Collegian December 2022

COLLEGIAN

December 2022

The MAGAZINE of Brisbane Boys’ College

COLLEGIAN

DECEMBER 2022

Senior Marketing Manager Remy Drewett

Marketing Assistant Danielle Hegarty

Editor Lawson Kiehne

Graphic Designer Arnold Chan

Photography Jonathan O’Rorke Photography

This publication is an initiative of the BBC Community Engagement Department with contributions from College Staff and the wider BBC community. The views expressed in this publication are those of individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the College. Every effort has been made to ensure the information is correct at time of printing.

To submit content for consideration, please email communications@bbc.qld.edu.au

FROM THE HEADMASTER

MR ANDRE CASSON

As the last grains of sand slowly fall from the top of the hourglass that represents 2022, the 120th anniversary of Brisbane Boys College, it is appropriate to reflect on all that we have achieved in this most momentous of years. It has been a time of success and challenge, a time of triumph and despair. But above all else, it has been a period that the current custodians of the BBC story have built on the legacy of those who went before them. They have learned from and respected the past glories on which our school was built. They have created their own legacies, which will form the stuff of legend for future Gentlemen of Honour. They have established a clear path toward an ambitious and exciting future for our College.

No reflection on our academic year could take place without consideration of the significant events which shaped the commencement of 2022. COVID-19 closures and the trials of unprecedented weather resulted in a most atypical beginning to our year. The challenges of the first few months of 2022 tested us as a community, but I am proud to say that we not only survived in the face of this adversity, but also thrived. The positive outlook and resolve of students, staff and parents allowed that initial period of homebased learning to move forward effectively despite this unusual start. Moreover, the compassion of our community for those affected by the floods continues to be a source of great inspiration to me. As a College, we sought to find the opportunity in each challenge and came through stronger for the experience.

The Performing and Creative Arts endure as a beacon of excellence in our school. The Music Department continues to produce works that are of a professional standard. The dedicated teachers work tirelessly with their scholars to develop a truly magnificent product. I continue to be awestruck by the works that are produced at the multitude of performance events that occur throughout the course of the year. The Drama Department recounted the history of BBC through their original work, BBC Alive. This herculean endeavour brought the history of our school right off the pages and into vibrant life. Visitors to the College do not need to walk very far to realize that BBC has a strong culture of Visual Art. The amazing works that adorn our walls and feature in our common areas are testimony to the creative talents of our Art Department and our gifted students. The pinnacle of their work was the What Are You Looking At? Exhibition. Witnessing so many outstanding contributions from our students all on display at one time was an extraordinary experience.

The Green, White and Black spirit was evident through the myriad of sporting endeavours available to our young men. This year has afforded our students considerable success across all year levels – a wonderful testimony to the synergy of the coaches and

students striving to achieve their best efforts. I remain immensely proud of all BBC athletes, not only for their level of skill but also for their resilience, commitment and sportsmanship. In a year with much to celebrate, it is important to acknowledge the efforts of our First VIII, who secured back-to-back Head of the River titles in Term 1; our Premier Water Polo team, who continued their dominance with victory in their competition; and our peerless cross country team who returned the Jack Ross Trophy to BBC with their victory in the GPS Championships. These successes, along with the brilliant support afforded to our athletes by their mates in the stands, reflect a community united in their quest for distinction.

2022 saw the ‘opening’ of Queensland to the world after two COVID-19-interrupted years. This significant development allowed BBC to return to the world stage in two areas of excellence. In July, our RoboCup teams had the opportunity to represent Australia at the World Championships in Bangkok. Our boys represented the College and the country with distinction, securing two world titles – a truly magnificent achievement. Our Pipe Band returned to Scotland in August to perform at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. This truly mammoth logistical undertaking was only surpassed by the efforts of our touring party both on the parade ground and off. This event was a highlight in a year of excellence.

The school year was characterised by the hard work of every student, and that diligence was rewarded with the success reflected in our graduating Seniors’ ATAR results. BBC maintained our position as the third-ranked boys’ school in Queensland. 46 BBC students received early offers to attend Australian universities and TAFE institutions. Most notably, 40 percent of our Seniors were in the top 10 percent of ATAR results, receiving 90+ scores. These efforts reflect the wonderful work of our young men performing in unison with their teachers.

My final reflections on 2022 reside in the magnificent celebrations of the College’s 120-year heritage. We have had many opportunities to acknowledge the legacy commenced in 1902 by our founder Arthur ‘Barney’ Rudd, with our Evening of Celebration and our 120 Years of Inspiration exhibit being the two highlights for me. Sharing in the joys of this significant milestone with all in our community has left me with an immense sense of pride and humility as I continue our College’s journey as the tenth Headmaster.

Contained within these pages are reflections of a College that has endeavoured to grasp the opportunities granted to us by God through his grace. We have sought to make the most of every chance and to savour each possibility. For as Italian poet and novelist Cesare Pavese states, “We do not remember days, we remember moments.”

This edition of the Collegian is a collection of special moments that together create a chronicle of our wonderful school’s 120th birthday. It has been a time of immense pride and celebration of all that is great in a Brisbane Boys’ College education.

INTRODUCING THE NEW DEPUTY HEADMASTER AND HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

MR SCOTT MURPHY

Mr Scott Murphy is joining BBC as Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School in January 2023. Before his time at the College, Mr Murphy was the Deputy Head of Secondary School at the Australian International School in Singapore. He has over 18 years of teaching experience both internationally and in Australia, specialising in adolescent development.

Mr Murphy has extensive experience with pastoral care and a proven ability to develop bespoke wellbeing frameworks to assist all students in their school activities. He has a particular interest in Academic Wellbeing, an area in which he has presented at several international conferences. He is currently completing his dissertation in the field.

As he prepared to start his BBC journey, he was kind enough to take the time to answer some questions to help introduce himself to the College community.

INTERVIEW WITH MR SCOTT MURPHY

What might people be surprised to learn about you?

I am an energetic, enthusiastic and passionate person. I like spending time with my family, travelling and enjoying the outdoors as much as possible. Having grown up by the beach in country Victoria, I have a close connection to all water sports, particularly surfing. I am an avid lover of sports; however, while at home, I enjoy cooking and attempting to recreate new delicacies.

What made you want to be a teacher?

This is a great question and one that I get asked quite often. My mum, who is a teacher, would say it was her influence, but I always come back to the adage that a teacher can change the life of a child with hope, belief and confidence. I grew up in East Gippsland, which is truly a magnificent region where the lakes, beaches and mountains meet. Surfing, snowboarding, football, mountain biking and hiking were my life. I lived for school sports days, and camps were my favourite. At the beginning of Year 10, I attended a school camp in a remote, isolated area of wilderness with a rich Indigenous history. The week-

long camp was facilitated by two Outdoor Educators, Fiona and Andrew, who were immediately impressive. Their energy and enthusiasm were infectious, and they spoke openly, honestly and, most importantly, equally to everyone. Their conversations flowed beautifully by asking questions about our backgrounds, interests, dreams and aspirations. I was shocked. Never in my schooling experience had two teachers swooped in with such immediate impact and shown such respect and interest in the cohort of students.

I will remember that week for the rest of my life. This experience cultivated my professional working career. At the conclusion of this trip, I remember feeling a sense of withdrawal, but ultimately I had experienced something that I needed to share with others. This short but significant moment in my life drove me to be the teacher and educator that I am today. It gave me the desire to be the difference in others’ lives whilst also making the most of the opportunities presented to me. Fiona and Andrew showed me that being a teacher wasn’t all about grades; it was about building relationships and helping others realise their potential.

Do you have a career highlight that you are most proud of?

I have been incredibly fortunate throughout my professional career to work in a myriad of cultures, locations and demographics. I have received a humanitarian award for supporting charities within Asia, led service-based outdoor education programs through Nepal and provided opportunities for disadvantaged youth at risk within Melbourne and London, but my greatest highlight would be something completely different. My proudest achievement is the spearheading of C.A.R.E.S. (Connection, Attitude, Relationships, Engagement, Safety), a wholeschool approach to identifying, monitoring and addressing students’ social and emotional wellbeing through a regular self-reflection/reporting tool. This program was implemented in 2019 while I was Deputy Head of Secondary School at the Australian International School in Singapore. It was the fruition of many years of learning, research and understanding of what it takes to measure how students holistically flourish.

The Academic Wellbeing of our students must be our absolute priority. In an everchanging international world, we need to know more than ever that our students are okay. Proactively, we created a simplistic tool to capture a snapshot of how students are feeling at a given point in time during the school year. This data is then used to have informed conversations about students’ Academic Wellbeing. C.A.R.E.S. was designed so that student voices can shine through about how they are feeling about their schooling, relationships and self. From this, our teams were able to provide the appropriate support and interventions so students could be at their best.

Importantly, the biggest and most rewarding component of this fit-for-purpose tool is that it provides a voice for students who may not necessarily have reached out for the appropriate help when needed.

What’s different about working in an Australian school versus working overseas, and what did you learn that you’re keen to apply to BBC?

There are many similarities and differences when working in an international setting as opposed to Australia. Both have their advantages. The most obvious differences to working in an international school in comparison to an Australian one are the vast array of languages and cultures, differing curriculums, governing bodies like the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the selective academic admission processes but also the students, who are global citizens or third culture kids.

However, I don’t see BBC being too different. BBC has worldclass facilities, and it offers incredible opportunities, especially through academics, co-curricular activities, outdoor education and the arts. BBC has a rich tradition and culture that attracts the best teachers. It has a vibrant and engaged community that prioritises student outcomes in a holistic sense. I strongly align with the values and the teaching principles espoused by the school and the supportive learning environment that it provides. BBC’s greatest attraction for me is its fierce competitive spirit and sheer love of sports, opportunities and community.

What will you and your family miss about living in Singapore?

Singapore will continue to hold a special place in our hearts as it is where Shannon and I have raised our children. We have called it home for the past eight years. However, we’re also very excited about returning home to Australia. The greatest aspect that we will miss about Singapore is its close proximity to all countries within Asia. Even Europe is a small hop, skip and a jump away. The ability to get away for the weekend and holiday to remote locations at a reasonable price is phenomenal. The other parts of Singapore that we will miss are the many celebrations of different cultures, the incredible people we have called family and the food – prata, hawker noodles, chilli crab and dumplings!

On the other hand, what are you and your family excited about now that you’re moving back to Australia?

The biggest and most appealing feature of returning to Australia is family. Grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins are all an exciting proposition for us. The difficulties everyone faced through COVID-19 reiterated the importance of family. We look forward to having more space after living in one of the most densely populated places on the planet, the outdoors and fish and chips on the beach. We also look forward to surfing more regularly, exploring more of Australia and having the kids involved in a variety of different competitive sports.

What about being Deputy Headmaster at BBC most appeals to you?

The Deputy Headmaster at a school with the reputation and culture of Brisbane Boys’ College has a pivotal and important role in continuing to build a strong sense of engagement and connectedness in the school community. This leadership opportunity is a clear and logical progression in my professional career, and I am confident I have the capacity and skills to further contribute to an already dynamic school. My values, virtues and vision are strongly aligned with the College. I see BBC as a progressive school with a rich history, and I know that my experience in leading educational institutions and my understanding of the nuances of a boys-only holistic education can help to drive the school to be its best.

It is an exciting time in boys’ education, with a renewed focus on interconnectedness between student learning outcomes and academic wellbeing. As the father of two young boys, I am passionate about the importance of developing quality young men who are empathetic, emotionally intelligent and, above all, respectful. With this position, I am excited to have the opportunity to add to a culture that prioritises healthy masculinity, faith, wellbeing, excellence and an exceptional education to support our students as they grow into the leaders of tomorrow.

We understand that you’re a sports fan – what are your favourite sports and teams?

As mentioned previously, I am a sports fanatic. I firmly believe that sports play a pivotal role in one’s personal development and education, but also in one’s outlook on life. The lessons and understandings we take away from sports are transferable in life. The attitudes and dispositions required to deal with some of the most challenging circumstances that I have worked through were all learned through my participation in sports. The relationships, shared experiences and the success that one can achieve and experience collectively as a team are irreplaceable. However, I’ve never won a senior premiership. I’m still chasing that one! I have played a lot of AFL throughout Victoria but also internationally. I have captained and been the senior coach of multiple football clubs, competed in state-level athletics and have always remained active and competitive. My favourite teams and sportspeople are:

AFL - Melbourne Demons

Rugby Union - Wallabies and Rebels

Surfing - Mick Fanning and Steph Gilmore

Cricket - Matthew Hayden, Ellyse Perry and Ricky Ponting

INTRODUCING THE NEW HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

MRS SUMMA TODD

Mrs Summa Todd is joining BBC in January 2023 as the new Head of Junior School. Prior to her time here, Mrs Todd was the Deputy Principal of Wilston State School, a high-performing primary school with an enrolment of over 850 students. She comes to the College with 14 years of experience leading schools in Queensland.

Mrs Todd has a proven ability to create strong teams and develop leadership capacity within them. Her commitment to the school and the students in her care is remarkable. Mrs Todd is also an expert on student and community engagement, working closely with children and their families to ensure the best possible outcomes for all students to grow and succeed.

We look forward to getting to know Mrs Todd and are grateful to her for taking the time to answer a few questions to help introduce her to the BBC community.

INTERVIEW WITH MRS SUMMA TODD

What might people be surprised to learn about you?

I am a country girl at heart. I was born in Broken Hill, and my family moved to Weipa when I was five years old. Growing up in that remote community, we experienced some of the most beautiful landscapes this country has to offer and were exposed to the culture and traditions of our First Nations peoples. This is where I developed my love of country music; I will forever be a tragic Garth Brooks fan.

After finishing Primary School, I went to Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School (IGGS) as a boarder. Attending boarding school allowed me to live the best of both worlds, benefitting from an exceptional educational opportunity and returning home to the country during the school holidays. Being a boarder is special and unique; if you have been part of a boarding community, you understand that. It helped shape me into the person I am today and gave me the opportunity to meet my future husband!

What made you want to be a teacher?

We have all had a teacher who has made a difference in our lives. I still fondly recall my own school experiences and the teachers who had an impact. These were the educators who sparked a love of learning.

I pondered this question long and hard and thought about the exceptional men and women who inspired me to be a teacher. I would list them all, but I may forget to name some, and I would hate them to think that their efforts went unnoticed. What all of these educators had in common was that they oozed a love of learning, and it was contagious. They made school engaging and fun. Through this, they instilled a passion for developing skills and knowledge to be the best version of myself.

It was my reflections on these people that revealed the path I wanted to follow. I hope that one day, a student will look back on their educational journey and remember me as someone who inspired them and made a difference.

Do you have a career highlight that you are most proud of?

At the risk of sounding clichéd, my appointment to the role of Head of Junior School at Brisbane Boys’ College is right up there as a major highlight. Every milestone in my career has been a stepping stone leading me to this moment.

What about being Head of Junior School at BBC most appeals to you?

As a parent, I have been part of the BBC community for the last four years. During that time, I have learnt that BBC is a special place for boys to grow and develop into gentlemen. I am very excited to be a staff member and to personally contribute to the education and development of the next generation of young men at this College.

The BBC journey begins the moment a family decides to invest in their son’s education. The Junior School serves a vital function as the start of this journey. As Head of Junior School, I have the privilege of being there from the boys’ first step down that road.

I have heard about the exceptional work in the Junior School, the amazing teachers and the young gentlemen who attend. Being able to join a wonderful learning team is a privilege.

In your previous role as Deputy Principal of Wilston State School, you served as Acting Principal on several occasions. How did these experiences shape your approach to school leadership?

I have been very blessed in my career to work for terrific people who helped to strengthen my skills as a leader.

During my time at Wilston State School, the staff and community trusted and supported me in my leadership roles, allowing me to work with my colleagues to achieve exceptional student outcomes. As Acting Principal, I had the opportunity to lead the school community and ensure that those outcomes grew ever more positive.

My approach to leadership is to ensure that everyone feels that they are part of the big picture and understands the role they have to play in making things happen. I collaborate with my teams the whole way through. It is important that I am part of the process and move with people. You must support each other if you are to make great things happen.

You’re a passionate believer in student and community engagement. In your experience, what makes this element of schooling such a game-changer?

At my previous schools, I have always invested in the development of school communities because I know that it makes a profound difference. I am also very conscious that students do not have an on-and-off switch that is activated and disarmed at the gate. We all play a part in educating our children, and we have the greatest impact when we all travel in the same direction.

Just like the proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, it takes a community to ensure the success of a school. Coming to BBC, I know that I am entering a community of staff, parents and Old Boys who are all invested in developing every student and supporting them to reach their full potential.

BBC has a unique advantage over other school communities. It is supported by a network of Old Boys and their families who understand the importance of the traditions of the last 120 years and respect the possibilities of the next 120. I am looking forward to tapping into this resource and building connections in this space.

I am always looking for ways to continue to build these community relationships, and I celebrate any opportunity to get in and get involved. If you see me around the school or at school events, please come and say ‘hi’. I’d love to have a chat.

You have an excellent record of team building. What are some of the ways in which this focus can improve the BBC experience for students and staff?

Building successful teams is my passion. Great teams do great things! Over the years, I have learned the importance of collaboration and developed the skills required to motivate people to unite in pursuit of a common objective. Over the last 18 months, I have led a team of classroom teachers to build their leadership capabilities and unlock potential that they didn’t previously see in themselves. As a result, these teachers have led their own teams through significant evolutions and advancements to the benefit of all students. No man (or woman in this case) can do it alone, and I need a team of people to help move things in the right direction. There are many great teams that already exist at BBC. I look forward to working with them to enhance the excellent work that they are doing.

We understand that you’re a football (soccer) fan and even used to coach it –what are your favourite teams?

Living in Brisbane, I have to say that the Brisbane Roar are my team, and I have enjoyed the journey of watching them develop as a club. That said, if you were to scan my streaming service history, you would see that I am a tragic AFC Richmond and Wrexham fan. It would also be remiss of my community clubs and their role in developing exceptional sportsmen and women.

My love of football started at IGGS, where I had the opportunity to play soccer and state representative futsal. After school, the Wests Inala and Centenary Stormers football clubs played a large role in my life as a player and coach.

FROM THE CHAPLAIN MR STEPHEN WARD

In ancient Roman times, when a leader wanted to make a statement as he entered a city, a whole parade of people joined in the celebration. The leader would be seated upon the most powerful, caparisoned horse. This ostentatious display was to leave the viewer of this spectacle in no doubt as to just who this person was.

Now, the Bible is full of prophecy. In simple terms, this is where God reveals something about the future and gives it as a message to people. One such prophet, Zechariah, lived about 500 years before Jesus and wrote about the coming Messiah. He wrote this:

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

As Jesus came into Jerusalem a week before his crucifixion, this prophecy came true. He didn’t need the most powerful horse he could find. He didn’t need it covered in a flashy ornamental covering. He just needed a young donkey. And yet, in this one moment, the people recognised him as their king.

I don’t think we totally get the humility of this moment. I don’t think we totally understand how Jesus Christ emptied himself of everything for you and me. He was a king with a different purpose. He did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Is it any wonder that Jesus, the king, came into the world through humble beginnings by being laid in a manger rather than in some gilded crib in a palace?

I pray that as a community, we will always honour the king – who left the perfection of Heaven, was born as a helpless human baby, stumbled around as a toddler, learned his dad’s carpentry skills as a teenager, performed miracles, taught us, gave his life for us and rose from the dead.

BBC FEATURE

BBC 120 EVENING OF CELEBRATION

On Saturday, 3 September, our BBC community came together for the 120 Years Evening of Celebration. It was a fantastic night that saw Brisbane City Hall lit up in the Green, White and Black.

Even though we held multiple celebrations across the year to mark this milestone in the history of BBC, this was undoubtedly the highlight of them all. We all got dressed up, enjoyed the festivities and celebrated 120 years of our College.

Thank you to the generations of our BBC community who joined us to celebrate this prestigious event. It was a marvellous acknowledgment of the continuing legacy of Brisbane Boy’s College.

The money raised from the event will go directly to benefiting our boys.

We hope that you all had a wonderful evening.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Major Sponsor

Green Sponsors

Black Sponsors

THE 120 YEARS OF INSPIRATION EXHIBIT

MR ANDRE CASSON Headmaster

In 2022, we celebrated a 120-year legacy of excellence in education. During this time, the College has produced Gentlemen of Honour who have made an undeniable impact on our world across a variety of endeavours.

Through the 120 Years of Inspiration exhibition in our Middle School, we celebrated our Old Collegians’ many successes and achievements so that their legacies can continue to inspire our current boys. This success may be in business, academia, the military, charity, sport, the arts, on the home front or in greater society as a whole. Some of the gentlemen who are recognised have passed away, and some are still making a change in the world. These men exemplify the qualities a BBC student should aspire to and showcase what it means to be an alumnus of our great College.

I would like to congratulate the esteemed assemblage of men represented in this installation and urge you to learn more about their inspiring journeys.

This is only the beginning. As we look forward to the next 120 years of this great College, I encourage you to continue to nominate Old Collegians who have achieved in their chosen field. If you know someone whom you think should be a part of the project, please don’t hesitate to make a suggestion by email at communications@ bbc.qld.edu.au

BBC NEWS

ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS

DR LEIGH HOBART Deputy Headmaster - Academic Performance and Innovation

While the start of 2022 may have been unusual – with COVID shutdowns and floods – our teachers and students once again rallied to ensure a smooth start to learning at BBC. There were many successes along the way, of which we should be proud. A few include our Early Years results in Literacy and Numeracy, our Honours Program and the Senior Students’ academic results.

SENIOR ACADEMIC RESULTS

Our 2022 Graduates have been balanced in their approach to study, with many having clear resolve regarding their future pathways. These young gentlemen have been well prepared, with many entering their external exams on full subject marks from internal assessments.

Each year we spend time analysing the results of the previous year’s graduates to identify potential improvements. Heads of Department provided a thorough analysis of QCAA subject data and action plans to continue to improve these results for students in years to come. Quality teaching, learning, coaching, study sessions (with internal and external providers), extensive tutoring opportunities and academic information sessions for parents have all played a part in going beyond the expected standard for our students and their families.

HONOURS PROGRAM

During 2022, our Honours Program has extended from Year 5 to Year 11. Feedback from our inaugural year in 2021 indicated that parents and students were extremely happy with the program’s overall effectiveness, giving it a 9/10 in survey feedback. The interest in this program continues to grow, and the boys continue to challenge each other to improve in order to be considered for placement the following year. Extension offerings have complemented the program, with boys competing externally in multiple fields to great acclaim.

NAPLAN RESULTS

This year we have made great gains with our results in NAPLAN, particularly in literacy. This is in large part due to the focus we have had on school-wide professional learning, specifically with writing. Our Early Years Reading program has also made a great impact, with sustained high NAPLAN scores as a result.

As we bring 2022 to a close, we look forward to our continued improvement in the years to come.

CLASS OF 2022

ACADEMIC RESULTS SNAPSHOT

College Dux | Mac Johnson

6% of students rated in the top 1% ATAR OF 99+

6 PERFECT STUDY SCORES

Music Music Extension (Composition) Literature

of students who studied English received an A 100% of students who studied Music Extension received an A 100% 100% of students who studied Literature Extension received an A

MEDIAN ATAR

87.33 (the ATAR of the middle student)

46 BBC GRADUATES received early offers to Australian universities and TAFE institutions.

26% of students rated in the top 5% ATAR OF 95+

40% of students rated in the top 10% ATAR OF 90+

An Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) is a mechanism for placement in tertiary institutions. The decision for students to share their ATAR result with their school is optional and schools can only access these results where consent has been given by Year 12 students. The information in this snapshot is based on data available to the College from students who consented to share their information.

Recognising Excellence

Each year our College community embraces the opportunity to celebrate and honour our highest achievers across the Junior, Middle and Senior schools. Congratulations to all recipients on their well-deserved Academic and Special Prize Awards. We certainly enjoyed sharing these proud and heartfelt moments with our students and their families.

JUNIOR SCHOOL AWARDS CEREMONY AND YEAR 6 GRADUATION

YEARS 7 TO 11 AWARDS PRESENTATION

YEAR 12 VALEDICTORY DINNER AND PRIZE GIVING

FROM THE HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

MRS LOUISE MORRIS Head of Junior School

CELEBRATE MILESTONES

We recently hosted our annual Junior School Awards Ceremony. This is an important event in our academic calendar and it is an opportunity for our College to celebrate and take great pride in the outstanding achievements of the gentlemen of the Junior School. During the year, there has been much to celebrate, with many personal accomplishments and milestones reached. This year marked a very important moment for our school; together, we celebrated 120 years of Brisbane Boys’ College.

Throughout the year, the Junior School boys had many opportunities to embrace the BBC Spirit and to reflect on and celebrate the achievements of our great College with pride. As part of Founder’s Day celebrations, our boys shared their insights about their favourite memory of being a BBC boy and why they are proud to be a Collegian. This became part of the 120 Years installation by the Junior School stairs. By participating in the creation of this display, the boys were able to share their school spirit with the wider BBC community and provide a strong welcome to any new families visiting the Junior School.

Miles and Jack, Year 6 Monitors tasked with the College Spirit portfolio, conducted a Years 5 and 6 College War Cry contest to help support the start of the GPS Competition season. This challenge developed a great sense of pride for the Green, White and Black among the boys by ensuring all students knew the College War Cry.

We were delighted to be able to host our Grandparents and Friends Day assembly once again this year, after many postponements in recent years due to COVID-19. Within that assembly, two of our grandparents who are also Old Collegians, Mr Jonathan Moore (OC 1973), grandfather to Hamish in Year 4 and Henry in Year 1, along with Mr Geoff Derrick (OC 1958), grandfather to Lucas in Year 6, shared their special BBC memories with the Junior School boys. We heard wonderful stories about the Interhouse Boxing matches under the floorboards of the College Chapel, and many of our boys were surprised to learn that the current Junior School location used to be home to a rifle range for the BBC Cadets.

During our Interhouse Math Competition, our boys participated in many 120-themed activities. This included working in teams designing and constructing the BBC Clocktower, ensuring it was 120cm in height and adorned with a clock face telling the time of its completion.

For some students, the most memorable part of our 120th birthday may have been the BBC cupcakes or perhaps the green, white and black BBC jellybeans from our 120 Years Photo Day. We know food is sometimes the most important thing in the world to our boys.

As our final tribute to honour 120 years of BBC, we were delighted to welcome two of our Old Collegians, both of whom were themselves Junior School graduates, to participate in our 120 Years Junior School Awards Ceremony. We welcomed Mr Robert Lyster (OC 1990) and Mr David Watt (OC 1995) to the stage to assist with the presentation of our award winners.

With these Collegians’ support, we were able to honour and celebrate the legacy of BBC and the past of the Junior School. They congratulated and acknowledged

“REMEMBER TO

AS YOU PREPARE FOR THE ROAD AHEAD.”

NELSON MANDELA

our youngest Collegians for their achievements this year. The gentlemen of the Junior School who proudly crossed the stage will be the ones shaping our College in the years ahead. After hearing of their accomplishments during the ceremony, it is obvious that the future of BBC is promising.

As the year draws to a close, so does my time as Head of Junior School. I have felt incredibly honoured and privileged to have held this position and to contribute to laying the educational foundations necessary for the gentlemen of the Junior School to thrive. As we reflect on the past three years, there is much to celebrate, with many outstanding achievements, milestones and memories created. This year has been no different. Our boys have embraced every academic, cultural, spiritual and sporting opportunity available to them. They honoured the past, celebrating 120 years of Brisbane Boys’ College, and embraced the present. As we turn the page, we look forward towards an exciting future. I am confident that it will be bright.

I am very proud to say that our Junior School boys are Gentlemen of Honour. They are respectful, they are responsible, they are brave and they thrive.

JUNIOR SCHOOL AWARDS 2022

JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS

A GRANDPARENT’S LOVE WILL NEVER GROW OLD

This semester we were delighted to host our Grandparents and Friends’ Day for boys in Years 4 to 6. It was an opportunity to pay tribute to our wonderful grandparents and the friends who care for and love our boys like grandparents. We truly appreciated the opportunity to share a special morning of celebration with our BBC families. With our Year 6 Leaders acting as Masters of Ceremonies, our talented students from Junior Band, Acton Strings and Colla Voce provided the entertainment after our Chapel Service led by Associate Chaplain Mr Thomas McPherson and the ISCF Leaders. 2022’s Junior Public Speaking Champion, Ewan from Year 5, entertained the guests with his BBC-inspired speech. Special mention must go to two of our Old Collegians, Mr John Moore (OC 1973) and Mr Geoff Derrick (OC 1958). Mr Moore and Mr Derrick both have grandchildren in the Junior School, and they were kind enough to take the time to share their memories and experiences with the boys. We thank them both for their generosity; we know the boys enjoyed it.

After our assembly, our boys had a lovely morning tea with their grandparents and friends and shared their school-day stories. We hope that the time they spent together will become a memory that both our boys and their guests of honour look back on with great joy as the years pass by.

Mrs Louise Morris Head of Junior School

BOY ENERGY IS INFECTIOUS

The International Boys’ Schools Coalition shares research with educators about how boys think, act, learn and respond differently. Researchers, including Ruth Hanford Morhard, have noted differences between the brains of male and female children that indicate that effective methods of learning differ by gender. Boys are active and respond to action. They have lots of energy, and that boy energy can be infectious.

Boys are highly curious, always looking for the next opportunity for fun. Leveraging the research around boys’ education, our academic staff have worked hard to harness this energy, curiosity and thirst for competition through active and authentic learning experiences and incorporated project and problembased learning into their units of work. The University of Illinois’ Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning explains that “Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which complex real-world problems are used as the vehicle to promote student learning of concepts and principles. In addition to course content, PBL can promote the development of critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities and communication skills. It can also provide opportunities for working in groups, finding and evaluating research materials and life-long learning”.

Recently, a boy from Year One came up to me on the playground and said, “Did you know our playground is full of manmade objects, and there are not many items that are natural.” He seemed quite concerned about this, and knowing what his class was studying, I replied. “Why do you think there are so many manmade elements.” He elaborated and mentioned that we needed shelter and people had to make the fun things we play on, but he just felt there should be more trees and natural elements in our playground. I was quite chuffed to see that he was taking the learning from the classroom and discussing it so passionately. It was quite a robust and truly authentic

conversation about our environment.

The Year One's are integrating HASS, science, literacy and numeracy in an inquiry unit, ‘The Revolving Cycle of Change’. The students were paired into dynamic duos to plan and develop a proposal for the new look of the Junior School Green. They used data collected from a survey sent to their peers, along with research conducted regarding playgrounds in the local area, to plan and design a modern, sustainable and inclusive Junior School Green space. The boys have worked tirelessly on this project. Their enthusiasm and dedication, along with their application of critical thinking and problem-solving, have been awe-inspiring. Such big achievements for such little Collegians! They presented their bid to Mr Casson to have their design approved for funding. I know he was very impressed with their efforts.

Students must be able to realise that their achievements stretch beyond the walls of the classroom. Clif Mims argues that “they bring to the classroom experiences, knowledge, beliefs and curiosities, and authentic learning provides a means of bridging those elements with classroom learning. Students no longer simply learn rote facts in abstract or artificial situations, but they experience and use information in ways that are grounded in reality. The true power of authentic learning is the ability to actively involve students and touch their intrinsic motivation”. From my conversation with that Year One's student, I can see our boys are embracing learning and developing creativity, critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities and collaboration and communication skills.

Ms Jenny Warwick Deputy Head of Junior School - Teaching and Learning

GRADUATING CLASS OF 2022

Congratulations to our Year 6 students, the graduating class of 2022. On behalf of the Junior School community, we thank them for their contribution to the Junior School. We celebrate their personal growth and achievements, confident that their time in the Junior School has been full of many special memories.

As leaders of the Junior School, we have been truly impressed by their willingness to embrace all aspects of leadership, along with the challenges and responsibilities that this brings. They have distinguished themselves through teamwork, kindness and compassion, striving to ensure our BBC spirit continues to grow.

As the Middle School awaits, we are confident that they will stand tall and tackle their all-new adventures with enthusiasm and wisdom as Gentlemen of Honour. We will continue to watch from a distance with great pride. We send them off to Middle School with our love and best wishes, and we look forward to seeing and hearing about their future success in the coming years.

Mrs Louise Morris Head of Junior School

OUR MOVEMBER MOVEMENT PASSION PROJECTS

The start of November marked the launch of our Movember campaign, where, under the leadership of Mr Mark McConnachy, our Junior School boys had a range of opportunities to raise awareness and funds for Movember.

In 2003, two mates from Melbourne were reminiscing about recurring fashion trends, joking about bringing back the moustache. Inspired by a family connection and her efforts to raise funds for breast cancer, the two friends decided to initiate a campaign to raise awareness for men’s health issues and prostate cancer.

The Movember Foundation explains that “since 2003, Movember has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world...transforming the way health services reach and support men”. The Movember Foundation is driven to help men live happier, healthier and longer lives.

Starting with 30 Mo Bros in 2003 and expanding to over six million Mo Bros and Mo Sisters across the world in 2022, Movember continues to inspire others to work and support its vision of having a positive and long-term impact on men’s health, acting as global change agents by connecting clinicians and researchers from around the world to accelerate health outcomes for men.

Our boys had the opportunity to Move for Movember by participating in extra physical activity and games. They had the chance to become Mo Bros for the day, amazing their teachers with their ‘instant moustaches’. They devoured the chocolate moustaches, lovingly made by Mr Russell Bassingthwaighte, with delight. All boys were encouraged to participate in raising funds, with the culminating event involving a ‘shave a mo’ day, with teachers shaving their moustaches.

Special thanks to the generosity of BBC families who raised almost $10,000 to support this wonderful cause.

Mrs Louise Morris Head of Junior School

This semester, Ms Nicole Dyson from Future Anything facilitated a series of workshops designed to challenge and extend our Year 6 boys’ passions, interests and values through the development of Passion Projects. Using Future Anything’s program framework, she led the boys through processes to develop their capacities in “design thinking methodology to solve problems, including empathising, ideating, validating, prototyping and pitching”. They also developed their ability to “collaborate and project manage efficiently and effectively” (Future Anything, 2022). Nicole worked with our boys to develop their skills as storytellers, pitching their passions with purpose. The projects showcased were remarkable in so many ways, and it was delightful to see such varied interests across a wide range of disciplines.

Ms Jenny Warwick Deputy Head of Junior School - Teaching and Learning

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, COMMUNITY IS STRENGTH

Here within the Junior School, our Interhouse program is designed to allow boys to not only demonstrate their talents and strengths across various domains but also to encourage them to actively engage and make a contribution to their community. It creates an opportunity for them to discover that their contribution is valued and important, regardless of their capabilities and skills.

By definition, a community is a unified group of people with a common cause. For children, this may be their family, a sports group, a classroom or a House Team – the Vikings, Gladiators, Crusaders or Knights. A community is a place where people feel that they belong. Communities can play a remarkable role in a child’s education. The Raising Children Network highlights how being part of a community can instil feelings of belonging to a place and culture and create learning opportunities for children to build connections with people from all walks of life. Creating many varied opportunities for children to experience being part of communities promotes learning opportunities for them to grasp and understand the social dynamics of relationship building. They can experience the impact of support systems and services functioning within groups and learn how to rely on and ask for help from others. All of these are skills that assist them not only in their schooling journey but also in life beyond school. There are significant long-term and short-term benefits for children who actively engage in communities. In our case, within the Junior School, this occurs across various pursuits – sporting, academic and cultural interhouse competitions. This participation creates

opportunities for the boys to experience a sense of belonging and nurtures a sense of identity as a Collegian.

Research shows that some benefits of fostering community spirit in children include teaching them:

• How to be a contributor – It is important that students have a sense of responsibility towards their community and know they can add value to it.

• How to have an empathic mindset – Students learn to see and experience the perspectives of others within the community.

• How to have an optimistic outlook – Through experiencing the challenges and successes that come with being part of a community, students can develop an optimistic outlook and a passion for new experiences.

Our goal within the Junior School for our Interhouse program is to develop the heart and skills within our students to make valued contributions to their community. This was the other learning experience on offer in our various Interhouse activities throughout the year.

Congratulations to our gentlemen for their contributions, passion and community spirit. We are very proud of you all!

Mrs Louise Morris Head of Junior School

Our 2022 Book Week Parade was once again an extraordinary display of colourful and creative characters lifted straight out of the pages of an assortment of books. Thank you to all the mums and dads who supported their sons’ inspirational ideas, ensuring our parade was full of magical memories and encouraging a love of reading.

Since 1945, The Children’s Book Council of Australia has brought children and books together through Book Week. This year’s theme is ‘Dreaming with Eyes Open’, with an acknowledgement to First Nations Australians and the Dreaming Stories. Jasmine Seymour, the artist of this year’s theme, describes dreaming as being with us now, then and always.

Our boys have also had the privilege of listening to our visiting author, Samantha Wheeler. Her books, inspired by her studies in agriculture and work with dairy farmers, include Smooch & Rose, Spud & Charli, Mister Cassowary, Wombat Warriors, Turtle Trackers and Everything I’ve Never Said

Special thanks to Mrs Daryl-Jane Williamson, our Library Technician, and Mrs Jennifer Warwick, Deputy Head of Junior School, for all their hard work with the planning and preparations for this year’s celebrations.

Mrs Louise Morris Head of Junior School

BOOK WEEK

“THE MORE YOU READ, THE MORE THINGS YOU WILL KNOW. THE MORE THAT YOU LEARN, THE MORE PLACES YOU’LL GO!”

DR SEUSS

FROM THE HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

MR DAVID BELL Head of Middle School

YEAR 7

An important part of the Year 7 Wellbeing Program is helping boys develop resilience and build positive relationships. The Year 7 cohort supported each other and challenged themselves to contest in fun and engaging tasks to build strategy, dexterity and fine and gross motor skills. Mentor Groups were pitted against each other, from activities including simple tasks like standing on one leg (but made more challenging by shutting their eyes) to group tasks requiring all boys to communicate and cooperate to reach a goal. Points were gathered and recorded, building healthy competition and camaraderie, with every boy contributing to the class’ overall score. The winning Mentor Group was acknowledged on Year Level Forum and awarded with a prize and class celebration. Writing for the website PositivePsychology.com, Karen Doll explains that “resilience is the ability to recover from setbacks and adapt to challenging circumstances and is required to thrive and flourish.” Resilience will not stop feelings of stress, but it will help boys overcome hardship at school and beyond. They need an opportunity to fail in safe environments. This program was developed to encourage persistence and effort whilst acknowledging failure – critical skills in the development of resilience. Whilst their feats of strength allowed individuals to shine, it was the collective effort that generated success and, therefore, created collective resilience.

YEAR 8

Individual accolades were received and celebrated within the Year 8 cohort throughout the year, with many of our talented boys achieving on so many levels in a broad range of activities. But whilst the circumstances that led to their success will have been multi-faceted, in the years to come, each individual boy will cherish their personal achievements with equal pride. The question then becomes, what lessons can be drawn on a community level for this cohort? Year 8 is the gateway to personal growth and maturity. Within the ASPIRE program, it is characterised as ‘Emotional Me’, and it is in this space where true progress has been made. In the words of Coretta Scott King, “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” The tapestry that has been woven over the year came from the clear minds of boys who consider the perspectives of others, the final resolution of a misunderstanding through an open discussion and a handshake and the gentle offers of assistance for a boy in need. ‘Brotherhood’ is the 2023 mantra for the College, and the Year 8 boys should be proud of the progress that they have made in this space.

YEAR 9

The Year 9 cohort is reaching the end of Middle School and will soon be stepping up into the Senior School. At the start of our threeyear journey, three simple messages were given to the boys:

• Get out of your box - try new things and never be afraid to fail

• Effort is everything - give all you’ve got in everything you do, whether it’s things you like, don’t like, or are not good at

• Be organised - prepare to succeed or be prepared to fail.

Every boy has indeed persevered and put in an effort to extend themselves and be the best version of themselves they can be. They have gained an increased level of self-awareness and independence that has allowed them to raise their own personal standards in preparation for the increased rigours of academic life in the Senior School. One of the most obvious transformations across the group is the clear sense of a common identity. The boys now consider themselves BBC boys, and this will stay with them for life. They look out for each other and go above and beyond for each other. Our ‘Mankind Project’ this year has taken this one step further and given the boys a great insight into the power they have to be a contributing part of the wider community around them. It is exciting to see how the class of 2025 will shape the Senior School and the world beyond these gates.

120 Years of Inspiration Exhibit

The reflections of the Year Team staff are a useful way to explore the close of the College’s 120th year. Of significance to me has been the dedication of the Hall of Inspiration within the Middle School precinct. This investment in our history proves to every young Collegian that there are a plethora of paths forward from our doorstep, all of which are wreathed in accolades and achievements. Importantly, all these men enshrined in the installation have, in their own special way, gone on to the national or international stage and contributed usefully for the greater good of society. The vision behind these Halls of Inspiration was to provide current students with the idea that if they could conceive it, then there would be an example of a BBC man who had already walked that path. BBC men have been graziers and Olympians, Top Gun pilots and hedge fund managers, Wallaby Captains and Wiggles. This wide variety of vocations is as it should be in a vibrant Middle School community where boys are encouraged to dream big and are supported on their way by the programs Ms Eileen Morgan and Ms Rowena Gilroy suggest and with the pastoral advice Mr Andrew Cruickshank offers.

The BBC Boater Repair Shop

A small but important step forward was taken by the Middle School Leaders this semester. Under the direction of Assistant Year Team Leader Mr Richard McLoughlin and championed by portfolio manager Steven Fell (Year 9), the BBC Boater Repair Shop has completed the first of what is hoped will be many repair jobs, securing the edge of the crown of a prototype hat. Through trial and error and with large amounts of perseverance, the Middle School Leaders have learned how to triage wounded boaters and patch them up with a combination of fibreglass and resin. This is a particularly useful service for Senior School boys whose boaters are not in the pristine shape they once were. Any boy needing the service can avail themselves of this, and more details will be forthcoming at sub-School assemblies in 2023. It is also of particular note that BBC Middle School boys have been doing their bit for the environment via their transformational service activities with the ‘Containers for Change’ bins. 24,000 containers have been recycled and kept out of landfills this year, and the boys are to be commended for their wholehearted commitment to this, at times, aromatic experience.

FROM THE HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

MR SEAN RIORDAN

Deputy Headmaster - Head of Senior School and Student Wellbeing P-12 (Acting)

At the time of writing, our Year 12 students are eagerly awaiting their final results, and we wish them well. Individually and collectively, they have immersed themselves in their academic studies, and we look forward to watching their endeavours as they move into the next phase of their journey. Already, many students have received early entry to university, while others look to engage in trades and other pursuits.

The closing weeks of school bring with them such wonderful events. Our Year 12 students were honoured at the Leavers’ Assembly, where they were also officially welcomed to their roles as Old Collegians. It was such a privilege to witness the remarkable connection students have made with Heads of Houses sand other teachers during their time at the College. Further, the formal announcement of the 2023 College Captain and Vice-Captains at this event heralded a passing of the baton, marked symbolically with a handover of sacred College artefacts.

The Year 7 to 11 Awards Presentation also presented the opportunity to recognise the incredible efforts and successes of so many diligent and persistent students. Academic pursuits were acknowledged with the awarding of subject prizes and the announcement of the Academic Dux of each year level. Students who received special prizes for their commitment to College life

were acclaimed for their service to their peers and to the community.

The Headmaster also provided an excellent summary of his first year at the College and noted the incredible efforts of all those who worked hard to ensure Brisbane Boys’ College’s 120th year was one of its finest.

Our Valedictory and Year 12 Prize Giving Evening provided a special opportunity for parents and staff to honour the efforts of this fine cohort of young men. It was fabulous to see the stunning City Hall venue awash in BBC green. It was a spectacular sight, and the sound of the pipes and drums lifting the roof with Highland Cathedral was truly magnificent. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these remarkable young men. Their next step forward is simply one more in a journey of growth and evolution. Let them embark on this voyage with the benefit of an unshakeable foundation, making their next moves with courage and honour. As Benjamin Franklin noted, “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished”. Our best wishes to these young men as they set forth into an ever-changing world.

VALEDICTORY AND AWARDS NIGHT

LAST DAY CELEBRATIONS

AN EXCERPT FROM THE VALEDICTORY SPEECH OF THE 2022 COLLEGE CAPTAIN

I want us, together, to reflect on the year we’ve had. The representation we’ve had in Open First teams and the unparalleled academic achievement, the spirit we’ve shown in front of an Old Boys’ Day crowd and the spirit we’ve shown when nobody else was around. Boys, we’ve hit it out of the park, because I truly don’t think that the spiritual bonds of the College have ever been stronger.

Tonight, we’ve relived moments from past years, but those past moments would certainly not have been possible without the presence of a few key people.

Mrs Carol Saintpierre, the true workhorse of the College. Without her, our year would have been so much less fun. The incredible effort you’ve displayed over countless hours each day has made this year so enjoyable.

Mrs Christelle Luxford. Having been a student of yours for the last three years, I’ve grown to appreciate just how passionate you are about this group of boys. You selflessly work day and night to ensure the smooth running of the grade, and you’ve done so brilliantly every year.

Our new Headmaster, Mr Andre Casson. You’ve done a hugely impressive job balancing the responsibilities of Headmaster and the challenges of arriving at a new school, so thank you for all that you’ve contributed this year.

Our previous Headmaster and Deputy Headmaster, Mr Damon Emtage. I have learned so much from working with you this year,

and I know that I’ll always be grateful for that. Your influence on this school has been profound, and we thank you for everything you’ve given us.

Mr Riordan, for the effort he’s put in to help us whenever we need and for generally being up for a good chat; thank you, sir, for your guidance and friendship.

And a big thank you must go to our admin team in Ms Colledge and Ms Nel, who’ve helped out at all the big events this year and certainly deserve the recognition for it.

But I think the biggest round of applause has to go, without a shadow of a doubt, to our parents. For the early mornings and the very late nights. For enduring the second-hand stress and caring about us unconditionally. To my parents, thank you for getting me through this year; I truly couldn’t have done it without you.

I want to tell you boys just how much you’ve meant to me. It is you all who’ve helped me become a man. I’ve grown in both age and knowledge since I started here, as you’d expect any student to do, but I’ve grown in love and passion, spirit and brotherhood, as only a Collegian may.

In that regard, you’ve all become my brothers, and I couldn’t be prouder to have spent these last six years with you. It has been the greatest honour to serve you all as your College Captain this year, alongside Matthew Deighton and Mihir Jha, but now it’s time to go. So from the bottom of my heart, Let Honour Stainless Be; because I am, you are, we are Collegians.

OLLIE FEARFIELD 2022 School Captain

2023 STUDENT LEADERS

THE STUDENT PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP MODEL

PROVIDES

IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENT LEADERS TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR PEERS AND CONTRIBUTE TO COLLEGE LIFE IN AREAS THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT.

The leadership and energy displayed by our 2023 House Prefects at interhouse events augers well for their impending contribution, and other Portfolio Prefects continue to innovate, encourage others and inspire action. Congratulations to these young men on their willingness to contribute and have a meaningful impact.

We look forward with great anticipation to the stewardship our appointed 2023 Student Leaders will provide for the College, including the leadership our broader Year 12 cohort will exemplify for our younger Collegians.

PREFECT PORTFOLIOS

Academic

Angelo Chen

Avery Thomson

Thomas Cardiff

Spiritual Life

James De Stefani

Mitchell Owen

Mitchell Camilleri

Birtles

Harry Shekleton

Delacruz Ripley

Benjamin Pane

Hamilton

Matthew Simpson

Christian Blucher

Vincent Vella

Peer Support

Matthew De Nagy

Quin Seymore

Reuben Beier

Sport

Samuel Holding

Thomas Stevens

Askin Battley

Campbell

Thomas MacDonnell

Slater Galloway

Rudra Potlapally

Knox

Nicholas Wood

Benjamin Bunzli

Coby Tucker

Performing Arts

Abhishek Bogahawatta

Teddy Magdics

Leonardo Lynch

Visual Arts

Cameron Ray

Luke Vladusic

Payton Willcocks

HOUSE PORTFOLIOS

Cole

Finlay Dryden

Brodie Dimock

Seth Mahony

McKenzie

Chanu Kariyawasam

Matthew Cashman

Fergus Mills

Flynn

Billy Austin

Joseph Thynne

Oscar White

Rudd

Angus Seeto

Jacob Job

Oscar Shaw

COLLEGE CAPTAIN

James Alexander

Social Action

Anthony Diakos-Masters

Xavier Rubens

Dominic Schnitzerling

Wellbeing

Jasper Moss

David Granzin

William McNee

Wesley

Hamish Burnie

Nicholas Goffage

Jenson Scifleet

Wheller

Sam Stanley

Hamish McGregor

Carter Lennon

COLLEGE VICE CAPTAINS

Fergus Mills

Angus Seeto

BBC CO-CURRICULUM

FROM THE HEAD OF CO-CURRICULUM

WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCES IN BBC CO-CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES!

Participants in BBC’s co-curriculum activities experienced thrilling and world-class experiences across our Semester 2 offerings. This was highlighted by the might of GPS Rugby, Basketball, Chess and Track and Field during the Term 3 GPS competitions, as well as by the work of our World Champion robotics teams and the Pipe Band’s showstopping appearance in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The following are some of the key highlights of another wonderful semester at BBC.

Rugby

• The First XV Rugby Camp at Red Rock was a great experience for all.

• At the GPS Rugby Carnival, the Under 11s faced various GPS schools in a grading competition, where they finished second.

• The 15As were on top of their respective ladder for the season and received Half Colours.

• Old Boys Day against Nudgee College proved to be a spectacular event.

• A huge contingent of BBC boys achieved representative honours through academy and school pathways.

Basketball

• 520 boys took part across both GPS and club seasons.

• Our First V did brilliantly at the State Championships and National Championships, making it through to the medal rounds

MR MARK PAVONE Head of Co-curriculum

Rugby and Basketball

• We celebrated Indigenous Day with uniforms designed by Indigenous BBC students.

Chess

• Our premier chess team competed at the Brisbane Secondary School Competition, finishing third and moving through to the State Competition.

• In the GPS Competition, our boys were undefeated up until Round 7. BBC also hosted the GPS Central Venue round in College Hall.

Track and Field

• Three athletes competed at the Australian Cross Country Championships.

• BBC was well-represented across multiple disciplines in Regional and State Championship events.

• Boys were supported by a number of high-profile and nationally recognised coaches.

• BBC had the biggest team present at the GPS Invitational event, which showcased the depth and breadth of our boys’ talent.

Robotics

• Our robotics team returned from Bangkok as dual World Champions. Team Polarity took first place in SuperTeam Open Soccer. Team Epsilon won first place for the SuperTeam Lightweight and Outstanding Design Award. Team Delta was acknowledged for Excellence in Engineering Process.

Pipe Band

• At the Scottish Championships, the No.1 Band took Second Place in their division. The No. 2 Band took fifth place.

• The Pipe Band travelled to Scotland for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and is now invited to perform at the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo in 2023.

• BBC hosted the Regional Competition, then had almost a third of the teams fill the competition at States. The Nationals then followed with Team Polarity in first place and ready for the 2023 World Championships. Team Epsilon also took first place and is ready to join Polarity at the Worlds. Team Alphatron took third place in lightweight soccer. Team BBC1 took fourth place in lightweight soccer. team delta took second place in Rescue Maze.

Theatre Sports

• Our team, The 4066 Team Posse, made it through to the final of the competition.

Performance Music

• The talents of our BBC boys were on show in a range of concerts in the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools.

• BBC performed admirably in the Darren Middleton Songwriting Competition, moving through to the Grand Concert.

Debating

• Two of our debate teams, the 10.1 and 12.1, made it through to the Queensland Debating Union Quarter Finals.

Koala Club

• A Save the Koala Club has started at BBC and will continue to develop at the College as we move forward with a stronger environmental emphasis for communityfocused activities.

Amnesty

• The Amnesty Club hosted various guest speakers and produced The Voice, an amazing publication produced by the club leaders, highlighting their activities and their fight for human rights.

WELL DONE TO ALL BOYS, STAFF AND COACHES FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR. WE NOW LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WE ARE SURE WILL BE A GREAT 2023 AS WE PREPARE TO OFFER ANOTHER YEAR OF WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCES.

ISCF

• The Progressive Dinner with our fellow PMSA Schools was a huge success

IN JULY 2022, MEMBERS OF THE ROBOTICS CLUB TRAVELLED TO BANGKOK, THAILAND, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2022 ROBOCUP

Over a long week of competitions, early rises, late finishes and very long nights fixing and modifying their robots for the following day's matches, all the boys displayed outstanding sportsmanship and performed to the best of their ability.

Their efforts earned them the following place finishes and awards:

• Team Polarity (David Pelevin, Horton Faint, Scott Kift, Thomas Cooley) - first place SuperTeam Open Soccer (Paired with Slovakia and Japan), making them World Champions

• Team Epsilon 6 (Rudra Potlapally, Sean Hudson, Liam Crook) - first place SuperTeam Lightweight Soccer (Paired with Germany and Japan), making them World Champions

• Team Epsilon 6 – Outstanding Design Award

• Team Delta (Josh Harris, Nathan Adams, Hemish Dubey, Ashton Trevor-Roberts) –Excellence in Engineering Process Award

Well done to all boys and teams for their outstanding efforts during our first international competition since 2019. Thank you also to the supporting staff, Mr Colin Noy, Mr Steven Lau, Mr Nakul Doshi, Mr Thomas Fraser and Mr Matt Faint, who travelled with us for the first part of the week. Finally, another big thank you to Elexon Electronics for their generous sponsorship.

Mr Nick Barkley Director of Robotics

BBC PIPE BAND REPRESENTING AUSTRALIA IN SCOTLAND

This year, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo made its spectacular return to the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade with a new show titled ‘Voices’. The shows, performed over the Fringe Festival month of August, marked a celebration of the power of expression with a combination of music, dance and military precision from hundreds of performers from as far afield as Canada, USA, Mexico, Switzerland, New Zealand and Australia. This event marked the culmination of months of practice and logistical organisation for BBC. Although located on the other side of the world, our school embodies the spirit of Scotland, not just in the foundations of our Presbyterian and Methodist Church organisation, but in the evocative sounds of our own Pipe Band where “our Hunting MacLean tartan speaks of our origin, the drum line our heartbeat and the bagpipes our voice”. Alongside many international performers, our troupe of 32 school students, Old Boys and accompanying staff took up living quarters in Edinburgh University’s Pollock Halls of Residence. Located beside Arthur’s Seat, the volcanic formation framing Edinburgh, our boys worked off their jetlag by practising each afternoon under vast oak trees in the University grounds. Two days later, we travelled to Dumbarton on the windy west

coast to contest the Scottish Championships. Under the backdrop of the iconic Dumbarton Rock and on the banks of the River Clyde, 111 pipe bands in all shades of tartan competed for the top spots. Our No. 1 Pipe Band (Division 4A) secured a creditable second place against a combination of adult and schoolboy bands, while our number two Pipe Band (Division 4B) were delighted to come away with fifth place in this demanding competition. These results provided our team with a surge of selfbelief as we moved into an exacting week of rehearsals back at the local Redford army barracks and up at the famous Edinburgh Castle, all conducted under the ever-watchful eye of Major Gordon Rowan, who accepted nothing less than excellence with any aspect of drill, turnout, piping or drumming.

On 5 August, the Tattoo performances began. Beneath the impressive colossus of the atmospherically lit Edinburgh Castle, our pipers and drummers marched under the ancient portcullis, across the drawbridge and past a set of flaming braziers into the floodlit arena to perform in front of an international audience of 8,000 people. Massed Pipes and Drums, UK Military Bands, Tattoo Pipes and Drums and Fiddlers and Dancers were joined by performers from the New Zealand Army Band, the United

States Army Field Band, the United States Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team, the Top Secret Drum Corps, Banda Monumental De Mexico and The Highland Divas to wow the cheering crowds. This date also coincided with the Princess Royal’s birthday. Alongside the Chief Executive, Major General Buster Howes, and HRH Private Secretary, Charles Davies, our Massed Pipes and Drums wished her many happy returns by playing a massed happy birthday at the ramparts of the castle. We were also honoured that she took the time to speak with some of our students.

In addition to the Tattoo shows, our involvement in key championships continued, and our haul of silverware grew to a final of nine trophies. On 13 August, our pipe band, along with 145 bands from across the globe, competed for the top prize at the World Championships at Glasgow Green. 40,000 spectators made their way to Glasgow for the event, including a bus full of our own loyal parent group sporting Hunting Maclean scarves, brollies, tailor-made Hunting Maclean pants and bright pink BBC Pipe Band caps. This event marked the pinnacle of the pipe band competitions and was the culmination of months of dedicated practice from our boys under the indefatigable guidance of our brilliant director, Mr Stevie Stanley and his offsiders, Mr Liam Cox and Mr Aidan Scott. Our boys put on an impressive show, and it was well worth the wait for our kilted staff, Mr Brett Jennings and Mr David Bell, who respectively collected trophies for our No. 2 band, who achieved sixth in the world, and our No. 1 band, who were placed third in the world. At the time of the trophy presentations, our boys had already returned to Edinburgh to play the first of two evening Tattoo shows. These trophies were added to ones already won at the North Berwick Highland Games on 5 August, where both bands achieved first place in their respective grades and also won the drumming. Additionally, our No. 1 band secured first place in Division 4A, and our No. 2 band secured fourth place in Division 4B at the Bridge of Allan Highland Games on 6 August.

Special mention must be made of the contribution of our Pipe Major for the Worlds, Mr Alisdair McLaren, who led our 4A Band. Alisdair is an accomplished piper and a multiple world champion

who was also Pipe Major of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes and Drums. We are grateful to Mr David Jerrard; to our mature Old Boys, Mr Tim Rush (OC 1989) and Mr Jim MacDonnell (OC 2002); and to our recent Old Boys, Mr Blaise Campbell (OC 2020), Mr Jack Woodward (OC 2021), Mr Patrick Roach (OC 2020), Mr Jordan Smith (OC 2021) and Mr Fergus MacDonnell (OC 2021) for their dedicated service to the band. Similarly, the contributions of our contingent of Scots PGC boys, including School Captain Nic McGahan, Rory MacFarlane, Josh Hullock, Fraser Collins and Samuel Bourke, were exceptional. These boys, plus the 4B Pipe Band, were ably led by Pipe Band Director Mr Sandy Dalziel. This success is made all the more remarkable since the boys were able to maintain a full academic program, being taught during the day by school staff members Ms Shona Woodruff, Mr David Fisher, Mr David Bell and Mr Brett Jennings. We are immensely proud of each and every one of our boys for sustaining such a high level of performance and commitment and for representing the College so well on a global stage.

It was with a great sense of pride and elation that we witnessed our boys perform their last night at the Tattoo. From the top of the castle ramparts, the Lone Piper stood in solitary spotlight as the sounds of Sleep Dearie Sleep carried on the wind to the hushed audiences below. At the top of the Royal Mile, hundreds of people lined the street to witness the last flourish of tartan as the final bands marched around the corner and disappeared into the night. A spectacular 28 shows had finally come to an end. It is fitting to close with the lyrics of Walking on the Waves, which was performed by Cammy Barnes as a nightly musical piece throughout the Tattoo and has captured the essence of this iconic cultural event:

“And it’s a game of sweet surrender

When there’s nothing left to say

And there are moments to remember

Once these days are long away”

As one of many teams to proudly represent their school and country, we will treasure our memories from being a part of the Tattoo, and we look forward to climbing the steps to the castle in full kilt regalia, pipes and drums in hand, to do it all again one day soon.

Ms Shona Woodruff

2IC Humanities

Music Short Reads

Mr Theo Kotzas, Head of Performance Music

Matthew Jung – Year 8 Violinist

Matthew Jung had a rewarding 2022, achieving several wonderful results. Matthew was involved in College Strings and College Symphony. He was a Finalist in the BBC Concerto Competition, winner of the Year 8 Solo Competition (equated) and a Finalist in the Middle School Solo Championship. Matthew was recently awarded his Certificate of Performance with Honours from the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB).

Tobi Clark – Year 9 Pianist

2022 has been an extremely busy and productive year for Tobi Clark of Year 9. As one of BBC’s foremost musicians, Tobi has maintained his busy schedule in the performing ensembles (Big Band, Camerata and Collegians – totalling approximately 18 performances for 2022) but has also won the BBC Middle School Piano Eisteddfod Championship, the Year 9 Solo Competition, the Middle School Solo Championship, received the Year 9 2022 Subject Prize for Academic Music and, as of early December, is the proud recipient of the fiercely challenging Associate in Music, Australia (AMusA) with Distinction from the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB).

• Tobi Clarke article by Mr Dominic Fitzgerald

Mac Johnson – Graduating Year 12 Pianist

Mac Johnson, the 2022 Co-Music Captain and Performing Arts Prefect, celebrated a number of achievements throughout the year. Mac’s involvement in Camerata and Collegians have kept him very busy. His achievements have included winning the Diploma and Senior Piano Champion prizes at the BBC Piano Eisteddfod, winning (on piano) the Year 12 Solo Competition (equated) and also taking second place for voice. He was also awarded the Year 12 Class Music and Music Extension prizes. Mac received an early acceptance to The University of Queensland to study for a Bachelor of Music and received the Barbara Hebden Music Bursary. To close the year, Mac was awarded his Licentiate Performer Diploma (L.Dip.A) with Distinction from Australian and New Zealand Cultural Arts Limited (ANZCA). Mac was also recognised as the College Dux for 2022.

Production Course

BBC Music was proud to run its inaugural Production Course in the first week of the holidays (5 to 9 December). Eight students, under the guidance and direction of Mr Steve Williamson (guitarist, teacher and recording specialist), worked to explore the possibilities and techniques of recording a song from inception to finished product. The given task was to write a song in one hour and learn how to mic-up, record, mix and master that song for release at 4:00pm on the last day of the course. With real-life scenarios in their sights, the attending students wrote their song, Summer Waves, within an hour and started the recording process.

Students learnt both the theoretical and practical knowledge required to successfully complete the recording. They had to record the drum kit, electric bass and guitars while including electronic sounds and samples. Students were also in charge of recording vocals and freestyle rapping to add to their song. Part of the process was to become familiar with programs that are available to assist with the recording of songs.

Students were then given the opportunity to experience ‘mixing’ the recorded tracks and sounds. Everyone had 30 minutes to work on their ideas for the project and add them where possible. They were also given the opportunity to experience the difference between using analogue and digital technology.

Mr Williamson demonstrated the final process of ‘mastering’ the song, exhibiting additional processes like equalisation, compression and volume normalisation for the overall mix. Students were then shown how to successfully upload their work to digital streaming platforms.

We are pleased to announce that the eight students met the deadline and had their song, Summer Waves, uploaded ahead of time on Friday, 9 December.

A huge thank you to Mr Williamson. Congratulations to all attending students.

Toowong Christmas Carols

On Thursday, 1 December, more than 30 students from BBC Music, alongside three members of staff, performed Christmas carols at Toowong Village. Over the two-hour bracket, the group performed three sets of carols for a very appreciative audience of shoppers. The final set saw several recently graduated Old Collegians join the Camerata. The Camerata’s performance was fresh on the heels of their work for the very successful Nine Lessons and Carols held on Sunday, 27 November. Thank you to all who performed at the Toowong Village Christmas Carols –the students in College Strings and Camerata, Mr Theo Kotzas, Mr Dominic Fitzgerald, Mr Brett Holland, Mrs Kathy Rappel and Mrs Jenny Hageman for her organisation. A huge thank you to Toowong Village for their invitation.

BBC SPORTS

INTRODUCING COACH JOHN BUCHANAN

We are excited to introduce our new First XI Coach, Mr John Buchanan, to BBC Cricket

John became the Australian Cricket Team coach in 1999 and, over the next eight years, led the team to a world record of 16 straight Test Match victories and 29 undefeated Cricket World Cup matches, including three final wins.

He worked with the team during the 1999 World Cup under Geoff Marsh and was head coach during the 2003 and 2007 tournaments. Over the course of his tenure, he was also involved in 21 consecutive One Day International victories. During this time, the Australian Cricket Team were the World Cup Champions, Test Cricket World Champions and holders of The Ashes. John was also the coach of the Queensland Cricket Team, during which time they won two Sheffield Shield titles, including the first in the state’s history in the 1994–95 season.

Welcome to BBC, John. We look forward to having you lead our boys on the pitch.

NOBLET OVAL TRAINING FACILITY OPENING AND CHICRI MAKSOUD CUP

On Wednesday, 12 October, the BBC cricket community officially opened our state-of-the-art Noblet Oval Training facility, which was then followed by the inaugural Chicri Maksoud Achievers XI v BBC Staff XI Cup.

The event could not have been possible without the tireless effort and planning put into it by people within and outside the BBC cricket community. It was fantastic to see so many students, parents, teachers and key stakeholders supporting the event and to see our students spend the afternoon watching the cricket and making use of the facility. The difference is incredible. The boys now have 11 lanes, netting and synthetic grass that is of international standard, rubber set down where the bowling crease is to reduce the risk of injury and a facility they can be proud to call their own.

After the facility was officially opened, it was time for the game we had all been waiting for. There were some memorable performances throughout the game, which was played in great spirit throughout. Miss Tina Campbell took the new rock and did not disappoint, taking a key wicket in the first over. The highlight from the student’s innings was the Headmaster, Mr Andre Casson, bowling to the 2023 College and Cricket Captain, Jamie Alexander. Jamie took the challenge to the Headmaster and showed some powerful stroke play, hitting three sixes in one over. The students ended up with 94 runs which was a challenging total for the star-studded staff lineup to chase down. Some tight bowling from Christian Bayett and Ometh Perera put the students in a dominant position after the first batting pair had finished their innings. There was some great support for Nilesh Patel on the side-line, as well as a fantastic catch from Dan Bentley to dismiss Mr Paul Woodford. Unfortunately, the catch took place on a no-ball that Jenson Scifleet smartly picked up as umpire. With the Achievers XI bowling well to their plans and taking continuous wickets throughout their bowling innings, the Staff XI fell 30 runs short. The faculty has already organised some strength and conditioning sessions in their off-season to ensure that they come back bigger and better for next year.

THE 2022 NIC MACBEAN CUP

The 2022 Nic MacBean Cup was held on Friday, 11 November, at Oakman Park under lights. It was a fantastic event in memory of BBC Old Boy Nic MacBean (OC 2002), who tragically lost his battle with depression in 2015. This charity match (now entering its sixth year) is designed to create greater awareness for men’s mental health, raise money for charity and celebrate Nic’s life.

This T20 match was contested by members of the current 2022/23 BBC First XI and Second XI squad (approximately 16 boys from Year 12) and the Nic MacBean All Stars (consisting of BBC Old Boys). A massive thank you to the All Stars for donating some fantastic raffle prizes, including tickets to an Ed Sheeran concert and double passes to an NRL match between the Broncos and the Dolphins in 2023.

The match was played in great spirits, which saw the BBC First XI Squad chase down the All Stars’ total in record time with some powerful hitting from James Martens, Jamie Alexander and Oscar Shaw.

A huge thank you to the Cricket Support Group for providing a delicious barbeque, as well as to our sponsors, Ray White and Trilogy Funds, for supporting the match. The event raised a total profit of $450, which went to the charity Movember to support men’s mental health.

THE 2022 CRICKET TEST LUNCHEON

The 2022 Cricket Test Luncheon went off without a hitch on 24 November. This successful event featured a terrific lineup of guest speakers comprised of Mr Merv Hughes, Mr Robert ‘Crash’ Craddock, Mr Peter Anderson, Mr Matt Willans (OC 2018), Mr Andrew Courtice (OC 1978) and Mr Chris Hartley (OC 1999). It was a great day, and all profits raised went back into the BBC Cricket Program. A massive thank you to the Cricket Support Group and, in particular, Mr Abhi Aggarwal for their organisation of the event.

Special thanks must also go to Mr Evan ‘Banger’ Bancroft, who made for a highly entertaining Master of Ceremonies, and our incredible sponsors Trilogy Funds, Ray White MetroWest, Queensland Cricketers’ Club and Gabba Sporting Products.

Major Sponsor: Trilogy Funds | Sponsor: Ray White MetroWest, Qld Cricketers’ Club, Gabba Sporting Products

AN INTRODUCTION TO BBC AQUATICS

The Aquatics program at BBC encompasses swimming (GPS) and water polo (non-GPS).

Swimming was one of the foundation GPS sports, having been a part of the competitive GPS program since 1918, although its origins at the College go back to 1908. Water polo was added as a co-curricular activity at BBC in 1998 when the interschool competition began.

Both sports are played at different times of the year, so there is no conflict of interest should a boy wish to participate in both swimming in Terms 4 and 1 and water polo in Term 2. This sequential timing creates a symbiotic relationship between both sports – swimming provides excellent conditioning for water polo players, and playing water polo is a great way for swimmers to maintain their feel for the water in a different, unique setting during the winter months.

Both sports have their competitions on Friday nights rather than during the day on Saturday. This means that boys have the opportunity to participate in one of the Aquatic endeavours as well as other co-curricular activities that are run at the same time of year. Conversely, boys from other activities are also welcome to participate in swimming and/or water polo in addition to their primary sport.

Since 2016, the BBC Aquatics program has been headed by Mr Brett Shields, Director of Aquatics. He assumed this role after the amalgamation of swimming and water polo into what we now know as Aquatics. Before this, he was Master-inCharge of water polo from 2013. Brett has swum for BBC and played water polo at school and university. As an Old Boy of

the College (OC 1995), he brings a unique perspective to the program that involves more than just a focus on the top-end of the sport. Having started at BBC in the Junior School, Brett wants BBC Aquatics to provide a clear and tangible link between the youngest and eldest of the student body, as every new Junior School or fresh-faced Middle School student wants to know and be known by his Senior School peers.

Heading the swimming program is BBC’s Head Coach, Mr David Heyden. David has been the Head Coach of the UQ Sport Aquatic Centre since 2012 and has a strong affiliation with The University of Queensland, having lived in the local community his whole life. He has an excellent team of coaches helping him support an extensive squad program of junior, National Age and National Open level swimmers.

David has been involved in leading the BBC swim team since 2019. His coaching philosophy is about instilling a love of swimming and ensuring students continue to enjoy the sport for a lifetime. He currently holds Swimming Australia’s Advanced Coaching qualifications and is recognised by SWIM Coaches and Teachers Australia as a Gold level coach. David also has Level 1 Coaching qualifications through the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association. He has coached swimmers to State and National championships and placed swimmers in the last two Paralympic Games who went on to achieve podium finishes. In 2017, he was a team coach on the Australian Swim Team for that year’s IPC World Championships.

Mr Brett Shields Director of Aquatics

LEARNING TO SWIM

As summer’s hottest days continue, this is the perfect time to take advantage of BBC’s new Learn-to-Swim (L2S) program. The College has teamed up with local swimming school KSS AQUATICS to offer swimming lessons for students from Prep to Year 7, along with their siblings, in the campus pool. KSS is run by Mrs Kattya Bassingthwaighte, who has a longstanding relationship with BBC, having joined the Aquatics program in 2016 as Head Coach for the Junior GPS Team. She led the boys to a championship victory in her very first year on the job, as well as multiple podium placings in other seasons.

“I have been an aquatic educator for over 20 years,” Kattya says, “and I believe that everything begins with a strong understanding of the basics. The motto of KSS AQUATICS is ‘progress, not perfection’. We strive to offer a love of the water through a high quality, consistent and progressive swim program from beginners to squads.”

Lessons will be held on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons at 3:30pm in the BBC pool, beginning on Tuesday, 24 January. These sessions cost only $21 and service both beginner groups (30 minutes) and squads (60 minutes). KSS is also offering private lessons for students who would benefit from additional support at $47, as well as training for current BBC students aged 16 and over to be certified as swim instructors. To book a spot in the program, please complete the application form at https://www.kssaquatics.com.au/ application-form/

In addition, the after-school program Extend is offering to supervise students’ transition to and from the pool so that they are accompanied by staff at all times before and after their lessons. Parents interested in this option can arrange this directly with Extend.

“With this new program,” Kattya explains, “we will work to develop confidence and safety in the water, extend current Junior GPS swimmers and create a pathway to GPS Swimming at BBC and hopefully competitive club swimming with UQ Sport once these students graduate from our program.” Plus, what could be better on a summer afternoon than a dip in the pool?

BBC/UQ SPORT

It is widely understood that the Brisbane GPS Swimming Championships is one of, if not the, premier schoolboy swimming competitions anywhere in Australia. In the past, BBC has been swimming upstream as we fought our way through these swift and challenging waters. One of the underpinning reasons for this is that most boys who swam for BBC were only involved in a school swimming program that ran for 16 weeks. This made it difficult for BBC to be competitive at the GPS Swimming Championships against schools that run year-round club programs. However, the tide is turning, and BBC Swimming has now started to swim with the big fish. The impetus for this change has been the wonderful partnership struck in recent years between BBC and club swimming powerhouse UQ Sport, which leads sport and recreation at The University of Queensland (UQ). It is blindingly evident that to be competitive in the GPS Swimming Championships, a school’s swimmers must do more than just swim for their school. To push for the podium, swimmers need prolonged time in the water to gain a better feel for it, as well as consistent racing. This is where the partnership with UQ Sport becomes so important.

When this partnership was first struck, there were approximately six boys who swam competitively in the club scene. Fast forward three years, and this season, that number has skyrocketed to 35 in the Under 13 to Open age groups and almost another 10 in the Under 10 to Under 12 age groups, with the vast majority of boys swimming for UQ Sport. Looking forward, we see that BBC Swimming now offers a clear pathway for our boys that provides them with the opportunity to progress from being beginner swimmers, developing their confidence in and enjoyment of the water, all the way through to being elite competitive swimmers at the national level.

A collaboration seemed natural – Mr David Heyden, the Head Coach of BBC Swimming, fills the same role at the UQ Sport Aquatic Centre. While we have already capitalised on this shared connection on a number of occasions, this more formal arrangement gives both BBC and UQ Sport the opportunity to benefit from each other’s unique strengths.

This partnership provides our Collegians with enriching new opportunities. UQ Sport has world-class facilities and a large competitive squad program with experienced and knowledgeable coaching staff. Their Swim Club is one of Australia’s best performing for current and emerging elite swimmers, and this union will give our boys increased access to those incredible resources. It enables our swimmers to take their talents to the next level and gives us a significant advantage in our quest for the Holy Grail: the much-sought first place in the GPS Swimming Championships.

“The UQ Sport competitive swimming program seeks to provide a culture of life-long swimming and a complete pathway for competitive swimmers from a junior level all the way through to senior level swimming at the elite level and onwards into masters swimming,” explains Coach Heyden. “It is not just a program for university-based swimmers. This partnership with BBC provides a valuable connection with a well-known and respected school in the local community in order to build a complete competitive swimming pathway.”

The benefits of this arrangement are not all athletic. This collaboration gives our students a direct link with one of this country’s highest-quality tertiary education institutions and establishes new academic pathways for them to pursue, including a wide range of scholarships.

If you’d like to learn more about this great relationship, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr Brett Shields, BBC Director of Aquatics, at bshields@bbc.qld.edu.au for further information. We look forward to exploring all the new opportunities now available to us to further improve the sporting experience of every BBC student. We hope to see you in the pool!

Mr Brett Shields Director of Aquatics

RUGBY INDIGENOUS ROUND

On Saturday, 13 August 2022, Brisbane Boys’ College hosted its second annual Indigenous Day. This is an important step on the path to reconciliation as it recognises the importance of the BBC Indigenous Program within the school and the wider College community. The Rugby First XV team and the Basketball First V team wore a kit specially designed by the students of our BBC Indigenous Program, and limitededition caps and socks were also sold to the wider BBC community. All proceeds from these sales were reinvested into resources for students of the BBC Indigenous Program.

The design of this year’s sporting kits, socks and caps incorporated the traditional colours of BBC – Green, White and Black – whilst combining traditional dot art that symbolises a coming together of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities to walk the path to reconciliation. Walking that path is represented through the use of animal prints walking the tracks, and the ‘coming together’ is represented as the dot circles along the tracks.

The Indigenous students led both the First V Basketball team and the First XV Rugby team onto the playing arena with pride before presenting a speech and performing a traditional dance. This was a spectacular and momentous occasion that captured the entire crowd’s attention. The feedback we received from the day was overwhelming.

“I saw a tightknit group of resplendent young men from traditional lands spanning from the Gold Coast to the tip of Cape York walk the journey from the shadows of vulnerability, shyness and humility within the sometimesoverwhelming student masses, to become beacons of light beaming with strength, substance and pride,” said BBC parent Mr Nolan White. “One would be hard pressed to find a spectator looking on who did not have goosebumps. It was as if 65,000 years of learned knowledge and wisdom was streaming up through Miskin and coursing through the veins of the BBC First Nations X.”

We would like to thank everyone for their support of the Indigenous Program. It truly was a fantastic day that will go down in the BBC history books. Thanks also to our valued sponsors P3 Financial Planning and Milton Press for their incredible support, as well as to our 2022 Rugby Season sponsors.

RUGBY SEASON SPONSORS

INSIGHT

FATHER'S DAY

In September, the dads of Middle School boys were invited to attend a special Father and Son Breakfast. We were thrilled to take the opportunity to acknowledge the fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, godfathers and all the men in our community who love and care for our students. This wonderful day allowed our boys to demonstrate how grateful they are to their dads for inspiring them and supporting them as they grow.

At BBC, we value opportunities to bring our community together to celebrate and share special moments and milestones. We also encourage our students to show gratitude and respect for the most important people in their lives.

GEOSNAPSHOT

We are very excited to have recently launched GeoSnapShot, a facial recognition tool that works with your son’s profile photo on Highlands. GeoSnapShot now lets us share the professional photos that are taken at various BBC events. The technology instantly recognises each student’s face and uploads images into your Schoolbox account. You can then download these at just $2 per image. Simply go to your son’s Highlands account and click on ‘View Photos’; if there is a photo of your son available, you will be able to download it. Please be assured that if the College does not have permission to photograph your son, he will not appear in any images.

We have been able to upload photos from Terms 3 and 4 of 2022, and we look forward to sharing all of our professional snapshots

FUNDRAISING LUNCH 2022

In September, we were pleased to hold our annual Spring Bling Fundraising Lunch. This event raises much-deserved money for projects that benefit our boys and the BBC community at large. This year, our guest speaker was Ms Hazel Harden from Australian Families 4 Genomics (AF4G), a worthy organisation working to promote genome sequencing for children with cancer, which can help lead to potentially life-saving new treatments. We have been helping AF4G fundraise over the last two years in support of Hazel and her son, Samuel, who was a graduating member of the Class of 2022. A significant percentage of the funds raised at the Spring Bling were donated to AF4G.

There were a lot of fabulous prizes up for grabs this year, with the major one being a weekend getaway at Crystalbrook Byron Resort. There were plenty of other goodies to be won, including a shopping spree, a pearl necklace, a luxurious day spa retreat and a designer picnic for six at the winner’s choice of destination. The Spring Bling is a whole-school event, and it was wonderful to come together as a community to support such deserving causes. All who attended can attest that it was also a lot of fun. Taking place in Hillstone’s stunning Grand Ballroom, the proceedings eventually moved onto the Mango Tree Terrace for some live music and dancing. It was a splendid time, enjoyed by all.

CONNECT

FROM THE OCA PRESIDENT

MR PETER HUNT-SHARP (OC 1991)

The Old Collegians’ Association has celebrated a very successful second half of 2022. We have hosted wonderful events and activities that kept our alumni connected in meaningful ways.

In July, over 80 members of the College community, including Old Boys, staff and parents, had the pleasure of listening to a panel of Old Boy guest speakers as they candidly shared their thoughts on Work and Life in a Post-Pandemic World

The highlight for many was the return of our Long Lunch and Old Boys’ Day, hosted by the OCA. The events kicked off with the Long Lunch held at Howard Smith Wharves, where MC Robert Craddock entertained guests with stories from his time as a Senior Sports Journalist.

Following the conclusion of that weekend’s First XV game, over 300 Old Boys and community members enjoyed a beverage and Boarding House BBQ. It was fantastic to see such support for Old Boys’ Day, with so many Old Boys turning up to cheer on the students in an awesome display of College Spirit.

In October, our ever-popular Golf Day was held at The Brisbane Golf Club, with 34 teams taking to the course.

Our Vintage Collegians enjoyed Christmas in July Lunch in Mount Mee on a cold, misty winter’s day and an end-of-year celebratory lunch in the Bissett Gallery.

Due to unavoidable reunion postponements last year, the OCA hosted double the number of decade reunions in 2022. Classes of 1961/2, 1971/2, 1981/2, 1991/2, 2001/2 and 2011/2 all enjoyed coming together again at various venues throughout the year. Though our branches grow in different directions, our roots remain as one.

The OCA is seeing increasing numbers of Old Boys getting involved as volunteers, mentors and ambassadors for the College, and we are very excited to be launching a digital community platform exclusively for our BBC Old Collegians -

the OCA Portal. The OCA Portal will provide Old Boys with access to a running feed of OCA updates, interesting content, photos and conversations. The OCA Portal will also include a mentoring program, giving our Old Collegians the opportunity to be a mentor or mentee; a job board with current opportunities posted by members of the OCA; group conversations, allowing you to engage with members in the same field of study, industry or location as you; and invitations to upcoming events hosted by the OCA. We encourage all our Old Collegians to sign up on the website now.

As the year comes to a close, I would like to thank the OCA Committee for the incredible work, dedication and commitment they have exhibited throughout 2022. The Committee shapes the strategic direction of the OCA, and together we have achieved some great outcomes. The Annual General Meeting of the BBC Old Collegians’ Association will take place on Tuesday, 7 February 2023, at 6:00 pm at Brisbane Boys’ College. All members are invited to be a part of the OCA Committee. Nomination forms can be downloaded from our website.

The Committee thanks Ms Hayley Blumenthal, Director of School Development & Community Engagement; Mrs Tanya Bester, Community Activation Partner in the Alumni Office; and all those who support us at the College.

Mr Andre Casson is doing a fantastic job leading us and delivering a vision to move Brisbane Boys’ College into the future. I am proud to represent you as a voice to the College through my role as the President of the Old Collegian Association. I invite you to work together to volunteer your time and experience, participate and re-engage with the OCA, attend the events hosted by the OCA and contribute to our fundraising to drive the future growth of our College.

We are proud to announce the launch of the OCA Portal. The Portal is a web-based platform hosted and maintained by the OCA that will give all our BBC Old Boys the opportunity to network and connect. Signing up is easy, with our private LinkedIn API ensuring that your data stays up to date. The OCA Portal is specifically designed to best serve our valued Old Boys. Boasting a suite of terrific features, the OCA Portal will strengthen the bond that BBC fosters among everyone who walks through its doors.

OCA PORTAL OCA PORTAL

THE FEATURES OF OCA PORTAL WILL INCLUDE:

CONNECT

Find and reminisce with fellow BBC Old Boys, see what they’ve been up to and stay in touch.

RECONNECT WITH OLD CLASSMATES

The OCA Portal allows you to reconnect with old classmates and utilise the trusted Old Collegians’ community to expand your professional network.

EASY REGISTRATION WITH LINKEDIN

Our private LinkedIn API ensures that your data stays safe, secure and up-to-date.

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK

Leverage your professional network and connect with others in your industry.

GIVE BACK

Introduce, employ and mentor our graduating students and young Old Collegians.

EVENTS

College, Foundation and Alumni events can be managed and promoted within the portal. It can also be used to manage registrations.

JOB BOARD

Recruit from a vast pool of talent by posting job listings to the OCA Portal’s job board.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

DANIEL

In Vogue

A BBC Old Boy Takes the Fashion World by Storm

There is no fairy tale story for fashion designers striving to have their work recognised internationally. It is a long journey. Since leaving BBC and winning gold at the Australian Fashion Awards at the age of 21, I have had a whole ambit of experiences in the fiercely competitive world of fashion design. No focus group would ever recommend Crooke as a suitable brand name. So, I became Daniel Alexander – using my middle name.

I have been there on ‘Struggle Street’, learning harsh lessons when opening my first boutique in Fortitude Valley with insufficient capital for marketing and stock. Then, after years of more creative work, came an invitation to exhibit my designs at New York Fashion Week for three years. I was honoured to accept the Red Silk Carpet Award for Best Fashion Designer USA in 2020 and 2021.

This year, to cap it off, was the invitation to travel to Paris in February to present at Paris Fashion Week – a dream come true.

In the meantime, my designs have appeared in major fashion magazines, including Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, New York Life, Page Six, Fashion Magazine NYC, W Magazine, World Fashion Media News, Lux Magazine, Flash Magazine and Rope Magazine – with more to come.

So, watch this space!

Daniel Alexander danielalexander.com.au

JAMES CANNON

2004)

James Cannon received accreditation from The Australian Cinematographers Society.

This grants him the right to use the post-nominal initials ACS as an endorsement of the quality of his work. On 19 October 2022, James’ proud dad, Roger (OC 1969), accepted the award on his son’s behalf.

James Cannon ACS was presented with a Gold Award in the Neil David International News Category of the Queensland Awards for his filming of the War in Ukraine.

ALEXANDER CROOKE (OC 2000)

(OC

LOOKING BACK

After attending Wilston Primary School, Ian arrived at BBC in 1947 for Year 9, and after satisfying the standards of the 1948 Junior Public Examination in English, geography, algebra, physics, chemistry and bookkeeping, Ian left to take an apprenticeship as an electrician. Two years of high school, consisting of Years 9 and 10, was standard procedure for most boys of the era.

Living on the hill at Wilston, Ian walked down the northern side to catch the tram at the Grange terminus each morning. Fortunately, the opposite end of the line was Toowong. Even more fortunately for all BBC students, Mr Joseph Stillman Badger’s house Arlington, now known as Endrim, was located at 28 Woodstock Road, Toowong. An American and a qualified electrical engineer, Mr Badger came to oversee the electrification of Brisbane’s outdated horsedrawn network for the Brisbane Tramways Company (BTC) in 1896.

After travelling down Sylvan Road, the original Toowong tram terminus was at the Miskin roundabout. Mr Badger’s desire was to travel to and from work by tram, and therefore he had the line extended via Dean Street to his doorstep in Woodstock Road, consequently saving students the trawl up the hill from the cemetery.

In the afternoon, Ian travelled with his mates from Toowong railway station to change trains at Roma Street onto the Ferny Grove line. He disembarked at Newmarket and returned home up the hill from the southern side.

In the post-war conditions of the late 1940s, felt hats were worn as straw hats and boaters were not available due to restricted sailing schedules and the manufacturing of priority products. Mum’s trusty Singer treadle sewing machines, which had supplied the early sports uniforms of the 1920s, were now replaced by department stores such as McWhirters, Allan and Stark and McDonnell & East as the chief stockists for school uniform supplies.

Ian remembers Kodak film for his box Brownie camera was still in short supply. During the war years, Kodak film was extremely scarce, and the BBC Photography Club could no longer flourish and take their iconic images for the Portal of the day, as there were no available chemicals for developing the film.

Although not a natural sportsman, Ian was quite surprised with his success on the Miskin Rifle Range. He thought it was normal for all marksmen to score four bullseyes and a target on their first attempt. In later life, this natural gift led him to join a Sporting Shooters Club and to enter pistol shooting competitions.

Dr T.R. McKenzie was the Headmaster during Ian’s years at BBC. Images fixed in Ian’s memory include the stern lectures given by Senior Master Stanley George Brown during the morning assemblies that were held in the current St Andrew’s Chapel. He remembers War Cry practices and, not uncommonly for the time, the influence of the College Chaplain, Rev Dr Fred Mackay, who had been a Presbyterian chaplain in the RAAF. Running the cross-country course to the foothills of Mt Coot-tha and the tuckshop near the oval are strong images. Ian remembers the kindness of Bill Woolcock (OC 1950), who willingly explained difficult concepts. W.S. Woolcock scored 10 As and one B in the same 1948 Public Exam as Ian. As Dux in 1950, Bill topped the state in the Senior Public Examination, scoring six As and gaining an open scholarship to university.

It was an interesting chat rekindling the memories of Ian’s BBC school days of 1947 to 1948.

Helen Jackson Archivist

After a sprightly walk up from the river, 90-year-old Ian Wilson (OC 1950) visited the archives and shared his memories from his time at BBC.

Introducing the New OCA Patron

Vic has a Bachelor of Arts (Urban Geography) and a Master of Urban Studies (Urban and Regional Planning) from The University of Queensland. He established a town planning practice in Brisbane in 1976, making it the longest-established practice in Queensland. It has undertaken projects throughout Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, the South Pacific and North America. He is a Registered Town Planner to local authorities in Queensland. He is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management at The University of Queensland. He is a Life Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia, an Affiliate of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and is also the Co-Founder of the Bicycle Institute of Queensland.

Vic was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2018 for his services to Town Planning. Vic believes this is the first and only recognition for service to Town Planning in Queensland, including the previous Imperial Awards. He says: “I am particularly aware of its significance, as much for me personally as for public recognition of Town Planning as a vital service to the wider community”.

BBC appointed Vic as Principal Consultant for the Brisbane Boys’ College Playing Fields Project, Oxley Road, Corinda, from its inception in 2008.

Vic is especially proud of his family’s achievements, including those of his wife and daughters, and his BBC involvement through his brother Harry (OC 1963) and son Nick (OC 1990), an engineer and father of third-generation alumnus Matthew (OC 2021).

Vic speaks fondly of his senior classmates, often referring to them as acquaintances by chance but life-long friends by choice – the unbreakable binding spirit that is BBC.

It is with much pleasure that the Old Collegians’ Association would like to announce and present their new Patron –Victor Feros OAM, an Old Collegian of 1961.

Vic in the Centre, with son Nick to the right and grandson Matthew to the left.

SNAPSHOTS

SNAPSHOTS

OLD BOY'S DAY

THANK

November

OCA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2023

UQ OLD BOY UNIVERSITY TOUR

OCA PRESIDENT'S DRINKS

QUT OLD BOY UNIVERSITY TOUR

BBC OCA NETWORKING BREAKFAST

YOUNG OLD BOYS EVENT

VINTAGE COLLEGIANS' LUNCH IN TOOWOOMBA

SYDNEY REUNION

BBC OCA NETWORKING BREAKFAST: CYBER-SECURITY VINTAGE COLLEGIANS' LUNCH IN CALOUNDRA

CLASS OF 2013 | 10-YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 2003 | 20-YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 1973 | 50-YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 1963 | 60-YEAR REUNION

VINTAGE COLLEGIANS' CHRISTMAS IN JULY IN MOUNT MEE

BBC OCA OLD BOYS' DAY

CLASS OF 1993 | 30-YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 1983 | 40-YEAR REUNION

ARE YOU A BBC VINTAGE COLLEGIAN?

A Vintage Collegian is a BBC Old Boy who left the school more than 42 years ago. If you graduated in 1981 or earlier, we’d be thrilled to welcome you to our Vintage Collegians Network.

Members of this group assist with the BBC archives and historical publications and connect with current students, formally addressing classes across the College and sharing their own experiences from their time at the school. All Vintage Collegians are welcomed back to the College for a morning tea on the first Tuesday of every month. For those of you who have yet to attend, it is a very informal, social gettogether of Old Collegians who would like to stay connected to the College and to one another.

In addition to these meetings, we also enjoy lunch with our Vintage Collegians four times a year in various locations in and around Brisbane. The dates and locations for these events in 2023 are:

• Thursday, 16 March 2023 – Toowoomba

• Thursday, 25 May 2023 – Caloundra

2023

Dates are correct at the time of printing, however, may be subject to change.

Please ensure your contact details are up-to-date with the BBC Alumni Office. You can do this by visiting www.oldcollegians.com.au/stay-in-touch or emailing oca@bbc.qld.edu.au

• Thursday, 20 July 2023 - Mount Mee

• Thursday, 23 November 2023 - Brisbane Boys’ College

The first Vintage Collegian get-together of the new year will be on Tuesday, 7 February 2023 in College House. These meetings begin at 10:00am and end around 11:30am

Joining the Vintage Collegians Network gives you the opportunity to stay in touch with friends and stay connected to our great school.

To make sure you don’t miss out on any of our future meetings and events, please make sure to provide current contact details at www.bbc.qld.edu.au/community/oldcollegians-association/stay-in-touch/

2023 BBC OCA LONG LUNCH

BBC OCA GOLF DAY

VINTAGE COLLEGIANS' END OF YEAR LUNCH

HONORARY COLLEGIANS

In recognition of their significant service to the College, the OCA Executive have proudly welcomed Mrs Josie Pavone (Former Rudd Boarding House Mother), Mr Steve McAlpine (The Boatman) and Mr Matt Atkinson (Teacher, Master, Sports Coach) as Honorary Members of the Old Collegians Association during 2022.

JOSIE PAVONE Honorary Member

STEVE MCALPINE AND MATT ATKINSON Honorary Member

Community Announcements

WEDDING

BBC Council Chair, Don O’Rorke, married Katie McMillan in a garden ceremony at their home, Hampton Farm, in Brookfield, Queensland.

Don and Katie met on safari in Africa four years ago and returned to Cape Town and its surrounds for their honeymoon.

Between them, Don and Katie have nine children, five of whom are currently at BBC: Thomas (Year 12), Oliver (Year 12), James (Year 10), Jonathan (Year 10) and William (Year 7).

190 guests gathered to witness The Reverend Kent Crawford, a long-time friend of Katie’s, marry the couple. The fifth Headmaster of BBC, Mr Graham Thomson (95 years of age), did the reading.

Bruce Campbell (Year 12) piped the guests into a marquee for the reception.

Other notable BBC guests included the 10th Headmaster, Mr Andre Casson; PMSA Chair, Mr Peter Barker; PMSA CEO, Mr Shane Coppin; and their wives. Former PMSA Chair Mr Morgan Parker

sent his congratulations from London.

Former First XV coach Mr Geoff Richardson and his wife were in attendance.

College alumni Mr Jonathan King (OC 1977), Mr Richard Palm (OC 1977), Mr David Thomson (OC 1977), Mr Jono Medhurst (OC 1977), Mr Bill Griffin (OC 1977) and their wives attended.

Don’s long-term friend and business collaborator, Mr Scott Hutchinson (OC 1976), was also there.

Despite it being the wettest October in Brisbane’s history, the sun shined, which was a great omen.

LIMITED TIME ENROLMENT POLICY FOR OLD BOYS

We are excited to announce a new Enrolment Policy exclusively for our BBC Old Boys in 2023!

While the normal application fee is $515, we’re pleased to offer our alumni a rate of only $121 when submitting an enrolment application in 2023, our school’s 121st year. We’re happy to confirm that this offer is also valid for any Old Boys applying for their sons to be accepted as international students. This policy is effective from the start of Term 1, 2023, and applies to boys aged five or under. It is only valid for this calendar year, so we encourage all Old Boys to register their child, grandchild or dependant as soon as possible to secure a placement and continue their legacy at BBC.

BBC Baby Bibs

Have you welcomed a Future Collegian recently?

The heritage and traditions of Brisbane Boys’ College are born from a shared history and culture that no other school can match, and you have played a big part in that as a student and as an Old Collegian. We would be thrilled to have you join us as we write the next chapter of the BBC story.

* Valid to 31 December 2023

To celebrate this tremendous occasion, we would love to send your family a gift on behalf of the BBC community. Let us know of your little one’s arrival by emailing communications@bbc.qld.edu.au

(Pictured: Harvey Ward, son of English and Humanities teacher Ms Elizabeth Ward)

Lexus of Brisbane Group is a proud sponsor of Brisbane Boys’ College. We look forward to continuing our support in 2023.

VALE

Mr Eric Butterfield (OC 1945)

Mr Harold Hall (OC 1945)

Mr Stanton Bongers (OC 1949)

Mr George Logothetis (OC 1949)

Mr Robert Paterson (OC 1958)

Mr Robert Ferris (OC 1963)

Mr John McLeod (OC 1969)

Mr Adrian Donaldson (OC 1973)

Mr Simon McDonald (OC 1977)

Mr Mark Darwin (OC 1984)

STAY IN TOUCH

www.facebook.com/BrisbaneBoysCollege OldCollegiansAssociation

Wallace Bishop AM (OC 1952)

@bbc_old_collegians_assoc

Mr Wallace Bishop AM, a doyen of Brisbane’s jewellery retail business, passed away peacefully in his sleep on 16 November 2022 at the age of 88. His impact and legacy are immense, a reputation that is continued by his children.

Brisbane Boys’ College Old Collegians’ Association

COMMUNITY ACTIVATION PARTNER

Mrs Tanya Bester 07 3309 3526 | tbester@bbc.qld.edu.au

Update your details

www.oldcollegians.com.au/stay-in-touch

Community is about connection, so we invite you to share any announcements about yourself or fellow Old Collegians. Announcements may include stories of interest, notable achievements, marriages, births or vale notices. Please email the details to our BBC Alumni Office at oca@bbc.qld.edu

From his BBC days, Wallace possessed a clear direction in life. Working meticulously as a watchmaker, he aimed for excellence in design and technical craftsmanship in the jewellery industry. His passion was for attaining the highest standards in both the retail and service sectors while creating greatly respected Australian-made products.

In 2018, Wallace became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This honour was awarded for his service to the community in business and the retail industry and, more broadly, for his humanitarian work associated with the Rotary Club of Brisbane and his interest in aiding sporting groups. Wallace received the Paul Harris Award, the highest accolade given by Rotary for exceptional involvement in the club.

Wallace was the Rear Commodore (1982 to 1984), Vice Commodore (1984 to 1986) and Commodore (1986 to 1988) of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, having been a member since 1953. In his commitment and generosity to the Squadron above the traditional committee roles and beyond improving facilities, Wallace coordinated regattas and rescue and start boats, as well as repairs. His natural attention to detail and mechanical aptitude was greatly appreciated in the BBC boatshed when his two sons rowed.

Having been a member of BBC’s GPS Swimming Team, Wallace’s affinity for water and safety resulted in his establishment and consolidation of the Queensland Surf Life Saving Foundation, which provides vital surf lifesaving equipment to clubs throughout Queensland.

With numerous achievements and more than half a century’s involvement in the watch, jewellery and retail industries to his name, Wallace Bishop was a visionary leader and pioneer in his chosen field.

After graduating in 1965 as joint Dux and a member of the First XI and Athletics teams, Tony attended The University of Queensland and studied fisheries science, obtaining a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours in 1971. Tony’s journey through the Pacific began with him taking on the role of Principal Biologist in the Ministry of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries in pre-independent Papua New Guinea. There, his interest in the burgeoning pole-and-line skipjack tuna fishery began, and he was instrumental in developing the first large-scale tagging program for skipjack. During his initial tenure in Papua New Guinea, he also worked for the South Pacific Commission (SPC), an organisation comprised of Pacific island nations that works to address development issues in the area. Tony’s interest in all things skipjack continued, along with his other passion, scombrid taxonomy, which was the topic of his PhD when he returned to Australia to attend The Australian National University from 1978 to 1981.

Tony then accepted the role of Principal Fisheries Officer (Resource Assessment and Development) at the Fiji Fisheries Division in Suva. In 1988, he was convinced to rejoin the staff of SPC as Manager/Chief Scientist of the Oceanic Fisheries Program (OFP). This was a period of rebuilding for the OFP, and Tony brought his unique approach to leadership to the task.

During his 14 years at SPC, Tony oversaw many changes to the OFP, including a broadening of the program from a primary focus on skipjack and yellowfin to include the other species of tuna, as well as billfish, sharks and various species impacted by the fisheries. Under his watch, a regional observer program was developed, and large investments in data management and the applications of cutting-edge stock assessment methodology were made to meet the emerging needs of regional fisheries management.

Tony left SPC in 2002 to take up the Managing Director position at the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) of Papua New Guinea. From 2004, he

ANTONY LEWIS (OC 1965)

Dr Antony David Lewis passed away on 23 September 2022 after a short illness. Tony was a fisheries legend in Australia, the Pacific and Southeast Asia, receiving international recognition.

served as a technical advisor and assisted the new Executive Director and Secretariat of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).

Tony played a key role in the third major SPC-led tagging project, the Pacific Tuna Tagging Program (PTTP), as Project Consultant/Coordinator and managed its coordination from 2006 to 2019. Concurrently, he achieved a significant milestone by personally tagging his 100,000th tuna, a record that is never likely to be broken.

From his exposure to the domestic fisheries in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, Tony recognised the importance and magnitude of catches from these fisheries and the potential impacts on WCPFC tuna stocks and the tuna fisheries of the SPC member countries. He was instrumental in developing the initial project documentation for the West Pacific East Asia Project (WPEA) aimed at improving the monitoring and management of the domestic tuna fisheries of these countries.

For making such a significant contribution through the WPEA Project, Tony received an official government medal from the Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in 2013 for his services to improving the monitoring of Vietnam’s fisheries.

Tony’s enduring legacy is his forte in managing large field programs, easily incorporating complex issues of scientific design, finance and administration, donor liaising and, importantly, motivating and encouraging the onboard team of scientists and technicians.

CHRISTOPHER WILTSHIRE (OC 1992)

Remembering Christopher James Raymond Wiltshire was born on 19 October 1975. He excelled at school and was Dux of BBC’s lower A secondary school. He was Captain of the debating team, played leading roles in the school musicals, was a keen chess player and was a very competent batsman and bowler in the cricket team. Rev. Ron Holt, who was the school chaplain at the time, provided strong personal support for Christopher for the rest of his life.

He began his tertiary education at The University of Queensland, where he achieved a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Government. He then successfully undertook a Master of Laws at The University of Melbourne and a master's degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He also graduated in specialist courses in human rights in Strasbourg, France.

Christopher gained legal experience with a number of solicitors, but he chose to go straight to the bar to engage in the cut and thrust of the courtroom. Later in his career, he became a professional mediator.

Throughout his career, Christopher silently provided help and support for many who were challenged or disadvantaged, both through his practice and personally. When he came across a young lad scraping through rubbish bins for food, Christopher befriended him and brought him home frequently for meals and conversation. That challenged and talented young man became a founding member of the well-known group The Fantastixxx, who meet at the Twelfth Night Theatre.

Christopher’s acting ability was acknowledged worldwide. He was adept in many genres of drama and delighted young audiences at the Twelfth Night Theatre and in schools with his lead roles in works by famous authors such as A. A. Milne and Roald Dahl. With his love of literature, he brought many a book launch and historical anniversary to life.

Comparative religion held a special fascination for Christopher. He was intrigued by all belief systems, their differences and similarities. He became an authority on the subject and participated in numerous discussions and debates about religion. He visited virtually every mainstream church in Brisbane to experience their form and substance of worship. In every city he visited across the world, one of his very first ports of call would be the local churches. His deep understanding of all religious faiths, both eastern and western, clearly provided a solid foundation for Christopher’s

memorable personal statement, “My God is awesome”.

One of the greatest loves of his life was music. Christopher had an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of music. He was very devoted to classical music in particular, although he had an appreciation for all forms and genres. He was an enthusiastic member of The Queensland Choir, the oldest community-based choir in Australia. He was also a keen chorister with the choir of the Baptist City Tabernacle and joined those of its members who travelled to Sydney to be part of the massed choirs for the spectacular Chorus Oz at the Opera House.

After a courageous battle with a very aggressive form of cancer, Christopher died on Christmas Day 2021.

FROM THE FOUNDATION CHAIR

MR IAN MACPHERSON (OC 1979) CHAIR, BBC FOUNDATION

The BBC Foundation facilitates the growth and development of Brisbane Boys’ College as a school of excellence. Functionally, it conducts fundraising activities to bridge the gap between the College’s income and its aspirations in academic and co-curricular education. During 2022, the board focused on expanding community engagement, addressed our support groups’ financial requirements, and made access to Foundation services more efficient to help meet short, medium and long-term goals.

On 3 September, we held an Evening of Celebration at Brisbane City Hall, which was both a friend-raising and fundraising event. Proceeds from the auction went to the BBC Foundation. I think those who attended will agree that a brilliant night was had by all. This was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate 120 years of this great community.

During October, we held our fourth matched Giving Day. A big thank you to our matching donors who, together with the magnificent BBC community, ensured we reached our goal of raising $250,000. In fact, we managed to exceed this target, which is an exceptional result. On behalf of the BBC Foundation, I would like to thank our supporters for their very generous contributions to Giving Day this year.

The proceeds raised on Giving Day went in part towards the BBC Building Fund. In 2023, these monies will go towards the construction of the first stage of the rooftop terrace for the Resource Centre. It is truly wonderful that our boys and staff will have this new green space, a space to learn and connect. I look forward to sharing the progress of this project with you.

Giving Day also raised funds for the BBC Bursary program. These generous donations enable us to ensure that we can continue to offer the opportunity of a BBC education to those who otherwise could not afford it. Throughout the 120 years of BBC’s history, bursary recipients have contributed to the rich tapestry of our college community before going out into the world to make a positive difference.

In November, we were thrilled to announce that Brisbane Boys’ College has partnered with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) to create a First Nations Bursary program. Beginning in 2023, this bursary will provide a high-quality BBC education to 10 First Nations students from regional and remote communities across Australia.

On behalf of the Foundation Board, I would like to extend our thanks to all donors who support Brisbane Boys’ College. We are excited to continue our fundraising and friend-raising efforts in 2023.

BURSARY PROGRAM

It is our great pleasure to announce that Brisbane Boys’ College has partnered with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) to create a new First Nations Bursary program. Beginning in 2023, this bursary will provide a high-quality BBC education to 10 First Nations students from regional and remote communities across Australia.

Giving each and every young man who comes through our doors the opportunity to succeed and thrive has always been the key goal at the heart of the College’s mission statement. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of CBA, we will be able to accomplish that goal with greater effectiveness than ever before as we extend our warmest welcomes to boys who might otherwise not have been able to join our community.

These new students will range in year level from Year 7 to Year 10 and will reside on-campus as boarders. CBA will contribute all school-related costs, including tuition fees, boarding fees and various expenses such as textbook and uniform purchases.

2022 FOUNDATION DONOR THANK YOU LIST

We are so grateful to each of the generous supporters in the list below and to those who have chosen to remain anonymous. Your donation will help our boys thrive for another 120 years.

Mr P and Mrs L Adams

Mr J and Mrs H Adsett

Mr C and Mrs S Alexander

Dr H and Mrs E Alexander

Mr P and Mrs K Alexander

Dr D M Allan

Mr M and Mrs V Altun

Mr G and Ms J Andrews

Mr Samuel Arkell

Mr P and Mrs K Ashley

Mr J and Mrs J Austin

Mr R and Ms L Baildon

Mr J and Mrs R Baker

Mr B H and Mrs G Barclay

Mr R I and Mrs M Barclay

Mr S Beak and Ms J Yang

Mr B and Mrs L Beard

Mr C J Beech

Mr R and Mrs T Bell

Mr D and Mrs J Bendzala

Mr W A Bennett

Dr T and Mrs N Bergin

Mr C and Mrs K Bird

Mr R Bird

Mr M and Mrs W Blucher

Mr B and Mrs S Blyton

Mr A and Mrs E Boden

Dr R and Dr R Bohra

Ms J Boughen

Ms D Bradberry

Mr T Brewer and Ms N Cope

Graeme and Bronwyn Brown

Mr S Brown and Dr M Ogilvie-Brown

Mr S D M Brown

Mr D Burley and Mrs N Sommer-Burley

Mr DL and Ms K Burrows

Mr N W Burrows

Mr A and Mrs A Campbell

Mr R and Mrs W Campbell

Mr S and Mrs E Casey

Mr D and Mrs S Cassidy

Mr A Casson

Mr I D Charlton

Mr Albert Chen

Mr L Chen and Mrs M Lu

Ms Joanne Cheng

Mr L Sun and Mrs J Cheng

Mr and Mrs M J Christensen

Mr Hugh Ciereszko

Mr K and Mrs M Clair

Mr A and Mrs A Clark

Mr S and Mrs K Clark

Mr D Cleland and Mrs K Cleland

Mr D M Clough

Rev and Mrs G M Cole

Mrs E Compton

Mr B and Mrs J Conolly

Mrs N Cooley

Mr Shane Coppin

Mr D Costa and Ms S Morris

Mr M and Mrs J Costello

Mr S Cowie

Mr R and Mrs S Cox

Mr G F Cumming-Harris

Mr J Davies and Ms M Wickham

Mr J and Mrs H Deighton

Mr A N Dempsey

Mr A Deng and Mrs Y Xia

Dr D Ding and Dr G Ge

Mr U Dubey and Mrs H Gour

Mr R and Mrs A Duffey

Mr J and Mrs J Eagle

Miss Kelly Edwards

Mr Jeremy Faithfull

Dr D Feinbloom and Ms K Bruce

Mr J and Mrs O Flipp

Mr J Foster

Mr R A Foxton

Mr B and Mrs S Frisbie

Mr B Fuller and Ms L Chesterton

Mr Andrew Fullerton

Mr A and Mrs L Galloway

Ms Ming Gao

Dr T and Mrs K Gianduzzo

Mr M and Mrs J Gilroy

Mr G Girle and Mrs L Girle

Mr K W Glasson

The Late Mr K A Gold

Dr B Golding

The Hon. R Gotterson AO QC

Dr P and Mrs S Gourlas

Mr D and Mrs L Gray

Mr S C Gregory

Mr P Griffin and Ms S Schleicher

Mr M and Mrs N Grimley

Mr S and Mrs A Groves

Ms M Gu

Mr G R Hadwen

Mr G J Hall

Mr J and Mrs A Hall

Mr Thomas Hamilton

Mr P and Mrs R Hansen

Mr R Hassanvali and Mrs J Gholizadeh Saffar

Mr C Hawke and Ms H Blumenthal

Mr N J R Hawkins

Mr C and Mrs A Henderson

Mr M and Miss Y Hoare

Dr Leigh Hobart

Dr J Hosking and Ms R Foster

Mr H Huang and Mrs H Liang

Mr P M Hudson

Mr M and Mrs R Humphrey

Mr C and Mrs C Hurst

Dr K W Hutchinson

Mr Larry Huynh

Mr A Ie and Ms M Chong

Mr Y Ip and Miss S Hui

Mr A Jamieson

Dr M Jha

Mr N Johnson

Mr P A and Mrs M Jolly

Mr R E Jolly

Mr M Jones and Ms P Bamford

Mr D Jung

Mr P and Mrs O Kanissery

Dr B Kath and Dr P Marella

Mr Jad Khoury

Mr Karam Khoury

Mr B and Mrs E Kidston

Mr R and Mrs J Kift

Mr C D and Mrs S King

Mr Patrick King

Mr B and Mrs N Korst

Mr Subramanian Kumar

Mr Min Kwak

Mr S Landy and Mrs N Landy

Mr E H Larmar

Mr R Lawrence and Ms G Clayton

Mr G I Lee

Sang Wong Lee

Mr B and Mrs J Lewis

Mr J Li and Mrs H Feng

Mr C Liu and Mrs X Tang

Mr T C and Mrs E Lloyd

Mr T and Mrs H Longwill

Dr Joao Luiz Luft Junior

Mrs Christelle Luxford

Ms B Mackay-Payne

Mr D H Mackenzie

Mr I C Macpherson

Mr D and Mrs K Madden

Mr S and Mrs D Maitra

Miss Alyce Maksoud

Miss Jessica Maksoud

Ms Marie M Maksoud

Miss Rebekah Maksoud

Mr Robert Maksoud

Miss Rose Maksoud

Mr S and Mrs D Manu

Mr D and Mrs B Marschke

Mr P and Mrs A Martin

Mr J T Massey

Mr B and Mrs G Maybery

Mr A McAlpine and Ms A Ryan

Mr Ciaran McCallion

Mr A and Mrs A McClure

Mr J McCowan and Mrs R Chapman-McCowan

Mr R and Mrs K McGovern

Mr A and Mrs O McGregor

Miss Kate McLennan

Mr M and Mrs J McNaught

Ms J McStay

Mr C and Mrs K Middlemis

Mr C and Mrs A Mills

Mr G E Mitchell AO

Mr D K H Moffatt

Miss R Moore

Mr A W Morrison

Mr H Mossman and Ms M Law

Mr B and Mrs S Muthumuni

Mr Matthew Nagel

Miss Shayna Naidu

Mr S Naicker and Dr Ramaloo

Dr P Nguyen and Mrs R Gardner

Mr J R and Mrs A Nicol

Mr A Nicolosi and Ms L Y Sun

Mr Riley Nielsen

Mr P D Nimmo

Mr J and Mrs H O’Brien

Mr L and Mrs K Olyott

Mr B and Mrs N O’Neill

Mrs Caroline O’Rorke

Mr D C O’Rorke

Mr Z Ou and Mrs Q We

Mr N L Packer

Mr B Page and Dr D Tanil

Mr M B Palm

Mr L Palmer

Mr L and Mrs G Pennington

Mr R and Mrs T Perina

Mr C and Mrs J Phillips

Mr S and Mrs S Pill

Mr A Pitt and Mrs K Rayner

Elizabeth Plazibat

Mr A and Mrs R Pollock

Mr Daniel Polome

Ms Michelle Polome

Mr S Polson

Mr R Potlapally and Mrs S Kotha

Mr R Prasad

Mr R Pressland

Mr J Prichard and Ms T MacMillan

Mr L Qin and Ms L Zhou

Mr P and Mrs J Rayner

Mr G and Mrs K Reardon

Dr M Remedios

Mr A C and Mrs E Rentoul

Mr A and Mrs C Rich

Mr R Ripley and Ms S Von Reiche

Mary and Nelia Rizk

Mr Matthew Rose

Mr C and Mrs C Rowden

Mr G and Mrs E Ryan

Mr G J Sagar

Mr Finnegan Sawley

Mr G Scott and Mrs A Cornford-Scott

Mr Jack Scott

Mr D and Mrs M Seeto

Mr R and Mrs P Seymore

Mr C Seymour and Mrs E Seymour

Mr H and Mrs J Sharp

Mr M Shaw and Ms V Taylor

Mr Bruce Shelton

Mr Thomas Shing

Mr G and Mrs L Shoesmith

Renee Shute

Mr A Simpson

Dr D G Simpson

Mr Riley Singer

Mr N and Mrs K Skulic

Mr W D Slade

Mr BA and Mrs JA Slattery

Mr Cameron Smith

Ms Leanne Smith

Mr J S Stafford

Mr G H Stehn

Mr G and Mrs R Sue

Mrs K Talkington

Mr A and Mrs Y Tauialo

Drs T and P Thiruchelvam

Mr C and Mrs A Thomson

Mr M Thwaites and Ms G Thwaites

Mr M Tian and Mrs W Ran

Mr R and Mrs G Tollenaere

Mr C W Torkington

Dr H Tran and Mrs U Nguyen

Mr J Trevethan and Dr N Scott

Mr HC Tsai and Miss MH Lin

Mr J and Mrs L Van De Pol

Mr N and Mrs J Vickers

Mr V and Mrs A Vladusic

Mr A Walker

Mr D Walker and Miss M Kunde

Mr A Ward and Mrs C Ward

Mr D and Mrs T Watt

Mr M A Waugh

Ms G Werner

Mr and Mrs J Whellum

Mr C and Mrs S White

Dr A R Wilkinson

Mr S and Mrs C Willebrands

Mr C and Mrs D Williams

Mr Jamie Wilson

Mr D C H Wong

Mr D E Woodcroft

Ms Shona Woodruff

Mr J and Mrs G Woolmer

Mr J Yang and Ms Y Li

Mr P Yang and Mrs J Zhang

Mr A L and Mrs C Yarrow

Mr M and Mrs H Young

Mr R N Young

Miss L Zhang

Mr L Zhang and Ms J Li

Please note, donations acknowledged in this list were received from 1 January to 31 December 2022. Much care and consideration are taken in preparing this list. However, if there is an error or omission, please let us know by contacting the Foundation Office at foundation@bbc.qld.edu.au