It's Her Turn

Celebrating our community, their generosity, and the impact for every Lauriston girl.

OPENING OF THE ULLMER SPORTS & WELLBEING CENTRE

As students returned to School for the start of Term 4, the new Ullmer Sports & Wellbeing Centre was ready to enjoy, marking a milestone moment in our School’s history. This first-class facility includes: the Yang Family and Walker Family multi-purpose courts, the Fathers of Lauriston Weights and Conditioning Studio, the Bridget Ball, Kate Mackenzie and Claire Mackenzie Cardio Space with ergs and exercise bikes, and ample showers and changerooms. These new sports and learning facilities will benefit Lauriston girls and the wider community for generations to come.

There have been many members of the School community that have supported or been a part of this project for many years and their generosity and hard work was celebrated at our grand opening on Friday 14 October. We especially thank the Ullmer family for their intergenerational commitment to Lauriston, to girls’ education, and for their incredible support.

The It’s Her Turn campaign was established in 2017 to support Lauriston’s 10-year Masterplan and has been the most successful capital campaign in Lauriston’s history, recognised by independent schools across Australia as a pivotal change in philanthropy among independent girls’ schools. To date, It’s Her Turn has raised just shy of $4 million.

We are thrilled to have celebrated the opening of these new facilities across three days to celebrate this significant milestone in Lauriston’s history.

FIRST DOWN THE SLIDE

Nestled between the new Ullmer Sports & Wellbeing Centre and the new 5/6 Centre is the new Adventure Tower, complete with giant slide. The Adventure Tower sits alongside the new Agility Trail and Mini Games Space, reflecting the start of our students’ journey to Howqua.

We invited all students in years 3-6 for a sneak peek of the new Adventure Playground and held a raffle giving students the chance to be the first down the slide on Monday 10 October. More than 378 raffle tickets were sold with all funds going towards the It’s Her Turn campaign, further enabling the development of our new indoor and outdoor spaces. Congratulations to Lucy (5D) for being drawn in the raffle. She was awarded with the honour of being the first Lauriston student down the new Adventure Tower slide and was joined by her classmates and Mr Toms.

We thank Kelvin Huang & Sylvia Mo and their family for supporting the development of the Adventure Tower, and their commitment to innovative outdoor play for our Junior School students.

GRAND OPENING

More than 300 supporters of the It’s Her Turn campaign attended the Grand Opening of the Ullmer Sports & Wellbeing Centre on Friday 14 October. The rain could not dampen the spirits of choristers, musicians and special guests eager to visit the completed building for the first time. For many, it was also the first opportunity to see their family name on the leaves of the Fig Tree sculpture, adorning the wall of the Ullmer Centre.

Murrundindi welcomed all guests to country and played the didgeridoo before the building was officially opened by Rick Ball, Chair of School Council (2014–2022), Claudette Leeming (OL 1991) current Chair of School Council, the Ullmer family, Australian Olympic Team representatives Kate Blamey (OL 2007), Jeni Lidgett-Danks (OL 1981) and Stephanie Moorhouse (OL 2005), and our 2022 and 2023 Sports Captains Isabel Bulach, Sasha Thompson, Sophie Moore, and Audrey Walker.

FAMILY OPENING

Three hundred and fifty parents and students attended the Family Opening on the afternoon of Monday 17 October. Students and parents enjoyed an afternoon tea before playing on the Adventure Tower, watching our rowers train on the ergs, and cheering Lauriston’s Senior GSV Basketball teams from the new supporter seat area.

Penny Richards Fowler Director of Advancement