Sports Day

2025 Winner: Team Angus

Final Scores: Angus - 255 Kerr - 243 Tolley & Newman - 224

2024 Winner: Team Angus

Final Scores: Angus - 253 Tolley - 244 Kerr - 235 Newman - 223

2023 Winner: Team Kerr

Final Scores: Kerr 268 pts. Angus 221 pts. Newman 206 pts. Tolley 200 pts.

2022 Winner: Team Kerr

Final Scores: Kerr 269 pts. Tolley 317 pts. Angus 308 pts. Newman 327 pts.

Indianna - Cpt. Fergus - Cpt, Cooper - Dep Cpt, Amanda - Dep Cpt. Vera - Cpt,

2021 Winner: Team Newman

Final Scores: Newman 327 pts. Tolley 317 pts. Angus 308 pts. Kerr 291 pts.

2020 Winner: Team Tolley

Final Scores: Tolley 417 pts. Newman 415 pts. Kerr 409 pts. Angus 408 pts.

2019 Winner: Team Angus

2018 Winner: Team Angus

2017 Winner: Team Angus

2016 Winner: Team Kerr

2015 Winner: Team Tolley

This annual event has very strong community support and is a wonderful day.

The four house teams are:

Angus - Green.
The first Ardtornish school was established in 1847 by Angus McLaine an early settler who upon becoming a successful farmer donated the land and funds to build the school on the proviso that it was called Ardtornish after his birth place in Scotland. Team ‘Angus’ is named in his honour.

Kerr - Red.
Once established the school found it difficult to keep staff until, in 1857, its most popular teacher, Charles Kerr was appointed. Students in his care developed high academic skills and the school soon gained a reputation across the state for outstanding standards and achievement. Team ‘Kerr’ keeps his memory alive and reminds us all of the importance of good teachers.

Newman - Yellow.
Team ‘Newman’ is named after the Newman family who established Newman's Nursery in 1875, one of the states first, and made a major contribution to the state’s horticultural development.

Tolley - Blue.
Team Tolley recognises the work of the Tolley family who, in 1892, established vineyards and a winery in the area and went on to produce the famous ‘St Agnes Brandy’.

To learn more about the history of our school go to our history page.

Highland Games and the Caber Toss

In their original form, many centuries ago, Highland games revolved around athletic and sports competitions. The caber toss — has come to almost symbolize the Highland games

In recognition our school's historical link to Scotland the last event of our sports day is a caber toss performed by the Captains of each team. This tradition was begun in 2010.

Caber toss: A long tapered pine pole or log is stood upright and hoisted by the competitor who balances it vertically holding the smaller end in his hands (see photo). Then the competitor runs forward attempting to toss it in such a way that it turns end over end with the upper (larger) end striking the ground first.

The smaller end that was originally held by the athlete then hits the ground in the 12 o'clock position measured relative to the direction of the run. If successful, the athlete is said to have turned the caber.

Cabers vary greatly in length, weight, taper, and balance, all of which affect the degree of difficulty in making a successful toss. Competitors are judged on how closely their throws approximate the ideal 12 o'clock toss on an imaginary clock.

Caber shattered in 2020!

After 10 years of faithful service the school caber was shattered at the hands of Hayden, a Tolley team captain, in one incredibly long and powerful toss. Hence, no points were earned from this event by any teams in a close run up to the final tally. With no hope of using their caber tossing skills to boost their final scores, in a very close competition, the other teams lost narrowly to Tolley who last held the winners trophy in 2015.

Rhys uses new caber to win the 2021 Sports Day for Newman with a mighty toss.

In an incredibly close event, Rhys used the school's new caber to snatch victory with a mighty throw that was well over a metre beyond that of Tolley, its closest competitor. The five extra points he earned gave Newman its first victory since since 2013.