W INTE R I SSUE 2021
GPS Jnr Premiership | New Viking Café | Study skills Student success | Boarding refurbishment International scholars | House anniversaries
Key dates 13 Aug
19 Aug
20 Aug
21 Aug
4 Sep
Jazz Under the Stars
Churchie Gala Concert
OBA Long Lunch
Old Boys Day
20, 40, 50 Year Reunions
7 Sep
7 Sep
7 Sep
15 Sep
8 Oct
Year 3 Discovery Day
Longreach boarding families function
Westech Field Days, Barcaldine
Mothers Spring Lunch
‘the churchie’ Official Opening
9 Oct
16 Oct
22 Oct
23 Oct
30 Oct
60 and 65 Year Reunions
Tri-Service Cadets Graduation Parade
GPS Track and Field Championships
Senior School Orientation Morning
Years 2 to 6 Orientation Day
2 Nov
16 Nov
19 Nov
25 Nov
7 Dec
Reception and Year 1 Orientation Day
AgQuip Field Days, Gunnedah
Prep PYP Exhibition
New Old Boys Night
Churchie Cricket Luncheon
Please note that, due to COVID-19 restrictions, events may be cancelled or postponed. Please refer to the Churchie website for updated information.
Anglican Church Grammar School Oaklands Parade, East Brisbane 4169 Queensland Australia Tel +61 3896 2200 www.churchie.com.au Editorial enquiries: eagleswings@churchie.com.au Cover image: William Roberts, Year 6, swimming for Churchie
Statement of Commitment Anglican Church Grammar School supports the rights of children and young people and is committed to ensuring the safety, welfare and wellbeing of students. Churchie is committed to responding to allegations of student harm resulting from the conduct or actions of any person, including that of employees. This commitment includes the provision of a safe and supportive living and learning environment for all students and requires all employees, volunteers and visitors to model and encourage behaviour that upholds the dignity and protection of students from harm. In support of this commitment, Churchie is dedicated to its Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy, which includes having relevant policies, procedures and training in place to effectively address the safety and wellbeing of students in their care.
Contents
02 04 06 10 HEADMASTER ’S MESSAGE
CHURCHIE NEWS
HOUSE ANNIVERSARIES
NEW PREP BUILDING
12 14 14 15 FIGHTING FORGETTING
'THE CHURCHIE'
EI SYMPOSIUM
GPS SUCCESS
16 20 22 24 BOARDING HOUSE REFURB
NEW VIKING CAFÉ
CHURCHIE FOUNDATION
OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION
25 26 27 28 OLD BOY ACHIEVEMENTS
OBA EVENTS
IN MEMORIAM
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Visit churchie.com.au/eagleswings to update your subscription details and view past issues of the magazine.
F R O M T H E H E A D M AS T E R
Message from the
Headmaster
A strong and recurring theme of our current time is the importance of remaining connected to others.
A recent survey of Churchie parents, who departed the School at the conclusion of their sons’ secondary education, found that their sense of connectedness to other families and the broader school community was one of their most positive memories. While there were many aspects of the School they rated highly, the personal connections and the sense of belonging would be enduring. In a disrupted world, like many organisations and communities, Churchie has continued to find ways to provide opportunities for students, staff, parents and Old Boys to connect and retain a sense of belonging. Our digital platforms have continued to evolve and connect one another in circumstances where on-site visits are not practicable or where distance is insurmountable. Face-to-face parent meetings and teacher-parent interviews have been complemented with online meetings supported by digital platforms. It is interesting to note that, while digital strategies offer a complementary and very useful means of staying connected, they are certainly no replacement for the faceto-face, interpersonal opportunities that form the social bedrock of the School, or any peoplecentric organisation. As education is very much a social enterprise, we would be pleased for our online services to remain complementary in nature.
the School this year. Indeed, this edition of Eagles’ Wings illustrates some of the recent refurbishments in our boarding community, which is a potent symbol of our commitment to boarding in the future. It is well known that boarders make lifelong connections during their time at Churchie and continue to be at the heart of our community. In many ways, the ultimate connectors are those generous benefactors of the School who give their resources to provide the means for current and future students to receive a Churchie education. Long-standing and newly established benefactors, often confidentially and without recognition, enable students to become a part of this community that would be otherwise be unavailable to them. I commend this edition of Eagles’ Wings to you with the spirit and optimism of the entire Churchie community. Yours sincerely Dr Alan Campbell Headmaster @ChurchieHM
In the wider world, young Old Boys continue to pursue their dreams of overseas study and this edition of Eagles’ Wings captures some of their stories. While the world is currently more difficult to negotiate, our ambitions for our students to give their plans and dreams full expression throughout the world is no less vigorous. Similarly, the wider disruptions to life have not curtailed our boarding students from playing a full role in the life of
Traditions such as the Year 6 welcome by their future Year 12 seniors embed relationships and connections throughout the fabric of the School.
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AC A D E M I C AC H I E V E R S
Distinguished
achiever
Churchie’s 2020 Dux of the School Declan Fletcher achieved Queensland’s top academic result, an ATAR of 99.95—the highest possible rank awarded to only thirty students across the state. Declan studied Literature, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Physics, Economics and Music. As Captain of Music, he was also a member of several ensembles, with up to five or six rehearsals each week. Although, at times, he found it challenging to achieve a balance between his co-curricular activities and academic studies, he said that, ultimately, it was very rewarding. ‘The balance that we try to achieve at Churchie is part of becoming a good person,’ Declan said. ‘Having many facets to your life that you derive meaning from is useful. If you’re too focused on one thing, it can burn you out.’ ‘A lot of it was just a personal challenge. I wanted to prove to myself that I could be
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the best and do my best, aiming to get 100 per cent in all of my subjects,’ Declan said. Declan’s hard work paid off, and he received a UQ Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship to study a Bachelor of Mathematics and Bachelor of Computer Science at The University of Queensland. ‘I really enjoy the personal challenge of working through mathematical problems, and that’s what I’m going to pursue in the future,’ Declan said. In recognition of his academic achievements, Declan was presented with a Distinguished Academic Achiever award at the 2020 QCE Achievement Awards.
International
scholars
We congratulate the latest group of Churchie graduates to pursue international study at world-leading institutions.
Advay Prabhu, UK
Liam Ardrey, USA
Hugo Schreuder, USA
Following exceptional results in science subjects, Advay Prabhu is pursuing entry into leading international universities. Advay achieved perfect 7s in his IB chemistry, physics and mathematics—an exceptional accomplishment. He also represented Churchie in debating and cross country. At the time of publication, Advay had received an offer to study Chemical Engineering at Imperial College, London, and was awaiting the outcome of several other interviews. He has also received an offer to study a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Master of Engineering at The University of Queensland. He hopes to eventually work at a leading engineering firm in London.
Liam Ardrey is commencing as a student athlete at Cornell University in the United States. At Cornell, Liam will be in the division 1 rowing team, and he is currently deciding between an econometrics or STEMbased major. Liam pursued an Ivy League institution to take advantage of the breadth of opportunities available and for the challenge of learning in an international environment. At Churchie, Liam was fully immersed across academic, co-curricular, service and leadership domains, including First VIII Rowing, First V Basketball and Navy Cadets.
Hugo Schreuder has recently been accepted to study Management, Entrepreneurship and Technology at Haas Business School at the University of California, Berkeley. Following his studies, Hugo hopes to start his own business in the app development industry in Silicon Valley. Hugo was inspired to study at Berkeley during his first visit to America and took advantage of the many opportunities available to him at Churchie to make his vision become reality. This included balancing his academic and co-curricular commitments, which he credits to the support he received as a Churchie boarder.
2020 academic results
Churchie’s class of 2020 achieved excellent results, and we commend them on their success.
9 % O F Q C E S T U D EN TS A N D 6% O F I B S T U D EN TS R EC EI V ED A 9 9+ ATA R
2 3% O F Q C E S T U D EN TS A N D 2 6% O F I B S T U D EN TS R EC EI V ED A 95+ ATA R
4 3% O F Q C E/I B
12 % O F Q C E S T U D EN TS A N D 15% O F I B S T U D EN TS R EC EI V ED A 98+ ATA R
41% O F Q C E S T U D EN TS A N D 5 3% O F I B S T U D EN TS R EC EI V ED A 9 0+ ATA R
O N E 9 9.95 ATA R
CO H O RT AC H I E V ED A N ATA R OV ER 9 0.0 0
( H I G H ES T P OS S I B L E)
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H O U S E A N N I V E R SA R I E S
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House
half centuries In 2021, our five ‘youngest’ Senior School houses of Biggs, Casey, Hillary, Mansfield and Mawson turn 50, reflecting a significant turning point in Churchie’s house history.
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Biggs seniors at Inter-House Track and Field, 2019
Churchie’s first four houses were established in 1935: Grenfell, Kingsley, Magnus and Nansen. A further two, Goodwin and Gerald were created in 1950. However, it was the dramatic expansion of the house system in 1971 under Headmaster Fisher that established the pastoral care-focused system that we see today. It also saw the birth of five additional houses that are collectively celebrating their 50th anniversary this year— Biggs, Casey, Hillary, Mansfield and Mawson. In his 1970 Speech Night address, Churchie Headmaster Charles Fisher noted the new house system sought ‘to create a structure for the care and oversight of all boys and to provide continuity and closeness of contact between family and school throughout a boy’s time at Churchie'. The result was a substantive evolution in school culture and student care that continues today. The four existing day houses (Grenfell, Kingsley, Magnus and Nansen) were divided into 12 and Gerald and Goodwin boarding houses were divided into four. Quoted in
The Making of Men, Ranald McCowan, a student at the time, noted, ‘There were traditional house names plus a cross-section of adventurers, educationalists, clerics and one Old Boy whose names were memorialised.’ While some houses closed in 2005 (Donaldson, Strong, Alban, Halse and Schonell), the houses turning 50 this year still bear and honour their namesakes, providing enduring inspiration for boys to lead and serve in a global setting: Old Boy Ernest Biggs, Governor-General Lord Casey, Old Boy and Governor of Queensland Sir Alan Mansfield, and explorers Sir Edmund Hillary and Douglas Mawson. Since 1971, the Churchie houses of the Senior School have served boys, staff and families well by living up to the ideals of care, support and collective inspiration. Houses are a student’s ‘home’ at school, shared with over 100 brothers and strengthened through friendships forged in service, spiritual, academic, sporting and cultural activities over six school years and beyond.
Long-serving Churchie staff member and Churchie Old Boy David Grogan is the current Mansfield Housemaster. He knows first-hand the deep connections and support fostered by the house system, from the small daily interactions that shape the school day to the milestone occasions you remember forever. Reflecting on the significance of Churchie's house system, David said, 'When you leave Churchie and meet another Old Boy, you get asked two questions: 'What year did you leave?' and 'What house were you in?'. Such is the significance of a house in a boy’s life at Churchie, it becomes very much part of your sense of belonging and identity. Your house is embedded into your daily academic, pastoral, service and spiritual journey. It is the group of boys you meet with each morning at your locker, talk to in tutor group, learn with in pastoral care classes and share study time with. It is the team you run for, sing for, swim for and play for in competition. It is the group you travel with for the entire journey of your school life—sharing the ups and downs—from day one in Year 7 to the final day of Year 12.'
Churchie house timeline 1935
1950
1971
First houses established Grenfell, Kingsley, Magnus, Nansen
Boarding houses Gerald and Goodwin established
House system expanded and reformed to focus on pastoral care, including new houses Alban, Biggs, Casey, Donaldson, Halse, Hillary, Mansfield, Mawson, Schonell and Strong
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Mawson House cleaning up Norman Creek, 2020
Mansfield Year 8 cross country runners, 2021
Hillary Year 9 volleyball champions, 2019
Casey winners of the 'Golden Boot' trophy, 2020
2005
2021
Alban, Donaldson, Halse, Schonell and Strong closed
Biggs, Casey, Hillary, Mansfield and Mawson celebrate 50 years
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Busy bees,
happy threes The Prep School Arts and Year 3 Building has been abuzz with excitement and activity since opening in Term 2. Home to Year 3, Visual Art and The Hive, the new learning spaces have captured the imagination of all Prep students.
The Prep School Arts and Year 3 Building is the first new building completed in the Prep School under the School’s most recent Master Plan. Other projects completed include refurbishments of the JB Adams Library and the Year 1 and Reception precinct. Given the historical significance, much anticipation greeted the opening of the Arts and Year 3 Building in Term 2. First to move in were three Year 3 classes, who were eager to explore their modern classrooms and learning plaza on the top floor. Parents and students enjoyed a walk through in the morning before the classes settled into their new homes. The excitement was clear from day one. Next to move in was the Prep School Visual Art department, who have two dedicated, spacious and well-appointed studios on the lower level.
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This new home for art centralises the teaching of this specialist area within the Prep School, with easy access to storage, materials, cleaning and workspace areas. Alongside the visual art studios is The Hive, a new specialist teaching area for all Prep School students focused on learning through technology and creativity. Jade Frewin, Year 3 teacher and head of learning for The Hive, has introduced students to the stimulating world of robotics, programming, film and television, 3D printing and design. In the activity photographed on the following page, students are being creative with electricity, experimenting with conductive materials and circuits to trigger digital percussion sounds and create unique soundscapes and rhythms.
We all look forward to seeing the creative work inspired by these new learning spaces.
Year 3 Discovery Day Experience the fabulous new Year 3 learning spaces, art rooms and The Hive on Tuesday 7 September. Children are welcome to come and try activities in the new building. Read more and register at www.churchie.com.au/ year3discovery.
Visual Art Studios
The Hive
Year 3 classrooms and learning plaza
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Fighting
forgetting Churchie students have used a study skills activity to empower their preparation for and performance during exams. Years 7, 8 and 9 students used brain dump activities as powerful exam primers to help them recall information during exams while reducing stress and improving their attention, focus and performance.
The Churchie Research Centre’s Academic Skills and Mentoring (ASM) programme is teaching students to critically reflect on their study skills and develop a suite of strategies that provide the highest impact on their current learning as well as future study. This has become more crucial as students move into the revised QCE ATAR system featuring external, standardised assessment covering broader areas of study. During ASM classes in Terms 1 and 2 this year, students in Years 7, 8 and 9 completed a study skills intervention programme to evaluate their exam preparation techniques and apply a (now familiar) technique that is proven to improve their ability to retrieve and connect information under exam conditions. The brain dump is a study activity that draws on multiple strategies that are identified in
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Churchie’s A Learner’s Toolkit to be most effective, which are noted in brackets below. When practised in regular intervals over time (‘Space it’), the brain dump allows a student to recall all knowledge from a topic of study (‘Retrieve it’) in a creative and personalised manner (‘Visualise it’) that shows clearly the connections between information (‘Connect it’).
Students overwhelmingly used brain dumps in maths and science exams, but less so in languages. Students in maths and science noted it was useful as a preparation strategy and assisted them during their exams. Furthermore, the majority of students noted they are likely to continue using brain dumps in future exams and study. Also pleasing was feedback noting benefits for students who typically experience exam anxiety or learning needs. The feedback and observations from the brain dump ASM intervention will inform more research this year, with the ultimate goal of further empowering student learning and future study.
As a powerful primer for end-of-semester exams in science, maths and languages, the students were encouraged to use their exam perusal time to create their brain dumps. Perusal time in exams is where anxiety increases, as students skim exam questions and make notes as they go. However, a The following examples and statements brain dump provides a wholistic information are from students reflecting on their brain ‘download’ in a way that has been practised dumps in Year 8 Science exams. many times previously. It declutters the mind, reduces stress and avoids mind blanks that too often hamper exam performance—essential tools in the fight against forgetting.
Student reflections on how they used the brain dump activity preparing for and during their exam.
Sam Cooper
William Wei
Jacob Robertson
With my brain dump, I was trying to create as many connections as possible between content. I was trying to put down all the details that I might have forgotten under the pressure. I was able to relate back to the brain dump for questions that I was unsure of the answer to. The brain dump gave me more confidence in my answers, as I knew it was what I thought and wasn’t an answer my brain had just made up under pressure. I am not sure whether I would use a brain dump in an exam. I would definitely use it for study up to an exam, and it gave me a lot of confidence in my answers.
I was trying to create something that will quickly jog my memory and help me connect ideas that are related. If a question had the word ‘atoms’ in it, my brain immediately thought back to everything linked to it and I could quickly go, ‘Hey, this links to physical and chemical changes!’. It allowed me moments of confidence that were crucial to me in the exam. I would try to use it again, but being a procrastinator, I have trouble with keeping focus in long durations of time. Thankfully mind maps don’t take too long, so maybe I’ll do it next term as part of my exam revision.
With my brain dump, I aimed to get everything that I knew would be on the test on the page, so I did not have to focus on remembering it all. This brain dump helped me answer the more complex questions and made me more confident during the exam. In the future, I will definitely use the brain dump to my advantage to help me with my study and preparation for the exam.
Visit the Churchie Research Centre blog site to read the full report www.churchie.com.au/researchcentre.
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C H U RC H I E N E WS
'the churchie' 2021
Research symposium
Since 1987, the churchie emerging art prize has sought to identify and profile the next generation of contemporary artists from across the country. Today it is one of Australia’s leading prizes for emerging artists and is widely recognised for launching the careers of the art world’s up-and-comers.
Enhancing social-emotional growth and developing resilience in young people are among the hallmarks of a great education in schools. For many years, students, staff and parents at Churchie have embraced the science and practices of emotional intelligence (EI) to help young people grow personally. In partnership with Swinburne University, Melbourne, an innovative suite of teaching programmes has been designed and implemented by schools to help students grow into well-balanced and thriving community members.
The prize's current home is at the Institute of Modern Art. Since partnering with the Institute of Modern Art in 2019, the prize has refined ways to make the opportunity even more beneficial for artists’ careers, including the introduction of fees for artists and a guest emerging curator role. The 2021 prize will be judged by Rhana Devenport, the Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia. The winning artist will receive $15,000, donated by long-standing sponsor BSPN Architecture. Also awarded will be a Special Commendation Prize of $5000, sponsored by Fardoulys Constructions, and two $1000 Commendation Prizes sponsored by Madison Cleaning Services. A People’s Choice Award of $3000, also sponsored by Madison Cleaning Services, will be awarded by popular vote at the conclusion of the finalists’ exhibition. Selected finalists' works will be shown at the IMA from 9 October to 18 December 2021, with the prize announcement and official opening on Friday 8 October. The 2021 finalists’ exhibition will provide a survey of some of the most compelling art being produced by emerging artists in Australia today.
Borne of this long-standing commitment to EI research, Churchie is hosting a world-first symposium looking at emotional intelligence in education. EI22: Research in Action will present and share emotional intelligence programmes and interventions in primary and secondary schools based on research and extensive experience. The symposium will be hosted by Churchie next year from 11 to 12 April in The Centenary Library. Keynote speakers include CEO, leadership coach and strategist Cameron Schwab; Associate Professor of Psychology Carolyn MacCann; and Executive NeuroCoach, Advanced Emotional Intelligence Practitioner and Certified Dare to Lead Facilitator Alison Lalieu.The symposium will explore primary and secondary school emotional intelligence programmes in developing well-balanced, emotionally aware young people; growing emotions for personal resilience; emotional strength in developing leadership; and emotional growth to enhance academic attainment. Delegates from schools and universities will participate in three action research workshops hosted by EI experts, a panel discussion and a networking event. This will allow Churchie to share its knowledge with the education sector to benefit students and teachers broadly. Visit www.churchie.com.au/eiresearchinaction to learn more and register. Follow the event on Twitter (@eiresearchinact) and connect on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/showcase/eiresearchinaction).
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Swimming
sensations Churchie’s Years 5 to 7 (10 to 12 years) swimming team achieved back-to-back victories, winning the Junior GPS Swimming Championships for the second year in a row on Friday 5 March.
Director of Swimming Ben Allen said the blue and grey led from start to finish. 'Our boys won both the 11- and 12-year age groups, and our 10-years boys came third,' he said. Head of Preparatory School Mark Wyer said the boys participated with total focus and commitment and wonderful school spirit and sportsmanship. ‘I was extremely proud
of the way the boys competed but more so in the way they conducted themselves throughout the day,’ he said.
Congratulations to all swimmers, and thank you to our coaches, staff and parents for their support throughout the season.
Our Senior School students finished in seventh place, with many achieving personal best times. Our 14-years age group finished in a credible third place overall.
Churchie Swimming was also extremely proud to see Old Boy Zac Stubblety-Cook (2017) win gold in the Tokyo Olympics. Congratulations, Zac! You are an inspiration and a credit to the Churchie Swim Team.
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Goodwin House
young again
These days, Churchie’s Young building is rarely called by its original name. Situated on the southern side of The Flat, this long, two-storey building opened in 1969 as part of the Prep School.
In 1994 Young was transformed into a boarding residential facility, currently home to the boarders of Goodwin House, adopting that is its common name. However, Goodwin House is now proudly ‘young’ again after a comprehensive and stunning refurbishment to be completed later this year. Boarding has been at the heart of Churchie’s community for more than 100 years. Accompanying this proud heritage is a dedication to providing the very best facilities and services a boarding school can offer. This commitment has resulted in the beautiful School House dining hall renovation, a Year 7 centre based in Donaldson and, most recently, the stunning refurbishment of Goodwin House.
Throughout the building, technology is future compatible, with power outlets and docking stations reflecting current and future needs for devices, with additional wi-fi access points. Director of Boarding Jason Wynne-Markham said, ‘The driving force behind the Goodwin refurbishment is to ensure Churchie offers the best facilities in the boarding school sector.
In conjunction with the highly successful use of The Centenary Library by boarders for study, the Goodwin refurbishment will further support the academic life of Churchie boarders through study spaces for workshops, presentations and tutorials. It’s wonderful to see the boys enthused about the remarkable transformation. I’m looking forward to Gerald House’s turn next.’
In Term 3 Goodwin's transformation will be complete, but many of the areas are already in full use by students. The common areas are welcoming, light-filled and spacious, leading into residential wings that offer increased privacy and additional common spaces. Senior boys will have larger beds (king singles), and all rooms have space for a small fridge.
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Inspired
dining
Serving a few thousand nutritious and hearty meals to hungry teenagers each day is by no means a small feat.
At Churchie, the Viking Café has provided a crucial service, ensuring boys have the nourishment to sustain them through a busy school day. Now, a new building has reimagined the capacity, variety, display and service offerings to ensure Senior School students receive inspired healthy choices. The old Viking Café building had served the School well for many years. However, with increased student numbers and expanded menu options required, it became clear that the Viking Café needed to be completely redeveloped into a facility that could provide students and staff with a variety of food options, which could be presented in a more attractive manner and incorporate grab-andgo to improve speed of service. The new Viking Café building opened at the beginning of Term 2 with expansive preparation, service and dining options for both day students and boarders.
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The attractively presented self-service area for a variety of hot meals, cold food and beverages is complemented by several payment points to transition efficiently through to the 120-seat dining area. Beyond the indoor dining area are newly landscaped outdoor spaces with further seating as well as barbecues, water refill stations and four table tennis tables. The kitchen is staffed by two chefs with support staff, including parent volunteers who assist in the day-to-day service and operations of the Viking Café. Additionally, Churchie’s boarders receive and consume their morning tea and lunch in the 120-seat dining area, catching up with fellow boarders and day students. Demonstrating the improved capacity and offerings of the new tuckshop, the first week of operations saw an incredible
2813 transactions, including 706 on the first Friday. The ‘grab and go’ specials are popular, particularly the hot meal options in the cool winter months. We hope boys continue to enjoy the new and improved Viking Café. The building project also provided an opportunity to create further learning areas. On the top floor are six classrooms, a learning plaza and a housemaster’s office. According to some, the new classrooms enjoy the ‘best views in the school’ with panoramic outlooks over Norman Creek and Smith Field.
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C H U R C H I E F O U N DAT I O N
Message from the Chair of the
Churchie Foundation We exist for, and indeed the School is a testament to, the generations of parents, Old Boys and benefactors who see great value in what Churchie offers. It is most common for the Foundation to support the School in two primary ways. The first is in the provision of funds to create and improve our buildings and physical facilities. The second is in financial assistance through bursaries, scholarships and assisting families going through hardship. Here is a little more explanation on how the Foundation operates.
Russell McCart (1974) Churchie Foundation Chairman and School Council Member
Our mission at the heart of the Foundation is to ensure the School maintains its position as one of Australia’s great schools and give our educators the best platform for the making of good young men.
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The second area we assist is in financial support for fees and further education. We provide bursaries from Year 8 onwards and assist where families have fallen on hard times. The late Cliffy Ashdown, a great Churchie Old Boy and friend of mine, supported nearly 30 boys in this way. Over 100 boys have also been supported in their tertiary studies at institutions in Australia and around the world. We offer scholarships for a range of categories, including academic, sport, music and choral.
On 13 May, the Governor of Queensland, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, a proud Old Boy, officially opened our new Preparatory School Arts and Year 3 Building. This fabulous learning space is designed to encourage Churchie boys to be curious, explore creativity and self expression, and develop their future tech readiness.
Next year we will introduce assisted fee bursaries for new boys with the potential to be great Churchie men but for whom attendance at the School requires financial support. Another mate of mine, Old Boy Marcus Blackmore, has led the charge here with a generous five-year commitment to help in this way. We would dearly like to grow this in accord with our Christian values. Please consider this if you can help.
This building was made possible in part by the great generosity of current parents. It was particularly gratifying to see this from new Prep parents who knew the School not as well as some of us, but already had seen its greatness.
This year we held an annual appeal specifically to raise money for these fee assistance programmes. This has been generously supported in difficult times. We are happy to receive your support at any time in any way, small or large.
We offer thanks to those donors, some of whose children will enjoy the building, but many more who donated to see it benefit future generations.
We believe the things we do are important. Our boys will play, as they always have, a big role in our nation’s future. By sending your sons to Churchie, you show us that you feel this, too.
This is how Churchie has been built for over 100 years.
Thank you to our previous donors and, to those considering helping, please contact us.
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O L D B OYS ' AS S O C I AT I O N
From the President of the
Old Boys’ Association Many Old Boys, parents, friends and family attended Churchie’s Anzac Day Ceremony. The cadet parade was honored by the review and address of Wing Commander James Parton (1990), a returned serviceman and current senior air force officer in the centenary year of the Royal Australian Air Force.
Happily, 2021 witnessed the return of many activities familiar to the Churchie Old Boy community and the dawn of some new ones.
March saw the launch of COBweb on the Churchie Old Boys’ Association website. This portal enables extensive networking options for Old Boys through cohort groups and interest groups. We also intend to expand further into areas such as mental wellbeing, mentoring and Old Boy sporting groups. I encourage all Old Boys to register via www.churchieoldboys.com.au and join their groups. Since launch, over 1200 Old Boys and 15 businesses have registered for this free service for all Old Boys.
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At this year’s Vintage Vikings Morning Tea and Lunch in May, the guest of honour, at 99 years of age, was Oldest Old Boy Charles Tompson (1941). We marked the launch of Charles’ autobiography, From Bushie to Brushie. Fifty-three Vintage Viking Old Boys, plus spouses, attended with several receiving their Vintage Viking ties. Churchie's Big Band 1 and Viking Vocalists 1 put on stellar performances, featuring the vocal talents of Year 12 students Charlie Ridgway and Louis Beatty. Nine cohort reunions are planned this year, including some postponed events from 2020. Most reunions are in Term 3 to coincide with home rounds of rugby and basketball. I encourage all Old Boys marking a significant reunion year to please check the events page on the OBA website for details. Our annual event, the OBA Long Lunch, will be held Friday 20 August at Felons Barrel Hall, Howard Smith Wharves, which will feature the launch of our mental wellbeing initiative. Guest speakers are Trade Mutt co-founders Daniel Allen and Old Boy Ed Ross (2010). The MC is Evan ‘Banga’ Bancroft (1979). We look forward to an entertaining and informative afternoon.
This informal style of event is sure to appeal to Old Boys across all generations, so please join us for what promises to be a fantastic event. Register via the OBA website. On Saturday 21 August, we celebrate Old Boys Day with a barbecue at a home-game round against Toowoomba Grammar School. Come and watch the First V play in the Sir John Pidgeon Sports Complex followed by the First XV on Main Oval at 2.15 pm. Join us afterwards for a drink and a complimentary hamburger at the Brenan Pavilion. Lastly, this year many Old Boys have received Australian Honours and Awards for distinguished service. Others have achieved professional and sporting successes also worthy of recognition. These achievements are detailed in this issue of Eagles’ Wings and also on the OBA website. To those gentlemen, our sincere congratulations. Andrew Fleming (1979) Old Boys’ Association President
O L D B OYS ' AS S O C I AT I O N
Achievements and
Honours
We proudly acknowledge the Churchie Old Boys recognised with honours and representative positions this year.
Dr John Jell (1956) for significant service to environmental science education, and to geological societies.
Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Commendation for Distinguished Service
Malcolm Hazell (1965) for distinguished service to the Crown, and through a range of advisory and consultancy roles with government and business.
Brigadier Timothy Charles O'Brien (1982) for distinguished performance of duties on warlike operations as the Commander Task Group Afghanistan on Operation HIGHROAD from March to November 2019.
Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)
The Reverend Bryan Leslie Gilmour (1949) for service to the Uniting Church in Australia.
His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC (1965) in recognition of services as Her Majesty’s Governor of Queensland.
Emeritus Professor John Hardy (1950) for service to tertiary education, particularly to the humanities.
Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Old Boy Zac Stubblety-Cook (2017); Tom Pennington via Getty Images
Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) Lieutenant Colonel Gregory Richard Brown NSC (1994) for outstanding achievement as the Officer-In-Charge of the Health Certification Team of the 3rd Health Support Battalion. 2020 Tokyo Olympics selection • John Millman (2006), tennis • Izaac Stubblety-Cook (2017), swimming • Nicholas Malouf (2010), rugby 7s.
Oldest Old Boy Charles Tompson (1941)
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Felix Booth (2027) with grandfather and past staff Tony Booth
John (1958) and Jan Miles
60 Year Reunion (1960 cohort)
John Jell (1956), Barry Henzell (1956) and Bruce Hunter (1948)
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Oldest Old Boy Charles Tompson (1941) with Headmaster Dr Alan Campbell and youngest Churchie boy James Wang
IN MEMORIAM
Kerry Larkin (1953)
Owen Edwards (1959)
Kerry Larkin was Captain of the School, Captain of Nansen House, Captain of Boats and Captain of Rugby. He represented Churchie in the First IV and the First XV in both 1952 and 1953. Graduating with academic honours, Kerry studied medicine at The University of Queensland, where he also played 150 games for their rugby club.
Owen Edwards was a Probationer of the School, cox of the First VIII in 1957 and member of the First XV in both 1958 and the premiership team of 1959. He also held a Queensland Age Champion archery record at one point.
In 1955, Kerry made his debut for Queensland Rugby and, in 1958, he was selected for Australia and played two rugby tests (Wallaby #444) against New Zealand Maori. Kerry spent time in Papua New Guinea as a doctor before settling in Rockhampton where he served as Deputy Chancellor of the Central Queensland University. The CQU athletics oval is named after him. Kerry passed away on 26 May 2021, aged 84.
Vale We respectfully acknowledge the passing of the following Old Boys. To help us recognise Old Boys appropriately, please send notifications to oba@churchie.com.au. Alister Donald Alexander Frank Edward Ball Noel Oswald Batts Arthur Bruce Biggs Alan Birkett Alexander James Boardman John Myles Bradfield Keith Norman Briggs David Philemon Cilento Bruce Bonshire Cook Lester Perham Copp Alan Dellit Roger Kingsley Donovan Owen Fairclough Edwards Geoffrey Charles Farmer Noel Edward Fitzpatrick Gerald Logan Hancock Francis James Fitzgerald Harbison Alan Geoffrey Hartland Ross Kenneth Henry Ralph Huntington Irons Richard Eason Kelly Steven James Landsberg
1949 – 1955 1946 – 1949 1945 – 1947 1942 – 1945 1946 – 1947 1955 – 1956 1958 – 1961 1949 – 1952 1949 – 1954 1938 – 1939 1946 – 1947 1941 – 1942 1974 – 1978 1955 – 1959 1947 – 1948 1959 – 1962 1949 – 1953 1949 – 1952 1954 – 1957 1951 1946 – 1947 1950 – 1953 1986 – 1990
After school Owen commenced an engineering degree alongside his rugby career. He entered The Edwards Group of Companies Kleen Fabricated products, founded by his father Harry. Owen’s rugby career included a premiership for GPS Rugby Club in 1961 and selections in Queensland and Australian representative teams. Owen was reserve for Australia against Fiji in 1961 and played for Queensland against France and the All Blacks in 1962. He was also Queensland Vice Captain on its 1963 New Zealand tour. Owen continued his involvement in GPS Rugby Club through administration and as a selector. Owen passed away on 7 January, aged 79.
Kerry Kelsall Larkin Eric John Lindemann Arthur Barry Loose James Fitzgerald Russell Love Desmond Noel Lund Desmond John Macaulay Alexander Parry MacFarlane Donald John Miles Marriott Ian Mathers Aaron James Matzkows Duncan John McDougall Ian Donald McFarlane David John McGinley Warren Gilbert McLean Robert John McNab Graeme Cecil William Moisey Chris Mark Nearhos Rowland Oliver Prentice Ronald James Ramsay Ian Wingfield Rigby John Allan Rivers Neville John Hillier Rogers William Peter Rowland Douglas Robert Scales Roger William Shearer Brian Stevens Barry William Thompson Albert James Thornely Robert Brian Tindall John Wesley Turner John Francis Webber Matthew Donald Williamson
1950 – 1953 1944 – 1945 1948 – 1949 1954 – 1961 1950 – 1956 1952 – 1953 2006 – 2011 1962 – 1966 1948 – 1951 1963 – 1968 1954 – 1959 1952 – 1955 1941 – 1942 1949 – 1950 1965 – 1970 1951 – 1953 1953 – 1956 1964 – 1967 1952 – 1953 1941 – 1943 1948 – 1949 1949 – 1952 1980 – 1986 1944 – 1945 1960 – 1961 1941 – 1942 1954 – 1955 1943 – 1946 1951 – 1952 1932 – 1938 1949 – 1950 1949 – 1951 27
P L AT I N U M S P O N S O R
A message from Churchie's
platinum sponsor
After more than 100 years, the automotive customer experience is changing.
Porsche Centre Brisbane is proud to announce that it will be joining an exciting new chapter between AMP Capital and Eagers Automotive, AutoMall West. AutoMall West—expected to open in December 2021—will be the first of its kind in Australia. Multiple car brands will be represented in a purpose-built future retail shopping experience providing a one-stop destination not just for car shopping but also for new and used vehicle purchasing, servicing and maintenance. Located in Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, this ground-breaking two-level showroom and service centre will have a 2400 square metre showroom with 35 cars on display representing at least eight brands, of which Porsche is the first to be confirmed. The space will blend seamlessly with the shops around it and even feature a children’s playground and fully-functioning café. There has never been a more exciting time for Porsche Centre Brisbane as it joins this state-of-the-art concept which will revolutionise the way cars are bought and sold in Australia. We look forward to bringing you more information as we create an automotive experience like no other. Marco Kim Dealer Principal, Porsche Centre Brisbane
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Soul, electrified. The new Taycan has arrived. When performance meets innovation, you can feel the electricity in the air. Featuring the soul of a Porsche and an electric heart, the new Taycan is ready for the future. With an emotionally charged design and pioneering drive technology, the Taycan Turbo S produces up to 560 kW/761 PS* of thrilling overboost power from its 800 volt battery architecture. And a fully digital 16.8-inch curved display offers unrivalled control.
Porsche Centre Brisbane 147 Breakfast Creek Road Newstead QLD 4006 Tel: 07 3867 6911 porschecentrebrisbane.com.au
www.churchie.com.au