Brisbane Girls Grammar School Gazette, Issue 1, 2025
04 A milestone in royal blue 150 Year party lights up BGGS
16 Debating tradition Time for a new ‘bold experiment’?
26 Tales to span the decades Grammar Women in discussion
On the cover
Students watch Foundation Day fireworks from the balcony of the Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre on Saturday 15 March, 2025
Grammar Gazette ISSUE 1, 2025 / VOLUME 45
Managing Editor:
Ms Lucy Ernst (Carne, 1998), Director of Communication, Development and Engagement
Editor: Ms Catriona Mathewson, Senior Communications Writer
For Gazette enquiries and comments: T +61 7 3332 1300 E communications@bggs.qld.edu.au
To change your subscription to the Gazette from printed to electronic, please email communications@bggs.qld.edu.au.
Printed in Brisbane on environmentally responsible paper.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
In the spirit of reconciliation, Brisbane Girls Grammar School acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which our campuses stand, the Turrbal, Jagera and Kabi Kabi Peoples, and all Indigenous people in our School community. We honour and respect their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise that these lands have always been places of teaching and learning. We are grateful for thousands of generations of care for Country and seek to walk in solidarity with the First Peoples of our nation for reconciliation, justice and healing.
02 From the Principal
A century and a half of history woven through thousands of personal stories
03 From the Head Girls
Cherish the royal blue: past, present and new
04
150 Years lights up
Brisbane
Marking a major milestone with gratitude, pride and many reconnections
08 Building a strong foundation across the Terrace Junior School nurtures learning in the classroom and beyond
10 Bookcase of Gifts
Share a quote and build a legacy
12
Grammar firsts The power of education to not only change lives but change the world can be seen writ large in the achievements of Girls Grammar graduates
16 Ditch the tests, cue pop culture
Teachers and students debate the merit of traditional assessment over a modern alternative
22 City of highlights From iconic Parisian landmarks to unforgettable friendships
24 Main Building gets an 1880s-style makeover
Everything old is old again, or rather, has been returned to its former glory
26 Giving voice to the future
A new framework to build hope Remembering Girls Grammar across the eras
Panellists share laughs and lessons on Foundation Day
28 Life-changing moments
An inspiring tale of toads, a teenager and second chances
29 Flashback: Speech Day 1927
The first awards day at Spring Hill
30 Pages of history
The birth of Grammar Gazette
32 Objects of substance
The 2002 Boarders’ Plaque, BGGS Badge and Motto
34
Hurdles and highpoints of a school ahead of its time
A peek inside our new landmark history book
37 Awards and Achievements Staff, student and alumnae successes
From the Principal A century and a half of history woven
through thousands of personal stories
Over the past 150 years, more than 23 000 girls have walked through the gates of Brisbane Girls Grammar School and emerged as Grammar Women, each with a story worth sharing. Our School has a long and proud history of educating and elevating women in Queensland. While, as an educational institution, we often look to the future, with a deliberate eye on preparing students for what is to come in their lives beyond school, it is milestone years such as this that prompt a deep reflection on what has passed.
In the Third Lilley Oration, presented in January, Past Chair of the Board of Trustees, Ms Elizabeth Jameson AM (Head Girl, 1982), made an observation that seemed particularly poignant. She said that while it was Sir Charles Lilley, former Premier and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland, who publicly championed girls’ education, there were many dedicated, but often unheralded women who did the same behind the scenes.
‘As we enter our sesquicentenary year, are we really expected to accept meekly that the School’s founders were all men? Of course not. Just that the visible ones were.’
—Ms Elizabeth Jameson AM
Among the many women to whom Ms Jameson paid tribute were: Sarah Jeays, whose name is attached to the Lady Lilley Gold Medal; Kathleen Mitford Lilley, Sarah’s granddaughter and the School’s longest-serving Principal; Janet O’Connor, BGGS’s first Lady Principal—who simply would not tolerate the oversight of the ‘Branch School for Girls’; and Sophia Beanland, the first Principal to report directly to a BGGS Board of Trustees.
Throughout the first half of 2025, we have experienced both significant events and quiet moments of reflection—opportunities to honour those whose contributions have shaped the School in lasting ways. These are not only individuals whose
names grace our buildings, awards and classrooms, but also many others whose legacies endure in less visible but equally profound ways.
The Lilley Oration invited us to reflect on this remarkable history, while the Staff Celebration in January was an opportunity to thank current teaching and professional staff, who build on that heritage every day.
On a truly special Foundation Celebration Weekend in March, City Hall was illuminated for our 150 Year Anniversary Ball. The following day we welcomed the Girls Grammar community, including former students, to the Spring Hill main campus for an afternoon of historical talks, personal reflections and musical performances, with a stunning fireworks display as the finale. The weekend concluded on Sunday with a nostalgic Boarders’ Brunch. In what is a very special, long-standing connection, our OGA Volunteers were part of the Foundation Day Celebrations too (see photos from the weekend on pages 4-7).
In this historic year, it’s not just the story of the School we celebrate. It’s been an honour to read the stories of 150 Grammar Women chronicled on the Alumnae Stories page of our website. Each is a glimpse into the many lives of Grammar Women, from a crime-scene investigator, to renowned musicians, screenwriters, surgeons, judges and even a vintner.
As we continue into the second half of our sesquicentenary year, I hope that you too can find time to reflect on your own story and connection to Girls Grammar. Whether a past student, parent, staff member, or valued supporter of our wider Grammar community, you have each played an integral role in shaping the history and future of this School, and for that we sincerely thank you.
Above Principal Jacinda Euler Welsh, Zoe McElwaine (12G), Abigail Buck (12H) and Chair, Board of Trustees, Julie McKay (2000)
From the Head Girls
Cherish the royal blue: past, present and new
This year is the 150th anniversary of Brisbane Girls Grammar School—the sesquicentenary year. But what does that mean?
In March 1875, Brisbane Girls Grammar School was established as an experiment inspired by the forward thinking of Sir Charles Lilley—because a girls’ school was unheard of. And so, this year represents one and a half centuries since then, and we are no longer that little experiment. We represent 150 years of revolutionising
girls' education; 150 years of inspiring women and giving them opportunities; 150 years of girls, like ourselves, being fortunate enough to go to this School.
To be Head Girls in such a significant year is both daunting and exciting, but with the support of our Student Council and Grammar sisters by our side, we feel excited by the opportunity.
On the very first days of the holidays, we embarked on a student council retreat where we created our vision and decided on the 2025 student motto. But, like tackling our final year of school, this was to be no quick process. Before our motto, which represents ‘what’ our vision is, we needed to work out ‘why’ we were even implementing this vision in the first place. The inspiration for the why was found in three things we value.
Our first value is gratitude. We have come so far as a School in 150 years, and for all our buildings which house every passion possible, our teachers who always want the best for us, and of course our fellow Grammar girls, we are so lucky.
Our second value is pride. We, as a School, care a lot about our spirit. Whether it be cheering until you lose your voice at carnivals, or painting your face blue at QGSSSA events, we are proud to be Grammar girls. And so, in such a significant year, we should not only be grateful for what we have, but proud that we have it—for our legacy, for 150 years of Girls Grammar.
Our last value is connections. We want to foster relationships within each Year level and the entire School, but it is important to remember that so many Grammar girls have come before us, and so many will come after us. So, this year is especially important to reflect on the wider Grammar community— everyone who has been lucky enough to don the royal blue ribbon. You know what they say: once a Grammar girl, always a Grammar girl.
With these values in mind, our 2025 BGGS motto is ‘Cherish the royal blue: past, present and new.’ With this year being the 150th, we want to cherish what we have and what we have had for the past century and a half, representing our gratitude and pride. Royal blue, synonymous with Girls Grammar, aligns with ‘past, present and new’ to represent the connections we have and can grow within this very special community. We are all a part of history this year, and we hope that our motto allows us all to be grateful and proud of that fact, and to connect with the community that our history is all about.
Above Brisbane Girls Grammar School Head Girls
2025 Zoe McElwaine (12G) and Abigail Buck (12H)
ZOE McELWAINE (12G) AND ABIGAIL BUCK (12H) HEAD GIRLS
150 Years lights up Brisbane
Marking a major milestone with gratitude, pride and many reconnections
The Girls Grammar community gathered in an extraordinary celebration of history that saw Grammar Women travelling from around the country and sending messages from across the globe to mark the School’s 150 Year Anniversary weekend in March.
Some of the spontaneous and touching messages included a note from the School’s oldest alumnae, Grace Armstrong (Webster, 1937), who celebrated her 104th birthday just days before the School turned 150.
Grace wrote: ‘I hope that present, past and future BGGS students recognise the extraordinary privilege we enjoy in having access to an excellent education, still denied to girls in many parts of the world.’
Remembering her School days fondly, Grace said that while Nil Sine Labore was paramount, it was also important to take time out to celebrate along the way.
‘Have fun and enjoy yourselves so that like me, you will reflect on your Grammar days with great pleasure.’
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Captions 1 Fireworks capped off Foundation Day on Saturday 15 March 2 Danielle Knight (West 1996), Jacqui Hunt (Rigby, 1996) and Tim Barrett at the Ball 3 City Hall lit up in royal blue for the ball 4-8 The Girls Grammar community turned out in force to celebrate at City Hall 9 Past principal, Dr Amanda Bell, Ms Elizabeth Jameson AM (Head Girl, 1982), Chair, Board of Trustees, Ms Julie McKay (2000), Dr Cherrell Hirst AO (Anderssen, 1963), Principal, Ms Jacinda Euler Welsh 10 Siona Danait (2024), Ella Edwards (2024) and Hedyeh Nouri (2024)
And so it was, with gratitude and joy that generations of parents, past students and staff joined the wider community to mark a historic milestone.
The weekend began on Friday 14 March with a 150 Year Anniversary Ball at Brisbane’s City Hall, where 500 revellers danced the night away. The next day, a very special Foundation Day celebrated 150 years to the day since the School first opened its doors to 39 students in a damp rented cottage in George Street. Girls Grammar moved to Wickham Terrace within its first year, before settling on its current site in 1884.
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Foundation Day festivities started with Year 12 students making a symbolic walk from the Wickham Terrace site to the present School to mark the start of an afternoon of celebrations including historical talks (with the fascinating Eras Panel featured on pages 2627), musical performances, a popular Generations photo booth and the Sesqui Sunset bar.
As night fell, fireworks lit up the sky and a spontaneous chorus of ‘Happy Birthday Girls Grammar’ from current students was the perfect finale.
Captions 11 Principal, Ms Jacinda Euler Welsh, with BGGS musicians 12 Students complete a ceremonial walk 13 Crowds enjoy the Foundation Day fireworks 14 Lucca Davies (12W), Helen Davies (Ferry, 1962) and Alice Davies 15 Abby Logan (7G) and Thishara Sumanasekera (7G) 16 Former boarders Janice Wordsworth (Jenkins, 1956), Delores Heath (Marshall, 1950), Helen Holt (Young, 1955) and Lyn Robinson (Ford, 1957) 17 Boarders' Brunch was full of surprise reconnections 18 Ann McGrath (Woodward, 1966), Barb Johnson (Morgans, 1966) Lorna Williamson (Davis, 1966) Jan Willis (1966), Jan Schindler (Page, 1966), Anne Woolley (1966) and Linda Truscott (Hof, 1966) 19 Recreating where their beds were in the 1980s, boarders explore Main Building 20 A full house once again
On Sunday morning, about 200 Grammar Women journeyed from as far north as Cairns for a Boarders' Brunch to remember their home away from home. Girls lived on the upper floor of Main Building from the 1880s until the boarding house closed in 2002. At its peak, there were more than 90 students sharing dresses, stories and study tips.
As they toured their former bedrooms, which now serve as staff offices, some boarders lay down to demonstrate where their beds would have been. One even snuck a peek under the carpet to see where students had once carved their names into a wooden floor beam, leaving their own cheeky mark on a School that left an indelible mark on them.
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
MS KAREN McARDLE HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL
Building a strong foundation across the Terrace Junior School nurtures learning in the classroom and beyond
I am incredibly excited to be the inaugural Head of Brisbane Girls Grammar School Junior School and look forward to creating a special campus tailored to the unique needs of girls in Years 5 and 6. These early years are an important stage of female development and every element of our new School has been carefully considered to meet these needs— from the architecture and classroom interior design, down to the curriculum, special programs and social spaces.
Girls in the Junior School will learn in a state-of-the-art, purpose-built School with eight general classrooms, designed with an extended footprint and flexible floorplan to accommodate a focused teaching area at one end and an open plan space at the other for guided group work and floor activities. Outside the classrooms are breakout spaces for additional quiet work or for groups to learn through collaboration and discussion. The Junior School will be self-contained with its own library,
music and drama rooms, as well as a multipurpose room for Science, Art and Technologies.
This striking new building, sitting across Gregory Terrace from Girls Grammar’s historic Main Building, provides the backdrop for the delivery of a comprehensive curriculum of learning, guided both by the Australian Curriculum and a range of programs designed specifically for girls in Years 5 and 6.
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Research tells us that to achieve the best outcomes for students—not just the best academic results—education strategies should `recognise the connections between children’s social, emotional, cognitive and academic development, as well as their physical and mental health’ (DePaoli, J. et al Learning Policy Institute).
Understanding that all areas of development are interlinked, the Junior School aims to educate the whole girl intellectually, physically, culturally, socially and emotionally, through a range of tailored programs that include:
• The Wellbeing Program
Designed for their age and stage of development, it will address body image, emotional regulation, friendship, cyber safety, restorative practices and mindfulness practices, including lunchtime yoga. These topics are particularly relevant to these girls and will help them better understand and cope with the many changes and emotions they will be experiencing.
• A Guide for Effective Learning
This has been developed to provide best practice strategies for girls to `learn how they learn’. This introduction to metacognition and effective strategies and procedures will help them become more self-aware, effective and efficient learners.
• A Leadership Program
The Junior School will introduce girls to the concept of leadership. This program will incorporate ambassadorship, working as part of a committee, event and business planning, a focus on developing soft skills and public speaking and debating.
All Year 6 girls will be leaders in the Junior School and will be given opportunities to undertake responsibilities for organising events and activities such as charity events and special days. There will also be a number of elected positions for specific roles.
• The Sports, Recreational and Physical Activity Program
This will provide the girls with a range of team sports, interhouse and interschool carnivals, a variety of after-school physical activities from which to choose and an interhouse tabloid sports program which will be hotly contested throughout the year.
• Music Tuition
The girls will be encouraged to join weekly music lessons and participate in ensembles or choir to broaden their cultural interests.
Lessons will take an explicit teaching approach—a powerful, evidencebased teaching practice which makes lessons clear through modelling. It shows students how to start and succeed on a task, with feedback and opportunities to practise.
We aim to nurture their skills, talents and, importantly, belief in themselves in an environment that values students’ contributions, rewards their effort and inspires them to aim higher.
Building a School specifically for girls in Years 5 and 6 is quite a unique undertaking and demonstrates Brisbane Girls Grammar School’s ongoing commitment to the education of girls across different stages of development.
As a well-known adage observes: The best way to predict future success is to create it.
‘And though she be but little, she is fierce’ —A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Bookcase of Gifts
Share a quote and build a legacy
Sometimes the most profound observations on life can be found in the pages of a children’s book.
‘The best way to treat obstacles is to use them as stepping-stones. Laugh at them, tread on them, and let them lead you to something better,’ wrote Enid Blyton in Mr Galliano’s Circus. Or, as a line from Anna Sewell’s classic Black Beauty observed: ‘It is good people who make good places.’
Girls Grammar is gathering these pearls of wisdom to create a whimsical and very personal donor project for the Junior School Capital Campaign: The Bookcase of Gifts.
The Bookcase of Gifts is an interactive art installation that invites donor families to choose a children’s book quote that holds special significance for them. The selected quotes will be etched onto 100 colourful replica books—made from metal and recycled plastics—to be mounted outside the new Junior School Library. With this interactive instrument
of learning, students for years to come will be able to open the books to reveal inspirational, quirky or profound quotes alongside the donor's name.
In addition to the physical installation, the Bookcase will also exist as a dynamic display online, allowing users to browse the books and benefactors, encouraging the habit of reading.
The Junior School Capital Campaign is currently a focus for BGGS fundraising, with multiple opportunities for families to become part of Girls Grammar history through diverse legacy projects to acknowledge those who have helped begin an exciting new chapter in the School’s story.
the QR code to explore the Bookcase of Gifts
VISUAL ARTS
Finding her story in history
Students reflected on how their personal memories were entwined with the history and architecture of Girls Grammar in a Term 1 project called My Story My School.
Inspired by the School’s 150 Years milestone, the unit tasked Year 8 students with producing stylised lino prints to capture a School scene that held special significance to them.
New Journey Though the Same Archway Summer Thomes (8B)
My final design was purposefully elaborated by the use of the repetition of different geometric shapes in places like the ground, where dimension was created, and the arches of the doorway draws people's eyes to the middle. This was inspired by my first time I walked through Main Building, I saw the irreplaceable imagery of the exterior, with decorated archways that create character.
My Locker Chloe Dawes (8B)
I chose to use a light blue and a navy blue to represent the Girls Grammar uniform, and chose a pink to draw your eye to the focal point of my print. My Year 7 locker holds a significant meaning to me.
Modern Art Main Building
Glynnis
Guo (8G)
My lino print design captures the idealistic interpretation of the Main Building at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, symbolising the history and memorable moments throughout the School's timeline. I have adjusted my colours to create a harmonical clash, to evoke an emotional response and mood.
A Centre of Opportunities
Ivy Cai
(8R)
I go to the Sports Centre every day. I play Volleyball, my favourite sport and hobby, with friends I made through class and through the sport. The Sports Centre is a big part of my life at School … it also fosters my love for Volleyball by just being open to students of BGGS.
Our Wild Residents
Stephanie
McLaughlin (8G)
My artwork features an ibis foraging on the path beside Main Building. This depicts my love for birds and shows that despite the School being located in the heart of Brisbane, there is still an abundance of wildlife that thrives, including pigeons, possums, magpies, water dragons and, of course, ibis.
Grammar Women firsts
The power of education to not only change lives but also change the world is writ large in the achievements of Girls Grammar graduates
Many have opened doors for others to follow into domains once considered off-limits to women. We celebrate the resilience, grit, determination and self-belief that are hallmarks of a Girls Grammar education by honouring some of our incredible alumnae.
1800s
Ms Annie Mackay (1887)
First alumna to become headmistress of Girls Grammar
Dr Ella Greenham (1894)
First Queenslandborn woman to graduate in medicine and first woman to receive a residential position in a Queensland hospital
Dr Eleanor Bourne (1896)
First woman to study medicine in Queensland
Ms Eunice Paten (1898)
One of the first four Queensland nurses to go on active service in WWI
Ms Irene Paten (1899)
First Queensland woman to graduate in Law
Matron Grace Campbell CBE (Wilson, 1899)
First woman to receive life membership of the Returned and Services League (RSL) after serving in WWI and WWII
1900-1910
Ms May Lahey (1904)
First female Municipal Courts judge in Los Angeles
Mrs Muriel Wakefield (Gregory, 1907)
First woman draftsperson in Queensland
Ms Dorothy Brennan (1910)
First female architect in Queensland
Mrs Lila Card (1910)
First female graduate from The University of Queensland
Mrs Muriel Kavarack (Jones, 1901)
Won the first Queen's Scholarship to Melbourne University, graduated with a medical degree in 1908
1911-1920
Ms Katharine McGregor (1920)
First woman admitted to the Bar in Queensland
Ms Rhoda Felgate (1918)
First Brisbane resident to be made a Fellow of Trinity College, London
1921-1930
Mrs Mavis Miller (1921)
First female radio broadcaster (4QG) in Queensland
Ms Jessie Stephenson (1922)
First woman to win the Byrnes Medal, presented to the top Queensland candidate at the Sydney University (Junior) examinations
Emeritus Professor
Dorothy Hill AC CBE MBE (1924)
First woman to be elected President of the Australian Academy of Science
1931-1940
Beryl Hinckley (1931)
Foundation President of the Australian National Association for Mental Health
Laurel Martyn (Gill, 1932)
First Australian woman to win the Adelie Genee Medal, Royal Academy of Dance and first Australian to dance the title role in Giselle
Ella Fry (Robinson, 1933)
First woman to Chair an Art Gallery Board—AGWA
Edna Mary Leven (Hopkins, 1936)
First woman Canberran of the Year in 1980
Dr Joan Godfrey (1939)
First nurse appointed to head of a tertiary department in Queensland
Ms Maris King MBE (1939)
One of the first female diplomats and first female High Commissioner to Nauru
1941-1950
Mrs Margaret Cribb (1941) First female editor of The University of Queensland's Semper Floreat
Mrs Jean Wylie (1942)
First woman to take the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Law from The University of Queensland
Margaret Mittelheuser AM (1947)
First female stockbroker in Australia
Daphne Pirie MBE AO (1949)
First female Vice-President of Queensland Olympic Council
Professor Margaret Bullock (1950)
First physiotherapist in the world to be awarded a PhD in Physiotherapy (1973) and became Australia's first Professor of Physiotherapy
1951-1960
Mrs Daphne Williams (1952)
First woman to study Bachelor of Agricultural Studies at The University of Queensland
1961-1970
Professor Helene Marsh (Gould, 1962) Foundation Dean of the James Cook University Graduate Research School
Dr Cherrell Hirst AO (Anderssen, 1963)
First woman to be appointed to Chair Brisbane Girls Grammar School's Board of Trustees and first woman appointed Chancellor of the Queensland University of Technology
Elizabeth Nosworthy (1963)
First woman President of the Queensland Law Society and first woman Chancellor at The University of Queensland
Professor Cheryl Praeger AM (1965)
First female to be awarded the Australian Mathematical Society's George Szckeres Medal and first female to be awarded the West Australian Scientist of the Year
1971-1980
Air Vice Marshal, Julie Hammer AM, CSC (1971)
First woman to be promoted to one-star rank and two-star rank in the Australian Defence Force
The Honourable Justice Margaret McMurdo AC (1971)
First woman appointed as the presiding Judge of an appellate court in Australia
Dr Elizabeth Woods (1972)
First female Rhodes Scholar from Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Mrs Dorothy Hawkins (Khfagi, 1975)
First female included in the Olympic Medical team for Australia (as a physiotherapist)
1981-1990
Ms Ann Harrap (1984)
First female Australian High Commissioner to South Africa
Ms Tarita Botsman (1988)
First Young Australian of the Year (Queensland winner) for contribution to the Arts
Ms Gretchen Miller (1985)
First female to complete a Bachelor of Music (Composition) at the NSW Conservatorium
Salliann Powell (Johnson, 1986)
First Australian to complete Racing the Planet’s Grand Slam Plus ultramarathon series
1991-2020
Kate Clarkson (2000)
First female to win the Queen's Medal, Sword of Honour, and Award for Top Sportswoman at her graduation from the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Dr Laura Fenlon (2007)
First Australian to receive the prestigious Krieg Cortical Kudos Scholar Award for neuroscience
Photo credit
Photo of Salliann Powell by Racing The Planet
FROM THE STUDENTS
Lighting up the stage
They’re the people you never see, but the show couldn’t go on without them: the technicians behind the lights, sound and stage management. Grammar Techies pulls back the curtains to give students the chance to be mentored by professionals.
Caitlin Trappett (12O)
I have really enjoyed being a part of Grammar Techies since last year. I have learned so much about the world of theatre tech and am loving being able to contribute to the sound of BGGS drama productions. I started last year with Romeo and Juliet and learned so much from the BGS techies and had an amazing time on my first show operating the sound. The show had a lot of cool sound effects and music in it, which was fun to be able to operate. Combining with BGS and their tech crew allowed me to pick up tips and tricks that they had gathered over their years of being techies, which I took into the Junior Drama Production later in the year. I have really enjoyed being a part of the productions last year and look forward to participating this year as well.
Remy Kalinin (11H)
The Junior Production was an incredible experience for the Grammar Techies, both due to the amazing cast and talented crew. We got to work with amazing, experienced, professional lighting and audiovisual designers who were so welcoming to us newcomers. They taught us the basics of how to operate sound for the show, the lighting board, and microphones. I also really enjoyed working with prop setup and learning more about the procedure of lighting operation in the Gehrmann specifically. Being in “the Box” learning from each other and developing the show was such an unbelievable experience that lent us a great appreciation and fresh perspective on technical operation, which has really pushed me personally to engage with production design more when I have the opportunity.
Grammar Techies is the brainchild of some incredible students and teachers, and its installation has fostered a community-oriented, driven and fascinated group of students. I honestly can’t wait to see how it develops further over the next year.
Captions 1 Caitlin Trappett
2 Remy Kalinin, left, and Zoe Stannard, working a Drama
Taking it to the next level Program
unlocks secrets to high performance
Zara Beveridge (9G)
United by a shared love for sport, we joined a group of 24 other dedicated Girls Grammar students to take part in a new initiative—a three-day holiday program for national level athletes: the BGGS Emerging Athlete Program. Designed by Mr Pearce and Ms Rippon, the program aimed to help us take our skills to the next level by understanding the factors that influence performance.
Throughout the week, we were fortunate enough to hear from guest presenters Mr Mulligan, BGGS strength and conditioning coach, Eugenie MacMillan (2017), physiotherapist, and Bella Murdoch (2019), dietitian. Through compelling, practical activities, we learned:
• the huge part strength training plays in both increasing power and reducing risk of injury
• the importance of prehabilitation
• how the fuel you consume doesn’t have to be overcomplicated.
Alongside this, we reflected on some of our best, and worst performances, discussed the many forms of leadership, and the importance of scheduling and negotiating conflicts.
The group reconvened several weeks after the program to discuss the techniques we had implemented to enhance our performance and manage our time. Excitingly, almost everyone had integrated a planner of sorts, ensured they made time for the ever-important strength training, and
Going with the flow
Braving bites to study river ecology and erosion
Yuri Spiro (12G)
Captions
1 Zara Beveridge (9G)
2 Taking
Year 12 Geography kicked off a hectic first term of 2025 with an adventure. We dived headfirst into the fascinating world of landcover transformation, learning how our environment changes around us.
Our focus was on river processes and the challenge of erosion, and on 23 February we set off for a final field trip to Marrapatta, spending one night and two days immersed in nature.
The experience proved invaluable, offering the chance to apply classroom knowledge in the real world and leave with unforgettable memories—and a few rashes and bites—etched into our minds forever. We visited Pickering Bridge, Baillie’s Crossing, and Charles Street Park, where Ian Mackay from the Mary River Catchment
tested the recipes provided, with some of us making them weekly! We also made an effort to recognise and demonstrate leadership qualities in our sport, whether by celebrating the wins of others, volunteering to pick up the cones after training, or even just offering a smile.
We cannot express our gratitude enough to Mr Pearce and Ms Rippon for coordinating this program. Not only was it incredible to discuss the frequently overlooked factors that complement sports training, it was also eye-opening to hear their personal experiences of performing at an exceptional level in sprints and water polo respectively. Their insights were compelling, reminding us that, although important, sport is so much more than just showing up to training—it’s a journey, inevitably entailing moments of ecstasy, alongside moments of disappointment. But ultimately, persevering and learning from hard days makes us stronger.
We can’t wait for an exciting year ahead as we continue to grow, learn, and achieve together.
Coordinating Committee, along with Tim Odgers and Leonie Mae from Seqwater shared invaluable insights into the environmental dynamics of the Mary River.
These first-hand experiences allowed us to observe the river’s processes and its impact on the surrounding ecosystem. Despite the searing summer heat, the knowledge we gained was worth every single minute.
And while I may have suffered the effects of a slight grass allergy, it was an experience I would not trade for anything. Between preparing meals with friends, eating lunch on the grass, and sharing late-night laughs and movies with my classmates, the trip became one of the most enriching experiences of my life.
samples from the Mary River catchment
Ditch the tests, cue pop culture?
Students and teachers debate whether schools should serve the present, or ‘boldly’ shape the future
The annual staff-student Comedy Debate has become a muchanticipated feature of the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Arts Fest Showcase, which ran for two weeks during Term 2. The annual Arts Fest celebrates the immense breadth and depth of talent across BGGS in the areas of dance, choir, music, drama and debating.
This year’s Comedy Debate attracted a lunchtime audience of more than 400 staff and students, and, although the intent was to entertain and amuse, the debate also demonstrated the talent and mental agility of our debaters, while leaving audiences with weighty issues to ponder after the laughter.
This year’s debate topic was inspired by Deputy Principal (Academic) Dr Bruce Addison’s keynote address on Term 2 Staff Day, which he opened with a quote from philosopher Ivan Illich in Rutger Bregman’s (2021) book Human
Kind: A Hopeful History, in which Illich says: ‘School is the advertising agency which makes you believe that you need society as it is’.
Dr Addison challenged staff with the idea: ‘…something needs to blow up the industrial model of schooling’. Although most of his address focused on the advances and implications of AI technology, Dr Addison offered some rich musings around learning and
assessment. He suggested that if we think about pedagogy as the ‘special place where teachers and students meet’, there is much to explore and embrace in this era of incredible flux.
If we are advocating for slow looking and careful thinking, musing and discernment, he asked, how then does the current notion of `assessment’— as something akin to speed dating— fit this model? ‘Can we think creatively to push bold frontiers?’ he asked. The conclusion he reached is that we can’t educate for a ‘rearview mirror’ world when the road ahead is littered with obstacles and disruption.
Do we have the will to navigate it robustly and proactively, with optimistic and radically responsive care? Here, Dr Addison referenced Sir Charles Lilley’s characterisation of the establishment of Brisbane Girls Grammar School as a ‘bold experiment’ (educating women!), calling on staff in this milestone year to rethink the modern challenges around encroaching AI, conventional assessment models, and teaching pedagogies that are all too often embedded in 19th century thinking.
This inspired the topic for this year’s debate: ‘In the School’s Sesquicentenary year, it is time to take the `bold experiment’ to the next level by ditching traditional assessment and embracing pop culture.’
The Debate proved entertaining, but powerfully thought-provoking as well, unpacking both sides of the topic. Staff speakers supporting the statement were Dr Tony Cupitt, Ms Emily Levett, and Mr Jack Saunders. Student debaters were Leni Kruger (12E), Ciara Clunies-Ross (12R), and Jacqueline Loh (12E).
So, what did both sides have to say that left us chuckling and thinking?
The staff team focused on where a new `bold experiment’ could lead. They advocated doing away with traditional assessment, along with its preoccupation with outdated ideas such as ‘facts’, and embracing pop culture. At this point, bafflingly, a parrot was referenced, which caused the opposition to erupt in indignation and robust mockery about Mr Saunder’s pet. He countered with the proposition that pop culture would drag education (kicking and screaming) to learning in the context of cultural artefacts, focusing on creativity, personalised learning and critical thinking.
The student team were incandescent, firing off broadsides mocking the staff team’s rudimentary knowledge of all things pop culture (which apparently in itself is a sadly ‘old-person’ term), and their failure to recognise its superficiality.
Dr Cupitt wowed the audience with phrases such as ‘the ideology of delivery’ and the ‘associated processes of datafication and metrification’ as the basis for his team’s argument that this ideology limits the space for students to explore ‘creative expressions of agency’, hence the need for a shift to pop culture. It was all completely
incomprehensible, but impressive nonetheless, and it stopped the opposition in their tracks for at least a minute.
The student team supported conventional educational models, albeit with some tweaking. And they expended considerable debate time attacking elements of the staff case, most notably their glaring lack of knowledge around pop culture. The audience response to the students’ many sallies was both positive and deafening. The student team based their case on current real-world needs, and the responsibility of educators to focus on the now, not the future, readying students for the demands they will face when they leave school. They argued ‘out there’ had to change before schools should.
At this point, we cycled back to the conundrum at the heart of the Great Debate: Do schools exist to prepare students for the world that exists now? Or do they aim to educate for a future, anticipating where advancing change will take society? Or, perhaps more radically, should schools themselves be the agents of change for a future society, producing flexible, resilient and deep-thinking young adults, with whatever pedagogy best meets this need. Quite a challenge to consider.
Captions 1 English teacher Mr Jack Saunders was met with howls of protest when he brought a parrot into the debate (figuratively, not literally), on stage with student team Jacqueline Loh (12E), Leni Kruger (12E) and Ciara Clunies-Ross (12R) 2 Extolling the benefits of embracing pop culture were staff team Dr Tony Cupitt, Mr Jack Saunders and Ms Emily Levett 3 Hundreds gathered at lunchtime to watch the annual staff-student Comedy Debate
SCHOOL LIFE
1. First day of Term 1, Sally Phillips and Amelia Oliver (12G)
49. Mirabella Moore (10O) with a Wearable Art creation
50. Wearable Art
51. Yaathavi Ranjithan (7G) with Rathy Kandasamy at Grandparents and Friends Day
52. Senior Jersey is photo-worthy
MR DAVID RAWSON HEAD OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT (ENGLISH)
City of highlights From iconic Parisian landmarks to unforgettable friendships
On Friday 29 November 2024, French students from Years 10 and 11 embarked on the highly anticipated France Study Tour. Accompanied by Tour Coordinator, Madame Natalie Holden, and teachers, Madame Corrinne Scruby and me, the group arrived in Paris on a sunny Saturday afternoon, eager to practise our French and experience the city's iconic landmarks so often seen only in postcards or on screen.
With five days in Paris, we were able to experience a great deal of the city that has captured hearts and minds for centuries. Students explored the vast Musée du Louvre, wandered the Tuileries gardens, and posed by the entrancing glass pyramid. At the Opéra Garnier, we admired intricate frescoes
and gilded interiors, even spying the reserved seat for the notorious Phantom rumoured to call the opera house home.
Beyond sightseeing and shopping, the tour inspired moments of wonder too. A visit to the Sainte-Chapelle on Île de la Cité left students moved by the scale and beauty of its stainedglass windows, while the adjacent Conciergerie deepened their understanding of the French Revolution as they traced Marie Antoinette’s final days in her prison cell. The sombre history was balanced with festive experiences, including Christmas market visits near La Cathédrale de Notre Dame and a hands-on chocolatemaking workshop.
Some of the most memorable moments included climbing the Eiffel Tower, strolling along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in the tradition of the flaneur—a classic French pastime of wandering and people-watching—and an enchanting evening river cruise on the Seine. Montmartre, with its steep streets and rich history as a former artists’ village, proved particularly special as students wondered at the grand Basilica of Sacré-Coeur. After a shower of rain on our night-time visit, the streets of Montmartre became a watercolour painting, making for a picturesque evening.
‘I really enjoyed attending French classes and this quickly became the highlight of my trip. At school, I pushed myself to engage and interact with the students of St Paul, and through this, I made friendships that will last a lifetime. I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to pick up new French words and to really immerse myself in French culture.’
Olivia Basile (11B)
‘I have gained a deep understanding of life in France, its beautiful architecture, and the deep and rich history that lies behind it. I came to France expecting this, but I was taken aback by how rich the French culture is. I have learned more about the French way of living and I find it so cool that they have their differences from Australian life.’
Sabrina Yong Gee (12H)
A day trip to the Palace of Versailles was a particular highlight, with a knowledgeable guide leading the group through Louis XIV’s opulent apartments. A delicious meal at the glitzy La Flottille followed, before Madame Holden took students to her favourite spots, including the tranquil Trianons and Marie Antoinette’s refuge, complete with farm animals.
Departing Paris for Angoulême, via the Loire Valley and the Château de Chambord, excitement turned to nervous anticipation as students prepared to meet their host families. Upon arrival, they were warmly greeted by their hosts and teachers from Lycée St Paul. In the pouring rain, luggage filled with Australian gifts and Parisian souvenirs was swiftly loaded into cars, marking the start of an immersive cultural exchange—the heart of the tour.
The next day, students reunited to share their initial homestay experiences, expressing gratitude for the warm hospitality and generous meals featuring local French specialities. There were plenty of stories of putting French into practice, and funny little faux pas that brought smiles to our faces. As we enjoyed a tour of both the middle school (collège) and high school (lycée) campuses, School Principal, Madame Epaud, ensured we felt truly welcome with Australian songs chosen for the school bells, and the Australian National flag hung at the front gate.
Students proudly served as cultural ambassadors, answering questions about life and schooling in Australia. French students were no doubt bamboozled by talk of Bunnings sausage sizzles, Christmas in summer, and Outdoor Education Programs like ours at Marrapatta. Despite the challenges of studying in a different education system, students embraced the opportunity to expand their vocabulary while Madame Scruby and I taught junior English lessons.
Excursions in Angoulême included a town tour, an engaging workshop at the renowned Comic Book Museum, and a joint visit with our French host siblings to the historic Château de La Rochefoucauld, with its beautiful libraries. Over the two weekends in Angoulême, our students were taken on adventures far and wide and enjoyed the opportunity to further connect with their host families.
There were so many sad farewells on the final day of the exchange, with the friendships forged taking on special significance away from home. After final embraces were shared and gifts exchanged, we were pleased to have a safe return journey back to Australia, after appreciating the refined luxury of Charles de Gaulle Airport first.
There is no doubt that such a cultural exchange supports our School’s mantra of a life enriched by learning, helping to grow students as people with an increased understanding of, and sensitivity to, the world around them. This particular trip has fostered peace, friendship, and tolerance, all the while providing the confidence to keep practising language.
Captions 1 Teachers
Ms Corrinne Scruby, left, and Mr David Rawson, with tour coordinator Ms Natalie Holden
2 Taking in the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris 3 The grounds of the grand Palace of Versailles are a study in perspective
Main Building gets an 1880s-style makeover
Everything old is old again, or rather, has been returned to its former glory
A 150 Year Anniversary project to give iconic Main Building a fresh coat of paint in the School’s original tones was finished during the April holidays, with the white picket fence the final task.
Over the years, Main Building, completed in 1886, has been repainted many times to suit the fashion of the day. So, determining the original colour scheme was no easy task, and involved taking more than 40 paint samples from the exterior and 120 from the interior.
Architectural detectives peeled back through as many as 16 layers of paint in some parts to reveal the original limewash cement colouring that had been applied over the brickwork when it was built. Along the way, investigations revealed the building had been pale pink, multiple shades of brown, white, green and stone during its history. The most recent paintwork, done in 2001, had been a distinctive yellow.
The new palette features custom colours matched scientifically and visually to photographs and paint scrapings to the original scheme of cool greens and neutral tones and a dark brown-green on doors and framework. One of the biggest changes was returning the red roof to a dark hue.
The painting project started in Term 4, 2024 and was completed in the Term 1 holidays despite a cyclone and plenty of unseasonal rain. Work will continue to
refresh paint on W Block and E Block, which along with Main Building are the School’s three oldest buildings.
Returning the School’s iconic Main Building to its foundational colours not only marks the School’s 150 Years, but honors the original vision of architect Richard Gailey, who designed many other Brisbane landmarks including the Regatta Hotel at Toowong, Baroona Labor Hall in Caxton Street and Moorlands, originally the family home of the Mayne family, on Coronation Drive at Auchenflower.
Main Building was constructed in two stages, with the front portion opened in 1884, and the rear, which includes the Annie Mackay Room, in 1886. Richard Gailey’s two daughters, Eva (1890) and Corinth (1900) both went on to attend the School their father designed.
Main Building through the years
Captions 4 & 5 Main Building was opened in 1884 with the rear portion added in a second stage, completed in 1886
6 & 7 The iconic white picket fence was replaced by wire and a wrought iron gate from the 1960s to early 1990s
8 The School was refreshed with a popular heritage colour combination of yellow with dark reds and greens in 2001
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Giving voice to the future A new framework to build hope
‘That’s preposterous!’ is usually a criticism, but to Professor Kristin Alford (Stewart, 1989) it’s the highest praise. The Grammar Woman returned to the School at the start of 2025 to fire up imaginations and inspire staff with a new framework for thinking about a positive and hopeful future.
Considering the future is Kristin’s stockin-trade as a ‘futurist’ and founding director of the University of South Australia’s award-winning Museum of Discovery (MOD.), an innovative institution that blends science, art and technology to produce displays that challenge the way we think about problems. Pitched at a jaded generation of 15-25-year-olds, MOD. aims to revive the somewhat out-of-favour belief it is possible to change the world.
The key, according to Kristin, is escaping the ‘crisis of imagination’ that prevents us envisaging more novel solutions to our problems. She encourages playful thought experiments where people widen their lenses from considering only a probable future, to thinking about a plausible one, a possible one, and then, her goldstandard, the preposterous future.
Kristin brought this inspiring philosophy to an engaging special presentation for academic and professional staff, demonstrating how we can all learn to think outside the box and regain a sense of agency.
Invoking an almost sci-fi feel, Kristin also outlined a framework for interrogating issues through the perspectives of five different `time commissioners’ who consider the impact of policy decisions from discrete time periods stretching from one year out to 60 000 years. Thinking beyond the immediate can often change decision-making, she said.
A minerals engineer by training, Kristin has a Masters of Strategic Foresight from Swinburne University and is Co-Executive Director of the Ubuntu Lab, developing online and in-person experiences to deepen shared human understanding.
Remembering Girls Grammar across the eras
Panellists share laughs and lessons on Foundation Day
Seven inspirational Grammar Women reflected on how core values learned at School had stayed with them, when they returned to take part in the Eras Panel, a lively discussion that formed part of an afternoon of celebrations on March 15, to mark 150 Years since the school's Foundation Day.
We heard how a Grammar girl who became a Supreme Court judge fought for the right to debate boys; how a human rights advocate found her calling; and how a trailblazing physio turned league legend into an accidental advocate for women’s rights.
The panel of special guests speaking in the Gehrmann Theatre spanned 60 years of BGGS life, with Ann Caston (Pressland, 1958), The Honourable Roslyn Atkinson AO (1965), Dorothy Hawkins (Khafagi, 1975), Salliann Powell (Johnson, 1986), Saori Peguicha (Uyeda, 1992), Stephanie Carter (2007) and Sarvashree Singh (Head Girl, 2014).
Ann Caston recalled the long journey to School from her home at Wynnum in the ‘50s, saying ‘It gave me enough time to go through my whole Latin textbook on every journey.’
She said her experiences as day girl and a boarder gave her a life-long love of education and languages, and she remains a key member of the OAG committee.
Former Supreme Court judge Roslyn Atkinson wryly remembered being somewhat of a troublemaker: ‘I think the teachers were not ready for the girls of the 60s, who had ideas and wanted to express opinions. So, I was always in trouble for doing that.’
A keen debater, she pleaded to be allowed to join interschool debating contests but was told it would be ‘unseemly’ for young ladies to be seen arguing in public. When she later stood in court to do exactly this, Atkinson said: ‘I thought: This is so much fun! Fighting for my rights at School taught me that you could fight for your rights, and you could have opinions.’
Things had changed by the following decade, when Dorothy Hawkins remembers blossoming under the ethos of female empowerment for which Girls Grammar is now known.
Ms Hawkins blazed a trail for female physiotherapists in elite sport through the 80s and 90s, but not without steely determination. She was told ‘only males can apply’, before becoming the first female appointed to an Olympic medical squad in Seoul in 1988. And as the NRL’s first female physio—with the barnstorming Broncos—she was initially barred from entering the field before a livid Wayne Bennett tore strips off officials. ‘From that day forward women were allowed.’
Graduate of the 80s Sal Powell, who earned the prestigious Sports Brooch in her final year, shared her current sporting challenge: becoming the first Australian to complete Racing the Planet’s series of five desert ultramarathons. Sal joined us weeks before leaving to complete the final 250km race in Chile in April which secured her this remarkable record.
A new addition to the School’s curriculum in the 1990s, Space Camp, proved life changing for Saori Peguicha, who was on the inaugural trip in 1992 (see page 31).
‘I was always going to be a doctor. After that it was: No, I’m going to be an engineer.’
Although originally daunted by walking into an engineering lecture ‘with about 400 boys’, Saori said: ‘I think the discipline that you get at Girls Grammar—just really sticking to those core values of nothing without hard work—it’s always paid off for me.’
Saori has worked on major infrastructure projects around the world, spending the past seven years as CEO of the Pulse consortium delivering Brisbane's Cross River Rail Project, more recently moving to Board Chair.
Girls Grammar also set former Service Captain Stephanie Carter on a career path. Stephanie now works with Palladium Group, an organisation that partners with governments
to deliver international aid and development programs.
‘It all started here at Grammar, and particularly with the Grade 10 service program,’’ she told the panel, revealing she and some fellow Grammar Girls travelled to Moorooka State School to help students who had recently arrived from war-torn Liberia with English literacy and numeracy.
‘It changed my life. I felt like I had been living under a rock for a long time and that was the start for me of learning about quite complex international issues and how cross-cultural relationships can play a role in solving some of them.’
Former Head Girl Sarv Singh reflected on how participating in a mock trial of King Louis XVI in senior history confirmed a passion for law and justice. After studying law and international relations at university, she found an impactful way to combine both through migration law, helping marginalised people, including women dealing with domestic violence. In 2021 she received a Queensland Day award recognising her work in this field, and in 2022 was involved in helping many Afghan government officials and UN personnel secure emergency migration visas allowing them to flee the country when the Taliban took control.
Read more tales of incredible Grammar Women on the School’s 150 Years Alumnae Stories webpage.
Captions 1 Kristin Alford (Stewart, 1989) 2 Roslyn Atkinson (1965) 3 From left Sarv Singh (Head Girl, 2014), Stephanie Carter (2007), Saori Peguicha (Uyeda, 1992), Sal Powell (Johnson, 1986), Dorothy Hawkins (Khafagi, 1975), Roslyn Atkinson (1965), Ann Caston (Pressland, 1958) Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Life-changing moments
An inspiring tale of toads, a teenager and second chances
‘It probably started in E Block biology classes, dissecting a toad.’
Surgeon Dr Emily Granger (Head Girl, 1991) returned to Brisbane Girls Grammar in March to demonstrate that not only is she a trailblazing cardiothoracic transplant specialist and inspirational Grammar Woman— she’s also a great storyteller.
As special guest speaker at the 150 Year Foundation Day assembly, Emily recounted her path to the operating theatre, via some early amphibian surgery, and paid tribute to a School that always encouraged her to ‘question, enquire, think outside the box’.
Urging students to chase their dreams, she shared an insight into her world, inviting the assembly to ride along with her on the journey of a real heart transplant she performed.
‘We start with a girl, not too different to everyone sitting here today in the auditorium. She’s 15, plays netball for her school, loves debating, reads every book she can get a hold of and …has no idea that she carries a genetic mutation that leads to heart failure at a young age,’ she began.
What followed was a tale of both good and bad fortune, as the surgeon detailed the story of a teenage girl who was ‘unlucky to have heart failure; lucky to get a new one’; a girl who, while waiting for a donor heart, returned to school with a mechanical pump attached to her heart, powered by batteries tucked into her blazer pocket. ‘According to her parents she was extremely popular for emergency phone recharging using her heart pump batteries, which were super-fast,’ Emily told the assembly.
Within months a donor heart became available (the average wait is around six months). The operation lasted six hours and the following night the young girl was texting her friends. Within six weeks she was back at school, starting life anew.
It was a story of hope, and sadness, overlaid with awe at the dedicated specialists such as Emily who every day stand on the shoulders of giants to save lives and pioneer new methods to save even more into the future.
The surgeon paid tribute not only to the incredible generosity in grief of the anonymous donor family—who changed more than one life with a multiple organ donation—but to the team and the institution that affords her the ‘privilege’ of giving others a second chance.
The Grammar Woman is one of five transplant surgeons at Sydney’s St Vincent’s hospital, the fourth-largest transplant hospital in the world, and has completed more than 350 heart and lung transplants. In 2014 she was part of the surgical team that made an international breakthrough, becoming the first in the world to
perform a successful heart transplant using an organ retrieved from a donor after circulatory death (known as a DCD transplant).
The procedure, which allows hearts that have stopped beating to be flushed and resuscitated for use in transplants, significantly widens the potential donor pool, allowing many more lives to be saved. Since that pioneering operation in 2014, St Vincent’s has performed more than 74 DCD transplants on patients who may otherwise have died waiting for a live-donor pathway.
These kinds of breakthroughs were only possible because of the type of hospital St Vincent’s is, Emily said.
‘A hospital dedicated to service; a hospital that believes in teaching, education, research, being a leader and a pioneer. A hospital that recognises ability, hard work and dedication.’
A hospital, she said, that exemplified the values she had found as a teenager at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. To current students she said: ‘There are possibilities, opportunities, support systems, mentors, coaches and facilities available to you. Chase your dreams, develop your potential, start your own story.’
Flashback: Speech Day
The first Girls Grammar Speech Day to be held on the School grounds was in December 1927, when dignitaries, parents and students assembled on a tennis court which, at the time, flanked the eastern side of Main Building.
Prior to that, Girls Grammar’s Speech Day was held in conjunction with Boys Grammar at the neighbouring school, with only prize recipients from the girls’ school able to attend due to limited space. Headmistress Kathleen Lilley put her foot down in 1927, insisting on a standalone event so the entire BGGS community could gather to mark students’ achievements.
Captions 1 BGGS's first standalone Speech Day in 1927, with Headmistress Miss Kathleen Lilley, pictured standing, and Governor of Queensland, Sir John Goodwin, seated at the front table 2 Sir John Goodwin presents a prize book (Images from the Doris Kennedy Collection and the Gwen Spurgin Album, BGGS Archives)
The event was staged in the open air in the heat of a Brisbane summer.
Governor of the day Sir John Goodwin led the ceremony, noting Ms Lilley had expressed ‘anxiety’ about burgeoning enrolments, with the school jumping from 286 to 442 students that year.
Sir Goodwin suggested it was more pleasant to be anxious about too many, than too few students, with Ms Lilley acknowledging in the annual report that record enrolments were ‘the truest expression of confidence felt by the public in the work done in the school’. She was, however, very concerned about increasing ‘motor traffic’ on Gregory Terrace, which, at the time, was still a dirt road.
Pages of history The birth of Grammar Gazette
‘You are now witnessing history in the making,’ declared the very first edition of the Grammar Gazette when it was published in Term 4 of 1992.
Under the iconic headline Hot Off The Press, a team of student newshounds reported on the launch of a school newspaper approved by then-Principal Dr Judith Hancock. Students Naomi Just (1993) and Johanna Sing (1993) served as the publication’s first editors.
‘In 1992 a group of us starry-eyed Year 11 students had a vision for the Grammar Gazette—we wanted to produce a regular publication to tell stories about ourselves and by ourselves. I remember the founding central editorial committee was a dynamic and motivated bunch, and with many guest contributors and some spirited teachers at our side those first editions were so much fun. Looking back, I realise this experience of co-editing the Grammar Gazette in the
early 1990s must have been incredibly influential on me as the media has continued to be my life.
It is so heartening to me that the Grammar Gazette has continued through these some 33 ensuing years, and I’m so proud to have been a small part of it.’
Naomi Just (1993), film and television producer and founding co-editor of the Grammar Gazette.
Captions 1 The Gazette was launched under Principal Dr Judith Hancock 2 Nothing says 90s like an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical making a splash 3 Girls Grammar's inaugural Space Camp in 1992 4 Timetable changes made headlines in a 1993 edition of Grammar Gazette 5 Snoozing for a cause
Objects of Substance
The 2002 Boarders’ Plaque
The 21 March 1876 Trustees’ Minutes allude to approving a range of individuals who Girls Grammer were to 'receive as Boarders, pupils of the School'. Though these girls cannot be officially classified as boarders, the need to accommodate students from regional Queensland and northern New South Wales was apparent, and steps taken to cater for them.
With the construction of Main Building on Gregory Terrace in 1884, a purposebuilt structure for both teaching and boarding was established. Boarders from a wide variety of destinations attended the School in the 1880s, thus, with dormitories, domestic offices, staff residences, and a kitchen, the Boarding House had arrived.
Once the School was established on Gregory Terrace, boarders became a significant addition to the School’s population. The numbers of boarders varied according to the times and financial vicissitudes of the state of Queensland. In the early 20th century, boarding numbers were in the low twenties, but demand grew to the ‘full house’ of 98 in 1995.
Boarders added a certain quality to the Grammar landscape. Ms Ann Fielding, Head Boarder and Prefect in 1960, wrote: ‘Who is the most loquacious person in your Form? Does she know the results of every school match, the number of days till the end of the term? Does she lose her books, water courts, carry furniture, and hose lawns? If so, then you have amidst you—a boarder’ (BGGS 1960 December Magazine p15). They brought a different perspective to the classroom, and an eclectic range of experiences and skills totally unknown to the city slicker or ‘day bug’, as nonboarding students were known.
This boarding experience was important for so many girls. Beth Hatty (Fitzgerald, 1985) wrote: ‘Boarding opened a whole new world for a young girl from a property 45 km from their closest town in southwest Queensland. Suddenly I had every sport I could imagine available at my doorstep to access both before and after school, as well as weekends. In addition, boarding with girls from a wide range of backgrounds exposed me to places, ideas, and ways of looking at the world and changed what I believed could be my place in it’.
In 1997, Dr Cherrell Hirst, Chair of the Board of Trustees, announced at Speech Day: ‘Among the celebrations of the year, however, were times of difficult decision making by the Board, and the hardest of these was the decision with regard to the Boarding House. The decision of the Board to phase out boarding at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, after 122 years, was not made easily or hastily and only after months of deliberation. The decision was made … because the Board believes that no longer can this School pretend that we can go on providing an optimal residential experience for 12 to 17-yearold girls in this setting of a primarily academic campus in the centre of a busy and noisy city’ (Dr Cherrell Hirst Speech Day Address, 1997).
In preparation for the closure of the House, Head of Boarding, Mrs Elvie Parsons, had the responsibility of ensuring a fitting finale of 126 years of boarding and the celebration for the remaining six boarders.
A six-point star was designed carrying the names and homes of the six remaining boarders: Hope Adams (from Mundubbera, QLD); Holly Clarke (from Chinchilla, QLD); Victoria Fleming (from Paddington, NSW); Breanna Ryan (from Beaudesert, QLD); Annabelle Vaughan (from Warra, QLD); and Rosie Walden (from Woombye, QLD).
Vicki Kennedy (Fleming, 2002) reflected: ‘I know we all felt very privileged to have our names immortalised on school grounds. I am so looking forward to showing my daughter when she starts at BGGS in 2029.’
But the end of an era, is more than the closing of a door. The memories and the friendships, will stay forever sure.
Read the full article on our website
BGGS Badge and Motto
There would not be an object of greater substance than the School badge. There is nothing more reflective of your allegiance to the School than wearing its symbol on your uniform. Every Grammar girl wears this important reminder of where she belongs, and the School’s philosophy, every day, at the centre of her tie.
The badge was designed originally for the certificates of merit and the labels for the book prizes for Brisbane Grammar School’s prize-giving in 1870. The design was entrusted to Mr Gowans of Queen Street and the printing was completed in Brisbane. As stated in the Brisbane Courier, Tuesday 1 March 1870:
‘At the head of the engraving is a shield enclosing an open book, with the motto underneath adopted by the Trustees— Nil sine labore. The inscription is in Latin and refers only to the present year. As a work of art, we cannot say much for the shield and its enclosure; but it is probable that the Trustees will be able to issue a “new and improved edition” next year.’
It is believed that the concept of the open book on the shield came from the emblem of Oxford University. The School motto has been attributed to the Roman lyric poet, Horace, from his Second Book of Satires 1.9, where the poet is speaking with ‘the Boor’ who states: ‘Life grants nothing to mortals without a great effort’. Nil sine magno vita labore dedit mortalibus, hence, Nil sine labore—nothing without work.
The aforementioned ‘new and improved edition’ of the badge and motto did not appear. The badge and motto endured and were subsequently adopted by the girls’ school on its establishment in 1875. The badge was identical to the original BGS design displaying a dominant shield with a delicate ‘floating’ ribbon. Initially, it appears that the girls’ prize book covers were not embossed with the crest and were simply labelled Brisbane Grammar School displaying a bookplate inside the cover with no badge and only inscribed with ‘Girls Grammar School’ at the top of the bookplate. Illustrating this labelling are the oldest prize books held in our archive, presented to Millicent Cairncross for English and Mathematics in 1877.
The earliest evidence of a Girls Grammar badge is from an original 1904 postcard written by Marian Morison (1906). Marian drew the Grammar badge and told her friend, Edie, ‘This is our crest and we have little
silver ones which we wear as brooches and at the Boys’ School they wear them on their hats’. This description is supported by an image in 1905, where a student can be clearly seen wearing a badge while other students wear a range of jewellery.
The Girls Grammar badge remained true to its original design with the only variation being the bar which ran horizontally across and behind the middle of the shield. Possibly this was a practical and aesthetic decision with the bar carrying and hiding the pin which secured the badge. When the bar was not included in the design, the pin was rotated to run vertically, as it does today.
In 2014, I suggested the creation of a 140th-anniversary badge which copied the original badge with the horizontal bar on which 1875 and 2015 would be engraved on each side of the shield.
Principal, Ms Jacinda Euler, and Chair of the Board of Trustees, Ms Elizabeth Jameson, strongly supported the concept and decided to issue every student in 2015 with the celebratory badge. This badge also welcomed the first Year 7 cohort to the School.
Although the School badge is no longer created from precious metal, what it represents remains just as valuable. The badge and the motto, adopted 147 years ago, preserve the history, traditions, and philosophy of the School. The badge immediately identifies each girl as part of a special community, and she wears this public symbol on behalf of both past and future Girls Grammar generations.
Read the full article on our website
Captions 1 2002’s final boarders, back row from left, Victoria Fleming, Hope Adams, Annabelle Vaughan, Mijan Patterson. Front row, from left, Breanna Ryan, Holly Clarke and Rosie Walden 2 The Boarders' Plaque 3 A very special badge in the School collection was donated by Patricia Dall (Anderson, 1946). It was fashioned from a two-shilling piece by Mr Steve Grice, who beat the coin flat and fashioned a badge with its tips pointed down and the book raised rather than flat
Hurdles and highpoints of a School ahead of its time
A sneak peek between the pages of Girls Grammar’s new history book, Wisdom, imagination and integrity: Brisbane Girls Grammar School 1875-2025
Author and historian Helen Penrose has completed a book charting the 150-year journey of Brisbane Girls Grammar School to become one of the most outstanding girls’ schools in Australia. Ms Penrose sat down with Principal Jacinda Euler Welsh on a recent episode of the Illumine podcast to discuss the joys of history; the bumpy evolution of female education and a long-forgotten plan to move the School to a 20-acre site. This is an edited version of the podcast episode.
Ms Euler: Can you tell us a bit about your career and how you found yourself as an author of historical publications?
Ms Penrose: I did two history degrees —an honors degree in history and a master’s degree in history. I applied for many jobs and the job I happened to get was to do a community history of Brunswick in Melbourne. It was the most wonderful thing I’d ever done, and I realised that this is what I wanted to do. In 1994, I was founding director
of HistorySmiths and we’ve written on a range of different topics—some quirky things, such as a sewage farm (there’s a very wide readership, you’d be surprised), a legal firm, hospitals and many independent schools. I love writing about schools.
What did you discover in your research that demonstrates the pioneering spirit that has defined Girls Grammar, in particular in those early years, when success actually seemed quite unlikely?
It’s a wonderful question and I think that if pioneering means perseverance, resilience and imagination, then I think it’s a good word to use in relation to Girls Grammar, particularly its early history. So, for the first 40 years, the School had 10 principals. It caused incredible instability and also meant that enrolments stayed very small because the public wasn’t trusting that the School was a going concern for a long, long time and that, in turn, added to the financial difficulties.
The critical point came in 1899 when Eliza Fewings, the Principal, was dismissed by the Board and she went off to establish her own school, taking many of her students with her, so enrolments plummeted. It was a huge crisis that could easily have closed the School. They (the school’s board) invited Millicent Wilkinson to come from Maryborough Girls Grammar School to be the principal. That didn’t please the community in Maryborough, but it was very good for the School here because she stayed for more than 12 years. She had to really rebuild the reputation from scratch, and she did.
The School has stood in Spring Hill through some tumultuous times. How do you think these factors influenced the delivery of the education the girls received at our School?
Context is everything. The School closed several times for weeks at a time during epidemics and wars, long before Covid 19. In the Second World War, the School closed for over a month because Brisbane was really at risk of attack. Children did their lessons by correspondence. When the schools reopened, they had to cancel several public holidays to make up time.
You have written about people questioning the value of a Girls Grammar education, or a girl’s education well into the 1960s.
I was really surprised to find how constrained this School was when it was trying to assert the value of a liberal education, and even that girls could and should learn subjects like physics and Greek and high-level maths and not just be confined to French and sewing and literature and music, which were deemed to be appropriate subjects for young women.
It was Kathleen Lilley in my opinion— Principal from 1925 to 1952—who was able to lay the foundation of a strong academic school. She phased out typing. She built a science laboratory in 1933. She appointed the first full-time PE teacher in Queensland in 1944.
What are some of the most surprising things you uncovered while researching?
One thing that really made me sit up and take notice was in 1943, when the war was still on, the School was desperate to try and address the rebuilding that was needed. Kathleen Lilley and the Board were quite keen on completely moving the entire School to a new location. They weren’t satisfied with what they could do here on two acres. They thought that the best thing to do was move and rebuild, rather than patch the shabby old buildings. They wanted 20 acres somewhere else. I mean, it’s impossible really to think of the School anywhere else isn’t it?
Captions 1 Ms Jacinda
Euler Welsh and Ms Helen Penrose 2 Ms Kathleen Lilley, Brisbane Girls Grammar School principal 1925-1952
Wisdom, imagination and integrity: Brisbane Girls Grammar School 1875-2025 by Helen Penrose will be available from October 2025. The hardcover book is introduced with a foreword by Grammar Woman, the Honourable Justice Margaret McMurdo AC (Hoare, 1971).
Scan to order your copy
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Congratulations to the following staff, students and alumnae who have been recognised by independent organisations for their accomplishments across many and varied fields.
Ms Gerri Bernard, Head of Curriculum Development—Science, co-authored a conference paper: Kolenberg, K, et al. (2024). Teaching Capacity of Remote and Robotic Observing Facilities for Universities and High Schools [Published proceedings]. International Astronomical Union –General Assembly, Cape Town, South Africa https://www.iau.org/science/ meetings/past/2781/. She also acted as peer reviewer for multiple articles in the Journal of Double Star Observations.
Ms Chloe Evans, Choral Teacher, adjudicated Cannon Hill Anglican College’s annual singing eisteddfod.
Ms Wendy Rolls, Choral Teacher, was a key presenter at the Central Queensland Singing Symposium in Rockhampton, hosted by the Queensland chapter of the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Ms Kim Wood, Director of Outdoor Education, was awarded an Outdoor Education Australia Service Award for her long-standing service and contribution to the industry.
Mr Jonathan Zorzetto, Instrumental Music Teacher and string specialist, was a guest clinician at the State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) in Gladstone. He was also invited to adjudicate Music Fest, a competition open to state and private schools.
Annabelle Abrahams (11G) won the Australian Combined Schools Music Festival's Fanfare Competition. Her original composition Concordia will be performed at the opening of this year's Festival in Adelaide in June.
Sophia Bizzell (2024), Emily Crosisca (2024), and Talisha Wong (2024) received Certificates of Community Service from the Queensland Branch of The Order of Australia Association for their outstanding service to the school and community.
Ella Chen (11O), Yolanda Huang (11O), Alicia Cheng (11W), Lauren Liang (12L), Tiffany Yuen (11R) achieved first place in the Australia Business Week Interschool Business Simulation Competition. Ruoming Li (11G), Elisia Lee (11G), Chloe Lin (11H), Eliza Beuth (11M), Indi Ogden (11B) placed third.
Harper Hwang (8L) performed in Berlin and Schwerin, Germany, as both a violin soloist and ensemble musician, showcasing works such as Bach’s Double Concerto and Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole and was also selected to join the Queensland Youth Symphony Orchestra (QYSO).
Lauren Liang (12L) and Sunnie Lin (12M), placed second in the International Young Physicists’ Tournament Australia, earning them a spot on the national team to compete in Sweden later this year.
Aurora Lin (10B) was accepted as a harpist into the AYO Young Symphonists program and AYO National Music Camp for 2025.
Leila Moody (11H) won four medals at the Queensland State Paddle Sport Championships in Coomera: Gold in the K4 500m, Silver in the K2 200m, Bronze in the K2 500m, and Bronze in the K1 200m. These achievements qualified her to represent Queensland at the National Championships.
Holly Pryor (11O) and Darcy Basford (2024) received the Long Tan Award from the Australian Defence Force for demonstrating the qualities of community service, leadership, teamwork and resourcefulness.
Fiona Qiu (2017) performed at the Opening Ceremony of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Kayla Tin (10M) won a bronze medal in the Senior Women’s Sabre at the Australian National Fencing Circuit Competition in Melbourne.
Claudia Wallwork (11M) and Sophie List (2024) received the Australian Defence Force Future Innovators Award for demonstrating innovation, motivation and achievement in the STEM learning area.
