From the Alumnae Office

It's been incredibly rewarding to finally be able to host events again at 53 Hobson Street. As Lynne has mentioned before, the first event of this year was the special celebration of 70 years of QMC friendship. 12 classmates from the 1953 cohort gathered in February for morning tea, tours, assembly and a lunch hosted by the Old Girls’ Association (OGA) in QM House (Boarding House).

It's a truly remarkable milestone, and everyone had a wonderful day reminiscing and reconnecting with old friends. It was particularly special for one Old Girl who hadn’t been back since finishing school, as she now lives in Canada. Laughter and joy filled our College campus from the moment they entered the Old Hall! Old Girls were warmly welcomed with a roll call, and then they joined Prefects and Principal Jayne-Ann Young for morning tea. Before the official midday assembly, the group had the opportunity to spend time in a Year 1 class, where they enjoyed a delightful performance by our talented Tui Singers. This heart-warming exchange brought together two very different generations of QMC women, and the Junior School students were thrilled to meet Old Girls and hear stories of their time at the College. During the reunion lunch, a candle was lit in remembrance of classmates who were no longer with us, symbolising the deep respect and appreciation they had for their time together in the mid-1950s.

Our second celebration in March was the reconnection of our Year 9 class of 2013 (2017 leavers). This was their first official reunion, and the evening was a roaring success as they revisited their old stomping grounds, cherishing memories as they found old projects and photos around the school. The night was enjoyed over the traditional QMC 'Royal Blue' cocktail and chocolate cake, which was cut by Olivia Watson, the 2017 Deputy Head Prefect. The reunion gave our alumnae a chance to reunite and remember as they celebrated the memory of classmate Sophia Crestani under the golden butterflies, a memorial artwork by Anna Stichbury dedicated to Sophia.

It is wonderful to see the enduring bonds among our alumnae. The 70-Year and 10-Year reunions served as a reminder of the lasting impact that QMC has on the lives of its students, and we look forward to many more such occasions in the future.

Jane Ball Alumnae Director