There's some new kids on campus at the University of Canberra High School Kaleen. While it might be late in the year, they don't appear to have any trouble making friends - but then being a fuzzy baby goat has its advantages.
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The two-week-old brood is the latest addition to the school's three-acre farm, run by science teacher Janet Richardson.
The farm, which is the last of its kind at a Canberra school, breeds goats and poultry to show, holds petting zoos around town and puts eggs and potatoes on the staff room table.
Classes don't exactly start with the rooster's call each morning, but students do arrive early to help out, some of them studying certificates in agriculture. Come lunchtime it's "Ag club" time, with about 20 dedicated students caring for the animals each day.
Two mildly cantankerous alpacas greet Year 10 student Jackie Wannell-Blakey at the gate.
"Henry is the kicker," she warns. "Sebastian is ok, he's the spitter."
Both must be heavily bribed with food before they can be patted. The alpacas teach students to respect animals, Ms Richardson says.
She also leads classes in science on the farm, studying water, food production, even drone technology.
"There's a lot of innovation happening in farming now, for the city kids especially this shows them where their food comes from."
Jackie says she hopes to become a vet after school and points out Phoenix one of the youngest goats, who is wobbling along in a nappy while he recovers from an upset stomach.
Along with Tiger, the farm's famously polite rooster ("he never pecks"), Oliver the goat is its most popular resident. He gives the best headrubs, Ms Richardson says, making him the only male goat safe from sale.
"The rest we find homes for as pets. The kids understand why, they learn about the breeding process and what we select for."
The farm has close ties to the local industry and, as the region struggles through a punishing drought, she admits its been a tough year for the school too.
"We've lost animals, some of our goats couldn't handle the change to handfeeding," Ms Richardson says.
The farm's costs have also shot up - with feed climbing by an extra $300. The school even struggled to find fresh straw for the goats to give birth on.
"Our kids were disturbed to learn how hard it's been for dairy farmers lately in particular," Ms Richardson says.
Growing up she was a city girl herself, but started teaching agriculture in 1995, back when Mount Stromlo High still had a working farm.
"It's a shame, this farm is really the last one left in Canberra. It's another layer of cost but the [school] sees its value."
Sometimes kids will turn up unannounced to sit with the animals, particularly those with learning difficulties or autism. For a certain cohort of students, deputy principal Daniel Mowbray says the farm has helped turn things around.
"It's like a big family out there," he says.
Ms Richardson says animals were her own safety net as a child.
"I grew up in a pretty neglected environment myself. So it's great if kids [go into] farming, but if I can create a safe space for them here, that's what it's about."
On Thursday night, she was honoured at the ACT Public Education Awards, taking home the gong for secondary teacher of the year.
"[The farm] is her biggest legacy ... a showpiece for excellence in public education," the directorate said.
