Tatachilla news

Tatachilla students have delivered five, foot-stomping performances of Ben Elton’s homage to rock n’ roll.

More than 100 cast and crew members from Years 7-12 took to the stage at the start of May to tell the compelling story of the re-birth of rock music in a post-apocalyptic world. 

We Will Rock You, a musical conceived by British comedian and playwright Ben Elton and featuring the greatest hits of seventies rockstar Feddie Mercury and his band Queen, enabled Tatachilla students to showcase their talents in storytelling and musicianship while bringing audiences along for a mighty rock n’ roll crusade.

The college’s 2025 musical will be remembered for a very long time, not only for its bold anthems and powerful guitar riffs, but for the impactful messages about individuality, personal freedom and the importance of standing up against totalitarianism. 

We Will Rock You also highlighted the power of original music to bring hope and meaning to all our lives, especially in an age of AI-generated tunes.

The script followed a group of young rebels – led by two protagonists, the idealistic Galileo and the sharp-tongued Scaramouche – as they tried to restore the lost art of rock ‘n’ roll to a washed-out, musically-depleted universe governed by a tyrannical global corporation.

More than 1,000 theatre-goers came to watch the show during performance week.

The college heartily congratulates all of its student-actors, instrumentalists, choristers, dancers and aspiring AV specialists who brought We Will Rock You to life and demonstrated for audiences what the performing arts are all about at Tatachilla.

The show not only represented a major cultural highlight of the school year but was also a wonderful opportunity for our student-creatives to participate in a public performance of significant scope and scale. 

At Tatachilla we know that an arts-rich education can have a profoundly positive impact on student confidence and self-expression. We are grateful to have such a strong performing arts culture that allows our students to develop lifelong skills in stagecraft, collaboration, problem-solving, higher order thinking and communication.

More information on college musicals can be found on our growth opportunities page.

Our students are making waves—both in the pool and on the track!

A huge congratulations to Tom Ainsworth (Year 10), who has earned a place on the School Sport SA team for the upcoming School Sport Australia Swimming Championships. Tom will compete in the 13–19 years category at the national event in Brisbane from 26 to 31 July—a fantastic achievement and opportunity to represent the state.

Meanwhile, Amelia Perry (Year 9) has returned from the National Athletics Championships with an impressive haul of results, proving herself one of the fastest young athletes in Australia.

Amelia placed:

• 5th in the country in both the 100m and 200m sprint events
• 3rd place (bronze) in the 4x100m relay
• 3rd place (bronze) in the Swedish medley relay

Her results rank her as the 5th fastest under-15 girl in the country.

Well done, Tom and Amelia—your college community is incredibly proud!

Two games. Two wins. The Year 9/10 boys’ AFL team has secured their place in Round 2 of the state knockout competition after a dominant display against Willunga High School and a hard-fought battle with Woodcroft College.

Game 1: Tatachilla 11.12 (78) def. Willunga 0.2 (2)

Tatachilla came out firing in their first match, dominating Willunga from the first bounce. Forwards Caleb Mitchell, Tyson Hollitt and Benjamin Noy made the most of elite midfield delivery from Cody Hastwell and Jesse Ellis, while defenders Bodhi Ticehurst and Noah Fulton shut down any opposition advances. Levi Miles provided great support across the ground in a near-flawless team performance.

Game 2: Tatachilla 6.2 (38) def. Woodcroft 3.5 (23)

The second match was a much tighter contest. After Tatachilla’s strong start, Woodcroft surged back, keeping the pressure on until the final siren. The team showed grit and composure under pressure, holding on for a well-earned win.

Top performers

Best on ground: Bodhi Ticehurst (13 votes), Cody Hastwell (12), Caleb Mitchell (10), Tyson Hollitt (8), Levi Miles (7)

Goal scorers: Caleb Mitchell (6), Tyson Hollitt (4), Benjamin Noy (2), Oscar Wiggins, Jesse Ellis, Haiden McGowan, William Short, Lachlan Deacon

A big thank you to Head Coach and teacher Mr Stuart Packer for his leadership. Next stop: Round 2!

Energy, sunshine, and outstanding performances made for an unforgettable day at the Onkaparinga South Track and Field Carnival, held at Tatachilla on Tuesday 1 April.

A big congratulations to the 31 Tatachilla students who proudly represented our school alongside more than 340 athletes from 16 schools. The day was packed with personal bests, excellent sportsmanship and vibrant school spirit as students competed across a range of events.

We’re thrilled to announce that Tatachilla placed third overall in the Large Schools Division, finishing with an impressive 646 points.

A huge thank you to our dedicated event officials, Little Athletics helpers, volunteers, senior student officials and supportive parents who helped make the day run smoothly. Special thanks to Allison Moore and Tobin Dolmin for their outstanding leadership of the Tatachilla team.

We’re also proud to celebrate the students who have now been selected to represent Onkaparinga South at the Metro Track and Field Championships in Term 3:

Jacob Schlatter (Year 5) – 100m relay, 200m relay

Hugh Chivers (Year 5) – 800m middle-distance run

Sebastian James (Year 5) – 1500m middle-distance run

Jayden Smith (Year 6) – high jump

Harper Greer (Year 6) – 800m middle-distance run

Ned Owens (Year 6) – 4x100m relay

Pippa Syvertsen (Year 5) – 4x100m relay

Well done to all involved—you’ve done Tatachilla proud.
 

This year’s Australian Business Week has been a huge success for our Year 11 students, who swapped the classroom for the boardroom over five intensive days.

Between 7-11 April our aspiring student-entrepreneurs swapped their timetabled lessons for an immersive business experience that saw them work in teams to conceive and launch their own virtual café businesses.

On 'day one' of Australian Business Week they got an inspiring head-start from old scholar and successful local business owner David Madjovic of Brighton Jetty Bakery, who shared his real-world wisdom on what it takes to run a thriving café.

During the course of the week, our students tackled everything from branding and marketing to product development and business strategy—culminating in a buzzing trade show in the college gymnasium.

The student team behind self-titled business, ‘Chapter and Cup’, became Tatachilla’s inaugural Australian Business Week Grand Champions. The judging panel, comprised of local business owners, noted that the students on the ‘Chapter and Cup’ team were highly consistent, professional and collaborative.

Chief Executive Officer of ‘Chapter and Cup’, Year 11 student Friedrich Hillen, said that his biggest learning during the week was that “teamwork was key”.

“I think that my team really worked successfully as a group, and that this was our strongest point,” said Friedrich.

“We all came up with our back-story together, listened to each other, valued each other’s opinions, and in the end came up with the ‘Chapter and Cup’ concept, and everything it stood for.

“It surprised me quite a bit as to how much money we made in our hypothetical company, as our profit did increase quite quickly for what I thought was possible in two years.

“Some advice that I would give others who might be undertaking Australian Business Week for the first time is to talk and share with other student-companies, because you can learn so much from each other and inspire each other to take ideas to the next level,” Friedrich said.

The premise for ‘Chapter and Cup’ was to be ‘well read and fed’. The café not only sold organic and sustainably-sourced snacks to support brain health, but also ran a community book swap program and hosted regular book launches to enhance community culture, wellbeing and participation.

Friedrich was joined on the ‘Chapter and Cup’ team by fellow business masterminds Amelia Laan, Georgia Hams, Max Cook, Ewan Rowe, Sienna Brockenbrow, Asha Mansell, Alea Zimmer and Cody Grant.

Australian Business Week coordinator and 7-12 Humanities Learning Leader, Melissa Smith, said that the week equipped students with a range of highly transferable skills that they could apply to any discipline area of their choosing.

“We understand that not all Australian Business Week participants will pursue a career in business, however the week provides so much more than just a taste of entrepreneurship.

“The program also enhances the students’ ability to communicate, collaborate, problem-solve, think creatively, bounce back from disagreements and navigate opposing views in a team setting.

“It is these skills that make Australian Business Week so beneficial for our students who are on the cusp of Year 12 and who will soon take up tertiary study or enter the world of world.

“Those students who discovered a passion for business during the week can now choose to pursue the follow-on module, called Business Innovation, which is offered at both the Year 11 and Year 12 levels,” said Melissa.

All 12 student-led companies made a profit during Australian Business Week and concluded the program in the black, a remarkable result which reflects the level of business acumen within our Year 11 cohort. 

The college heartily congratulates each of the student teams who completed the Australian Business Week program - which was the equivalent of an entire semester's worth of work - and looks forward to welcoming next year’s cohort into the world of business enterprise.

After the buzz of a major event—like the college musical, a championship win, or a significant test or exam—it’s completely normal for students to feel an emotional dip. The high fades and, unexpectedly, a sense of flatness can set in. So, what’s going on?

According to Tatachilla’s counselling team, what students are feeling is a natural part of how our minds and bodies respond after a period of intense excitement, effort and emotional investment. It’s a time of rest and recalibration—but for many young people, it can feel confusing or even disappointing.

“Why do I feel low after something so great?”

This is where resilience becomes key.

Resilience isn’t about staying upbeat all the time or dodging hard feelings. It’s about recognising emotional shifts, managing them with care and finding ways to grow through the experience. Building resilience helps students ride the emotional highs and lows of life—not just survive them, but thrive through them.

Parents and caregivers can support the young people in their lives to build resilience, especially in the wake of big achievements, in the following ways:

• Normalise the low after the high. Help your child understand that it’s okay to feel flat after a big event. Let them know this is a normal response and not a sign that something is wrong.
• Encourage rest and reflection. Rest is essential. Encourage downtime, balanced sleep and space to reflect on what students have learned and enjoyed. These quieter moments are key to building emotional strength.
• Talk about it. Open conversations can help young people process how they’re feeling. Rather than trying to fix their emotions, listen with empathy and curiosity.
• Celebrate the journey, not just the outcome. Resilience grows when young people see value in the effort, relationships and growth that come from participation—not just the final performance.
• Create routine and reconnection. After a busy season, gently re-establish healthy routines. Support your child to reconnect with friends, hobbies and regular school rhythms.

As a college grounded in hope, service and community, Tatachilla is committed to walking alongside its students in both the celebratory times and the challenging times. The ‘post-musical’ season is a perfect opportunity to model and nurture the resilience that will carry our students through future life events with strength and grace.

If any students are feeling especially low and this feeling persists, our college counselling team is here to assist. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Rose Richards    rose.richards@tatachilla.sa.edu.au
Mike Ebert          michael.ebert@tatachilla.sa.edu.au
 

We’ve always known that our students are adventurous by nature. But did you know that our Outdoor Education program is second-to-none?

From Year 10 onwards, students can choose Outdoor Education as an elective subject, with options continuing into Years 11 and 12. For the past two years, the college has been reimagining its Outdoor Education curriculum so that students have enhanced opportunities to learn by doing and develop a deep capacity to embrace the unfamiliar.

This means that learning at Tatachilla isn’t limited to classroom walls — it reaches out to the forests, coastlines and natural landscapes that surround us. It also means that our students have the chance to engage in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that promote personal growth, spiritual connection and environmental awareness.

Student who pursue the Outdoor Education pathway participate in a wide range of outdoor activities including remote hiking, camping, kayaking, surfing, sailing, snorkelling, rock climbing and mountaineering. Each experience is carefully designed to support students' physical wellbeing, build resilience and deepen their connection to the natural world.

What sets Outdoor Education at Tatachilla apart is its focus on purposeful learning. Students don’t just participate in outdoor adventures — they contribute to the world around them. Whether it’s assisting in native animal rewilding projects on the Yorke Peninsula, studying the impact of invasive plant species at Deep Creek National Park, or monitoring marine life like leafy sea dragons and giant cuttlefish, our students learn to take meaningful action in support of the environment.

The program also introduces students to First Nations perspectives and the ancient art of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), helping them develop a spiritual and emotional connection to the land. As they progress through the program, students build essential life skills such as teamwork, leadership, independence and self-awareness.

Each Outdoor Education experience at Tatachilla builds on the last, guiding students through a unique journey of self-discovery, identity and environmental responsibility.
For families seeking a holistic education that shapes capable, compassionate and connected young people, Tatachilla offers something profoundly different — a place where students don’t just grow up, they grow outward, limited only by the horizon and not classroom walls.