Newington’s social service immersion program at Eungai Creek gives our Year 9 students time and space to learn about themselves, and others. Two of our pioneering teachers also found the experience impactful.

Wyvern Prep teacher, Miss Holly Mitchell, was inspired to step out of her teaching comfort zone after the first talk of setting up a service learning and social immersion campus at Eungai Creek on the lush Mid North Coast. 

‘Hearing how passionately Mr Morrison and Mr Quinane spoke about the opportunity when the whole Eungai Creek idea was beginning to take shape was my catalyst,’ says Ms Mitchell, now back at Stanmore teaching Year 3 and pictured below. 

‘I wanted to challenge myself and step way outside my usual teaching Kindergarten to Year 6 background. I was also grateful to my partner Cooper for joining me and moving his whole life six hours away to support me on this career adventure.’ 

Led by Mr Mark Morrison OAM, Director of Eungai Creek, Miss Mitchell, was in the first intake of Newington teachers who spent two years setting up the teaching program and accommodation infrastructure at Eungai Creek.  

‘I was responsible for the primary school, and preschool community engagement with our students. I set that program up with the local public schools in the area.’ 

Living in tents and in open air brought new insights, says Ms Mitchell. 

‘It gave me an appreciation for teaching outside a traditional four walled classroom, but seeing different students shine in varying contexts was special.  

‘Also, working with senior school students was a totally new teaching experience for me coming from a primary background. It was great to challenge myself, and I found the Year 9 kids being away from home enjoyed a more holistic teaching approach. I also particularly loved watching the connections many made with the local children at the preschool and primary schools.’  

Senior campus English teacher, Mr Jack Armstrong (pictured above with Miss Mitchell, and to his right teacher Mr Rob Tredinnick and Mr Mark Morrison, OAM) says his journey to Eungai Creek began in 2021 soon after he started at Newington. 

‘Mr Muir who ran an Aboriginal Studies subject called ‘Walking on Earth’ heard me share my mandatory fun fact at the staff introduction day: that I really care about Aboriginal education.’ 

This encounter led Mr Armstrong to Mr Morrison, who was at the time running Macleay Vocational College in Kempsey.  

‘His journey brought him to Newington, and he, in turn, asked me if I would be interested in joining him in starting this new experience for our students at Eungai Creek. The opportunity to work so early in my teaching career on something so impactful, that placed service to its Aboriginal community at its heart, was too exciting to pass up.  

Mr Armstrong was responsible for planning and implementing the English and History curriculum at Eungai Creek. Teaching in open air classrooms under construction had its challenges. 

‘Also, talking (yelling) over a pneumatic drill and teaching through a cyclone were definitely harder than talking over an airplane from within a double-glazed classroom at Stanmore.’ 

However, despite their surrounds, students were invigorated. 

‘They were so engaged and passionate about the things we talked about in the classroom, because they were living it,’ says Mr Armstrong. 

‘They were talking to the Uncles, and Aunties, and sharing stories and histories that we were studying in the classroom. It made a profound difference in the kinds of knowledge they brought to the table and the connections they were able to establish. These connections were not just in the classroom either. The empathy students developed and deployed in their connections in community made their way into the cabins and into the community at Eungai every single day.’ 

Did you know?

• Newington College is a diverse and inclusive educational community that welcomes students from every faith, creed and culture including 50 boarders from all around the world.
• Newington students receive a rigorous academic, wellbeing and co-curricular education to help them become kind, curious, courageous global citizens.
• Every Year 9 student spends a term at Eungai Creek, the home of our vigorous social service and outdoor education program.
• Set on 200 hectares on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Eungai Creek provides our students with the foundation for life-changing experiences, including building connection with local First Nations peoples and local educational organisations such as Macleay Vocational College.
• Learn about our life-changing Eungai Creek program in this video.  
• The story above first appeared in The NC Autumn 2026. To discover more of the ethos that underpins all we do at Newington College, read past issues of The NC here.