Until just a couple of years ago, where Googong Public School now resides was a rolling plain of cow pasture.
But as school year 2024 begins, the glowing red eyes of school warning signs flashing its arrival, Googong Public, just near the border to the ACT, is welcoming its 700-plus students back to class, including 147 kids in kindy.
And it's going to be a tough few weeks for the teachers at Googong Public as well, given their kindy class will have three sets of twins, along with triplets.
First through the gates with mum Kylie are Izaac and Matilda Poulton.
"They've been counting down, purely just to put their uniform on," mum says.
Izaac and Matilda strap their new bags to their backs, check the buckles are locked, and then proudly march alongside Principal Rebekah Lindsay to what will be their classroom, but not for the full day today.
Today they'll spend just an hour or so in class, to allow their teachers to build up some knowledge about what they know, an assessment called "Best Start".
"We want to see if they can recognise sounds and numbers, those sort of things," Lindsay says.
"It gives the teacher a really good insight into what the students can do, before they even start."
It also helps with building confidence.
"Just getting them used to the environment," assistant kindergarten principal Jacqui Cooke says.
Izaac seems to want to breathe it all in on day one.
"Are we allowed in that one?" he says, pointing to an adjoining room.
"What are these for?" he asks, lifting a round-coloured button.
Cooke admits to not knowing.
She'll know in future to ask Izaac.
"They make talking sounds, watch!" he reveals.
Two minutes later, he pleads: "Can I eat some of my lunchbox? And can you help me undo the zips in case they're hard?"
"Of course," Cooke says, "I love the way you asked for help."
And having some time to acclimatise is just fine for twin girls Matilda and Audrey, along with triplets Julian, Liam and Stephanie, who are also joining Izaac and Matilda for the start of their scholastic careers.
The triplets would warm up quickly, as would Matilda, but Audrey was requiring a little bit more convincing.
Izaac leans into the triplets' mum Teresa.
"Are they all your kids?" he queries, brow cocked.
"Mmm hmmm'" says Teresa, "all three."
Izaac seems quietly impressed.
"It was an interesting emotional spectrum here today," I note to Cooke.
"It really was," she says.
"We had the full gamut, and we'll get that on Tuesday when they start properly for the full day."
Izaac is still buzzing around, exploring and posing questions.
"Have you got a whip and a chair, because you're going to be needing it for the next six years," I quip to Cooke.
She is not concerned. In fact, she's thrilled.
"He is so excited," she says.
"We were just reading a story together about being eager."
"Was it an autobiography?" I inquire.
And in late news: one more set of twins has just this afternoon been added to the kindy roll call for Googong Public.
