Celebrating 30 years of girls at St Andrew’s

A group of nearly 100 female Old Collegians and their partners gathered from all over Australasia on Saturday 24 September for a special 30 Years of Girls celebration, in honour of all the Old Girls who have graduated from St Andrew’s between 1992–2021.

An all-female mini-Pipe Band and glass of bubbles greeted the guests at the Centennial Chapel, where they were warmly welcomed by Rector, Christine Leighton and Alumni and Community Relations Co-ordinator, Lisa Clark. Old Collegians who are no longer with us were remembered, and the College Song was sung to just the pipes for the first time in St Andrew’s College history.

MC for the event, Bridie Connell (OC and Head Girl 2007), attended from Sydney, and delighted attendees with her humorous stories. Rector, Christine Leighton and past OCA President Meg Black (OC 2010) delivered a funny and nostalgic presentation which reviewed the evolution of the College from 1992 to now. Bridie hosted a panel discussion with Stephanie Bain (OC 1992 and Board Member), Amiria Rule (OC 2001), Lizzie Stevenson (OC and Head Girl 2017) and Grace Lawrence (Current Head Prefect), with panellists answering questions about their memories of their time at the College, what they learnt from being at a co-ed school, and how St Andrew’s has shaped their futures.

Cindy Xiong (Year 13) sang her stunning, Play It Strange awardwinning song, Colourblind, and attendees watched a video featuring nearly all of the faces of past female students from the last 30 years.

The guests were then piped over the Turley Bridge to Strowan House where a fabulous feast awaited. The entertaining Address to a Haggis was beautifully performed by the College’s first ever female addresser, Catie Riordan (OC 2021).

The following morning, the Old Collegians were welcomed back for a delicious brunch, and Rector, Christine Leighton, played tour guide to show the girls some of the new developments around the College. Christine says the College has come a long way from the 19 boys who began in March 1917. “Today, St Andrew’s is a truly co-educational school with 667 girls on the roll. Next year, 50 per cent of the Year 9 intake will be female. The vision of Dr John Rentoul (Rector 1982–1994) and the subsequent work of Barry Maister (Rector 1995–2001) laid the foundation for a school which celebrates diversity and inclusivity, where all students grow alongside each other, grasping the opportunities and challenges of today’s fast changing world. Thank you to our pioneering girls who made this change possible.”