Alumni Relations Manager Update

Another busy and wonderful year is drawing to a close at Pymble. This year has been a full one peppered with significant events, special celebrations and as always, the strength of our Alumni community as our driving force.

A personal highlight for me was attending the UK Pymble reunion in London this year with my daughter Sophie (2022). It was a beautiful day with Alumni from all over the UK and Europe joining us for a long lunch. We were thrilled to welcome former Head of Junior School, Mrs Sue Knox and her Alumni daughter Poppy, who have since moved back to England. It was a joy to come together at the other side of the world to celebrate our incredible community.

It was an honour to welcome Mrs Greta Moran AO (King, 1948), to our combined Jacaranda Day and Remembrance Day service last month. Greta was a student at the College when the Jacaranda tree was planted! It was very special for students and staff alike to share this meaningful occasion with Greta and her daughters, Kerry and Barbara.

My most sincere thanks go to ESU President Dr Rowena Ditzell for her steadfast support and unwavering commitment to our Alumni and the College throughout 2025. I am also grateful to our ESU Committee volunteers Amy Graham, Kris Graham, Louise Kellaway, Jane Makeham, Jennifer Makeham, Victoria Muller, Susan O’Sullivan, Natalie Reid and Zoe Wang for their dedication and hard work.

As we look to 2026, the College is delighted to prepare for a significant milestone as we celebrate Pymble’s 110th year. To mark this occasion, you are warmly invited to join us for Foundation Day 2026 at Pymble Ladies’ College. Please click here to RSVP by Friday 6 February 2026, and we look forward to welcoming our community to celebrate this special moment together.

Until then, I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a safe and relaxing holiday.

All Ultimo Lavoro

Mrs Katrina Corcoran (Hum 1987)

Alumni Relations Manager

ESU President Update

Dr Rowena Ditzell (1986)

ESU President

Births, engagements, marriages and vale notices

Vale

Lynette (Lyn) White (Milne, 1949)

Lyn began boarding at PLC Pymble in 1945, where she formed close friendships that she maintained throughout her life. While she often recalled being perpetually hungry, with cake reserved for Sundays only, she spoke fondly of her school years. This may well have contributed to her lifelong love of dessert and chocolate.

Sport was a daily part of boarding life and suited Lyn perfectly. A gifted runner and athlete, she set records that stood for many years after her departure. She won the Penleigh Cup in both 1948 and 1949, and at the 1948 Inter-School Sports at the Sydney Cricket Ground, she ran 100 yards in an impressive 11.2 seconds, a highly competitive time even by today’s standards and achieved without formal training.

Following the death of her father, Lyn’s mother and younger sister, Janet Ham (Milne, 1956), later also a PLC student, returned to Balranald to live with family. This became Lyn’s home during school holidays, with long journeys by train to Hay followed by mail car to Balranald.

In her final year, Lyn served as a school prefect. She played the piano, performed well academically, and while she did not continue playing after school, she retained a deep love of classical music and was a devoted concert-goer throughout her life.

After finishing school in 1949, Lyn was too young to commence Physiotherapy and instead completed a Physical Education course at the University of Melbourne. During this time, she was offered the opportunity to train as a serious athlete, recording times faster than Olympic competitor Winsome Cripps. Ultimately, she chose not to pursue elite athletics, preferring a different path.

Lyn later qualified as a physiotherapist and began her career working with polio patients. After raising her family, she returned to the profession, developing a particular interest in working with people who had amputations.

In 1955, Lyn married Douglas White, a farmer and grazier, and moved to rural Victoria near Torquay. Together they raised three daughters, and Lyn later became a proud grandmother to five grandchildren and great-grandmother to seven great-grandchildren. In her later years, she travelled widely and took great pleasure in her garden.

Lyn lived independently until moving into residential care earlier this year. She passed away peacefully in her sleep.

2026 Reunions and Events

UPCOMING REUNIONS AND COLLEGE EVENTS

Saturday 28 February – 2020 – 5 Year Reunion 

Saturday 7 March – 1969 – 57 Year Reunion 

Saturday 28 March – 2001 – 25 Year Reunion 

Sunday 26 July – Commemoration Day Service 

Saturday 8 August – Alumni Vision Valley Event  

Tuesday 18 August – 110th College Anniversary Opera House Concert  

Saturday 5 September – 1991 – 35 Year Reunion 

Saturday 19 September – Garden Party 

Saturday 26 September – Ex-Goodlet Boarder sleepover celebrating 100 Years of Goodlet House  

Saturday 14 November – 1976 – 50 Year Reunion 

Saturday 21 November – 1971 – 55 Year Reunion 

Please contact Katrina Corcoran, Alumni Relations Manager on kcorcoran@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au if you would like assistance to convene your reunion.

Ex-Student Tours

Are you interested in visiting your old school grounds for a walk down memory lane? Every term we hold our much-loved Ex-Student Tours where our former students tour the campus, share some funny stories along the way and discover how much the College has grown and changed since they left.

If you would like to join one of our Ex-Student Tours in 2026, please email our Alumni Relations Manager, Katrina Corcoran, at kcorcoran@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au to secure your spot.

From the Archives

A Historic Moment in Time – The Continuing Story of Pymble

A Melbourne Story

Many girls enter through the historic gates of Pymble to start their educational journey and when their school journey ends, they walk out of the gates one last time. But their Pymble journey doesn’t end there. Every Pymble girl then stays within the Pymble family, becoming a member of the Pymble Alumni.  
 
With their schooling experience under their belt, our girls spread their wings. They experience travel, training, jobs and so many different paths. Some of them move overseas and around the world; some travel; some stay within Australia and some live literally around the corner … and some move a little further down the road and call Melbourne home. 
 
Recently, a Melbourne–Pymble reunion was held, where any past student, at any age and stage of life, who resides in Melbourne and its environs, can come and catch up with their fellow alumni, crossing over boundaries of age, grade and era. This Melbourne tradition used to be held at individuals private homes, where stories, laughs and memories were shared, and from the very first one of these get-togethers, a ‘box’ (of sorts) was earmarked to be the reservoir for all things ‘Melbourne-Pymble’ to be kept.  
 
This box isn’t really a box at all, but a make-up case. It dates back to the first ever such Melbourne gathering and has been passed to each convenor ever since. Within it resides a book and upon opening its cover, you will note it is a window to times past. Inside there are handwritten notes and newspaper clippings that have discoloured over time. Before the age of email, the internet and social media, a little advertisement would be placed in the newspaper … this was the only means by which Melbourne alumni could be notified that this event was planned. Each notice has been cut out and kept and has lived in this book ever since as a little treasure trove to times past. 
 
The newspaper clippings list the full home address of the alumni who was hosting the reunion of that time, along with their phone number, for alumni to call and say that they would like to attend. This is so personal, so simple and reflective of much simpler times. There are also telegrams and lists of attendees where they have signed their name and dated it, including from the 1940s and many other decades.  

Calling all Melbournians… Come along and join the Melbourne Merriment!
 
But this tradition outlined above is not just of the past. It is a long-standing tradition of connection and family and we would like to warmly invite our Victorian family to come along and be part of this story. Our Melbourne reunions are open to all Pymble Ladies’ College alumni who reside in Melbourne and its environs. They typically take place in August each year and are now held at the South Yarra Tennis Club with plenty of parking and delicious nibbles to enjoy.  
 
Please reach out to Katrina Corcoran (Alumni Relations Manager) on kcorcoran@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au to be kept in the loop regarding this great opportunity to share, reminisce and connect with fellow Pymble alumni.  

Reunions – Come and Continue the Story…

Our College Archives hold many a photo and record of reunions. These have been held since we started in 1916 and are held throughout each and every year. It’s never too late to come back and reconnect with your cohort and share a yarn at your next reunion. Spread the word to a friend and please update your details so you can be kept up-to-date with all things at the College. 

Rounding out 2025

It’s been another busy year at the College and in Archives. Around the place, the heritage roses are in full bloom and the Colonnade verandah is now a place where students can sit at table and chairs and enjoy their lunch. I’ve been analysing our collection of photographs in preparation for our 110th birthday next year, our heritage furniture is being restored to its former glory, the Chapel still resounds with the sound of singing, the annual Speech Days have been held at which books are still awarded at prizes and so much more – the story of Pymble continues…

Please reach out to me at any time should you wish to share a Pymble memory. I look forward to meeting many more of you throughout 2026 and I hope you have a lovely Christmas.  

Kate Murray
College Archivist

This article was written by Kate Murray
I am the Archivist of Pymble Ladies’ College; I officially started in this role on 30 January 2024
I reported to Sarah Loch, the Director of the Pymble Institute, for the first 2 years of my time at Pymble. At the end of 2025, the structure changed and I moved to report to Courtney Stanley, the Director of Community Engagement. I have always sat within the Community Engagement space in The John Reid Building (which previously housed the staff of the Junior School).

General News

Jacaranda Day and Remembrance Day

On Tuesday 11 November, the College gathered on Gloucester Lawn for our annual Jacaranda Day Service, which this year also incorporated a Service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration for Remembrance Day.

Held each November, Jacaranda Day is a time for reflection and gratitude. It is an opportunity to give thanks for service given and to look ahead to the positive difference we will continue to make as a community.

As part of the Remembrance Day service, we paused to honour those who have served and sacrificed in times of conflict, reflecting on their courage and the enduring importance of peace.

We were delighted to welcome back Mrs Greta Moran AO (King, 1948), who was a student at the College when the Jacaranda Tree was planted. It was a joy for students and staff alike to share this meaningful occasion with Greta and her daughters, Kerry and Barbara.

ARTEXPRESS 2025 Selections

Congratulations to Anais Burnicle, Charlotte Ford, Riya Kalva, Emily Kim and Evila Zhou on their selection for ARTEXPRESS 2025.

This prestigious recognition places their work among the most outstanding Visual Arts projects in the state and provides an exceptional opportunity for their creativity to be showcased in galleries across New South Wales. It is a testament to the girls’ talent, dedication and many hours of hard work, alongside the guidance of their teachers. Well done to all involved.

ONSTAGE Selection

A huge congratulations to Anais Burnicle, whose individual Drama project has been selected for inclusion in the HSC showcase ONSTAGE.

This is a remarkable achievement and an outstanding recognition of Anais’ creativity, commitment and performance skills. We are delighted to see her work featured on a state-wide platform.

AFL National Academy Selection

We are Pymble proud to congratulate Charlotte on her selection in the 2026 Marsh AFL National Academy Girls Squad.

This elite national program recognises 25 of Australia’s top emerging footballers and provides a direct pathway towards the AFLW Draft. As part of the program, Charlotte will participate in high-performance training camps, including an international experience in New Zealand, the first overseas camp for the AFL National Academy Girls.

Congratulations, Charlotte, on this outstanding accomplishment.

Tanzania Service Tour Reflection

Do you remember participating in an overseas Service Tour during your time at the College?

Reflecting on our 2025 Tanzania Service Tour, we are reminded of the power of connection and the lasting impact of learning through service.

In preparation for the tour, students developed teaching resources, established pen pal connections with Year 5 Junior School students, and raised funds to sponsor children and provide a special excursion to Arusha National Park.

During the tour, students worked alongside local communities at East Meru Community School, the School of St Jude and Kivulini Maternity Hospital. Their contributions included helping to build a new classroom, funding a six-month supply of rice, and assembling postpartum care packs for teenage Maasai mothers.

The spirit of service continues, with our next group of students preparing to follow in their footsteps in 2026. We look forward to seeing how these meaningful partnerships continue to grow.

Reunions and Events – Reunion Recap

1960 | 65 Year Reunion – Sunday 27 July 2025

A joyful group of Old Girls returned to the grounds of Pymble to celebrate an extraordinary milestone, 65 years since leaving the College.

Led with warmth and enthusiasm by alumna Helen Tulloch, almost 40 women gathered to reconnect and reminisce. Attendees travelled from Canberra, regional areas, the beaches and across Sydney to be part of the day. Alongside lucky door prizes and generous refreshments, the highlight was undoubtedly the friendships rekindled, the stories shared and the laughter that filled the campus from start to finish.

So much so, the group has already asked whether reunions might now become an annual tradition. Time, they noted with a smile, waits for no-one.

If you have ever wondered whether to attend a reunion, let this remarkable group inspire you – you will be glad you did.

Kate Murray
College Archivist and Acting Alumni Relations Manager (at the time)

1985 | 65 Year Reunion – Saturday 8 November 2025

On Saturday 8 November, the Class of 1985 celebrated 40 years since leaving school with a vibrant evening at Treehouse, North Sydney. Sixty five Old Girls gathered for a night filled with laughter, conversation and joyful reconnection. A wonderful evening spent catching up and reliving shared memories.

Ruth Duncan (Gray)

2000 | 25 Year Reunion – Saturday 8 November 2025

The Class of 2000 returned to Pymble on Saturday 8 November to celebrate their 25 year reunion, and what a celebration it was. With 110 Old Girls in attendance, the day was filled with warm hugs, laughter and stories from school days and beyond.

It was particularly special to welcome back boarders who travelled from the country, as well as alumnae who returned from interstate and overseas. The College grounds provided a beautiful backdrop for reconnecting, with nostalgia and friendship at the heart of the day.

A wonderful reminder of the enduring bonds formed at Pymble, and plenty of promises to stay in touch until the next reunion.

2010 | 15 Year Reunion – Saturday 22 November

On Saturday 22 November, the Class of 2010 gathered back at the College for their 15 year reunion. For many, it was their first visit back to campus since leaving school.

It felt as though no time had passed, with familiar laughter and conversation flowing easily as friends reconnected and shared updates on life beyond Pymble. The group was grateful to Katrina Corcoran and the College for hosting such a special afternoon.

Once a Pymble girl, always a Pymble girl.

1955 | 70 Year Reunion – Saturday 15 November

We were delighted to welcome back the Class of 1955 for their 70 year reunion on Saturday 15 November. A wonderful group gathered to share memories, laughter and reflections spanning seven decades.

It is heartening to see this remarkable cohort remain so connected to Pymble and to one another.

1975 | 50 Year Reunion – Saturday 1 November

The Class of 1975 celebrated their 50 year reunion on Saturday 1 November with 78 Old Girls gathering at Foys in Kirribilli.

From the moment the first guests arrived, conversation flowed effortlessly and continued throughout the evening. Friends reunited, stories were shared, and there were many moments of joyful reconnection, particularly for those who had not seen one another in years.

The evening began with drinks and canapés as the sun set over the harbour, followed by a seated dinner and speeches. A highlight was a thoughtful address by Therese Fuller, reflecting on the social and political climate of 1975 and how it helped shape the women they became.

1970 | 46 Year Reunion – Saturday 29 November

Forty six Old Girls from the Class of 1970 returned to the College on Saturday 29 November to celebrate their 55 year reunion.

Friends arrived from overseas, regional areas, interstate and across Sydney, with laughter and conversation filling the DMC throughout the afternoon. A High Tea was enjoyed, with catering staff generously circulating refreshments among the lively crowd.

Sincere thanks to the organising committee and Katrina Corcoran for bringing together such a memorable celebration.

See you all at the 60th.

Where are they now?

YIWEI CHAI (2017)

I started at Pymble as a Year 7 scholarship student with very little interest in STEM.

My whole life, I’d loved reading. My favourite place on campus was the Conde Library; the smell of the stacks, the rows upon rows of books, the little nooks and the heavy swing of the glass entrance doors. I liked the secret feeling of finding a promising novel on the very bottom row of a shelf, which you could only do if you sat on the carpet and tilted your head to one side to read all the spines. I spent many wet-weather lunches there, and also idle after-school hours where, instead of doing homework, I would sit with friends at one of the round tables on the ground floor and chatter about characters and stories.

If you had asked me in those years what I wanted to do after high school, science would have been the last thing on my mind. The humanities — writing and languages in particular — had my absolute loyalty. Science and maths classes, I sat through largely with indifference. That is not to say I did not have good teachers, but rather, I simply did not think of myself as ‘a STEM person’.  Understanding graphs never came naturally to me. Science reading comprehension passages were an exercise in both boredom and frustration. I still remember sitting on a bench at Turramurra station one morning in Year 8, waiting for the train, and crossing out and rewriting and crossing out and rewriting my answers for our first ever ‘introduction to binomials’ homework sheet. By Year 11, I gleefully replaced chemistry with visual arts, and kept maths only because I was told it would be ‘helpful for my ATAR’. For the HSC, I took four units of English, three of Ancient Greek, Latin Continuers and Maths Advanced. (In theory, I suppose I did take Maths Extension 1, but I ended up dropping the course in a fit of panic one week before I had to sit the actual exam. The HSC is truly an interesting period of one’s life.)

Now that I look back on things, however, I wonder how much of this way of thinking, of saying ‘I am a STEM person’ or ‘I am not a STEM person’, is because of what is true, and how much is simply because of what we tell ourselves to believe? In my time at Pymble, I did actually have the opportunity to engage in many maths and science activities. There was the maths tour to the Gold Coast in Year 7, the University of Sydney’s Gifted and Talented Discovery Program in Year 9, the Great Engineering Challenge at UNSW in Year 10, annual AMO competitions, the occasional olympiad, accelerated maths and, frankly, a curriculum whose rigour I did not entirely appreciate until I began the application process for universities in the States and had to sit for US-based standardised testing.

Perhaps it is a testament to the sheer number of opportunities made available to Pymble students, academic and otherwise, that I, as a self-proclaimed ‘non-STEM person’, nevertheless managed to participate in so many STEM-related activities. Indeed, I think of the many opportunities afforded to me throughout my time at Pymble that I otherwise would not have been able to enjoy. That I was able to take a wide range of subjects, and dabble in extracurriculars from debating to fencing to sailing to drawing, is something I feel very grateful for. It has opened my mind to possibility, and encouraged me to try new things that otherwise might seem fanciful or out of reach.

Left: Great Engineering Challenge at UNSW in Year 10. Right: Language Arts Tour to the US in Year 12.

After graduating from Pymble, I ended up attending the University of Pennsylvania, a mid-sized research university in the city of Philadelphia. It was the only US university I was accepted to, and I was drawn there in large part because of the Kelly Writers House — a small Victorian cottage tucked away on the west side of campus that is host to a vibrant undergraduate literary community. Another aspect I appreciated was that students did not have to decide on a major until the end of the second year. Instead, during my first two years, I was encouraged (and in fact required) to take a breadth of classes in a wide range of fields. I had to fulfil coursework in the social sciences, foreign language, the arts and humanities — but also in the natural sciences and quantitative reasoning. It was to satisfy one of these requirements that, in the spring of my first year, I decided to take an introductory astronomy class on the solar system and extrasolar planets.

How to describe the fascination around the topic of extrasolar planets, or ‘exoplanets’? There is something remarkable about the fact that we are able to detect — and even probe the characteristics of — other worlds orbiting stars beyond our own Sun. The existence of these exoplanets naturally raises questions: how are they different to the planets we know? Why? Is our solar system special? Is our Earth unique? And perhaps the most fundamental question of all: are we alone?

After the first few lectures, I was captivated. The instructor for the class was Professor James Aguirre, a dry-humoured man who had a knack for explaining high-level science concepts to a lecture hall full of students with an aversion to equations. I found myself going to office hours every week. I started with questions about the homework assignments, and progressed to asking about theories, current observations. How did scientists actually know about the concepts we were learning in class? What tools did they use to make discoveries and expand our knowledge of the universe? I had never been so curious about what lay beyond the course material before. Perhaps because of this, at the end of the semester, Professor Aguirre asked if I was interested in doing a summer research internship. I was, at the time, the furthest thing from a physics major. I had no coding experience, had never taken a formal physics class, and had not thought about calculus since putting down my pencil at the end of my HSC maths exam. But in the end, despite my reservations, I was still curious enough about astronomy to say yes.

Outside of teaching classes, Professor Aguirre’s work largely involved studying the very early universe to understand how the first galaxies formed. One of the ways he did this was by designing and building balloon-borne telescopes that would be launched high into the Earth’s atmosphere above Antarctica. Once launched, the balloon would be at the whim of the elements, so in order to understand where the telescope was looking, it was necessary to have an array of sensors on board to transmit GPS, orientation, travel speed and other data in real time. That summer, I learned how to build a simple digital thermometer on a circuit board, and write code that would concurrently record the temperature data it took into a database. The idea was that this project would then be expanded to the real sensors, so that their behaviour could be tested in both laboratory and in-flight conditions.

The work was challenging, but rewarding. Professor Aguirre was a patient mentor, and his graduate students were generous with their advice and encouragement. I started to wonder if, perhaps, I was capable of doing astronomy research. The next semester, I tentatively enrolled in the first set of required courses for the physics major. I was worried that I would be a year behind all my peers — but to my surprise, I discovered that what I had learned at Pymble meant that I was well positioned to understand my calculus-based mechanics course and could directly enrol in multivariable calculus. I managed to do well enough in this first set of classes that I felt I could sign up for the next set. By the time my second year at uni came to an end, I declared a physics major with a concentration in astrophysics.

Left: Fiction workshop at the Kelly Writers House. Right: Hiking with fellow summer research interns at the UC Berkeley SETI Research Center.

Now, I am halfway through my fourth year of a PhD program in astronomy and astrophysics at Johns Hopkins University. In my research, I’ve returned to those fundamental questions that so piqued my curiosity in that first astronomy class. What can we learn about the nature of planets and planetary systems? How do they form and evolve over time? To investigate these questions, I study exoplanet atmospheres with two of NASA’s flagship space telescopes: the James Webb Space Telescope, and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (named for NASA’s incredible first Chief of Astronomy; she is worth looking up). It’s not always easy, but it is wonderful and interesting work; I feel very lucky that, every day, my job is essentially to learn new things about our universe.

Left: At NASA Goddard. Behind me is the actual Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope that will be launched earliest late next year! Right: Presenting on Roman exoplanet science at the 245th American Astronomical Society meeting.

A PhD program in the States is combined with a research Master’s, so it takes a long time, often around five or six years. Throughout this time, I have been fortunate enough to work with two truly wonderful advisors, who have supported and encouraged my growth as a researcher. I have had the opportunity to travel all over the States (and overseas) to attend research conferences. And I have met so many incredibly clever and interesting people who are very passionate about the work that they do.

It’s not something you think about as a teenager, bemoaning the purpose of writing yet another PETAL paragraph or having to show your work down the page in maths class, but the longer I have been in academia, the more I find that Pymble has provided me with a strong foundation of fundamental skills crucial to being a good astronomer. There is a surprising amount of writing in research: observing proposals for telescope time, grant proposals for research funding, abstract submissions to present at conferences, and of course the lifeblood of an academic career, papers. The years of debating have meant I’m comfortable with giving talks and thinking on my feet. And perhaps the most important lesson that I learned at Pymble, that there is a world of possibilities out there if we are only brave enough to say yes, has driven me to be unafraid of pursuing new projects and trying new things in my research.

Outside of research, I still love reading novels and writing of the non-academic sort, and have picked up rock climbing and figure skating. I now live in Washington DC with two rambunctious cats, and recently got engaged. As for what comes next, I hope to finish my thesis in the next year or two. After that, perhaps I will find a postdoctoral research position and continue doing exoplanet science, or perhaps I will end up pivoting to something else entirely. But I know that, regardless of where I end up, the strong foundation of skills — and the drive to explore — instilled in me by my time at Pymble will continue to serve me well.

From the Principal

Hard to believe, but we are here once again heading into Christmas. Perhaps you remember the excitement of end-of-school celebrations, our beautiful carols and Christmas Chapel service, and the anticipation of Year 12 returning for their last hurrah in late December, the day after their HSC results are released.This is always a special time at the College, and looking back and reflecting on another year (that has flown by far too quickly) always fills me with a great sense of gratitude and pride. You may recall, 2025 was our designated Year of Respect. This was the first in a series of years when we intentionally shine a light on one College value at a time, noticing and celebrating how each one is demonstrated across K-12 and in all interactions among our wider community. From Year 12, who built uplifting messages of Respect into their ‘Come Alive in 2025’ Prefects’ theme, through to our Junior School, Pymble students approached each term with our respectful behaviour statement front of mind: I value diversity, my own worth and the worth of others. In this heartwarming video created in Term 1, our students, staff and families reflect on how they uphold respectful behaviour in their own way, each day at Pymble. 

This year, we also launched our inaugural Pymble Values Art Prize to celebrate our long-standing commitment to the five College values of Care, Courage, Integrity, Respect and Responsibility, while simultaneously supporting female artists in Australia. This annual acquisitive painting prize awards $30,000 to the artist of the winning submission, which will reflect the year’s designated value. This year, artists were invited to explore the concept of Respect in their submissions. You can view the shortlisted finalists and the winning artwork here. Viva by Lynn Savery will hang proudly in our Main Reception for a few months until we find its forever home on campus, and we warmly invite you to pop in to see it next time you visit Pymble. 

Thank you to all who have engaged in College life in 2025 – in big ways or small. We are grateful to those who have generously gifted their time, knowledge and expertise as Board members, ESU committee members, PPA committee members and volunteers, mentors and corporate partners, guest speakers, careers advisors, reunion convenors and attendees, and champions of our Pymble Foundation. 

We hope to see you in 2026 for our 110 Years celebrations. 

We close the year out in anticipation of the 2026 grand opening of our incredible new facility, Grey House Precinct, in addition to welcoming five more refugee students whose education has been gifted by our big-hearted donors through the Pymble Foundation Bursary program. We remain eternally grateful to our ongoing supporters of our First Nations Scholarship Program, which in 2026 will include 20 Boarders and one day student from different indigenous nations all over Australia. 

Importantly, we look forward to a year filled with even more opportunities to connect as we gather to celebrate 110 years of Pymble Ladies’ College and generations of compassionate and influential women we are proud to call Pymble Alumni. At the start of next year we will share with you a link with an offer to purchase our beautiful coffee table book which celebrates 44 of our incredible ex-students. Each year we will add more to this publication. If you would like to self-nominate or nominate a fellow alumna for inclusion, we would love to hear from you. 

Have a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones and, please, don’t be a stranger in 2026. Signing off with all my respect – and a little help from my elves.

Dr Kate Hadwen
Principal

Careers at Pymble

Early Years School Recruitment Now Open

Pymble Ladies’ College is preparing for the opening of our new Early Years School, which will provide the highest quality early education and care for boys and girls from three months to six years of age.

This purpose-built centre will reflect the excellence, values and educational philosophy that define Pymble, offering an exceptional learning experience for our youngest learners and their families.

As part of our preparation, we are now seeking Expressions of Interest from passionate and qualified:

• Early Childhood Teachers

• Early Childhood Educators (Diploma and Certificate III qualified)

Educators in the Early Years School will play a vital role in designing and delivering high-quality educational programs aligned with our philosophy. Central to all roles will be the development of secure, trusting relationships with children and their families, ensuring a nurturing and enriching environment that reflects Pymble’s commitment to excellence.

If you know outstanding Early Childhood Teachers or Educators who are making a meaningful impact in other settings, we warmly welcome referrals.

To learn more about these opportunities and what it will be like to work in our state-of-the-art, purpose-built Early Years School, please visit the Current Opportunities page on the Pymble Ladies’ College website HERE.

ESU Grant 2025 – Australian Author Writer-in-Residence

Thanks to a generous grant from the Ex-Students’ Union, acclaimed Australian author Emily Maguire spent a week as writer-in-residence at the College in Term 2, 2025.

The initiative was designed and led by Jo Howe, Senior English teacher and Lead Teacher of Excellence for Stage 6 English at Pymble. With a tertiary background in linguistics, Jo is deeply passionate about developing students as confident, capable writers. Her teaching centres on fostering a love of words and language and encouraging students to see reading and writing as lifelong sources of joy and meaning.

At a time when schools are navigating declining student reading rates and the growing influence of generative AI on writing, the writer-in-residence program was a timely and purposeful intervention. It aimed to re-engage students with the craft of writing and to encourage them to read texts through a writer’s lens, embracing both the challenges and rewards of the writing process.

Across a week of tailored lectures, workshops and mentoring sessions, Emily worked with almost every Senior School English student. Sessions were carefully adapted to suit different year groups and course requirements. Year 11 English Standard students explored personal connections, or “touchstones”, in literature and everyday art, learning how to transform these into authentic and emotionally resonant writing. Year 11 English Advanced students engaged with Emily’s insights into postmodern fiction, analysing complex texts from a writer’s perspective. With Year 12 students, the focus shifted to the demands of HSC coursework, including discursive writing, world-building and character development. Emily also mentored keen younger writers from Years 9 and 10 in the Talent Development Program.

The outcomes of the residency were significant. Student feedback reflected renewed enthusiasm for writing, increased confidence in revising and refining work, and a deeper appreciation of writing as both a craft and a form of personal expression. The experience was equally enriching for staff who gained fresh approaches to teaching writing and valuable insight into the professional life of an Australian author.

The Ex-Students’ Union’s support plays a vital role in bringing high-quality, inspiring artists into the College, enriching both student learning and teacher practice. Emily Maguire’s residency strengthened writing skills and motivation while reaffirming the enduring power of storytelling in a rapidly changing world. We are deeply grateful to the Ex-Students’ Union for their generosity and ongoing commitment to Pymble teachers and students.

Jo Howe, Lead Teacher English

Pymble Connections App is now live

A friendly reminder that Pymble Connections, our new online platform, is now live and ready for you to join! 

Click HERE to join Pymble Connections and start exploring! 

Whether you are looking to reconnect with your peers, explore career opportunities, or stay in the loop with alumni news and events, this is YOUR space.  

What you’ll find inside: 

• A comprehensive alumni directory 

• Professional mentoring portal 

• Groups by year, location, interests, and profession 

• Alumni news, stories, and digital resources 

• Job opportunities board 

• Events and social media feeds 

Why join? 

Pymble Connections is a convenient and secure way to connect with Alumni all over world! Connecting with each other is an essential part of personal and professional success. Pymble Connections is a place for all generations of Pymble Alumni to share ideas, expertise and experience, and celebrate your journey beyond the College gates.  

Ready to explore? 

As a valued member of our Alumni community, we want to thank you for your contributions to reunions and keeping our community connected. We would appreciate your support in helping us spread the word amongst your Pymble Alumni networks. 

An exciting new feature 

The web-browser app is now live! Simply register and login on your mobile device and you will be prompted to download the app. Compatible with both Apple and Google-play devices.  

If you have any questions or would like more information, please reach out to us at pymbleconnections@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au. We can’t wait to welcome you!

Natalie Reid (2014)

Alumni Project Manager
Pymble Connections

Contact Details

Please update your contact details with us as soon as you move or change your information – we want to stay in touch with you and ensure we can keep you updated on all things Pymble! 

Click here to update your details. 

Follow us on Instagram

Calling all Pymble alumni! We’re on Instagram so if you haven’t already, follow us at @pymblelcalumni to stay up to date with all the latest news and events.

2025 HSC Results

Congratulations to our Class of 2025!

Illuminate

Pymble Ladies’ College publishes its research and innovation journal twice a year that features a diverse range of articles written by staff members and guest writers. You can read the latest edition of the College’s research publication, Illuminate: Research and Innovation, Edition 11 2025 below:

Pymbulletin

Pymbulletin is our magazine-style publication covering student, staff and College news, initiatives, events and achievements.