Campus News
Rugby - New Zealand
During the Term 1 holidays, 28 students and four staff travelled to New Zealand’s South Island for a nine-day rugby tour. The squad played three matches against strong local opposition, emerging with three wins from three. The tour provided an excellent opportunity to build match fitness, test combinations, and experience rugby in one of the sport’s heartlands.
Off the field, students explored Queenstown, Lake Tekapo and Christchurch, and took part in activities including jet boating, luging, waka paddling and stargazing. The tour has already had a positive impact on the First XV, who have opened their season with two strong wins. We wish the Haileybury Rugby program all the best for the season ahead.
Future space doctor launches his studies early at UniSQ
At just 14 years old, Anay presents at global space conferences, conducts research, and studies university-level space science through the University of Southern Queensland’s (UniSQ) Head Start program. The initiative is designed to give high-achieving students the opportunity to undertake university-level learning and is open to Years 10, 11 and 12 students across Australia.
Through his involvement with the UniSQ Head Start program, Anay is laying the groundwork for a future in space medicine and bioastronautics, fields that explore how humans can survive and thrive in the harsh environment of space. “UniSQ has such a strong reputation in space research, with world-class researchers and facilities like the Minerva-Australis facility and their strong industry partnerships through the iLAuNCH Trailblazer program,” Anay said.
“It felt like the perfect place to start my academic journey.”
Anay has already contributed to space research through active participation and success in STEM challenges at the national and international levels. He designed an innovative Lunar Regolith Acquisition Device as part of the Australian Space Agency-funded ELO 2 Big Dipper Challenge, securing third place in a highly competitive field against PhD and engineering students. His work directly contributed to Australia's first lunar rover initiative.
His research has already taken him to prestigious forums, including the 2024 Australian Space Research Conference in Sydney, where he presented findings on biophilic and terraphilic elements in virtual reality environments to support astronaut mental health.
In 2024, Anay became the youngest-ever presenter at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), the world’s largest space conference, held in Italy. He presented his collaborative research, exploring how indigenous knowledge-informed extended reality (XR) immersive technology can help astronauts survive isolation on deep-space missions.
Anay’s experience at IAC reinforced his belief “that age is no barrier to success.”
At 13 years old, Anay launched his podcast, I Am Not a Rocket Scientist, to challenge the stereotype that space careers are restricted to engineers and physicists. “At conferences, I meet incredible people across fields like astrobiology, space psychology, robotics and space law,” Anay said. “I realised people need to hear these stories to know that no matter what their passion is, there’s a place for them in space.”
Through his podcast, Anay has interviewed inspiring guests like the first named female commercial Canadian astronaut Dr Shawna Pandya, aerospace medicine physician Dr Rowena Christiansen, Australian Astronaut Reserve candidate for ESA Dr Meganne Christian and AROSE Director of Resources and Space Michelle Keegan.
One of his favourite podcast conversations was with UniSQ astronomer Professor Jonti Horner, when they discussed exoplanets and asteroid impacts and debunked astronomy myths.
The UniSQ Head Start program is helping Anay to build a solid foundation in space science before diving deeper into specialised areas like space medicine. “It’s exciting to be part of a university that is so committed to supporting young students and fostering innovation in space research,” he said.
UniSQ continues to be a leader in space education, providing students with the knowledge, resources and industry connections to pursue careers in the growing Australian space sector. Find out more about studying Head Start at UniSQ.
Explore & Expeditions 2025: building independence, friendships, and lifelong memories
Excitement is building across Pre-Senior as families receive invitations for this year’s Explore & Expeditions program. With more than 500 Pre-Senior students preparing to journey across Victoria, Australia and the globe, this program remains a cornerstone of the Haileybury experience. Whether hiking the Larapinta Trail, exploring ancient temples in Cambodia, or snorkelling over Ningaloo Reef, each itinerary has been carefully designed to inspire personal growth, resilience and a sense of global citizenship.
Families are reminded to read the documents attached to their invitations carefully, as they contain essential information on itineraries, packing lists, behavioural expectations, visas and key dates. Over the coming weeks, students will take part in structured preparation sessions with their teachers and peers — opportunities not only to learn the practicalities of their journey, but also to reset relationships, develop teamwork and prepare for new challenges. Time and again, I have seen students return from these experiences with greater confidence, maturity and new friendships.
Subject selection
The subject selection process will begin in Term 2 for students in Years 9, 10 and 11.
We are delighted to announce the Senior School Subject Expo, live and in-person at Keysborough Senior School. The event will take place from 3.00 pm – 7.30 pm on Tuesday, 20 May in the Langford Pavilion and Music Annex.
From the wonders of science to the enchanting realms of literature, the intricacies of mathematics to the vibrant tapestries of history and the creative arts — there are subjects for everyone, and we invite you to speak directly with educators to ensure every subject you select meets your needs and passions.
It may be helpful to visit VTAC (the centralised admissions centre for most undergraduate university and TAFE courses) and the VCAA (the body that sets guidelines for what students from Prep to Year 12 learn in Victorian schools). Please remember that you can always make an appointment for yourself and your child with one of our Careers advisors to discuss these matters. Your child’s Head of House or relevant Head of Pre-Senior can help you to make these appointments.
Dr Nicholas Grigsby
Deputy Principal, Head of Senior Schools
