Welcome to Churchie
A great Australian boarding school
Boarding has been central to Churchie since our very beginning, with our first boarders arriving from country Queensland in 1912, our founding year.
Our fledgling school with great ambition quickly grew and settled at our current site in East Brisbane in 1918, where our first building, School House, remains at the centre of our boarding precinct. Boarding was, is and will forever be at the heart of Churchie, continuing our Founder’s intention to provide Australia’s ‘country boys’ with the best education.
Along with our day students, Churchie boarders embody the mission of our school—the making of men—a commitment to inspiring young men of character, intellect and spirit, through a holistic education across our founding tenets.
With full-time boarding as our core philosophy, boys from regional and rural Australia, and expatriate families, enjoy an immersive environment that supports them in all aspects of their development.
churchie.com.au/ boarding
Proud of our heritage and welcoming to all, Churchie is proud to be a great Australian boarding school.
Our story
St Magnus Collegiate School for Boys started in a house in Toowong in 1912, with just three boys.
From these humble beginnings grew the great school we know as Churchie. In the weeks after opening, the School’s first two boarders arrived, Alexander Morris from Pittsworth and Douglas Logan from Kilcoy.
School Founder Canon Morris enjoyed sharing a passion for horse riding with the boarders and hearing their stories of country life. Douglas Logan is credited with inventing Morris’s iconic nickname, ‘The Boss’.
Once a permanent location for the School was acquired in East Brisbane, Churchie opened for the 1918 school year with 25 boarders living in School House. By this time, Churchie’s boarders came from far and wide, with the 1920s seeing many outback Queensland families join the Churchie Boarding community.
As the School and the boarding community grew, extensions of Gerald and Goodwin wings were added to School House. While Gerald and Goodwin are housed in dedicated adjacent buildings, School House continues to be the heart of our boarding precinct.
Since the centenary of the School’s founding at East Brisbane, Churchie has fully modernised and expanded the boarding precinct, with stunningly refurbished residences and dining facilities, as well as the addition of a world-class health centre and Year 7 centre.
Our goal, as always, is to honour our commitment to boarding as the founding heart of the School to provide the very best education and care for boys from Australia’s rural, regional and expatriate families.
Our home
At the core of a truly great boarding school is the resolve to ensure boys feel safe and happy in their environment. Whether in the classroom or the boarding house, on the sporting fields or in the gym, world-class facilities support this ethos and, here at Churchie, our boarders revel in the facilities at their fingertips.
Our residential spaces are welcoming, comfortable and well-appointed, with privacy in rooms and bathrooms, and group spaces to encourage social interactions. Visitors are amazed when they see the space Churchie boarders call home when they are at school. Please take the time to visit or view the virtual tour on our website to see for yourself.
Gerald and Goodwin
Boys live in beautifully appointed and light-filled residences that provide individual, private areas and vibrant community spaces. Boarders love to relax, study and socialise in this secure and nurturing environment. The two main residences are Gerald House and Goodwin House, with a boarder’s house becoming part of each boy’s identity and social connection—bonds that last a lifetime. Year 7 boys start in a dedicated Year 7 centre to help them settle comfortably into boarding life and establish cohort-wide friendships that further support their time in boarding. In all boarding residences, students have individual rooms and live under the attentive professional care of a core pastoral care team.
Year 7 centre
Our newest refurbishment, completed in 2025, has transformed two historic buildings into a modern marvel for the benefit of our youngest boarders. The layout includes individual bedroom spaces, prioritised for comfortable sleeping and
individual study, with large common areas and kitchen facilities for socialising and group activities. With a roster that includes 24/7 care from our experienced boarding team, the Year 7 centre is a truly world-class facility.
Health centre
The student health centre is staffed by dedicated health professionals to ensure boys receive the best health care. The health centre coordinates medical, dental, physiotherapy and specialist appointments for all boarders. Additionally, all medications are managed by the nursing team, with the GP administering prescriptions if the need arises. The health centre has ample space for students to feel comfortable and be cared for when needed, with a combination of open plan and private accommodation. Our boarders know that when they set foot into this building, a metaphorical hug, when many of them need it most, is never far away.
Our campus
A forward-thinking decision to purchase a large parcel of land in East Brisbane in 1918 resulted in our school today enjoying a spacious single campus, with all academic and cocurricular facilities located together— a unique feature for an inner-city school anywhere in the world. Boarders can roam and enjoy the grounds, which include Norman Creek on the eastern boundary where boarders enjoy fishing. They also make use of the fields, the pool, the library, gymnasium and sports centre, all just a short walk away. And being close to Brisbane’s CBD, The Gabba and South Bank, the ‘recreational activities’ for which Churchie is so well known are incredibly popular.
Our people
Great boarding needs great people who are passionate about and united by a common cause—to provide the greatest care, support and inspiration to young people at an important time in their lives.
Boarding staff core team
A diverse team of dedicated boarding specialists work together to provide the highest level of care and support for boarders. Leading the boarding programme is a director of boarding, who provides a consistent presence across the whole community, in regular contact with boarding families before, during and after their time at Churchie.
Each house is led by a housemaster and supported by an assistant housemaster, house parent and residential master all living nearby with their families. In addition, residential tutors live onsite to act as a further net of pastoral care and supervision and to help boys with their holistic development. Recently, Churchie has also appointed several boarding fellows, whose roles are not only to support the housemasters in the care of boarders but also to bring their lifelong experience into boarding— careers, life lessons and philosophies among them.
School support staff
Supporting the boarding programme are staff from across the School, from registered nurses in the 24/7 health centre to Senior School staff who have a special interest in helping the boys with their school life or personal development. They include teachers, coaches, school marshals, heads of year, deputy heads, head of school, chaplaincy staff and academic deans. All staff have a deep, vested interest in supporting boarders and providing whatever they can to ensure boys thrive while at Churchie. Parents and boarders can be confident knowing
that they have the full resources of Churchie at their fingertips for help when they need it.
Parents
Churchie boarding parents are among the most passionate, inclusive and supportive in Queensland, forged from a long history of educating young men and buoyed by the experiences our current boarders enjoy.
One of the strongest positive trends in boarding over recent years is seeing parents more engaged in the education of their sons, despite being separated by distance, as most of our families are. Whether it be travelling to Brisbane for Saturday sport, attending a social function, or being part of the Boarding Support Group, parents are welcome and encouraged to be fully engaged while their sons are at Churchie.
Relationships with day families are a key part of the Churchie boarding community, with many of our local families opening their doors to our boarders. Championed by the School’s various parent organisations, including the Churchie Parent Advisory Association (CPAA) and the Churchie Old Boys’ Association, these relationships allow boarders to truly feel supported by their new friends and families.
Each day, the school grounds come alive with activity, and our parents play a significant role. Whether supporting various sports teams or volunteering their time on weekends, the mums and dads of Churchie are just as invested in their own journeys as they are in those of their sons. Lifelong friendships are made, as are fond memories, as our parents watch their young men in the ‘blue and grey’ grow.
Boarding life
Churchie offers a vibrant, structured and supportive boarding experience, allowing boys to thrive academically, personally and socially. Daily routines for boarders are thoughtfully crafted to balance study and homework with opportunities for sport, socialising and quiet time. These routines provide boarders with the stability they need to pursue all their passions and obligations while allowing a degree of flexibility to be spontaneous and creative.
Academic support
Boarders benefit from extensive academic support, with experienced teaching staff assisting in year-level oriented prep time each evening. Housemasters collaborate with the School’s tutors to closely monitor academic growth and intervene when students require additional support. Working closely with parents and classroom teachers, our boarding staff take immense pride in the support they offer our boarders.
Complementing this support is Churchie’s world-leading study skills programme, A Learner’s Toolkit, which provides boarders with the best foundation for future success. The programme is designed to support students in developing the skills and confidence to build self-efficacy and become independent, lifelong learners.
Personal growth
A key tenet of a Churchie education is personal growth, achieved through a comprehensive cocurricular programme, numerous service opportunities, and support for clubs, hobbies and recreational pursuits. Our boarders are also supported richly in their pastoral care so that staff, boys and their families see and feel true development in the boys’ social, emotional and spiritual journeys.
Service
At Churchie, we have a deep commitment to service, and boys regularly participate in a wide array of service initiatives. Our boarders travel beyond the school gates to provide practical support to organisations such as Meals on Wheels and Emmanuel City Mission. During the holidays, many boys volunteer to help children with disabilities at the Sony Foundation’s Children’s Holiday Camp, hosted at Churchie in our boarding houses. Through service—championing the notion of selflessness—boarders learn how to use the gift of a Churchie education to better the lives of those around them.
Cocurricular activities
Churchie’s diverse sports and activities programme provides a wealth of opportunities for boarders to challenge and extend themselves beyond the classroom. Boarders are often the most involved students across sports, art, drama, social events and community service, with a culture that encourages boys to get involved. From early morning to late at night, boarders are heavily involved in all pursuits, getting outside their comfort zones to pursue personal growth.
As a member of the Great Public Schools’ Association of Queensland (GPS)—a premier schoolboy sports and activities competition—Churchie provides myriad opportunities for boys to pursue sporting or arts excellence in a professional setting or to simply grow physically and emotionally in a supportive team environment. Sports include basketball, cricket, cross country, football, rowing, rugby, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball and
water polo. Other activities offered include music, debating, chess, theatresports, stage crew and an annual major stage production of a musical or play held in collaboration with a sister school. Churchie boarders are encouraged to achieve their Bronze Award through the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme, which fosters personal and social development. The School also has a thriving Tri-Service Cadets (Army, Navy and Air Force) programme with students from Churchie and surrounding schools.
Social and recreational opportunities
Churchie’s boarding recreation programme is second to none. Providing boys with an avenue to pursue a range of interests in a fun, adventurous and collaborative manner, the comprehensive programme includes visits and excursions to Brisbane’s cultural precinct at South Bank, theatres, cinemas, sporting events and theme parks. Boys also enjoy fishing, beach days, fun runs and barbecues. In the afternoons and on weekends, boarders make full use of Churchie’s facilities, including the gym, playing fields and pool.
Social activities with girls from sister schools St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School and Somerville House provide additional opportunities to grow and develop interpersonal skills and enjoy mixed settings.
Wellbeing and care
At Churchie, we provide a nurturing and supportive environment where boys feel secure, safe and valued. We foster a culture of respect and inclusivity, encouraging open communication and strong peer relationships.
In addition to our highly qualified boarding staff, boarders at Churchie have a series of support networks designed to focus on safety, happiness and learning. Churchie boarders are introduced to our counselling team when they arrive at Churchie. These qualified psychologists provide wonderful support to our boarders as they transition to life at Churchie and actively communicate with parents to ensure our boarders receive the support they need on their boarding journeys.
To ensure a smooth transition into boarding life, Year 7 boarders are assigned a Year 12 buddy to help them settle in, particularly during their first crucial weeks in boarding. Buddies act as mentors and friendly faces who can answer questions new boarders have about boarding and school life. Student protection officers are also available around campus for the boys to chat with if they need assistance.
Our staff communicate regularly with parents, keeping them informed about their son’s wellbeing and progress. Boys are also encouraged to stay connected with their families through scheduled phone calls, emails or handwritten letters, fostering a strong connection between home and school life.
At Churchie, we also use a data-driven wellbeing software platform that gives our boarders a fortnightly opportunity to check in and assess how they are feeling. Housemasters then discreetly meet with our boarders, allowing them a private opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings.
This proactive approach helps staff monitor key aspects of the boys’ wellbeing, including peer relationships, academic progress, cocurricular activities, sleep and mood, and provide early intervention as required. Additionally, our boarders have access to another schoolwide platform where students can anonymously identify—or selfidentify—students who are struggling, and these students are then provided with appropriate support.
Phones and technology
At Churchie, we believe technology plays a crucial role in the 21st century. We see our role in the boarding space as one of education, assisting our boarders to better understand the power, limitations and risks of phones, devices and the technological world.
Boys are welcome to bring their phones to their boarding house at the beginning of the term. During this time, boys will have access to their phones during two sessions: after school and after evening prep time. This allows boarders to remain focused during the school day and during their homework time, while also ensuring they have communication with their parents in the evening. The amount of time students have access to their phones increases as they get older, with the Year 12 students showing the self-regulation and maturity they have learned over the years.
Laptops are the primary tool used by students during their academic day and during evening prep, and we teach the boys about developing healthy habits around device use. Boarding staff remain vigilant about boarders’ use of their technology and work with academic staff and parents if intervention is required.
Room to run and grow and learn...
Close to the city with river access, a north-easterly aspect, at least 40 acres.
These were the key criteria for a visionary decision by our school founders, over 100 years ago, to purchase the current site of our campus in East Brisbane. Thanks to their foresight, Churchie boarders today enjoy the largest single boys school campus in inner city Brisbane, with academic and cocurricular facilities conveniently located side by side.
A visit to our beautiful campus will reveal a place of serenity and purpose, where green spaces complement modern facilities in a heritage style, creating a place where boarders can be active, focused and social, where every part of the School works towards achieving our mission: the making of men.
ANGLICAN CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Oaklands Parade, East Brisbane Queensland 4169 Australia
info@churchie.com.au +61 7 3896 2200
ABN 34 243 342 840 CRICOS: 00487E
A School of the Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane trading as Anglican Church Grammar School
Visit our website to enrol, enquire or book a tour. www.churchie.com.au