Year 9 Visual Arts and Year 11 Photography students visited Cockatoo Island, where they explored the historic site and captured inspiring photographs for their artworks.
Last week Year 9 Visual Arts students joined with Year 11 Photography students for an excursion to Cockatoo Island. Teachers who accompanied the students were Mrs E. Langbein-Pass, Mrs S. Malek and Ms J. Barakat.
Students have written the below report:
On Thursday, 5th of March, Year 9 Visual Arts (9VART1) and Year 11 Photography (11PDM) students went to Cockatoo Island for our Art excursion. The overall experience was fun and truly inspiring, as we had the opportunity to explore the island and take a variety of interesting photographs. The island is known for its historic buildings, docks, and large open spaces, which gave us many ideas and sources of inspiration for our artworks. It is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing, recognising the island’s cultural and historical significance.
When we arrived, we enjoyed a great day sketching en plein air around the island and taking photos throughout the trip. While we were there, we walked around different parts of the island and sketched views of the city and the harbour, including sights across Sydney Harbour.
The industrial architecture, cranes, warehouses, and dock structures reflect elements of turn-of-the-century modernism, where functional design and new building technologies began shaping industrial spaces in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Observing these structures helped us understand how form, function, and materials influence visual composition.
During our sketches, we also experimented with charcoal to create more dramatic compositions, focusing on strong contrasts, bold lines, and deep shadows inspired by the island’s industrial forms and structures. This experience really helped us practise quickly sketching perspectives and thinking about composition, angles, viewpoints, and capturing scenes directly from observation while working outdoors.
We also took many photos of the scenery, old structures, and landscapes around the island, which we can later use as references for future projects.
We ended the day feeling very tired but happy. Overall, it was one of the best and most memorable days I’ve had in Art this year.
Yuktha P., Year 9 Visual Arts Student
Our Photography excursion to Cockatoo Island involved walking around the island and exploring different areas to find scenic locations for our photographs.
We experimented with a variety of angles and perspectives to capture the surroundings in interesting ways. We also managed to photograph the island’s historical features and natural elements, highlighting the contrast between the old industrial structures and the surrounding landscape.
It was a very enjoyable experience, and even the journey to Cockatoo Island was part of the day’s enjoyment.
Johanna O., Year 11 Photography Student
Yuktha P., Year 9 Visual Arts Student and Johanna O. Year 11 Photography Student
Catherine McAuley Westmead
More News
11 Mar 2026
Year 8 Geography Explore Manly Dam
Year 8 Geography students recently visited Manly Dam to investigate water quality and explore how human activity impacts local waterways.
11 Mar 2026
Celebrating Student Achievements in Library and Literature
A number of Catherine McAuley students were recognised at last week's school assembly for their dedication to reading and their participation in the Premier’s Reading Challenge.
11 Mar 2026
Exploring Art and Photography at Cockatoo Island
Year 9 Visual Arts and Year 11 Photography students visited Cockatoo Island, where they explored the historic site and captured inspiring photographs for their artworks.
10 Mar 2026
Celebrating a Historic Achievement – The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award
A proud and historic milestone has been reached at Catherine McAuley Westmead, as Year 12 student Zoe K., becomes the first student in the school’s history to receive the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh’s International Gold Award.
09 Mar 2026
From Facebook
✨CELEBRATING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS ✨ A historic moment for Catherine McAuley Westmead! Year 12 student Zoe K. has become the first student in our school’s history to receive the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Gold Award. Over three years, Zoe has showed incredible dedication through volunteering, developing new skills like sign language and crocheting for miracle babies, improving her fitness through aerial workouts and dance, and completing challenging outdoor Adventurous Journeys. Presented at our International Women’s Day Assembly, Zoe’s achievement is a true reflection of perseverance, courage and service. Congratulations, Zoe, a truly inspiring milestone! 👏
09 Mar 2026
From Facebook
AROUND THE CLASSROMS 👩🏫 ⚖ Mrs Stevens' Year 10 Commerce class consolidated their knowledge of Australia’s adversarial legal system through conducting a mock trial based on “The Three Little Pigs” story. The defendant, “Mr Pig”, was charged with the crime of killing “Mr Wolf”. Both the Defence and Prosecution teams presented compelling arguments. A jury of 12 members deliberated for 20 minutes before returning a verdict of “Not Guilty” as at least 10 members were convinced by the Defence’s evidence that Mr Pig had not intended murder. Mr Pig was free to leave. A fantastic effort from all the students involved! 👏🏻
08 Mar 2026
From Facebook
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 👏👏👏 Congratulations to Year 8 student Kyra. P. who represented NSW at the School Sport Australia U15 Cricket Championship at the end of February. This event was held in Bunbury, Western Australia and the NSW Team won the silver medal. Kyra is very proud to have represented both NSW and Catherine McAuley at the national level. Congratulations Kyra on this great achievement!
08 Mar 2026
From Facebook
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS 👏👏👏 Congratulations to Year 12 student Jaaniya S. who played with the NSW CCC Cricket Team (Combined Catholic Colleges) in Tuggerah last week, winning the tournament, and has now been selected for the U19 NSW All Schools Cricket Team to play in the upcoming tournament in Queensland. Congratulations Jaaniya on this great achievement! Well done also to Year 9 student Lucy C. who tried out for the U19 NSW All Schools Cricket Team and although she wasn’t successful this time Lucy is the youngest player to be asked to trial for a senior team. This is a significant achievement in itself.
08 Mar 2026
From Facebook
YEAR 12 HOSPITALITY ☕👩🍳Year 12 Hospitality students spent last Friday at CBD College in Haymarket completing a Barista and Coffee Art Course. During the session, students developed their barista skills and were assessed on their coffee-making techniques. A great hands-on experience as they continue to build their industry skills. ☕
07 Mar 2026
From Facebook
AROUND THE CLASSROOMS ➡ Year 8 and Year 9 Japanese students enjoyed a creative cultural activity this week led by Rinno, our Japanese intern. Students took part in an origami workshop, learning the traditional Japanese art of folding paper to create shapes such as animals, flowers and other designs. It was a fun and engaging way for students to explore Japanese culture while developing their creativity and patience. 🇯🇵
06 Mar 2026
From Facebook
CELEBRATING 60 YEARS - How different things look today! An aerial photo of Catherine McAuley High School (as it was then known) in 1966. The raised platform at the front corner of the building had been set up ready for the blessing and opening on 6th November 1966.
06 Mar 2026
From Facebook
AROUND THE CLASSROOMS ➡ Year 8 History students stepped back in time today during an interactive session that complemented their study of Medieval Europe. 🏰 🛡️👑 Students listened, observed and took part in a presentation exploring daily life during the medieval period, as well as some of the significant events that shaped the era. A highlight for many was the opportunity to try on medieval clothing and learn about the weapons used during the time.
06 Mar 2026
From Facebook
POST SCHOOL OPTIONS ❓The Lunchtime Pathway Talks are in full swing, giving students the chance to hear directly from universities and industry providers about courses, entry pathways and career options. So far we’ve heard from: 🔹 University of New South Wales (UNSW) 🔹 Macquarie University Coming up: 🔹 Australian Catholic University (ACU) next week 🔹 MedEntry in the last week of term Next term we’ll also welcome: 🔹University of Sydney (USYD) 🔹University of Technology Sydney (UTS) 🔹University of Sydney - Women's College These sessions are for Years 10, 11 and 12 students and are a fantastic opportunity to explore degrees, alternative entry options, scholarships and campus life.
05 Mar 2026
From Facebook
LENTEN SEASON ✝️ This week, students were invited to take part in a shared community activity for the Lenten season. Using chalk, students wrote Bible verses or personal intentions on the Mercy Wall as a reflection for Lent. This meaningful initiative was organised by the Student Leaders of Liturgy.
05 Mar 2026
From Facebook
The Catherine McAuley Westmead Weekly Review for Thursday, 5th March is now available: