Brisbane Girls Grammar School
The main building, in 2011
Address
Gregory Terrace

, ,
4000

Australia
Coordinates27°27′30″S 153°1′11″E / 27.45833°S 153.01972°E / -27.45833; 153.01972
Information
TypeIndependent secondary day school
MottoLatin: Nil Sine Labore
(Nothing without labour)
DenominationNon-denominational
Established1875 (1875)[1]
Sister schoolBrisbane Grammar School
PrincipalJacinda Euler[2]
GenderGirls
Enrolmentc.1,370
Colour(s)  Royal blue
Affiliations
Websitebggs.qld.edu.au

Brisbane Girls Grammar School is an independent non-denominational secondary day school for girls, located in Spring Hill, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1875, the school is one of eight grammar schools in Queensland that were established under the Grammar Schools Act of 1860. The school originally opened as a branch of the Brisbane Grammar School with fifty students under the direction of a principal, Janet O'Connor.[1]

Brisbane Girls Grammar is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[3] the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA),[4] and is a member of the Queensland Girls' Secondary Schools Sports Association (QGSSSA).[5]

Brisbane Girls Grammar School has approximately 1,370 students enrolled in Years 7 to 12. Its brother school is Brisbane Grammar School.

History

Brisbane Girls Grammar School was founded in March 1875, six years before women were admitted to universities in Sydney and Melbourne. The school opened as a branch of Brisbane Grammar School with fifty female students under the direction of a lady principal, Janet O'Connor, in premises on George Street, Brisbane. Within six months the school outgrew these premises and subsequently moved to a site on Wickham Terrace.[1]

Main Building, c1910

By July 1882, the school was well established and a decision was made to separate from Brisbane Grammar School, so as to operate independently under the Grammar Schools Act. Plans were also made to move the school to its present location on Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill. In 1884, the Main Building, designed by architect Richard Gailey, was opened to one hundred students.[1]

The school's motto is Nil Sine Labore, Latin for "Nothing Without Labour". It was adopted from the Brisbane Grammar School, which in turn borrowed it from Horace's Second Book of Satires. The school badge is an open book on a shield with the school motto on a ribbon underneath. The open book was also borrowed from Oxford University, where over half of the original staff of Brisbane Grammar School were originally secured.The School colour is royal blue, adopted from the colours of Brisbane Grammar School, which were originally derived as a compromise between the Oxford colour of light blue and the Cambridge colour of dark blue.

In 2007, the $25 million, six-level Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre opened, winning several awards including the prestigious Sir Zelman Cowen Award for public architecture in 2008.[6] In 2009 a new 25-metre (82 ft) suspended swimming pool and multi-purpose covered area were completed. The Gehrmann Building, constructed in 1986, was renovated in 2011.

In 2015, the five-storey, $17.4 million Research Learning Centre opened, to coincide with the introduction of Year 7 to the school. Home to a collection of more than 55,000 resources, the Research Learning Centre provides numerous flexible contemporary learning spaces as well as space for individual study.[7]

Co-curriculum

Brisbane Girls Grammar offers 18 competitive and non-competitive sports. The School is a founding member of the Queensland Girls’ Secondary Schools Sporting Association (QGSSSA) competition, and participates in a range of Brisbane Club associations as well as operating a comprehensive Interhouse programme.

QGSSSA: artistic gymnastics, athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, cross country, football, hockey, netball, rhythmic gymnastics, softball, swimming, tennis, touch and volleyball. CLUB: Fencing (QFA), Rowing (BRSA) and water polo (BWPI) Lifestyle: Yoga, pilates and rock climbing.

The three core music domains (strings, band and choir) offer more than 900 places for students to pursue their musical talents at their specific level of proficiency. Specialist music staff provide instrumental and vocal tuition in group and private lessons.

Principals

OrdinalOfficeholderTerm startterm endTime in officeNotes
1Janet O'Connor187518760–1 years
2Sarah Cargill187718780–1 years
3Mary Mackinlay187818812–3 years
4Sophia Beanland188218885–6 years
5Charlotte Pells188818956–7 years
6Eliza Fewings189618992–3 years
7Milisent Wilkinson1900191211–12 years
8Mary Atkinson Williams191319140–1 years
9Jane Walker191419150–1 years
10Annie Mackay191619247–8 years
11Kathleen Lilley1925195226–27 years
12Louise Crooks1952197017–18 years(Louise McDonald from 1957)
13Nancy Shaw197119764–5 years
14Judith Hancock AM1977200123–24 years
15Amanda Bell AM2001201210–11 years
16Jacinda Euler2013incumbent10–11 years

House system

As with most Australian schools, Brisbane Girls Grammar School uses a house system. The house system provides a framework of support for students during their years at the school.[8] The house system originated in 1964, with 10 houses that were amalgamated to five in 1966. In 1973 the house system reverted to Interform Competitions but was reintroduced in 1980. Since then, some of the previously discontinued houses have returned, while new houses have been created. There are currently nine houses, each named after past principals and teachers of the school as well as previous chairmen of the board of trustees:

Beanland (Pink)

Named after Sophia Beanland, the former Head Mistress of the school from 1882 to 1889. The house was first established in 1964 when the school had ten Houses, each with approximately fifty students. Beanland House and four other houses were discontinued in 1966, as the system of ten houses was not manageable. Beanland House was reintroduced in 1994.[9]

England (blue)

Named after John Edwyn England, one of the longest serving trustees of the school. He was a member of the trust for 20 years and was chairman of the board from 1952 to 1961.

Gibson (purple)

Originally formed in 1964 and lasted until 1973 when the house system was discontinued in favour of a horizontal division based on year groups. Gibson House was officially reconstituted in February 1980 after a gap of seven years and is named in honour of Major John Lockhart Gibson, M.D. one of Brisbane's best-known doctors. Gibson was appointed Vice-Chairman of the school board of trustees in 1906. From 1929 until his resignation in 1940, he served as chairman of the board.

Griffith (red)

Originally established in 1964 and combined with Mackinlay House in 1966 to form a larger Griffith house. It continued in this form until 1973, when the house system was discontinued. Griffith House was officially reconstituted in February 1980 and is named in honour of Sir Samuel Walter Griffith, former Chairman of Trustees, Premier of the Colony of Queensland, Chief Justice of Queensland and the first Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.

Hirschfeld (orange)

Named after Konrad Hirschfeld (1904–1987) who served as chairman of the board of Brisbane Girls Grammar School between 1963 and 1976. Hirschfeld was involved in many aspects of the medical profession and also had an enduring passion and commitment to education. Hirschfeld House was formed in 1980 in recognition of his services to education and the school.

Lilley (green)

One of nine houses established in 1964. Lilley House was named after Sir Charles Lilley, the former Premier and Chief Justice of Queensland, and the founder of Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Particularly influential in the educational arena, Sir Charles Lilley had a substantial influence on the Education Act 1875 and was responsible for the introduction of free education in Queensland in 1870.

Mackay (White)

Started in 1998 and named after Margaret Annie Mackay, a pupil at the school in its early days. She became a teacher at Brisbane Girls Grammar School and was appointed Head Mistress in 1916. She retired in 1924.

O'Connor (maroon)

Named after Brisbane Girls' Grammar School's first Headmistress, Janet O'Connor. From 1875 to 1877, O'Connor led the fledgeling school which was then located on George Street. O'Connor House was established in 1964 and was discontinued in 1966. In 1990, it was re-established and adopted maroon as its colour.[10]

Woolcock (yellow)

First established in 1964 and named after John Laskey Woolcock in recognition of his contribution to the school and to education in general. In 1966, Woolcock and O'Connor Houses combined, keeping the name Woolcock. In 1973 the House was discontinued but was re-established in 1980.[11]

Campuses and facilities

In addition to the main school site at Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill, the school has a Sports Campus in the Brisbane suburb of Fig Tree Pocket and an outdoor education campus, Marrapatta, in the Mary Valley.

Brisbane Campus, Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill

Since 1884, Brisbane Girls Grammar has continually developed their main campus. Recent building projects include the Cherrel Hirst Creative Learning Centre, opened in 2007 to house music, drama, computer technology and art facilities, and a 25-metre suspended swimming pool in 2009.[12] In 2015, to coincide with the introduction of Year 7, the school developed the Research Learning Centre.

Marrapatta Memorial Outdoor Education Centre

The school operates a dedicated Outdoor education Centre in the Mary Valley at Imbil, approximately 2 hours drive north of Brisbane.

Rangakarra Recreational and Environmental Education Centre

In 2013, Brisbane Girls Grammar School acquired a 13-hectare site in Fig Tree Pocket, which comprises two playing fields and three ovals. It is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the CBD and is the home ground for sports such as hockey, cricket and touch. The campus is also used to teach environmental sciences, with school groups working with local organisations to rehabilitate areas of ecological significance. The site was officially named Rangakarra Recreational and Environmental Education Centre on 23 May 2015 and the Main Field was renamed the Daphne Welch (1949) Oval in honour of past student and sporting legend Daphne Pirie (Welch) MBE, AO.

Notable alumnae

See also

References

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  2. "Our Principal". Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  3. "AHISA Schools". Queensland. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. November 2007. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
  4. Butler, Jan (2006). "Member Schools". Members. The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
  5. "(What is) QGSSSA". QGSSSA. SportingPulse. 2005. Archived from the original on 10 February 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
  6. "sir zelman cowen award for public architecture". ArchitectureAU. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  7. "Historical Timeline". Brisbane Girls Grammar School. 1 February 2010. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  8. Student Care | Brisbane Girls Grammar School (http://www.bggs.qld.edu.au/our-school/student-matters/ Archived 13 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine)
  9. "House Structure – Brisbane Girls Grammar School". www.bggs.qld.edu.au. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  10. "House Structure – Brisbane Girls Grammar School". www.bggs.qld.edu.au. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  11. "Brisbane Girls Grammar School". Archived from the original on 6 March 2005. Retrieved 25 April 2005.
  12. Campuses | Brisbane Girls Grammar School (http://www.bggs.qld.edu.au/about/campuses/ Archived 13 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine)
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  14. "Betty Churcher – Interview Transcript". Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  15. "Remembering Betty Churcher".
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  17. Radbourne, Jennifer, "Felgate, Rhoda Mary (1901–1990)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 19 September 2023
  18. "Queensland Australian of the Year 2013 Award winners announced". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
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  23. Melbourne, The University of. "Lahey, May – Biographical entry – Australian Women Lawyers as Active Citizens". www.womenaustralia.info. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  24. "The Honourable Margaret McMurdo AC | Supreme Court Library Queensland".
  25. "Cheryl Praeger — the UWA Profiles and Research Repository".
  26. "Professor Cheryl Praeger, mathematician | Australian Academy of Science".
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  29. "Waterworth, Edith Alice (1873–1957)". Biography - Edith Alice Waterworth - Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  30. "Wilson, Grace Margaret (1879–1957)". Biography - Grace Margaret Wilson - Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
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