6 June 2025
St Leonards-based Bradfield Senior College marked Luna Park’s 90th anniversary last week with SMILE, a student-led, multi-sensory celebration of one of Sydney’s most iconic landmarks.
As part of their HSC and vocational training, 150 Year 11 students spent 16 weeks designing and producing the large-scale public event, held on-site at the park. Featuring a vintage carnival theme, the production included immersive theatre, film, exhibitions and live performance.
A highlight of the event was a timeline mural tracing Luna Park’s 90-year history, alongside Memories of Luna Park, an audio installation blending oral histories with verbatim performance. Students also screened Dream Ride, a short film exploring the park’s most famous attractions, and showcased digital artworks, dance pieces, live music and student-designed merchandise.
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The event was both a tribute to Luna Park and a real-world testbed for Bradfield’s educational model, which combines the Higher School Certificate with Vocational Education and Training (VET) in creative industries. The college, located in St Leonards, is jointly operated by the NSW Department of Education and TAFE NSW.
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said the school’s outcomes were particularly strong for students facing challenges. “It’s incredibly encouraging to see that 90% of Bradfield Senior College students go on to further education, training or employment,” he said. “Bradfield is helping students to not just stay in school but to thrive – especially those who previously struggled with neurodiversity, mental health, or social barriers.”
TAFE NSW managing director Chloe Read said the SMILE project was a model of curriculum-industry alignment. “Bradfield embeds real-world projects into the classroom. We’re empowering students with purpose and giving them a head start in their career,” she said.
Bradfield director Meredith Melville-Jones said the college’s integrated project-based approach has been in place since 2015. “SMILE is a fantastic example of how the HSC can be done differently,” she said.
Luna Park head of strategy and experiences Lucy Keeler praised the collaboration. “Luna Park has been Sydney’s living canvas for 90 years… we are very proud to support the next generation of creative professionals,” she said.
Student participants included Jude Goodall, who rediscovered education through vocational study in screen and media; Finn Krausmann, who contributed to the mural and is planning a career in makeup and performance; and Kenya Borlotti, who found a creative peer community and a platform for performing arts work at the school.