Alice H (Year 11)

There are some places at school that people naturally gravitate towards.  

The library before exams.  

The oval on a sunny day.  

Now, the new WCC canteen and Year 12 café have joined that list. 

In only a few weeks, the new canteen space has completely transformed recess and lunch across the College. What used to be a rushed mission across bridges and pathways has become one of the busiest, brightest and most exciting places on campus. Whether students are stopping in for a muffin before class, or lining up for a cheese and bacon roll before they sell out (which they somehow always do), the new space has quickly become more than just a canteen. It feels like a hub. And honestly, it’s hard to imagine the school without it now.  

But while students are only just experiencing the finished product, for the canteen staff, this moment has been years in the making, from Food Trucks to one of the Biggest School Canteens in NSW.  

Most Year 12 students are familiar with the temporary food truck setup. Long lines. Tight spaces. Trying to figure out where to stand. But behind the scenes, the transition was even bigger for the canteen team itself.  

“We went from the canteen on Science Road, which was not huge, but it was functional, and we had a lot of space,” explained Miss Karen, who is now in her 16th year working at WCC.  

“Then we went down to the food trucks, where there was no space, and we had a temporary canteen. Adjusting to that, we all had to learn how to manoeuvre around each other.”  

And while students only saw the front counter, the logistics behind the scenes were intense.  

“Because we had to wheel the food from the food trucks into the canteen, we had to make sure we followed the guidelines of food safety, so there was nothing in the danger zone. We had to work together even more as a team, because there were 2-3 of us in a truck that was very, very small.”  

Now, after multiple transitions and temporary setups, the team has finally moved into a permanent space, and according to Miss Karen, it has been worth every challenge. “Moving to here was amazing,” she says.  

The first thing most students notice walking into the café is the atmosphere. Everything feels open. Bright. Modern. For Years 10–12, especially, the location has been a gamechanger.  

“It’s nice not to have to cross the bridge or half the school to get there,” one student shared. Another described it as “way easier to access for Years 10–12.” Others pointed straight to the design itself. “The interior looks really nice. “The seating area will be so much more convenient once it’s opened.”  

And while students are excited for the upcoming open seating to complete the café-style experience, the staff are just as excited about what’s happening behind the counter.  

“Well, the dishwashing for one,” Miss Karen laughed when asked about the biggest improvements. “When we were on Science Road, we had a very small, under-the-bench dishwasher. It was commercial, but it wasn’t great. Here, we have a whole dishwashing station that rivals any restaurant, anywhere.”  

The kitchen now includes a walk-in freezer, a walk-in cool room, upgraded ovens, and significantly more preparation space.  

“It’s incredible, makes our lives easier because we’re not bending as much.” “Where before we were bending down and having a normal, everyday-sized freezer, now we just slide the door open, walk in, get what we want, it’s all hip level and up, it’s good ergonomically as well.” It’s a space designed to support the people working in it every single day.  

No WCC canteen article would be complete without discussing the real priority: the menu.  

Some student reviews were glowing. Others… more brutally honest.  

“Questionable chicken in the chicken burger.” “Nachos were $7, but only 8 tortilla chips and some red sauce.”  

Still, some menu items remain undefeated.  

“Nuggets and cheese and bacon rolls, they’re the first things to go,” Miss Karen revealed.  

But interestingly, she’s also noticed students increasingly choosing fresh options too. “At the moment, a lot more students are buying the fresh sandwiches, fruit salads, yoghurts and all that sort of thing.” And if you’re wondering what the staff recommendation is? “Well, Miss Paula does an absolute cracker of a chicken Caesar salad,” so I know what I’ll be trying next time I forget lunch.  

What makes the new canteen and café feel special isn’t just the architecture or the upgraded kitchen equipment. It’s the people inside it. While students see recess and lunch, the canteen staff see the early mornings, preparation, organisation, and constant movement required to make the entire operation run smoothly.  

“We had to get used to where things were. Like, “where do we put the knives,” or “where do we put the spatula, are the ovens switched on,” – it’s just a lot more equipment to have to get ready in the morning. That’s why we started at 6:45: we start at 7, but we get in at 6:45.”  

For sixteen years, Miss Karen and the team have served generations of WCC students through every canteen setup imaginable, from Science Road to food trucks to now one of the largest private school canteen kitchens in New South Wales.  

And despite every transition, one thing has stayed consistent: the care they put into what they do. In fact, just recently, the canteen underwent a surprise health inspection.  

“We had a health inspection from the council. They don’t give us notice anymore, they turn up and say, ‘we’re coming to inspect,’ and we pass with flying colours.” That pride is obvious the moment you walk through the doors.  

At first glance, the new café might just look like a beautiful new building. But after speaking to the staff and students who fill it every day, it’s clear that it has already become something much bigger than that. It’s where students gather before class. Where Year 12’s bolt to get their mandatory caramel iced lattes to inevitably drink during class, and where the school feels connected.  

The café has brought new energy to campus, and after years of temporary setups and transitions, it feels like the canteen staff finally have a space that reflects everything they’ve been doing for students all along.  

So next time you grab a muffin, a sandwich, Miss Paula’s absolute cracker of a chicken Caesar salad, or one of the famous cheese and bacon rolls before they disappear, maybe take a second to appreciate the people behind the counter, too.  

Because the new WCC café may be shiny and new.  

But the heart of it has been there the whole time.