While there is much that Australia has done well with respect to languages education, many problems still persist in terms of mainstream provision of quality languages programs, attaining real outcomes and gains in language learning, and in relation to retention of students studying languages through to the senior years of school. The success of new approaches focused on integrating language with the mainstream curriculum across schools in Europe suggests new possibilities for dealing with the challenges of languages in the Australian schooling context. This paper considers key aspects of the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach as developed in Europe over the past two decades to help clarify and establish a shared professional conversation for advancing the approach amongst teachers of languages in Australia interested in its possibilities. The paper includes core ideas underpinning the CLIL framework, an awareness of its benefits as well as challenges, and guidance about "first steps" on implementing CLIL based on trials in the Victorian context, together with how effectiveness of such a program might be determined.