16th September 2025
Pymble Ladies’ College Scientific Rite of Passage at Vision Valley
Partnering with Civica’s ArborSafe and Quantal BioScience, Pymble is breaking new ground in STEM education for girls through real-world climate research in the Australian bush.
Nestled in a remote pocket of bushland near the Hawkesbury River, Vision Valley , Pymble Ladies’ College’s outdoor education campus, is a place for year 9 girls to challenge themselves physically, socially and emotionally. In 2023, the College set a bold new ambition: to also challenge students academically, by embedding real-world science research into the heart of their four-week residential program.
Tom Riley,
Head of Vision Valley Campus,
Pymble Ladies' College.
The third time we ran it, we knew we’d got it right. So many kids stayed behind to ask more questions. That’s how you know it’s working
Key outcomes
90+
Year 9 students engaged across 3 rotations in live climate research
Top 1
World’s largest methylotroph dataset in progress – with potential global significance
100%
Actionable insights for climate and urban planning – linking tree species to methane reduction
Tom Riley,
Head of Vision Valley Campus,
Pymble Ladies' College.
Neil, our arborist from Civica, teaches the students about leaf shape, hydrophobicity, and ecology. He brings plant science to life – and that connection to the natural world is something we really value
Conclusion
As the program continues to grow and evolve, Pymble Ladies’ College is proving that the future of science doesn’t have to wait until university. It can start right here, in the heart of the bush, with a group of curious Year 9 girls - and a harmonica-sized DNA sequencer.
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