Our first stop was Echo Point to see The Three Sisters.
Year 5 students from OLA, Rouse Hill, went on an overnight excursion to Bathurst. The first stop was Echo Point where we saw The Three sisters and had morning tea before we continued on our trip to Bathurst.
About two hours laters, we arrived at the Bathurst Goldfields where we started the day with gold panning. This was a lot of fun. We had a short demonstration on how to pan and finally it was our turn. Gary, our guide, gave us a pan and a mini jar for us to put our flakes of gold into. Some of were lucky to find some specks of gold while others were not so lucky.
Following this, we went to a museum and saw what mine shafts would be like and learnt about how they mined for gold. We learnt that they marked the candle to show every hour allowing miners to see how long they had mined for and when to stop.
Nicholas, Zac S, Julian, Kenneth and Felicity searching for gold.
At the end of the day, we went to the store and bought a few things to remember our time in Bathurst. Once finished we went to the bus where to collect our bags and made our way to our room. Some of us unpacked their bags, where others sat on the bed and relaxed or had a shower. For dinner we had pasta, hot chips, bread and an ice-block for dessert.
To finish the night, we sat around and listened to a story about Wahlu and the Aboriginal history of Mount Panorama before we participated in some aboriginal art.
Students cooking their damper before filling it
The next morning, we woke up and started packing our belongings. We had a yummy breakfast before we went to Bathurst’s Old Cemetery where we had a treasure hunt, etching and learnt about the history of the cemetery and some of the headstones.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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05 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Kindergarten were so excited to head off on their first excursion this morning 🚌
04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Last Friday, our Stage 3 Girls and Boys teams travelled to The Kingsway at St Mary’s for the Parramatta Diocesan Touch Football Gala Day. We were so proud of all our OLA students who displayed great sportsmanship, fantastic footy, and outstanding teamwork. Congratulations to both boys' teams finishing 2nd overall, and our girls' team who finished at the top of their pool and were awarded the medals. A huge thank you to all the parents who helped out on the day, and Mrs Batten and Mr Campbell for attending.
Latest News More news
05 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Kindergarten were so excited to head off on their first excursion this morning 🚌
04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Last Friday, our Stage 3 Girls and Boys teams travelled to The Kingsway at St Mary’s for the Parramatta Diocesan Touch Football Gala Day. We were so proud of all our OLA students who displayed great sportsmanship, fantastic footy, and outstanding teamwork. Congratulations to both boys' teams finishing 2nd overall, and our girls' team who finished at the top of their pool and were awarded the medals. A huge thank you to all the parents who helped out on the day, and Mrs Batten and Mr Campbell for attending.
04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Our Kindergarten students kicked off their new Religious Education unit on celebrations and community by hosting a birthday party for their teachers’ special teddies! They played fun party games, danced together, and shared lots of laughs. They finished the celebration by enjoying lunch with their Year 6 buddies. It was a special way to explore how celebrations bring people together, create a sense of belonging and strengthen community.
04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Year 1 had the most wonderful day last week, exploring the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Filled with excitement, our students wandered through the gardens, discovering all the natural and built features around them. Through hands‑on activities and a guided walk, they explored different spaces, created simple maps, and learned how we can all care for our environment. It was a fun‑filled day of learning, laughter and adventure- and a fantastic way to bring our Geography unit to life. So many happy memories made! Thank you to the Year 1 teachers for organising it, and to the parent helpers for joining us!
04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Congratulations to our Outstanding Achievement and St Francis award recipients for Week 2!
03 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Our Infants and Primary teachers had an absolute blast on Friday, just like the students, as they took on the Inflatable Obstacle Course- and yes, the healthy competition was very real. Lots of laughs, lots of cheering, and plenty of impressive moves from our staff. OLA spirit at its best!
03 Aug 2026
From Facebook
What a special few days we’ve had celebrating our OLA Feast Day. Yesterday we were so proud of our captains, Cameron and Sarah, who led the procession so beautifully after Mass. Our Band, Choir and Senior Dance Crew also shone at the Fiesta, sharing their talents and representing OLA with pride. The celebrations ended with a stunning fireworks display that lit up the sky- enjoyed not just by our school and Parish community, but by families all around the neighbourhood. What a joyful way to celebrate OLA!
01 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Our OLA Feast Day celebrations on Friday were a blast! After a beautiful Mass, our students jumped straight into an afternoon of ZING Activ activities- games, teamwork, laughter, and, of course, the crowd favourite, the inflatable obstacle course! Thank you to Miss Grima for her fantastic organisation and to all our teachers who joined in the fun and helped make the day so special. We are very lucky to be at OLA!
01 Aug 2026
From Facebook
01 Aug 2026
From Facebook
What a beautiful day to celebrate our school Feast Day! Look at what’s being set up for our students to enjoy today!!
31 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Today we had a beautiful day celebrating our OLA Feast Day. We started the day with a lovely Whole School Mass where we were reminded that Mary helps us feel safe, loved, and protected, and she is like a gentle mother who watches over everyone.