Orange College Students Build Dream Play House for Botanic Ridge Primary School

Featured on Channel 7’s Sunrise Helping Hand Program, Orange College Carpentry and Painting and Decorating students transform the school playground in just two weeks.

Orange College has partnered with Carpentry Australia to deliver a new Play house and a Balance beam to Melbourne’s Botanic Ridge Primary School as part of Sunrise’s Helping Hand program. The collaborative community initiative showcases how education and industry partnerships can create meaningful impact while providing students with invaluable real-world experience highlighting the role of the international student community in Australia.

A Grocery Store Adventure Comes to Life

The Play house, designed as a pretend-play grocery store features four distinct windows representing a cafe, produce section, bakery, and grocery store. Each section is adorned with one of Botanic Ridge Primary School’s House Group animals: Harrison (snake), Terrick (frilled-neck lizard), Walker (wedge-tailed eagle), and Charles (stingray). These houses represent four influential families from the local Aboriginal community, symbolising the school’s continued commitment to upholding the Aboriginal perspective in education.

Real Skills, Real Impact

Under the expert guidance and supervision of trainers Mark, Anthony, and project leader Damian, Orange College’s carpentry and painting and decorating students — representing more than 15 nationalities — applied their respective skills to a tangible community project in just two weeks. The build allowed students to demonstrate competency in several key units including:

• CPCCCA3004 Construct and erect wall frames

• CPCCCA3005 Construct ceiling frames

• CPCCCA3017 Install exterior cladding

• CPCCCA3008 Construct eaves

• CPCCPD3035 Prepare uncoated surfaces for painting

• CPCCPD3030  Apply Protective Paint Coating systems

•  CPCCPD3022 Apply Paint by brush and roller

• CPCCPD2012 USe painting and decorating tools and equipment

Behind the Scenes: A 5AM Start

The filming and installation day on Wednesday, August 13th 2025, required dedication from everyone involved. The Orange College crew, including our Carpentry students Abhishek, Utku, Andry, Yao Wei, The Vy, and Thanh and trainers Anthony and Damian, began their day at 5:00 AM, working alongside various tradies to level the ground and install the cubby house. The early morning energy was infectious, with Botanic Ridge Primary School students from prep to grade 6 joining the excitement from 5:30 AM.

The Big Reveal

When the moment finally arrived for the big reveal, the joy on the children’s faces said it all. The new cubby house wasn’t just a playground addition – it was a symbol of what’s possible when education, industry, and community come together with a shared purpose.

A Legacy of Community Impact

This latest project represents the culmination of Orange College’s growing commitment to community engagement. The college’s journey in meaningful community projects began with humble origins – a simple cubby house created for a staff Christmas party in 2022. When a Dessert Corner team member recognised its potential as a mobile ice cream stand, it inspired a custom version on wheels. Rather than accepting payment, both parties chose to donate the production fee to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne establishing the generosity and purpose that continues to drive Orange College’s community initiatives.

From its meaningful beginnings, Orange College has steadily expanded the scope and impact of its community projects. In mid-2023, through a partnership with Port Phillip Men’s Shed (PPMS), students contributed to plant protection efforts for Little Penguins at St Kilda Pier by producing plant protectors to help seedlings establish and provide nourishment for the birds (June 2023). Shortly after, the team demonstrated their craftsmanship and attention to detail by repairing and restoring the Honour Boards of Members’ Names for the South Yarra Cricket Club (July 2023).

Later in the year, the college extended its environmental contributions to Tasmania by participating in Project Swift (September 2023), supporting conservation efforts led by Gio Fitzpatrick to build and install innovative nesting boxes for the endangered Swift parrot. Concurrently, students assisted with the PPMS Kitchen Garden and landscaping improvements (November 2023) and contributed packing materials for Pollinator Hotels in December 2023, creating habitats for native bees and insects to enhance local biodiversity.

The college’s community portfolio expanded further through their engagement with Port Phillip Specialist School. After carefully understanding the school’s needs during their renovation process, Orange College students designed and built a cubby house along with waiting bay benches specifically to support kindergarten students.

Additional projects have included timber framing, cabinetry, and painting work at Sankat Mochan Temple, followed by the construction of pollinator hotels at the Eco Centre. The college has also refurbished benches at St Kilda Uniting Church, created seating benches for Kali Mata Mandir, and most recently completed themed sheds for World Series Paintball. Each project builds upon the last, consistently linking students’ developing skills to meaningful community needs.

More Than Just Construction

This project perfectly embodies Orange College’s mission of education with purpose and giving back to the community. By providing students with opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings, the college ensures that learning extends far beyond the classroom walls. Seeing our students develop their talent and bringing smiles to those children’s faces makes it all unique, worthwhile and rewarding.

A big thank you to Nathan for giving us the opportunity to be part of this special project through our very first collaboration as an organisational member of Carpentry Australia. The vision behind Sunrise’s Helping Hand project beautifully reflects Orange College’s own commitment to hands-on learning for international students and to fostering meaningful connections within the community.

The cubby house project was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Sunrise’s Helping Hand program, Orange College, Carpentry Australia, Mitre 10, Artisan Home, Wood Solutions, Glencoe and Pakenham Crane Trucks who volunteered their time and resources.