Hellyer College

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Hellyer College is one of eight senior secondary (years 11-12) public education colleges in Tasmania, Australia. Established in 1976, it provides academic and vocational training to around 2,000 students from around Tasmania, focussing on its physical location of Burnie in the North West Coast of Tasmania. Hellyer College is one of only 2 public schools catering for years 11 and 12 in the North West Coast of Tasmania, alongside the Don College in Devonport and is one of only 8 public year 11 and 12 schools in Tasmania. Hellyer College was named after Henry Hellyer, who was an explorer in north west Tasmania during the 1820s. Hellyer College is the 3rd largest (in terms of student numbers) school in Tasmania.

The population of Hellyer College is made up of students from all over Tasmania, including the 4 high schools in Burnie and many regional and remote schools, primarily around the North West and West of Tasmania. Some of these remote schools go up to year 11 and 12 in their own school, and students may choose to stay there. Students from some remote schools are divided between attending Hellyer College or Don College in year 11 and 12.

Prior to 1990, Hellyer College catered for between 750-900 students. Changes in the Australian unemployment laws meant that children aged between 16-18 could no longer go on to unemployment benefits, and needed to continue to go to school until they were 18. Because of this, combined with the high unemployment rate in the North West Coast of Tasmania, the student numbers at Hellyer College doubled in a period of 2 years. Since 1992 they have remained steadily at approximately 2,000 students. These changes meant that a large proportion of the students at Hellyer College had no intention of entering university or any form of higher education. As a result, since 1990 Hellyer College has moved towards more vocational courses, and currently combines with the neighbouring TAFE college to offer a wide variety of VET subjects.

Hellyer College has boarding facilities, located in Burnie or Wynyard, for students who come from remote locations to attend senior secondary college.

Prior to 1992, grade 11-12 was referred to as matriculation college, and was not considered to be a normal part of high school. Under the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE), grades 9-12 all fall under the level of "senior secondary". Schooling in Tasmania does not currently reflect this change in award, and many people still refer to schools like Hellyer College as "matric" or simply as "college". This should not be confused with the American usage of the word college, to mean university.

The school newsletter for Hellyer College is called the Darwinian, and is named after Charles Darwin.

Hellyer College is situated opposite the Burnie Institute of TAFE and across the road from the North-west campus of the University of Tasmania, on Mooreville Road.