Billanook College Explained

Billanook College
Motto:Growing and Caring
Established:1980
Denomination:in association with the Uniting Church[1]
Grades:ELC–12
Grades Label:Years
Principal:Roger Oates
Gender:Co-educational
Enrolment:775
Enrolment As Of:2018
Colours: Red and Blue
Mascot:The Billanook Tree
Address:97–199 Cardigan Road
Country:Australia
Coordinates:-37.7892°N 145.3404°W
Free Label:CRICOS no.
Free:00131M

Billanook College is an private co-ed school with an early learning program through to Year 12, located in Mooroolbark, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It operates in association with the Uniting Church in Australia (but is not governed or managed by the Church[2]) and is a member of Round Square. It was founded in 1980 by the founding principal Peter Harris. The college's current principal is Roger Oates.[3]

Billanook College is named after the name the local Wurundjeri people called the area, on which the college now stands.[4]

Billanook College is a member of the Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne. EISM member schools in the same area regularly play each other in sporting activities ranging from Cricket, Tennis, Basketball, Soccer, Field Hockey and Australian Rules Football to Badminton and Table Tennis. Billanook College hosts the local VET Media and Music course as it has since 2004.

Facilities

The college has recently begun an ambitious building program and since 2009 have constructed several new buildings, including The Alan Ross Centre (The ARC), a 475-seat auditorium named after the college's long-serving former principal, Alan Ross, who served from 1997 to 2009.[5] The new Junior Early Learning Centre was opened in 2010 and four new fully equipped science laboratories were also opened in mid 2010.[6]

On 28 January 2016, Billanook College opened its $1.8 million Discovery Centre building.

About a year later Billanook opened the Mastery Centre for students from Year 7 to 9.[7]

They're now looking into refurbishing Senior School, and then the Performing Arts Section of the college.

Grounds

Billanook College has expansive grounds including two full sized ovals, one half size oval, a large gym, three basketball courts and a volleyball court.[8]

In conjunction with Yarra Valley winemakers Billanook College has developed its own working vineyard and Viticulture Skills Centre on the school property, which first produced 68 bottles of their first vintage in 2004.[9]

Sport

Billanook is a member of the Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne (EISM).

EISM Premierships

Billanook has won the following EISM senior premierships.[10] [11]

Combined:

Boys:

Girls:

Notable alumni

See also

Notes and References

  1. "Associated Schools" https://victas.uca.org.au/community-learning/uniting-church-schools/
  2. Web site: Associated Schools. Uniting Church in Australia. Synod of Victoria and Tasmania. en-AU. 2020-01-23.
  3. Book: Annual Report 2017 . Billanook College . 18 July 2019.
  4. Web site: Billanook College Story.
  5. Web site: About the ARC - Billanook College. www.billanook.vic.edu.au. 2017-11-25.
  6. Web site: Billanook College Annual Report 2009.
  7. Web site: Billanook College, Discovery Centre.
  8. Web site: Billanook College Grounds. 25 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031159/http://www.billanook.vic.edu.au/facilities/. 1 December 2017. dead.
  9. News: Something for everyone. Russell. Alice. 6 September 2004. The Age.
  10. Web site: EISM. 2020-08-12. www.eism.org. 21 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200221042915/http://www.eism.org/html/carnivals_frameset.htm. dead.
  11. Web site: EISM. 2020-08-12. www.eism.org.