Grey, who has never been to China, said the performance had made her even more eager to visit the country.

　　"After seeing this, I might be booking my flights tonight," she said with a laugh.

　　Founded in 1861, Geelong College has longstanding ties with China. It is the alma mater of George Ernest Morrison, an Australian journalist and scholar who had served as The Times' correspondent in Beijing.

　　That connection continues in new ways today.

　　Members of an arts troupe from southwest China's Sichuan Province perform during a Chinese Culture Day event at Geelong College in Australia, Sept. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Haijing)

　　Shen Feng, a Chinese teacher at Geelong College, said Chinese is taught to all students in the school's primary years, while older students can continue studying it as an elective subject through Year 12.

　　Every two years, Shen takes a group of students to China, with the trips drawing strong interest among students.

　　"When they come back, their attitude toward learning Chinese in the classroom changes completely," Shen said. "They know who speaks the language and what the country is really like."

　　Experiencing China's vastness, long history and diverse cities firsthand helps students see that learning Chinese can open up more opportunities for their future, she added.

　　Year 11 student Ava Hallebone, one of the hosts of the event, visited China in April this year.

　　Hallebone, who has been studying Chinese for four years, also represented her school in this year's Victorian division of the "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for secondary school students, finishing among the top five contestants in the state.