WA College of Agriculture Morawa open day showcases farm life far from the traditional classroom

The WA College of Agriculture in Morawa opened its gates for its annual open day last week, giving visitors a hands-on taste of rural education.

From horseriding to car mechanics, aquaculture to animal care, students demonstrated the large range of skills taught on campus.

“Our students are our biggest asset,” principal Dean Carslake told 7NEWS Regional.

“They sell the college on open day, they just step right up. They’re a valued part of this community.”

Visitors, including 250 primary school students, explored large-scale learning environments far different from the traditional classrooms. They shared space with horses, sheep, or machinery and engaged in activities such as animal feeding, paintball painting and the staple sheep shearing.

School captains Isabelle Bergamo and Peter Chegwidden shared insights into their experience, including the equine program and the close-knit boarding lifestyle.

“I’ve been telling people about the equine course that we do, telling them about the after-hours riding and resi (residential) life and how everything sort of works with the horses,” Isabelle said.

Peter said: “It’s just lots of hands-on opportunities, and like lots of pathways that you can set yourself up for with.

“(Like) pathways in automotive engineering or farming.”

The college plays a vital role in preparing the next generation to keep Australia fed, clothed and moving, one practical lesson at a time.