Today is the last Home Training for our Recruits as they complete the first two terms of their Cadet experience. Cadets starts back with the Golden Boot Competition on Friday 7 February 2025. Be ready to test your field skills, physical prowess and Cadet knowledge as platoons compete against each other for the coveted Golden Boot trophy!
A big thank you to the SUO and his team of RHQ and Company Commanders for their constant commitment to Cadets, attending O Group every Monday to plan and execute the Training Program, commanding and leading the Unit every week, and modelling servant leadership as they run their weekly activities.
Our extension camp, WEC Trek 2024, will take place at Douglas Park from 6 – 9 December, and sees 30 of our top cadets competing in navigation, ratel, field skills, leadership and teamwork for the WEC Trek Silver or Gold Awards. We wish them all the best for their preparation and competition.
A huge thank you to our rank and staff for their enthusiasm and dedication across 2024. Corporals, Sergeants, Warrant Officers, Cadet Under Officers and Directing Staff, I thank you all for your ongoing commitment and passion, and for your belief in the vision of this youth development program.
We look forward to seeing you all again on Friday, 7th February 2025 and ask that you take a moment to note the Key Dates for the 2025 Cadet Year below.
I wish you all a safe and relaxing holiday and a very Merry Christmas.
Remembrance Day is an opportunity for our college community to come together and reflect on the blessings in our lives; blessings that are possible because of the altruism of our service men and women in the defence of our country.
On Monday, 11 November, the Cadet Unit is proud to conduct Ceremonial Parades for both Waverley College and St Catherine’s School at 10:45am.
We thank the following cadets for their service to the community and for their many hours of rehearsal.
| ALLMAN POWELL | Maggie-Kate |
| BAKER | Rohan |
| BALLESTY | Harry |
| BEETSON | Billy |
| BLACKALL | Patrick |
| BODEN-TAYLOR | Harrison |
| BOWCOCK | Archie |
| BRACIC | Oliver |
| CARR | Finnley |
| CONGDON | Ruby |
| CONGDON | Ruby |
| CURRAN | Adam |
| DARLING | Cate |
| FERNANDES | Toby |
| FREEDMAN | Emily |
| GRANT | James |
| HELLAWELL-MORE | Elliot |
| HOTT | Yannick |
| HOY | Lachlan |
| ISAAC | Lachlan |
| KENNEDY | Carter |
| KERRY | Isaac |
| LYNAM | Claudia |
| LYNN | Taj |
| MARSHALL | Chiara |
| MCCARTHY | Finnian |
| NEZVAL | Luke |
| NGU | Zoe |
| OOI | Ethan |
| PRIDDIS | Rob |
| ROVACCHI | Renato |
| SALEM | Amelie |
| SALEM | Abigail |
| SCALLY | Ashton |
| SCERRI | Nicholas |
| SHEEHAN | Lauren |
| SHEW | Zinnia |
| STAPLETON | Axel |
| STAPLETON | Fox |
| TRUSTRUM | Jasmine |
| VANDERKEMP | Jamie |
| VANDERKEMP | Thomas |
| WELLINGTON | Chris |
We are so excited to welcome Year 7 2025 students to the Cadet program in Term 3 2025.
In preparation, and to give our boys a taste of the exciting activities they can look forward to, our Support Company Commander and RHQ members are hosting a Cadet Orientation afternoon for all year 6 boys from 3pm – 5.30pm on Friday 15 November.
You will get to see our senior cadets in action as they demonstrate their skills in the field and on the Parade Ground. You’ll get to have a play with some of the specialist equipment cadets are trained in for camps. You’ll be provided with afternoon tea and you will have the opportunity to ask lots of questions. No need to bring anything!
This is a compulsory activity for all Year 6 boys enrolled in the Senior School in 2025. Please go to the Parent Portal to complete the Parent Permission slip.
We are so excited to welcome Year 7 2025 students to the Cadet program in Term 3 2025.
In preparation, and to give our boys a taste of the exciting activities they can look forward to, our Support Company Commander and RHQ members are hosting a Cadet Orientation afternoon for all year 6 boys from 3pm – 5.30pm on Friday 15 November.
You will get to see our senior cadets in action as they demonstrate their skills in the field and on the Parade Ground. You’ll get to have a play with some of the specialist equipment cadets are trained in for camps. You’ll be provided with afternoon tea and you will have the opportunity to ask lots of questions. No need to bring anything!
This is a compulsory activity for all Year 6 boys enrolled in the Senior School in 2025. Please go to the Parent Portal to complete the Parent Permission slip.
Cadets is an inclusive and varied co-curricular activity providing many different experiences and opportunities in which our cadets can develop leadership, initiative, service and excellence.
This term provides a number of occasions in which our cadets can develop their skills in servant leadership.
On Saturday 2 November, some of our RHQ team will attend an AAC Cadet Leadership Conference where they will hear from esteemed military leaders and liaise with compatriots from other school-based Units on leadership in the modern world.
On Monday 11 November, we commemorate Remembrance Day with two Ceremonial Parades – one at Waverley College, and one at St Catherine’s School.
On Friday 22 November, we welcome the Cadet leaders from St Aloysius’ Cadet Unit to our Parade, as we share ideas in preparation for the Year 7 2025 cohort commencing their Cadet journey.
On Friday 15 November, the Unit welcomes our Year 6 boys for a fun afternoon of Cadet activities to support their transition into the Unit in 2025. And from 7-9 December, some of our most skilled cadets will compete for the coveted WEC Trek Award on a three-day extension camp at Douglas Park designed to really test field skills, leadership and teamwork.
Cadets is about opportunity – opportunity for growth, opportunity for development, opportunity for servant leadership, opportunity for becoming the best person you can be.
Term 4 is a very short and very busy term in Cadets.
Over the six Fridays of Home Training left in 2024, every cadet has to be swim tested in their Cadet uniform, every cadet will go on the Archery excursion, and every cadet will learn how to play the drums!
Dress Code for recruits is 4B Summer Field Dress which means the DPCU shirt with shirt sleeves down, DPCU trousers bloused and the field hat. In warmer weather, recruits may choose not to wear an undershirt but the DPCU shirt must always be worn. Under no circumstances should the undershirt be worn alone. Field hats must be worn as they leave the house in the morning.
Please keep an eye on the Waverley App and the Routine Orders from week to week to know what to bring for your Company activities.
The last training for 2024 is Friday, 22 November.
Golden Boot Competition and first Home Training for 2025 – 7 FEB 25
AFX Advance Party (selected cadets only) – 4 APR – 5 APR 25
AFX Main Body (whole Unit + Year 9 camp) – 6 APR – 11 APR 25
Passing Out Parade (whole Unit + Year 12 graduation) – 15 JUN 25
Promotions Courses (JLC + SLC + CUO) – 14 JUL – 19 JUL 25
Tomorrow, Saturday 19 October, our CAS Milskills Team will compete against Barker, Knox, St Aloysius and Trinity for the coveted Military Skills Trophy. Under the guidance of CUO Lachlan Hoy, the team has been diligently training for weeks to bring their skills up to speed and we are very proud of their dedication and teamwork. We wish the Team all the best for the competition.
CAS Milskills Team
CUO Ruby Congdon
CUO Lachlan Hoy
CUO Jasmine Trustrum
WO2 Oliver Bracic
SGT Ashton Scally
SGT Lauren Sheehan
SGT Thomas Vanderkemp
SGT Chris Wellington
SCPL James Grant
CPL Maggie-Kate Allman Powell
CPL Emily Freedman
CPL Oliver Isaac
CPL Carter Kennedy
CPL Kerry Isaac
CPL Blake Richardson
CPL Aroha Tumohe-Campbell
CPL Florence Vinnell
CPL Axel Stapleton
We wish everyone a restful break over the school holidays and look forward to welcoming everyone back in Term 4 on Friday, 18 October. Dress is Summer Field 4B for recruits and Summer Barracks 4A for rank. Parents, please ensure your son is wearing their shirt correctly (no undershirts as outerwear) and headdress (bush hat or KFF) as they leave home.
Exciting news for Alpha Company who will be spending the first afternoon back at an Archery activity at Hugh Bamford Reserve. Alpha Company will be transported to and from Hugh Bamford by bus and will be ready for dismissal from Waverley College at 5.30pm.
Bravo Company will be conducting their swim testing in their Cadet uniform and will need to bring a towel and their PE uniform in a plastic bag to change into on Friday, 18 October.
Term 4 is always a short term in the Cadet calendar, but packed with activities. Please keep an eye on the Routine Orders from week to week so you know what to bring and what to expect.
Please note the following important dates:
Last Friday was the final Unit Training for Term 3. We thank our recruits for an excellent start to their Cadet journey and for their enthusiasm for Bivouac, which gave them some context to their training between now and AFX in 2025.
Cadets starts back in Term 4 on Friday 18th October with some exciting activities planned, including archery. Dress for recruits will be Summer Field 4B – DPCU shirt sleeves down, DPCU trousers bloused, field hat (essential), undershirt (optional in warmer weather). Please keep an eye out for the Routine Orders from week to week to know what is happening in your son’s Company.
We wish our CAS Milskills Team all the best for their final preparations as they compete against cadets from Barker, Knox, St Aloysius and Trinity on Saturday 19th October. Thank you to CUO Lachlan Hoy for leading the team.
Those who were invited to attend the AAC Live Fire on Saturday, 12 October need to return their permission slip by Friday, 27 September. Allocations to this exciting activity will be on a first come first served basis.
Today, the whole Cadet Unit departed on their first Cadet camp for the new Cadet Year – Bivouac 2024. This is a chance for our recruits to put into practice the lessons they have learned over the past several weeks. Cadets are due to return to the College on Sunday, 8 September, at approximately 5pm, depending on traffic. Recruits will be dismissed upon return to the College and Senior Rank will be dismissed once stores are returned to Q Store.
For any queries, or for communication with the Cadet Unit during camp, please contact the Cadet Administration Officer, LT(AAC) Jessie Stanley on 9369 0652 or cadets@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As they ready themselves for the upcoming bivouac, Charlie Company took valuable time this Friday to learn how to tie crucial knots and put up hutchies.
They learned the knots ‘bow line’ and ‘rolling hitch.’ The bow line ties ropes to the hutchie, while the rolling hitch ties around the tree. The rolling hitch allows for easy customisation of the hutchie’s height, which helps a lot when it comes to sleeping out in the bush.
In other news, the recruits of 8-Platoon were very inquisitive about the upcoming bivouac asking multiple questions to their Corporals, Sergeants and Company Sergeant Major (CSM). This is really positive as it shows that the recruits have a genuine interest in the Unit and its activities.
General comments from the rank were positive with CPL Praman Gandhi saying that activities for the recruits on Friday were, “Good fun.” CSM WO2 Luke Nezval also gave an overview of how Charlie Company has been performing since the beginning of the 2024-2025 Cadet Year stating, “This [recruit] year shows a keen interest in what it means to be in Cadets and to face the challenges that arise.”
Report written by CPL Carter Hughes
Photos taken by CPL Carter Hughes
Bivouac is fast approaching, and our Senior Rank are looking forward to taking our recruits on their first Cadet adventure next week.
On Friday, 6 September, cadets are asked to come to school in their DPCU Field Dress, complete with field hat, and their Trek backpack labelled and packed with all their cadet gear. There will be designated areas in Airmount (near library) to store the trek bags in Company locations until recess.
Cadets will form up in bus lines on the Centenary Quad directly after recess.
Important notice: The QCS store will be CLOSED on Wednesday, 4 September as we will be packing the truck and vehicles with the supplies required for 400 people in the field.
In 1923, Legacy made a promise to help veterans’ families carry on with their lives after the loss or injury of their loved one. It was a simple promise that Legacy keeps today; providing the same stability, guidance and assistance that a partner would normally provide to his or her family.
Today, Legacy supports 40,000 partners and children of veterans who gave their lives or health serving our country.
On Friday 30 August 2024, members of the Cadet Unit will be selling Legacy badges prior to school at various locations in Waverley and Bondi Junction. Badges and bears will also be available in the staffroom.
The Legacy badge is a special emblem symbolising our nation’s greatest values of mateship, companion and fairness. Legacy badges may be little but the funds they raise make a BIG impact in the lives of our veterans’ families.
We thank you for supporting this great cause.
A reminder to all families to complete the administration requirements for Bivouac by Friday 23 August.
Please ensure your son checks his equipment and attends the Q store on Wednesday 28 August for any last minute equipment or uniform issues. Please note – the Q store will NOT be open on Wednesday 4 September as we are packing the trucks and vehicles with the stores required for 400 people in the field.
Bivouac 2023
Bivouac is an essential component of the Cadet calendar and takes place from 12pm Friday, 6 September – 5pm Sunday, 8 September 2024 at Cataract Activities Centre, Appin. Buses will transport all cadets to and from Bivouac.
The Joining Instruction (JI) was emailed to all families on 5 August 2024.
Please review the JI and complete the necessary medical and dietary information on this Google Form by Friday, 23 August 2024 to ensure the best possible care for your son.
For their first lesson, the recruits of D-Company were taught the inner workings of the Waverley College Cadet Unit such as the chain of command (i.e. corporals and sergeants) and the unique roles that certain members of the cadet unit hold such as the Logistics Officer and Regimental Sergeant Major.
Next, D Company learnt essential Drill commands such as, “RIGHT-Dress!” This command is key to the organisation of a Cadet Parade. They participated in Drill games where the D Company Commander, CUO Cameron Vincent-Hull, gave them orders such as, “ATTENTION!” and, “STAND AT EASE!” in quick succession. The company performed very well in this exercise with the RSM, WO1 Renato Rovacchi, in charge of Unit Drill, Dress and Bearing, commending D Company on their Drill.
Delta Company then engaged in some good fun with a tug-of-war competition before practising their war cry chanting, which was exhilarating for all who took part, proving a force to be reckoned with when they projected their chant for all members of the Unit at dismissal.
Overall, Delta Company really enjoyed Friday afternoon.
Report written by CPL Carter Hughes – Media Platoon
Photos taken by CPL Constantine Iatrou and CPL Carter Hughes – Media Platoon
The Cadet Bivouac (3-day Cadet Camp) is an important event in the school calendar and requires all members of the Cadet Unit to attend. This is the first chance our recruits have to put their Friday training into context, and it gives our new rank the chance to put into practice their newly-honed leadership skills in the field.
Bivouac takes place from 12pm Friday, 6 September – 4:30pm Sunday, 8 September 2024 at Cataract Activities Centre, Appin. Buses will transport all cadets to and from Bivouac.
Please review the Joining Instruction emailed to all families on 5 August 2024 and complete the necessary administration.
To ensure the best care for your son on this camp, it is vital that we have the most up-to-date contact information and medical and special dietary requirements on the Google Form below.
https://forms.gle/EupmCtXiEScM6T3Q6
Thank you to all the families who have already completed the Google Form with these details.
The Commanding Officer’s Parade marks the beginning of our new recruits’ Cadet journey as they parade for the first time in their Cadet uniform. It is always a day of energy and excitement as our new rank command their sections, platoons and Companies for the first time.
For our recruits, learning how to wear the uniform with respect, learning simple drill movements and getting to know their fellow cadets takes time and our senior students and staff are here to help with this transition.
In four short weeks, we will take the whole Unit on their first Cadet Camp – Bivouac 2024 – and over the coming weeks, recruits will learn the art of constructing a weatherproof hutchie, how to cook a ration pack and how to look after themselves in the field without running water.
The Cadet Unit will be supporting local Legacy branches by selling badges and bears on Friday, 30 August to the local community. There will be cadets at Charing Cross and Bondi Junction before school, so please look out for them and support this worthy cause. Merchandise will also be available in the Staff Common Room. Cash only, I’m afraid, so please come prepared.
MAJ(AAC) Julie-Ann de Kantzow
Commanding Officer – WCCU
jdekantzow@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Bravo Company has started off the year with a bang.
The new recruits were introduced to their first drill lessons, learning commands such as ‘Attention’ and ‘At Ease’. They were also taught how to properly wear their uniforms.
The day ended on a fun note with a game of dodgeball. During this time, recruits met their Company Commanders, Sergeants, and Corporals, forming new friendships and gearing up for an exciting Cadet year ahead.
4 PL and 5 PL practise their new Company War Cry
Bravo Company Commander – CUO Fox Stapleton with an enthusiastic new recruit
B Company Dodge Ball
CPL Constantine Latrou
Media Platoon
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
Watch our video
