Stories and highlights

Merriwa Central celebrates 175 years of enduring education!

We thank the community for their support of our anniversary and engaging in all the activities on offer,. On Friday, 17 October we held an assembly at school where staff shared their stories of their education at Merriwa Central School and enjoyed cake, a school gift of their commemorative hats and took a whole school photo to commemorate the day.

Our open day on Saturday 18 October had so many great things for our students like face painting, jumping castles, dance performances and market stalls. Many ex-staff and student returned to the school to reunite and share memories. A formal dinner was also well attended with members of the community recognised for their contributions to the school over the time.

STEM Construction Challenge

Students attended STEM Construction Challenge on Wednesday 22 October. Students were tasked with building a wind turbine. They had to see how many revolutions their wind turbine could make in a minute. One of our group's wind turbines got over 400 revolutions. Our students represented Merriwa Central with pride and we congratulate one group for receiving second place.

Quad Bike Course

On Tuesday 28 October Primary Industries attended the Quad Bike course at Kurri Kurri TAFE. Students learnt about the safety of using quad bikes and then put their new knowledge to the test. Students enjoyed riding the quad bikes and are to be commended on representing our school with pride. Thank you to Nyssa for all your help on the day.

Merriwa Central joins the 2026 Sydney Royal School Commercial Egg Laying Competition

Exciting things are happening on the Ag Plot! This week Merriwa Central School welcomed a new flock of pullets as part of our entry into the 2026 Sydney Royal School Commercial Egg Laying Competition.

This exciting project is a wonderful way to engage students in Agriculture and connect classroom learning with real-world industry practice. We look forward to sharing updates - and egg counts - as our flock settles in and the competition progresses!

Picasso Cows

Selected students from Merriwa Central School proudly represented our school in the Picasso cows Program, creating our life-sized fibreglass cow, Penny. The project gave students the opportunity to explore where our dairy foods come from, following the journey of milk from paddock to plate.

Our design celebrated Merriwa's strong agricultural roots, featuring the rolling hills of the Upper Hunter, the Merriwa silos and the dairy cows that reflect our region's farming story. Students worked collaboratively to plan, design and paint Penny, demonstrating outstanding creativity, teamwork and pride in our rural community.

Driving Lessons

Students will participate in driving lessons through Able Driving. They have the opportunity to drive around Merriwa with a qualified driving instructor, enabling them to develop and perfect their driving skills.

Immersive Careers Coaching - Hair, Beauty and Barbering Program.

An industry aligned, hands-on program supporting school students and future pathways. It builds confidence in non-tertiary pathways, covers CVs, interviews, apprenticeships, pay rates and career pathways and promotes informed career choices through real world exposure. Endorsed by the Australian Hairdressing Council and Sustainable Salons, it supports SBAT and VET priorities and includes access to an online learning portal with practical tools and resources.

Primary Swimming Carnival

Everyone gathered for a fantastic day of swimming at our Primary Swimming Carnival. It was wonderful to see all the students participating enthusiasstically in a wide range of swimming and novelty events. The house spirit was terrific, with everyone cheering and supporting each other throughout the day.

Winning house was Wentworth, with Blaxland coming a close second, followed by Oxley and Lawson in fourth place.

Secondary Swimming Carnival

What a fantastic day at our secondary swimming carnival. The teamwork, participation, house spirit and colours on display were awesome! It was great to see everyone give it their best and support each other all day.

Congratulations Chad!

Huge congratulations to Chad, recipient of the MCS Sporting Schools Scholarship at this year's Secondary Swimming Carnival.

Chad was selected for his outstanding leadership, participation and sportsmanship throughout the day. As a result of his efforts, the school is showing its appreciation by covering the costs of all his sporting events and excursions for the year.

Great job representing our school values, Chad!

Congratulations to our amazing Horse Sports Team!

Merriwa Central won the award of "Most Successful School" Team of 4 Pointscore at the Merriwa Interschool Horse Sports Association at the Merriwa Showground 5th and 6th March.

Our team had 5 Age Champions, 1 Reserve Champion, 2 show jumping champions and the highest Primary and Secondary point score.

Well done to our hardworking team, parents and teachers for a well deserved win. We are so proud of your achievement.

War Grave Dedication - Sapper Herbert Edmund Rose

Merriwa RSL Sub Branch held a Dedication Ceremony on Friday 20 March attended by family members, military representatives, a padre and Sub Branch members.

Merriwa Central School Captains also attended the ceremony to show their support and pay their respects.

Sapper Herbert died 90 years ago from illness incurred during his army service whilst in France. When he died he was not given a full military funeral and grave, he was given a 21 gun salute provided by other veterans at the time.

In conjunction with Forgotten Diggers, Merriwa RSL Sub-branch worked to secure the proper war grave that he was entitled to receive.

Rest Easy Herbert, for your duty is done.

Lest we forget

Boot Bash Fundraiser

Students and staff had fun at lunch break, boot scooting to raise money for the Merriwa Country Education Foundation.

This foundation supports young locals in pursuing education, training and career opportunities after high school. As funding comes entirely from the local community rather than the government, the foundation represents a shared commitment to encouraging local youth, backing their ambitions and helping them achieve their goals beyond school.

Cross Country K-12

What a fun-filled day at the K-12 Cross Country Carnival!

The day was filled with great sportsmanship, determination, and plenty of smiles as students challenged themselves and supported one another throughout the races.

Congratulations to all students who participated - your effort and enthusiasm made the day truly special.

Horse Sports

Nine students attended the Merriwa Inter Schools Horse Sports on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 March, representing our school with pride and producing outstanding results.

Merriwa Central Equestrian Team were awarded Highest Scoring Primary Student, Highest Scoring Secondary Student.

A huge congratulations to all our students who were impeccably behaved, showed outstanding horsemanship and sportsmanship the entire event. A big thank you to all the parents who had not only children but the horseslooking spic and span. Extra big thank you to Mrs Martin, Ms Porter and Ms Flaherty for being our teachers in attendance. Our team is super excited for our next event coming up in May in Scone.

Craft Club

Craft Club has been going fantastically, and it's wonderful to see our students so engaged and creative! Each week, they explore new projects, experiment with different materials and express themselves through art.

One of the highlights has been our mindfulness sessions at the end of the week. The students love taking a few moments to relax, reflect and enjoy the calm after their busy crafting. It's lovely to see them leave with big smiles and a sense of accomplishment.

SRC Pink Shirt Day

This term students celebrated Pink Shirt Day, with students and staff wearing pink to stand up against bullying and show solidarity

School Captains visit Parliament House

A special highlight for our school captains, Lara and Katana, visiting Parliament House Syndey. They met Members of Parliament, including Dave Layzell, toured the Legislative Assembly and Council Chambers. The had lunch with the President of the Legislative Council Benjamin Franklin MLC, finishing their visit at Government House with the Governor of New South Wales, Margaret Beasley.

It was an inspiring day and we are so proud of the way they represented our school

Homework Club

Our Homework Club is available each week to support students with their learning in a relaxed and supportive environment. This is a great opportunity for students to complete homework, work on assessments and build confidence with guidance from staff.

We encourage all students to attend and take advantage of this valuable support.

Boot Camp

Students have been fully engaged in Boot Camp throughout Term 1. They've been building strength, improving fitness and exploring a variety of exercises to challenge themselves.

We have also been focusing on cardio, practicing relays to improve endurance, speed and teamwork.

The sessions also target core physical skills, helping students develop coordination, balance and overall physical confidence.

It's been fantastic to see their progress, determination and teamwork each week as they try new exercises and celebrate their achievements.

Katana - NSW Training Awards

Congratulations to our Year 12 student Katana who has been shortlisted for an interview for the School Based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year in the 2026 NSW Training Awards.

These awards are held annually to recognise outstanding achievement in the Vocational Education and Training Sector. During this process, finalists and the winner of the 2026 Hunter and Central Coast Training Awards will be selected and results will be announced at the Awards presentation in June. Well done Katana. We look forward to seeing you excel in the chosen industry.

Kia Ora Music Camp

Congratulations to Kiaya and Fredrick for their incredible participation in the Kia Ora Music Camp. Over the course of the camp, they had the privilege of working with the renowned Francine Bell in an advanced vocals course, honing their vocal skills to new heights.

Their hard work culminated in a fantastic performance to a large audience at the camp's finale. We are also thrilled to share that both Kiaya and Fredrick received merits for their outstanding efforts. A heartfelt thank you to the Upper Hunter Shire Council and the Upper Hunter Conservatorium of Music for providing this invaluable experience and supporting our young musicians. Your commitment to nurturing talent is truly appreciated.

Congratulations Amber

Congratulations Amber (Cross Country) for receiving the School Sporting Scholarship. Amber earned this award for showing great participation, engagement and sportsmanship throughout the carnivals.

This scholarship covers all costs for Amber attending any sporting excursions throughout the year.