You're invited to the Port Macquarie Steiner School Open Day at 8 Table Street Port Macquarie Meet the Steiner teachers and team, explore kindergarten and experience Steiner classrooms. Everyone welcome, please RSVP online. 

For families interested in learning more about Steiner Education we have two free information sessions at Port Macquarie Hastings Library this March. Please register online to attend. We look forward to meeting current and future families. 

Andrew Hill from Steiner Education Australia will be visiting Port Macquarie to share more about how Steiner Education supports children's learning.  

How Does Steiner Education Build Meaningful Lives? 
Location: Port Macquarie Library Grant St, Port Macquarie NSW 2444. Meeting Room 2
Register Online

“Our highest endeavour is to produce young men and women who out of themselves are able
to impart meaning and direction to their own lives.”
From the Foreword to the first edition of Dr Rudolf Steiner’s Foundations of Human Experience
How does Steiner education build meaningful lives? Over recent years there has been some fascinating research that details just what constitutes a meaningful life. Among the key elements are purpose, story-telling, belonging and transcendence. Sound familiar?
Yes, these “pillars of meaningfulness” are exactly what Steiner schools aim to deliver. But we do much more. This talk will draw together the elements of Steiner education that deliver a meaningful education and form the “pillars” of a lifelong meaningful journey for our students.


Steiner 101: Mythbusting and More
Location: Port Macquarie Library Grant St, Port Macquarie NSW 2444. Meeting Room 2
Register Online

There is much more to Steiner education than meets the eye. Here is an opportunity to glimpse into the hidden secrets of the natural way in which children can progress from early childhood play to the intellectual rigours of senior high school. Little is widely known about the vertical curriculum of Steiner education and how it meets the developmental needs of children. In this presentation we step beyond the misconceptions of Steiner education and acquire a new perspective of how consciousness emerges and matures in our contemporary society.
On offer is a presentation from the CEO of Steiner Education Australia who outlines how Rudolf Steiner pioneered many of the key defining characteristics of mainstream 21st century education. Whilst Steiner had to use language that was addressed to Europeans at the start of the 20th century, his true message was for the world 100 years later ie now, and beyond. This presentation serves as an introduction to Steiner education for parents and teachers who are new to a Steiner school.


Andrew Hill, CEO Steiner Education Australia

Andrew Hill trained in Anthropology at the University of Sydney. He lived for a year in the rainforest completing a study of the culture of one of the First Nations people of Malaysia, is fluent in their language, and has maintained a lifelong connection with his adopted family there.
He taught Behavioural Science in Medicine at the Universities of Sydney and Newcastle before becoming a Steiner teacher. He was involved in founding and establishing the first ten years of the Newcastle Waldorf School where he took his first Class Teacher cycle.
At Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School, Sydney he took two more class teacher cycles, and taught high school up to Year 12. He was Collegiate Chair and Head of School at Glenaeon for 14 years, where he led the renewal of Australia’s first Steiner school. He was one of the original writers of the government approved Australian Steiner Curriculum Framwork, and based on his lifelong connection with Asian and First Nations communities, he has been active in working on a global Steiner-Waldorf curriculum.
He is a regular presenter on Steiner education at schools and conferences in Australia and internationally, and has been involved in teacher training for many years at the January Class Teacher Intensives as well as in Waldorf schools in South East Asia, where he currently mentors a number of developing schools in Malaysia and Indonesia. He joined the Anthroposophical Society at the age of 21, and has been the CEO of Steiner Education Australia since 2023.

Port Macquarie Steiner School has reached an exciting milestone with construction now underway on the first stage of the new campus located at John Oxley Drive, Thrumster. The first three buildings of the new campus are scheduled to open in the second half of 2026, marking the beginning of a transformative chapter for the school community.

The turning of the soil ceremony took place at the new campus location on the corner of Aspect Court and John Oxley Drive on Friday 28 November. The school community celebrated the start of construction and the years of planning, vision and collaboration coming to fruition.

Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan congratulated the school community for bringing their vision to life. The first stage of the new campus has been made possible through a total of $2.345 million of Federal Government Funding through the Capital Grants Program, which awarded across the 2022, 2024 and 2025 grant rounds. 

The project has also been supported by the extraordinary generosity of Building Fund donors, strong support from our local community and school fundraising efforts.

"Investment in regional education is vital, particularly for schools like the Port Macquarie Steiner School, offering families a wholistic approach to learning that focus on children learning in a way that reflects their stage of development. This is a fantastic outcome for the Port Macquarie community. Congratulations to everyone involved," said Mr Pat Conaghan. 
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At Port Macquarie Steiner School, music is a part of daily school life. From the rhythmic songs of the kindergarten morning circle to the harmonies of the marimba and recorder ensembles in the upper classes, music weaves through every stage of a child’s learning journey.

Music as a Path to Wholeness
In Steiner education, music nurtures the whole child — head, heart, and hands.

Singing, playing instruments and moving to rhythm help children connect with themselves and the world around them. Through melody and rhythm, children experience balance, harmony, and joy.

Music supports emotional wellbeing, strengthens memory and concentration, and fosters empathy and cooperation. When children make music together, they learn to listen deeply to one another, to the group and to the subtle patterns of sound and silence.

A Developmental Journey
Music in the Steiner curriculum unfolds in harmony with each child’s stage of development:

• In Kindergarten, singing and movement are woven into daily routines, bringing comfort, joy, and rhythm to the day.
• In the early primary years, children begin to explore simple instruments such as recorders, lyres, and percussion. These build fine motor skills, listening, and breath control.
• By the middle and upper years, students are reading music, performing in ensembles, and expressing themselves through composition, harmony, and song.

Each stage builds naturally on the last, allowing confidence and skill to grow.

From Class 3, all students begin learning to play either violin or cello and these lessons continue weekly until the end of class 6. The school provides the instruments, and a small hire fee is charged, along with the lesson fees, on a term by term basis. Learning to play a string instrument contributes to a child's development in so many ways and allows them to express themselves musically.

Strength and coordination in the hands and fingers, crossing the midline with the bow, listening carefully to pitch and tone production, and learning to read music notation. The dedication over a long period of time teaches perseverance, and achievements are well earned.

Studies have demonstrated the benefits of developing the unique neurological pathways between both hemispheres of the brain that comes with learning a stringed instrument, with improved classroom and academic performance as a result.

​For neuro-diverse students, learning music has additional therapeutic benefits, providing a safe space to connect and express themselves creatively. Each week all the strings students gather to play together in the school string ensemble, led by one of the strings tutors. Students learn the important skills and enjoyment of playing music as a group, including teamwork, active listening and advancing aural skills.

Music Builds Community
Music brings our school community together at festivals, assemblies and seasonal celebrations. Whether it’s a simple morning song or a full marimba performance, music creates purpose and belonging.

​The Gift of a Musical Education
Through music, children learn to listen, collaborate and express their inner life with confidence. These are qualities that last far beyond their school years. In Steiner education, we see music as a gift that strengthens the will and awakens creativity in every child.

The Port Macquarie Steiner School Spring Festival was a beautiful celebration of renewal, growth, and community spirit. As families gathered, the sounds of the Marimba and Percussion Orchestra welcomed everyone, filling the air with rhythm and excitement.

Once everyone had arrived, we came together for a heartfelt Acknowledgement of Country, led by Lorelei, who shared a thoughtful reflection from a cosmic perspective—reminding us of our place in the wider universe at this time of renewal. Jodee followed with an earthly reflection on spring, grounding us in the beauty and abundance of the season.

The morning unfolded in true Steiner spirit, with each class sharing music, movement, and joy:
Kindergarten children began the festival, gathering at the Spring Pole as “caterpillars in their chrysalis.” Guided by Jodee and Kerry, they emerged as “butterflies,” singing and dancing around the pole to I Like the Flowers—a moment that brought smiles all around.

Class 1/2 followed with Awaken Little Butterflies before performing their spring dance, while Class 3/4 delighted us with their recorder performance of Celtic Dance and a lively ribbon dance accompanied by Lisa, Natasha, and Heather.

Class 5/6 added a rhythmic energy with their clapping song Four White Horses, leading beautifully into a staff performance featuring Yonder Come Day, I’m Gonna Sing My Love Today, and Deep in My Heart.

For the grand finale, the Marimba and Ensemble came together for the first time ever—an incredible moment of unity and sound. Together, they performed Spring Marimba, Let’s Rock, Skye Boat Song, and Ode to Joy, filling the grounds with music and celebration.

As the performances came to a close, families stayed to enjoy morning tea and conversation while the children returned to their classrooms for a special spring treat and outdoor play.
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It was a joyful day that reflected the heart of our school—connection, creativity, and the celebration of life’s natural rhythms. Thanks to all the helpers, students and families who joined us to celebrate.