years 11 and 12) provides students with the opportunity to focus on areas of their academic
study and performing arts programme, in order to be prepared for the Higher School Certificate (HSC). Except for English and Maths, all other subjects are studied intensively for up to eight hours per week, and most students will sit for their HSC in two subjects during the first year of senior schooling (year 11). In the second year of senior schooling (Year 12) students sit for the remaining HSC
subjects, accumulating the HSC over two years, or longer if necessary. All students have the opportunity to choose any combination of subjects in the Creative and Performing Arts for HSC
study.
On the remaining day of the week, the elective areas of study, may involve activities such
as Photography
, Sport
, drama
, Hip hop
, Short Film Making, Jazz
, ballet
, funk
, tap
, modern dance
, or Music Audition
Repertoire.
The school was recently recognised for launching a breakthrough musical theatre production, known as "Putting it Together", at the Parade Theatre, NIDA on the 17th September 2011.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
, co-educational, non-denominational, performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
, day
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
and boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
, located in North Strathfield
North Strathfield, New South Wales
North Strathfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Strathfield is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay...
, an inner western
Inner West (Sydney)
The Inner West is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the west of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia...
suburb of Sydney, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Established in 1984, the school currently caters for approximately 495 students from Preparatory (4 years of age) to Year 12, including 37 female boarders from Year 7 to 12. It is Australia's only P to 12, independent school that provides specialist training in the Performing Arts on a daily basis.
The college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Junior School Heads Association of Australia
Junior School Heads Association of Australia
The Independent Primary School Heads of Australia formerly Junior School Heads Association of Australia , is an incorporated body representing the heads of independent primary schools in Australia....
(JSHAA), the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA), and the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales (AISNSW).
History
Whilst officially established in 1984, The McDonald College has a traditionTradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
dating back to the establishment of the Ann McDonald College of Dancing by Ann McDonald, a dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, in 1926.
On Ann McDonald's retirement her daughter, Margaret Markham, took over the Ann McDonald College of Dancing. In 1983 Markham saw the opportunity for establishing a specialist academic and performing arts school for gifted children, and subsequently, in partnership with Ann Fraser and Maxine Kohler, agreed to change the Ann McDonald College of Dancing from a private company into a community-based, not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, thus facilitating the establishment of The McDonald College Limited.
The McDonald College commenced in 1984 with 75 students in Strathfield
Strathfield, New South Wales
Strathfield is an Inner West suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Strathfield is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield...
. The school moved to its current campus, formerly the site of the Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
Training School, in North Strathfield in 1999.
Campus
Since 1999, The McDonald College has been located at North Strathfield, adjacent to North Strathfield Station. The school is close to the Olympic siteSydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney Olympic Park is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
and Bicentennial Park
Bicentennial Park, Homebush Bay
Bicentennial Park is a large area of parkland located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Auburn Council. Bicentennial Park is situated on the shores Homebush Bay and is a part of Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales.Bicentennial Park is a 40...
, and is 25 minutes from the Sydney Central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
.
Facilities include air-conditioned classrooms, science and computer laboratories, art studios and exhibition space, nine dance studio
Dance studio
A dance studio is a space in which dancers learn or rehearse. The term is typically used to describe a space that has either been built or equipped for the purpose....
s, music studios and recital
Recital
A recital is a musical performance. It can highlight a single performer, sometimes accompanied by piano, or a performance of the works of a single composer.The invention of the solo piano recital has been attributed to Franz Liszt....
room, acting studios and performance spaces, television studio
Television studio
A television studio is an installation in which a video productions take place, either for the recording of live television to video tape, or for the acquisition of raw footage for post-production. The design of a studio is similar to, and derived from, movie studios, with a few amendments for the...
, recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, canteen, adjoining facilities and play equipment for junior students, and a boarding residence for up to 30 girls.
Curriculum
The McDonald College is registered and accredited with the New South Wales Board of Studies, and therefore follows the mandated curriculumCurriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
for all years. The school is however unique in that its curriculum includes a performing arts focus.
Primary
In Preparatory year, the academic program is designed to ensure students achieve age appropriate developmental and learning goals. Students also have access to specialist performing arts programmes including dramaDrama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Junior School (Kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
to Year 6) students participate in performing arts, together with the Key Learning Areas as set out by the NSW Board of Studies. A Gifted and Talented program is integrated at this stage to cater for students identified as 'academically gifted'.
Secondary
The Middle SchoolMiddle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
caters for students in Years 7 and 8. At this stage, the academic curriculum consists of the core subjects in English/HSIE (Human Society and its Environment) and Maths/Science. Specialist staff are utilised for subjects such as LOTE (Languages other than English), Design & Technology, Visual Arts
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
, Music and
PDHPE (Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education). The Middle School day also incorporates a challenging performing arts programme.
In Years 9 and 10 students are prepared for the New South Wales School Certificate
School Certificate
The School Certificate was a qualification issued by the Board of Studies, New South Wales, typically at the end of Year 10. The successful completion of the School Certificate is a requirement for completion of the Higher School Certificate...
. At this stage students continue with the core subjects and also choose electives. The performing arts programme is an extension to the mandated academic curriculum and typically supports much of the study in the elective
courses. Students participate in a performing arts
programme for two hours each day. Students experiencing learning difficulties are assisted through the 'Learning Assistance Programme'.
The Senior school (Years 11 and 12) provides students with the opportunity to focus on areas of their academic
study and performing arts programme, in order to be prepared for the Higher School Certificate (HSC). Except for English and Maths, all other subjects are studied intensively for up to eight hours per week, and most students will sit for their HSC in two subjects during the first year of senior schooling (year 11). In the second year of senior schooling (Year 12) students sit for the remaining HSC
subjects, accumulating the HSC over two years, or longer if necessary. All students have the opportunity to choose any combination of subjects in the Creative and Performing Arts for HSC
study.
Performing Arts
Upon enrolment at the McDonald College, students choose a core area of study, from Acting, Classical Ballet, Dance, Music or Musical Theatre. The selected core area will be studied for four days per week.On the remaining day of the week, the elective areas of study, may involve activities such
as Photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, Sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
, drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, Hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, Short Film Making, Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, tap
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
, modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
, or Music Audition
Audition
An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performing artist.Audition may also refer to:* The sense of hearing* Adobe Audition, audio editing software...
Repertoire.
The school was recently recognised for launching a breakthrough musical theatre production, known as "Putting it Together", at the Parade Theatre, NIDA on the 17th September 2011.
Notable alumni
- Izzy Stevens - Actress, best known for her role as Eileen Leigh on Underbelly Razor
- Luke BainesLuke BainesLuke Baines is an Australian actor and singer, perhaps best known for playing Cameron on the Australian television series, Home & Away on Channel 7.- Early life :...
- Actor, best known for his role as 'Cameron' on Home and AwayHome and AwayHome and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television... - Gina Brescanini - Artist with The Australian BalletAustralian Ballet CompanyThe Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd. and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English ballerina Dame Peggy van Praagh as founding artistic director...
- Josef Brown - Musical Theatre performer, former artist of The Australian BalletAustralian Ballet CompanyThe Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd. and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English ballerina Dame Peggy van Praagh as founding artistic director...
- Craig Cathcart - Former artist with The Australian BalletAustralian Ballet CompanyThe Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd. and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English ballerina Dame Peggy van Praagh as founding artistic director...
now a Dancer with Norwegian National Opera and BalletNorwegian National Opera and BalletThe Norwegian National Opera and Ballet is the first fully professional company for opera and ballet in Norway. Its seat is the Oslo Opera House.It was founded in 1957... - Serena Chalker - Director of Anything Is Valid Dance TheatreAnything Is Valid Dance TheatreAnything Is Valid Dance Theatre is a project based contemporary dance companies in Perth. The company was founded in 2006 by Serena Chalker and Quindell Orton, graduates of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and is unique as it specialises in improvisation for a found audience and...
(AIVDT) (also attended MLC SchoolMLC SchoolMLC School is an independent day school for girls, located in Burwood, Sydney. Founded in 1886, MLC admits students from pre-kinder age through to Year 12, and is a Uniting Church of Australia school.- History :...
) - Robert Curran - Principal Artist with The Australian BalletAustralian Ballet CompanyThe Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd. and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English ballerina Dame Peggy van Praagh as founding artistic director...
- Kathleen de Leon JonesKathleen de Leon JonesKathleen de Leon Jones is an Australian actress, dancer, and singer of Filipino descent. She was an original cast member of the ARIA Award winning Australian children's television program, Hi-5.-Personal life:Born in Manila in 1977, Kathleen moved to Australia with her family in 1978...
- Member of children's group Hi-5Hi-5 (Australian TV series)Hi-5, an Australian children's television program, was first shown on the Nine Network in 1999. Hi-5's new Australian cast was announced in Australian talk show Morning with Kerrie-Anne, in February 2009. Hi-5 is now shown in 83 countries. Hi-5 is known as a children's pop music group as well as...
; theatre and television actress - Tim Draxl - Actor
- Lochlan Denholm- Original Australian Billy Elliot in Billy Elliot the Musical
- Amy EdwardsAmy EdwardsAmy Edwards is an Australian actor and singer, perhaps best known for playing Michelle Thomas on the Australian television series, All Saints on Channel 7 and for her roles in the musicals Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and The Lion King....
- Actor/Singer/Dancer, original cast member of the West EndWest End theatreWest End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - Camille Erskine - Classical Dancer with the National Theatre Ballet of PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
- Rohan Furnell - Artist with the Australian BalletAustralian Ballet CompanyThe Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd. and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English ballerina Dame Peggy van Praagh as founding artistic director...
- Kip GamblinKip Gamblin-Career:Gamblin trained as a ballet dancer at the The McDonald College of Performing Arts, Sydney and completed his training at the Australian Ballet School, Melbourne. He performed with the Australian Ballet, the West Australian Ballet and the Sydney Dance Company between 1994 and 2002, and had...
- Actor, best known for his role as 'Scott HunterScott Hunter (Home and Away)Scott John Hunter is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Kip Gamblin. He made his first on-screen appearance on 23 January 2003. The character was riding a white horse onto the beach, where he was spotted by Dani Sutherland...
' on Home and AwayHome and AwayHome and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television... - John-Paul Idaszak - Artist with the Australian BalletAustralian Ballet CompanyThe Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd. and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English ballerina Dame Peggy van Praagh as founding artistic director...
- Andrew Koblar - Actor/Dancer/Singer for the Sydney Theatre CompanySydney Theatre CompanyThe Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
, Melbourne Theatre CompanyMelbourne Theatre CompanyThe Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne. Founded in 1953, it is the oldest professional theatre company in Australia, and has its own theatre, The MTC Theatre – which houses the 500-seat Sumner Theatre and the 150-seat Lawler Studio – located in Melbourne's Arts...
, Opera AustraliaOpera AustraliaOpera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of its time spent in the The Arts Centre in Melbourne... - Terry Kohler - Choreographer/Dancer for the Premier State Ballet, the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik and Darstellende Kunst Mannheim
- Rhys Kosakowski- Original Australian Billy Elliot in Billy Elliot the Musical
- Keian Langdon - Dancer with the Queensland Ballet
- Sophie LoweSophie LoweSophie Lowe is an actress who was born in England and migrated to Australia.-Life and career:Lowe was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, England and moved to Australia with her family in 2000. In her early teens she signed to Chadwick Models but quit modelling in favor of dancing. Lowe attended the...
- AFI Award nominated actress - Kirsten May- Cast of The Moulin RougeMoulin RougeMoulin Rouge is a cabaret built in 1889 by Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Olympia. Close to Montmartre in the Paris district of Pigalle on Boulevard de Clichy in the 18th arrondissement, it is marked by the red windmill on its roof. The closest métro station is Blanche.The Moulin Rouge is...
in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - Amanda McGuiggan - Classical Dancer with American Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
- Sarah MurdochSarah MurdochSarah Murdoch is an Australian model and actress.-Career:Brought up in Sydney, Australia, Murdoch attended The McDonald College of the Performing Arts, a performing arts school in Sydney, where she studied ballet...
- International model, wife of Lachlan MurdochLachlan MurdochLachlan Keith Murdoch is the eldest son of Australian-American media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his second wife Anna Torv. He resigned from his executive positions at News Corporation on 29 July 2005...
(also attended Pittwater House Girls' College) - Rarmian Newton- Original Australian Billy Elliot in Billy Elliot the Musical
- Bojana NovakovicBojana NovakovicBojana Novakovic is a Serbian Australian actress who works in Australia and the United States.-Early and personal life:Novakovic was born in 1981 in Serbia. She moved to Australia in 1988, at the age of seven. Novakovic was initially interested in becoming a social worker or doctor, but after a...
- AFI Award winning actress - Tommaso Parisi- Musician; Winner of triple j unearthed high
- Thomas Rawle - singer, guitarist and founder of Sydney rock band Papa VS PrettyPapa VS PrettyPapa Vs Pretty is an ARIA-nominated Australian rock band from Sydney, New South Wales. Originally the solo act of then 15-year old Thomas Rawle in 2006, Papa Vs Pretty became its current three-piece band in 2008 with the addition of Rawle’s friends Angus Gardiner and Tom Myers Papa Vs Pretty is...
- Josh Quong TartJosh Quong TartJosh Quong Tart is an Australian actor who has performed in several television, commercial and film roles.-Biography:...
- Television and theatre actor; Singer - Nick Twiney- Original Australian Billy Elliot in Billy Elliot the Musical
- Rhys WakefieldRhys WakefieldRhys Wakefield is an Australian actor. He is best known for portraying the main character Thomas in the 2008 film The Black Balloon., for the 2011 film Sanctum, and portraying Lucas Holden in the long-running TV series Home and Away.-Biography:Before appearing as Lucas in Home and Away, Wakefield...
- Actor, best known for his role as 'Lucas HoldenLucas HoldenLucas Anthony Holden is a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Home and Away, first introduced in 2005 and portrayed by actor Rhys Wakefield. Lucas was the youngest of the Holden family. He left the Bay in 2008.- Background :...
' on Home and Away - Nikki WebsterNikki WebsterNikki Webster is an Australian pop performer. She is best known for her starring role in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony and her single "Strawberry Kisses".-Recording career:...
- Singer (also attended MLC SchoolMLC SchoolMLC School is an independent day school for girls, located in Burwood, Sydney. Founded in 1886, MLC admits students from pre-kinder age through to Year 12, and is a Uniting Church of Australia school.- History :...
)