Beanland is remembered by those following her lead
Having spent the past year reflecting on the history of Brisbane Girls Grammar as we marked 150 years, I was often struck by how much has changed, yet one thing remains the same: the belief, trust and generosity of the Girls Grammar community.
We were reminded of this by a noteworthy parallel at Giving Day in August, which raised $488,000 to fund our ongoing bursary program— championing girls who would not otherwise have the opportunity of a Girls Grammar education—and support construction of a new Fitness Centre for the girls.
I’m proud to say our School has long been ahead of its time in recognising the link between mind and body, with daily exercise a part of the curriculum since 1875. Today, we have a far deeper understanding of how physical activity supports mental wellbeing, which is why our Strategic Design prioritises replacing our aging gym with an inspirational new facility in 2026 that not only supports sporting excellence, but helps cultivate lifelong healthy habits for every girl.
This capital campaign harks back to the School’s very first gymnasium, opened in 1888, which was only realised through the support of the BGGS community despite the very idea of physical education for females often being derided at that time.
In the late 1800s Principal Sophia Beanland (1882-1888) was lobbying vociferously for funding to build a gym for her students. So much so, that President of the Queensland Legislative Council Sir Arthur Palmer, commented in a public speech: ‘She (Miss Beanland) has still got that gymnasium on the brain. I would much rather that the young girls were taught how they could best become good wives for young Queenslanders.’
With the door to public funding shut, the community stepped up to see the project through. This early appeal laid the foundations for a legacy of giving at BGGS, in which our community has remained at the heart of delivering the academic and sporting facilities and experiences that have shaped generations of bold, confident and boundless girls and young women.
In the pages of this annual magazine, we celebrate those who continue to enrich the Girls Grammar experience for future generations: from artwork to building donations, greening projects and sporting equipment.
The opening of the Junior School this year, sees the completion of our most significant capital project in recent years, with our youngest students, in Years 5 and 6, are already enjoying facilities and programs supported by our donor base.
As we enter a new era, your ongoing belief in our vision is something we will never take for granted—just as we will never stop striving to deliver the very best facilities and experiences for the students. On behalf of the Trustees, I thank all our generous donors, including those who regularly give so generously of their time, for their support throughout the past year.
Ms
Julie McKay (2000) Chair, Board of Trustees
‘Our School has long been ahead of its time in recognising the link between mind and body’
—Julie McKay (2000)
One of philanthropy’s greatest legacies is the gift of stories—stories of those who have donated, of the circumstances that inspired their generosity, and of the incredible Grammar girls who, thanks to that support, have gone on to write their own chapters.
These stories not only embed individuals and organisations in our collective memory, they weave shared values and gratitude into the fabric of our culture. They remind us that we each walk this path, in part, through the grace of others, and they underline the vital role our entire community plays in guiding the School forward.
In 2025, our sesquicentennial year, Brisbane Girls Grammar School was named the number one independent school in Queensland, and fifth nationally, and our Year 12s achieved our highest median ATAR of 96.45.
This is testament, not only to the dedication of our students and the support of their families, but more broadly, to the unwavering belief of the BGGS community, whose generosity is integral to delivering the academic
and sporting facilities and creative opportunities that enable our students to reach new heights.
Impact of Giving celebrates this proud tradition of philanthropy, sharing the stories behind significant donorsupported projects.
A major ambition was realised in 2026 with the opening of the Junior School for Years 5 and 6, which was brought to completion with the steadfast support of our community. It will be inspiring to see this new building already bearing the names and narratives of many donors who are now forever part of BGGS history. On page 10, we recount the life of love and adventure behind one name—Beth Johnson (Casswell, 1953) (1935-2020)—now etched on the honour board in the Junior School foyer. And on page 6, you can discover more stories of classrooms named in honour of Grammar Women, as well as opportunities for others to leave their own lasting mark.
We are extremely proud the tradition of giving back at Girls Grammar also extends to our staff. And on page 22
Deputy Principal (Academic), Dr Bruce Addison, shares how his late father influenced his decision to leave a bequest to the School.
One story that could perhaps lay claim to saga status is the Fathers Group’s generous initiative to green the CLC. While the project required more patience, and pots, than first anticipated, it came to fruition over the summer (see page 9). The greenery has transformed the atrium, and we are deeply thankful to our students’ dedicated fathers for their continued contribution to the life of the School.
In regularly sharing these stories, we hope to honour and remember the many acts of generosity that have sustained an inspiring future for our School. As Rudyard Kipling wisely observed: ‘If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.’
Ms Jacinda Euler Welsh Principal
Since 1875, Brisbane Girls Grammar School has been dedicated to nurturing the intellectual, social and emotional development of girls and young women, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to confidently shape a world that values wisdom, imagination and integrity. The generosity and engagement of alumnae, families, friends and staff has been instrumental in the School's enduring legacy of empowering young women through education.
Thank you for supporting Girls Grammar's vision of exceptional scholarship and advancing young women in today's dynamic world.
The generosity of the Girls Grammar community carried Giving Day 2025 to an exceptional fundraising total of $488 000, which will support the School’s Bursary Program and fund construction of a new Fitness Centre at the Spring Hill campus.
A key part of reaching this goal was the steadfast backing of match donors—the Parents and Friends (P&F) Association, the Fathers Group and YFG Shopping Centres.
The new Fitness Centre, to be built and opened in 2026, is an important leap forward in supporting students’ sporting ambitions and general wellbeing. It also upholds the School’s ongoing commitment to its foundational ideal of ensuring girls have access to the same opportunities as their brothers.
A key plank of this has long been equal access to fitness and sporting facilities. After a thorough review of the School’s Strategic Design plans, it was felt the current gym—which had not been updated since the 1990s—was lagging.
It’s particularly meaningful that Giving Day has enabled the fitness centre construction, as it echoes the philanthropy behind BGGS’s very first gymnasium. In the late 1800s, the School’s fourth principal, Sophia Beanland, began lobbying the State Government for funding to build a gym. Her campaign drew derision from then-president of the Queensland Legislative Council Sir Arthur Palmer, who bemoaned: ‘She (Miss Beanland) still has that gymnasium on the brain.'
Thankfully, one constant throughout the School’s history has been the unwavering support and shared vision of the Girls Grammar community. More than 130 years ago they backed Sophia Beanland, contributing to a building fund which saw the gym completed in 1888. In 2025 they have backed the Fitness Centre.
Designed by longtime collaborators m3architecture the centre will harness underutilised space beneath the pool, with floor to ceiling windows making it an inviting and inspiring space to train.
2025 Giving by numbers
$1 209 048 total raised
$488 000 raised on Giving Day
451 donors
24
Sophia Beanland Circle members
16 students on bursaries
More than 500 volunteers gave their time to support BGGS
The personal touch of many thoughtful donors continues to enrich the Junior School with stories and memories. Opportunities remain for those who would like to add their own legacy gift, from choosing a favourite book quote, to naming a classroom.
Among the generous gifts, the first to greet visitors is the Sisterhood sculpture in reception, symbolising the big sister/ little sister bond between students on both sides of Gregory Terrace. Created by Grammar Woman Danielle Piat (1981), the sculpture is a gift from the BGGS Old Girls Association, commissioned to celebrate the organisation’s 125th anniversary in 2024.
President of the OGA Mrs Julie Caton (Cleghorn, 1981) said she hoped the sculpture would become a touchstone for younger students, much like the Minerva statue outside the Beanland Memorial Library, which Grammar girls often rub for luck before exams.
The generous support of the Parents & Friends Association has also enabled the installation of playground equipment at the rear of the new building.
Classroom names continue to be added, with Sophia Beanland Circle member Kay Brassil (Klatt, 1959) making a very personal contribution. She has named a Junior School classroom in honour of a Grammar Woman, Dr Mabel Josephine Mackerras (Bancroft, 1914), whom she once worked alongside. Dr Mackerras was a renowned pioneer in the field of zoology, specialising in parasites. The two women met at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in 1961 when Kay was just 19 and Dr Mackerras was already a celebrated scientist. Kay said she was astounded and inspired by Dr Mackerras’s professional generosity and wanted to ensure her name and spirit of curiosity would continue to inspire Grammar girls.
Dr Cathryn Mittelheuser AM (1948) has named a classroom in honour of her beloved late sister Margaret Mittelheuser AM (1947) (1931-2013), Australia’s first female stockbroker and noted philanthropist. Mrs Barbara Fielding (Parker, Head Girl 1948) has supported a classroom named for tennis great Daphne Fancutt AM (Seeney, 1950) (1933-2020). Each classroom will bear the name and a quote from the Grammar Woman for whom they are named.
Margaret Mittleheuser is remembered with her own apt words: ‘Being truly generous is doing something for someone who will never know that you had anything to do with it.’
One of the most whimsical projects, the Bookcase of Gifts, continues to take shape both in digital and physical format, with remaining opportunities to contribute a memory. Standing outside the Junior School Library, the Bookcase of Gifts is an interactive plinth which allows donors to choose a favourite quote from children’s literature to be etched onto colourful replica books which open and close to reveal both the quote and the donor. The Bookcase also sits in browsable digital format on the School website.
For information about Junior School legacy projects please contact Director of Development and Alumnae Relations Ms Nickie Warton +61 7 3332 1300 nwarton@bggs.qld.edu.au or visit www.bggs.qld.edu.au/giving
‘Being truly generous is doing something for someone who will never know that you had anything to do with it.’
—Margaret Mittelheuser AM (1947) (1931-2013)
Brisbane Girls Grammar School’s philanthropic priorities focus on four pillars essential to maintaining our commitment to provide an exceptional and broad liberal education for girls
Girls Grammar fosters a climate of opportunity, grounded by a 150-year history of educating girls from diverse backgrounds. Through its means-tested bursaries, the School is committed to providing the life-changing experience of a Girls Grammar education to girls who do not otherwise have the means to attend. Bursaries are awarded to students who embody the core qualities of a Grammar girl and who possess the willingness and enthusiasm to actively engage in a wide range of educational and School-related activities, enriching both their own development and our community.
Providing inspiring teaching and learning spaces across all curriculum areas supports students to achieve their full potential and ensures the sustainable physical future of the School. As government funding continues to decline, Girls Grammar is committed to ongoing investment in innovative infrastructure projects that engage and challenge our students.
Gifts of $2 or more are tax deductible
The Beanland Memorial Library and the Junior School Library hold a wide range of specialist resources to both spark curiosity, imagination and discovery, and deepen knowledge. Together, our libraries contain about 60 000 resources and provide flexible, contemporary learning areas. Each year, the School invests approximately $50 000 to ensure the libraries' extensive catalogues are relevant, up-to-date and in good condition. Gifts to the BGGS Library Fund will contribute to the provision of a wide range of books, subscriptions and digital resources to support quality teaching and learning.
Girls Grammar prides itself on a strong tradition of participation in sport, encouraging students to train and perform as individuals and in teams to their personal best, while providing girls with access to leading research in exercise science, health and nutrition. Donors can make tax-deductible gifts to the BGGS Sport Programs via the Australian Sports Foundation, ensuring students have access to excellent sports facilities, equipment and programs for their physical and mental wellbeing.
Lush foliage has transformed the Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre, with 250 plants and 73 planter pots installed during the summer break. The greening project spans several levels, creating a relaxing lunchtime space for students.
The project was generously and patiently supported by the BGGS Fathers Group and donors to Giving Day 2024, with welcome splashes of green bringing a sense of cool and calm to the busy heart of the School.
It is well recognised that spending time in green spaces can reduce stress, promote wellbeing, and boost memory and creativity, making this a special project where all students will feel the benefit.
An initial delay in the installation of pots last year meant many plantings were carefully tended off-site through 2025 and almost doubled in size before the project was completed over summer, adding to the dramatic impact.
Plantings include native gardenia, which feature fragrant blooms and mangosteen-like orange fruits, cottonwood trees, baby rubber trees, walking iris, Amazon lilies and a range of climbing and trailing plants including emerald cascade, creeping fig, jungle cactus and heart-leaf philodendron.
She had him at ‘can you carve a radish?’
A memory is etched in music for the Grammar Woman who followed her sweetheart to the wilds of Malaya and beyond
Lieutenant Colonel Len Johnson (Retd) had just arrived at a house party in Melbourne in 1955 when Cupid’s arrow struck.
‘It was crowded to billy-o with lots of young men and young women,’ Len remembers of the celebration to mark a mate’s graduation from Duntroon Military College.
‘I’d just walked in, and this very attractive young lady came out of the kitchen door. I could see her over the crowd, and she motioned for me to come over, and that was that.’
The young lady in question, Beth Casswell (1953) (1935-2020), had beckoned Len over to ask if he could show her how to carve radishes to garnish food platters at the party.
‘Of course!’ the young Army officer responded and leapt into action. It soon became apparent that a) he had never carved a radish in his life, and b) Beth didn’t really care. She sent him on his way with her phone number and instructions to call her on his return to Brisbane, where both were working.
‘I did ring her, and we never looked back,’ Len says.
The besotted couple married the following year, kicking off a life filled with adventure and travel that took them from Malaya to the UK and the US.
One constant throughout this time, Len says, was the enduring friendships Beth forged at Girls Grammar and maintained throughout her life.
Her School friends, Len says, were like family. ‘We never had a Christmas or an Easter or a birthday in Brisbane without them.’
Into their 80s, the couple still enjoyed tea on vintage Girls Grammar coasters and Beth would often stop to chat to current students she passed on the street. Even on the day of her sudden passing from heart issues in 2020, Len said Beth had spent the morning visiting a Girls Grammar friend in hospital.
So, it seemed only fitting to Len—and the children he shared with Beth—that her name and memory should live on at the School that lived so long in her memory.
In 2025, Len made a donation in his wife’s name that would honour her love of music—Beth had insisted on bringing her piano wherever possible on Len’s numerous army postings.
1 Len was deployed to Malaya in 1957 when Anthony was just days old, with a photo of the farewell appearing on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald
2 Elizabeth ‘Beth’ Casswell (1953) (1935-2020), front row second from left, with fellow Brisbane Girls Grammar School students at the Sixth Form Dance
3 Beth with baby Anthony at the family home on Penang Island
4 Len with the book he and Beth co-authored on their time in Malaya
Beth Johnson’s name will be among the first to grace the Wall of Thanks honour board in the foyer of the Junior School Building, marking a contribution in her name to the School’s music room. No doubt, it would also please Beth to be remembered within Girls Grammar’s first building for primary-aged students, as she devoted many years of her life to primary school teaching.
Len and Beth met shortly after she graduated from Kelvin Grove Teachers College in 1954. Although Len’s nomadic Army career prevented her pursuing a long-term career, Beth jumped at the chance to help in overseas schools and returned to primary teaching later in life.
Her thirst for adventure was obvious from the start of their marriage, when Len, a Lieutenant and Platoon Commander within 3RAR, was posted to Malaya to join the guerilla war against communist insurgents that had been raging in the British colony for a decade.
Len had to fly out just 10 days after Beth gave birth to their first child Anthony, with a photo of him farewelling his bride and baby boy appearing on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald in September 1957.
Determined to support her husband, Beth followed with baby Anthony months later to set up home not just in a foreign land, but a foreign land at war. Len paid tribute to his wife’s incredible zest for life, saying she looked upon this move not as a hardship, but an opportunity. The family home at the time was within an Australian enclave on the relative safety of Penang Island, with Len stationed at the mainland town of Sungei Siput, overseeing regular perilous combat missions into the depths of the Malayan jungle.
Despite the brutal war, both Len and Beth developed and maintained a deep affection for the country and its people throughout their lives, publishing a comprehensive book together: Malayan Adventure: An Australian Army Family in Malaya during the Emergency
In Beth’s first letter home to her parents in 1957 she wrote: ‘The whole island of Penang is far more beautiful than any country I have ever seen.’
Although Len saw the beauty, he also saw many horrors during forays deep into jungle battlefields. He would go on to serve in similar circumstances with 6RAR in Vietnam, leading a famous mission in 1969 to erect the Long Tan Cross memorial, at the site of the most-costly Australian battle of the war.
Len’s career would later take the family to Britain, where he was posted to Australia House, and Quantico, Virginia, in the US, where Len completed a year-long course at the Marine Corps University’s multi-national training facility Command & Staff College.
Along with a love of travel, the couple shared an intense interest and respect for history, with Beth authoring a book about her famous ancestor Robert Cribb, who was among Brisbane’s first British free settlers. Coincidentally, in retirement the Johnsons ended up living in a unit built on the former grounds of Cribb’s Brisbane estate Dunmore, in Auchenflower.
A long-time volunteer with the Royal Historical Society of Queensland, Beth’s enormous contribution to preserving State heritage was recognised in 2013 when she was awarded the Society’s Centenary Medal, and again in 2016 when she was bestowed the prestigious MacGregor Medal for conspicuous service.
Len and Beth were married for 64 years and had three adored children, Anthony, Linda and Damien.
Brisbane Girls Grammar School marked its sesquicentenary with events spanning Spring Hill to San Francisco in 2025.
As the year drew to a close, Queensland Governor Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM hosted a reception on the lawns of Government House, acknowledging the important role Girls Grammar has played in lifting Queensland women for a century and a half. The memorable event—which included long-standing staff, distinguished alumnae, BGGS trustees, and loyal friends—was a significant tribute to the School’s journey from educational outlier to Queensland institution.
It capped off a huge year of gatherings that began in March with a 150 Year Anniversary Ball at City Hall, followed the next day by Foundation Day celebrations at the School.
The afternoon of entertainment, food and lively panel discussions ended with fireworks bursting from the top of the Science and Learning Centre and the Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre, and a spontaneous chorus of ‘Happy Birthday Girls Grammar’ from students.
A Boarders’ Brunch reunion, also in March, drew about 200 former boarders back to their one-time home and became the catalyst for a new Speech Day prize honouring their legacy (see page 16).
At Open Day in August, School-wide ephemeral art project Barrambin Blooming took centre stage as 4000 paper-plate flowers lined the atrium of the Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre. The project embraced both Girls Grammar’s 150-year history and the broader history of the site—which sits on the edge of First Nations gathering site Barrambin (Victoria Park).
In the September holidays, a series of international reunions held in Singapore, London, Paris, New York and San Francisco underlined the School’s role as a launchpad to the world, including expat alumnae in celebrations. More than 200 Grammar Women attended, representing disparate fields such as law, international diplomacy, forensic science, business and AI. One alumna said the events ‘reminded us all how valued we are as alumnae and how connected we remain to the life of the School’.
To permanently mark this milestone year, in October BGGS launched the commemorative hardcover history book Wisdom, imagination and integrity: Brisbane Girls Grammar School 18752025. Taking several years to research and write, the book is a legacy document only made possible by the School’s meticulous curation and preservation of historic documents and artefacts for future generations.
1 Queensland Governor Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM hosted a 150 Years Reception for BGGS on the lawns of Government House in November
2 City Hall was bathed in blue for the 150 Years Ball
3 Barrambin Blooming art installation featured paperplate flowers made by every student.
4 At the Government House reception are: Past Trustee Dr Cherrell Hirst AO (Anderssen, 1963), Chair of the Board of Trustees Ms Julie McKay (2000), Past Principal (1977-2001) Ms Judith Hancock, Principal Ms Jacinda Euler Welsh and Past Trustee Ms Elizabeth Jameson AM (1982)
5 Fireworks erupt from the roof of the Science and Learning Centre to mark Foundation Day 2025
Year 7 students welcomed Grandparents and friends to share the start of their high school journey in May. For some special guests it was a return to the School where they spent their own teenage years, while for others it was a warm welcome to the Girls Grammar community.
But for everyone, the day was a special opportunity to contribute to the School’s 150 Year art project Barrambin Blooming. The whole-of-School endeavour involved every student crafting a paper-plate flower to hang as a part of a cascade of thousands of blooms displayed in the atrium of the Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre on Open Day.
Grandparents and friends made their own blooms to take home as mementoes of the day and shared either a morning or afternoon tea with their Year 7s.
More than 90 members of Brisbane Girls Grammar School's donor community gathered in the Louise McDonald Room last year for the School's annual Donor Thank You celebration.
For our many prominent supporters, it was an opportunity to take time out and catch up with both School leadership and each other.
The legacy of philanthropy our donors carry forward is key to delivering the education, experiences and facilities that support Grammar girls to achieve their best and build connections that will stay with them for life.
The School’s 150 Year celebrations rekindled memories for many, but none more so than the 200 former boarders who returned for the first official reunion since the Boarding House in Main Building closed in 2002.
What emerged from the event was a new Speech Day award—The Boarders’ Enduring Spirit Prize—and a commitment to continue the reunions as biennial gatherings.
The inaugural Boarders’ Brunch was held in March 2025 as part of the sesquicentenary Foundation Day weekend of celebrations, with Grammar Women travelling from as far as Cairns. The alumnae, who spanned decades from the 50s to the 2000s, shared brunch and toured Main Building, once home to more than 90 girls at a time. They reflected on how boarding had not only shaped them but also shaped a culture of sisterhood at BGGS, with friendships that cut across Year levels and House groups.
After the reunion, former boarders— led by Grammar Women Diana Lohrisch (Head Girl, 1989), Heidi Morrison (Ford, 1990) and Isobel Khursandi (1989)— were motivated to champion a legacy gift that would honour the era and ethos of boarders. From this, the Boarders’ Enduring Spirit Prize was born.
Awarded to a girl in Years 7 to 9, the Speech Day award aims to recognise students who epitomise the Boarder spirit—supporting their Grammar sisters not in grand gestures but in consistent small acts of care, building comradery, resilience, inclusivity and acceptance.
The recipient of the inaugural Boarders’ Enduring Spirit Prize at 2025 Speech Day was Libby Robinson (9L in 2025), granddaughter of former boarder Lynette Robinson (Ford, 1957).
The new prize allows former boarders to strengthen their connection to each other and the School through social and fundraising functions, with ambitions to establish a Perpetual Bursary in the future.
1 The Boarders' Brunch reunion in March was the catalyst for a new Speech Day award
2 Inaugural winner of the Boarders' Enduring Spirit Prize was Libby Robinson (10L), granddaughter of former boarder Lynette Robinson (Ford, 1957)
More than any other sport, a team of rowers needs to act as one to achieve a goal.
Writer Daniel James Brown once described that singular focus thus: ‘Great crews may have men or women of exceptional strength; but they have no stars. The team effort—the single, unified and beautiful symphony that a crew in motion becomes— is all that matters.’
Well, it’s not quite all that matters. It’s also rather nice to have a cooked breakfast waiting when you come off the water; parents willing to rise before dawn to drive you to training; and a dedicated fundraising team to help equip BGGS rowers with boats and equipment that enable them to achieve their best.
Anyone involved in rowing knows what happens on land supports what happens on the water. Underlining this point, last year was a truly exceptional year for both the Oobla Rowing Support Group— comprising 17 committee members, 35 parents and friends, and the 120 students who participated in the Girls Grammar rowing program. Fundraising records were smashed and elite performances posted.
In 2025, Oobla, led by Warwick Agnew, set an ambitious goal to raise more than $50,000 to buy a lightweight new VIII boat, purpose built for female athletes.
A hugely-successful Rowing River Social in June raised more than $40,000, while innovative and popular new initiatives, such as post-regatta BBQs built the total to $55,000 by the end of the season.
As a result, the School has been able to order a Sykes Elite VIII, set to be delivered for the launch of rowing season at the end of April.
BGGS rowers, too, put in exceptional performances on the water in 2025. At the BSRA Head of the River in August, BGGS finished 3rd overall, with 14 of our 26 crews making a podium finish, including firsts for the Senior IV and Year 8 8th Quads.
Incoming Oobla president Danielle Knight (West, 1996) paid tribute to her predecessor’s strong stewardship and vowed to keep setting a high bar for fundraising in 2026, with the aim of securing a new quad and two single skulls.
Danielle, who has two daughters in the BGGS Rowing program, said the group offered a tangible way to support students and connect with other parents.
‘Rowing is such a huge commitment— the early starts; being on the water in winter. I think as a parent, and as a member of Oobla, you want to do all that you can to give them every chance to perform at their best.’
There are many opportunities for parents to get involved from helping organise events, selling raffle tickets, donating food and prizes to manning the weekday breakfasts at morning training sessions throughout the season.
‘The breakfasts are such a lovely way to start the day. To see the girls, who have probably been up since 4 o’clock, come up with a smile on their face. It really is a window into the commitment and effort they put in.’
To get involved contact the Oobla Rowing Support Group through Minerva.
When she was a student at Brisbane Girls Grammar, June Wheeler (1943) (1926-2017) was rarely seen without a book in her hand. A voracious reader, some joked the only genre she baulked at were her classroom texts.
So, it’s fitting she has been remembered with a bespoke bookcase to house the most precious books in the Beanland Memorial Library collection. The Rare Books Collection cabinet was completed last year, with a brass plaque affixed to acknowledge June’s significant contribution to the School.
Upon her death, June left a bequest to the BGGS Library Fund which had been used to buy books, DVDs and textbooks. Seeking to create a more permanent and personal tribute, former Director of Library and Information Services Rachael Christopherson had the lighted display cabinet designed and installed last year.
It gives a permanent home to books which, incredibly, were still in regular use including The Big Book of Fables (1912), edited by Walter Jerrold and illustrated by Charles Robinson, May Gibbs’ Gum Nut Babies (1916), Stories from the
Odyssey (1909) retold by H.L. Havell, Hannah England’s 1891 Prize Book copy of Romeo and Juliet and Mrs Beeton's All About Cookery (1923).
‘Most of the books in there are over 100 years old, or are first editions,’ Ms Christopherson said.
Perhaps the most valuable book in the collection, with an estimated worth above $1300, is The Grammar of Ornament, by Owen Jones—a 1928 reprint of the 1910 folio edition of the foundational art and design book chronicling ornamental stylings from around the world. The book originally belonged to Grammar Art teacher from 1926-1948, Vera Cottew, who bequeathed it to the School upon her passing in 1950.
At School, June Wheeler was an avid reader inspired by both her English teacher Marjorie Elliott and her Mathematics teacher Marion Maclean. In the 1940s, the library was housed in Main Building and comprised a few bookcases and a table. It was a far cry from the multi-storey collection of today that would have delighted June.
Leaving School in 1943, with war raging, June enlisted in the Army and became a wireless operator. In peacetime she briefly studied journalism before entering the fledgling field of physiotherapy, eventually starting a practice with fellow physiotherapist Lois Schultz, a St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School alumna, forging a friendship that lasted a lifetime. Both women understood firsthand the power of female education and together provided for both their alma maters in their wills.
Students and staff can access and peruse the Rare Books Collection by request at the Beanland Memorial Library Circulations Desk.
1 The Rare Books Collection display cabinet was installed in memory of book-loving Grammar Woman June Wheeler (1943) (1926-2017)
2 Former Director of Library and Information Services Rachael Christopherson with one of the rare books being preserved in the Beanland Memorial Library collection
3 June Wheeler, an avid reader who left a generous bequest to the Girls Grammar Library Fund
Every parent knows the experience: your sage advice falls on deaf ears until it is dispensed by someone else. And that’s the key to the Grammar WomenGrammar Girls Mentoring Program.
Nothing compares to the voice of a Grammar sister’s lived experience, with the program bringing together Grammar Women under 30 and Year 11 students considering similar career paths. It is an inspiring and personal way for alumnae to give back.
The 2025 event was a full-circle moment for Gigi Souyave Murphy (Head Girl, 2022), who was among the first students to join the program when it kicked off in 2021, and returned as a mentor last year.
‘I remember how crazy the transition through senior School can feel, and I know I really took a lot from my experience as a mentee in Year 11,’ Gigi said of her decision to get involved.
After leaving BGGS, Gigi studied Biomedical Science at Griffith University and last year was matched with students who share her interest in a scientific career path, including Claudia Wallwork (now 12M) and Holly Pryor (12O).
Holly said Gigi’s advice to be deliberate and diligent about taking time away from study really stuck with her.
‘Gigi told our group that no matter how busy she was, or how jam-packed her to-do list was, she always took Friday night off. Since then, I have tried my best to take the time for myself, and I have found that by Saturday morning I have more energy and motivation to attack my weekend jobs. The bottom line is: Give yourself a break.’
Gigi stressed the value of ‘productive downtime’, to reset and avoid burnout when sharing with her mentees.
‘Instead of falling into the trap of scrolling until late and still feeling exhausted, we talked about mindfully doing something that calms and refreshes you. I still do this and it is my favourite part of the week,’ Gigi said.
Claudia, who was also paired with Gigi, said the sessions helped reassure her there were many pathways to the same goal. ‘Gigi had very similar aspirations to what I have, and it made me feel more relaxed hearing how it didn’t necessarily go the way that she planned it, but it all worked out.’
For Claudia, the mentoring program not only helped calm nerves about senior school, it helped forge connections with like-minded peers.
‘It was really great to know that there were other people in the same boat. When we saw each other around School, we were always checking in on each other.’
Lulu Arumugam (12W) was connected with Grammar Woman Alisha Tang (2016), who is studying Medicine after completing a three-year undergraduate degree. Alicia was able to give Lulu realistic insights and practical advice
about university pathways, taking discussion about future careers from the abstract to the real world.
‘I find talking about what I want to do after school very overwhelming, and I just don’t know where to start, but with this program I really enjoyed hearing from Alisha,’ Lulu said.
The Grammar Women-Grammar Girls Mentoring Program runs over four evenings in Year 11.
For Gigi, the mentoring experience not only allowed her to reconnect with some former teachers, it prompted her to reflect on her own habits and goals. ‘It has pushed me to take more of my own advice,’ she said.
Connecting current students with recent graduates is immensely powerful. For information on returning as a mentor, contact Alumnae Relations Manager Ms Antonia Swindells on +61 332 1437 or email GrammarWomen@bggs.qld.edu.au.
1 Claudia Wallwork (12M), Millie Wenham (12L), Gigi Souyave Murphy (Head Girl, 2022), Holly Pryor (12O) and Rishika Vijeyakumar (12G)
2 Alisha Tang (2016), Lulu Arumugam (12W), Shona Langton-Lockton (12G), and Sybella Swindells (12O)
‘I find talking about what I want to do after school very overwhelming, and I just don’t know where to start, but with this program I really enjoyed hearing from Alisha.’
—Lulu Arumugam (12W)
Members of the School’s special donor group, the Sophia Beanland Circle, gathered in the Sophia Beanland Memorial Library in September to enjoy an intimate lunch and some insights from staff.
The donor group takes its name from the School’s fourth ‘lady principal’ Sophia Beanland (1882 to 1889), who bequeathed her entire estate to the School upon her death in 1925.
Formed almost 100 years later, the giving Circle recognises those who, like Sophia, have chosen to leave a gift in their wills for BGGS.
Principal Ms Jacinda Euler Welsh joined the event, alongside Deputy Principal (Academic) Dr Bruce Addison and former Library Director, now coordinator of Service, Clubs and Activities, Ms Rachael Christopherson.
Ms Euler Welsh arrived with surprise gifts, presenting each guest with an advance copy of the School’s sesquicentenary history book Wisdom, imagination and integrity: Brisbane Girls Grammar School 1875-2025
Dr Addison was wearing two hats at the event, attending as both a staff member and one of only a few male members of the Sophia Beanland Circle.
Over lunch, Dr Addison shared with the group his very personal reasons for joining, revealing that his late father spent his career in wills and estate management.
‘I was probably very much influenced by him,’ Dr Addison said, explaining he had always been very organised about this aspect of his life and felt bequests were a simple and thoughtful way to honour individuals and organisations.
‘The School has provided me with wonderful professional opportunities over the years, and I see this as a way to give back to the institution.’
It was also an opportunity for Dr Addison to spend some time as a guest of the School, rather than a staff member, enjoying lunch alongside other Circle members as Ms Rachael Christopherson delivered a presentation on the life of Sophia Beanland.
1 Sophia Beanland Circle members Deputy Principal (Academic) Dr Bruce Addison, Jeanette Lockey OAM (Lolua, 1952), Ann Caston (Pressland, 1958), Julie Caton (Cleghorn, 1981) and Kay Brassil (Klatt, 1959)
2 The interior of Bradford Girls Grammar School, Sophia Beanland's first teaching appointment, echoes the style of Girls Grammar's Main Building
3 Jeanette Lockey was delighted to discover an image of her arriving at School in 1949 was used on the cover of the BGGS 150 Year history book
In 2017, Ms Christopherson travelled to the UK on a study tour and visited Bradford Girls Grammar School, where Sophia began her teaching career. Unusually for a woman in that era, Sophia had not only gained a degree from London University but went on to post-graduate study at Cambridge before joining Bradford Girls Grammar in Yorkshire.
Ms Christopherson, who was once head of Beanland House, shared some remarkable parallels between the Schools—both were founded in 1875 and share the acronym BGGS. And although Sophia Beanland left Bradford in 1882, at the age of 31, to take up the position half a world away in Brisbane, it’s clear the School left a lasting impact on her. At the time, Bradford was one of only three schools in England that required girls to participate in physical education, a focus Sophia brought to the BGGS curriculum, building tennis courts and fundraising for a gymnasium.
Along with similarities in curriculum, the architectural likenesses are uncanny, with photographs of the interior of Bradford indicating Ms Beanland, who oversaw the construction of Main Building, had kept the aesthetics of her old school in mind.
During the lunch, Ms Christopherson shared artefacts, such as the original job advertisement Sophia Beanland answered, calling for ‘a lady of high attainment and refinement, wellgrounded in Latin, with a knowledge of Euclid, Algebra, French or German … and not younger than 27.’
Brisbane Girls Grammar School is built upon a heritage of giving. Including a bequest in your will is an enduring way to enrich and transform the lives of future generations of Grammar girls.
To discuss making a bequest to BGGS, please contact Director of Development and Alumnae Relations
Ms Nickie Warton +61 7 3332 1300 nwarton@bggs.qld.edu.au or visit www.bggs.qld.edu.au/giving
No one was more surprised than Jeanette Lockey
OAM (Lolua, 1952) when Principal Jacinda Euler Welsh gifted advance copies of the School’s new history book to Sophia Beanland Circle members at last year’s lunch event.
An iconic image of Jeanette arriving for her first day at Girls Grammar in 1949 was chosen to grace the front of the book—Wisdom, imagination and integrity: Brisbane Girls Grammar School 1875-2025. And she had no idea until she saw it.
‘I’m honoured and delighted,’ Jeanette said. ‘I love that photo and I can remember that day as clear as anything.’ The black and white image of a 13-year-old Jeanette, walking alongside friends Alla Brunckhorst (Kravchenko, 1952) and Shirley Webber (Chambers, 1952) was taken by The Daily Telegraph. Despite the summer heat, the girls are dressed in thick, dark stockings, holding their hats on their heads with gloved hands.
Jeanette said she and Alla had first met on the summer break, while camping with their families at Redcliffe. Keen to settle first-day nerves, they arranged to meet outside Penney’s department store in Edward
Street and catch a bus to Spring Hill together, where a photographer captured their arrival. The girls remained close friends throughout and after School.
Jeanette, a respected environmental campaigner and long-time resident at Mt Tamborine, is a proud member of the Sophia Beanland Circle, uniting exceptional donors who have opted to include a bequest in their wills to BGGS.
For Jeanette, it is about paying forward the gift of an excellent education that gave her the confidence to pursue a career, first in sciences, then languages. She was a UN-level Russian translator, with some of her translations appearing in Antarctic treaties.
‘It is the root of my life. Everything started from here— my career, what I did in life.’
Our Fine Arts Collection owes much to the generosity of donors. These benefactors are often alumnae, School families or those in the wider community who recognise the School holds and nurtures a valued collection of paintings, sculptures, ceramics and photography.
In 2025, the School was delighted and privileged to accept donations from two families, Drs Ruth and Ian Gough, and Ms Trish Szonert and Mr Cameron Noble.
Dr Ruth Gough (Berry, 1957) is an alumna whose daughters, and now granddaughter, have followed in her BGGS footsteps. The Drs Gough have gifted three artworks to the School.
Two pieces mirror Ruth Gough’s own generational links to Girls Grammar, as they are painted by a grandmother and granddaughter—famed Central Australian artist Minnie Pwerle (19152006) and her granddaughter Teresa Purla. Both artists have connections to the famed Utopia community, about 230 km northeast of Alice Springs,
with their paintings capturing the colours of the land. Teresa’s depicts the desert blooms, while her grandmother’s work, Awelye, references the designs and colours painted on female bodies during traditional women’s business ceremonies in Utopia.
The third piece donated by the Goughs is a beautiful Harold Lane (1925-2012) triptych, Wooli Cliffs, inspired by the distinctive rock formations of the coastal northern New South Wales haven.
Presenting subject matter closer to home that is at once prosaic and deeply evocative, is a collection of works by esteemed Brisbane artist Robert Brownhall. These paintings first arrived in our collection courtesy of Grammar parents Trish Szonert and Cameron Noble, who delivered a suite of works on loan in 2021. Half were returned to the family by the time the youngest of their three daughters graduated in 2024. However, a significant body were gifted to the School in June 2025.
Brownhall’s moody realism captures hauntingly deserted building interiors and south-East Queensland cityscapes.
Over recent years Grammar Woman Kylie Elkington (1983) has generously gifted six large-scale works to the School, adding one more to the collection in 2025: Mountain Rocket (Bellendena montana Central Highlands). The new work hangs in the BGGS Junior School building. Kylie draws inspiration from the natural environment, with her works reflecting time spent in the Shoalhaven region of New South Wales and her current home in Tasmania, where she lives with her husband, fellow artist Richard Dunlop.
She has won the Philip Bacon Award twice and was a finalist for the Grace Cossington Smith Art Award in 2024.
The School is immensely grateful for these diverse and contemporary gifted works.
- Mrs Lorraine Thornquist, Collections Manager
The Board of Trustees and the Principal, on behalf of the School, thank members of the Girls Grammar community for their generous support in 2025.
The Addis Family
Ajvadi Family
Nishad & Dinar Alani
Michael & Geetanjali Anthonisz
Alexandra Anthony
Dr Nathan Anthony & Ms Kirani Heeremans
Arias Lohrisch Family
Michael Aspinall
The Hon Roslyn Atkinson AO
Dr Catherine Barnett
Gay Barnett
Pamela Joan Barnett
Eugene Barry
Laura Bartholomew
Drs Lilantha & Renu
Basnayake
Beckingsale Family
Dr A Bell AM
Dr Brendan Bell & Vanessa Bell
Justin Bindman & Anna Wagstaff
Corinne Bolton
S Boo & M Hong
The Bowden Family
Joe Branigan
Kay Brassil
J Bremhorst & A Waugh
Lee Brentzell
Brittain Family
Joelle Brittain
Dr Reagan Brosnan & Dr Leigh Winston
Brown Family
Ian & Janelle Brown
Kate Brunello
Keryn Bryce
Bucknill Family
David & Peta Bunce
Dr Barbara Burge
The Burke Family
Suzanne Cali
Louise Campbell
Marg Campbell
The Campbell Family
Cardell Family
Cardell-Ree Family
Rhys Casey
Ann & Tony Caston
Julie Caton
Sammy Caton
Celeste Properties
Lyn Chakravorty
Chambers Family
Chang Family
Chang & Ku family
Brett & Lauren Charrington
Chen Family
Dr Michael & Linda Chen
Y Chen & S Zhang
Cheng Family
K Cheng & Dr F Tang
Dr V Cheng & Dr W Tang
Dr Norris Chern & Chiew-Sek Liaw
Chesterman Family
Anne Chidgey
Chiu Family
Chow Family
Rachael Christopherson
Clark Family
Damian Clothier & Sarah Greer
Collins Family
The Collins Family
Sally Condon
The Connor Family
Leigh & Sarah Cooper
Jill Corrigan
Tatiana Coulter
Bianca Craven
Tennille Cummings
Laura Cunning
Anthony Cupitt
Katherine Darch
Dr Glenn Davies & Cynthia Davies
Lesley Davies
Alana DeAmbrosis
Wilson & Bronwyn
Del Socorro
Michelle & James Dingle
Monica Djaja
Donaghy-Lowrey Family
Donnelly Family
Marion Dowling
Jason & Kylie Dunk
Brooke Dunlop
Marla Edwards
Wendy Edwards
Melinda Egan
Kylie Elkington
Lucy Ernst
Jacinda Euler Welsh
Nova Evans
Mark & Kate Farrar
Fernando Family
Finch Family
Stephanie Finemore
Fitzgerald Family
Jody Forbes
Karen Forster
David & Judy Fraser
Gaffney Family
Sean & Dana Galligan
Gambaro Family
Gandhi Family
Jo Genders
Brooke & Patrick George
Mark & Jacinda Geritz
The Gianduzzo Family
Susie Gladman
Gomes Family
Dr Ruth Gough & Dr Ian Gough AM
Emily Granger
The Grant-Uhr Family
Kirstin Griffith
Yisha Gu
Jane Hailes
Ms J Hammer AM
Janet Hanscomb
Stella Haralampou
Julian Harburg
Harman Family
Pauline Harvey-Short OAM
Heather Hawkins
Ian Hazzard Family
Heinemann Family
J Hennessey
S Hennessy
& M McCauley
Ashleigh Hextall
Kellie Himstedt
Dr Cherrell Hirst AO
Gary Ho
Hodge Family
Genevieve Hoey
Meera & Terry Honan
Lisa Honeychurch
Van Riel
Mr Scott & Ms Hoole
James Hosking & Rosemary Foster
Hoyling Family
Belinda Hsueh
Geoff Huang & Jiao Wang
Hunter Family
Hurcum Family
G Ida & F Schellin Ida
Savindra & Palika Ilangamage
Anne Ingram
The Isbel Family
Alison Jack
Elizabeth Jameson AM & Dr Abbe Anderson
Yong Jang & Mi Joo
Maryam Jarahi
Wen Ji
Vanessa Johansen
Edward & Anna Johnson
Hyun-ju Johnson Kim
Hannah Jones
Pamela Jones
The Jowsey Family
Kassulke Family
Janet Keefe
Mina & John Keenan
Margaret Kelly
Melissa & Andrew Kerr
Alice Khursandi
Catherine Khursandi
Isobel Khursandi
Jan Kildey
Megan Kimbell
Knox Family
Kentaro Koido
Aleksandra Skaljak Kovacevic
J Kruger & L Tang
Ki Kyoung & Na Lee
Thuy & Natasha Lam
Dr S Lambert & Dr S Mapp
The Rev Dr C Lander AM
Sonia LaPenna
Lee Family
Linda Lee
Dr P Lennox & S Lennox
Janene Leslie
Jonathan & Susie Levy
Melinda Lewis
Ailin Li & Wenjie Zhou
YuanYuan Li
Liang Family
Vincent & Ayaka Liang
Lightfoot Family
The Lin Family
Ying Lin, Peiheng Hu & Sunnie Lin
The Liu & Chen Family
Lloyd Family
Jeanette Lockey OAM
The Hon Justice Logan AM & Janice Logan
Diana Lohrisch
Dr Christine Lonergan
Sean & Bridget Lowry
Sean & Maggie Loye
Lu Family
D Lu & L Li
The Lui Family
Kylie & Kristian
Lundqvist
Lynch Family
Fiona Macfarlane
Emily Mackenzie
MacKenzie Family
Clare Maguire
Kathryn Mainstone
David & Louise Mann
Jane Martel
Karen McArdle
Bill & Kate McCredie
Ben & Sarah McGeachie
Frances McInerney & Sean Martin
J McKay
Dr S McKay & H McKay
McLaughlin Family
McMurdo Family Fund
T & J McPhillips
Saxon Mew
John & Judy Mewing
Paul & Melanie Mitchell
Dr C Mittelheuser AM
The Moody Family
Andrew & Sophie Mooney
Rebecca & Michael Moore
Sarah Morris & David Costa
Heidi Morrison
Timothy & Lyndall & Savannah Munro
Prof D Murray
Myers Family
Rebecca Nardi
Kerryn Newton
Hieu Nguyen & Charmaine Kai
Jim & Jill Nicklin
C Noble & P Szonert
Catherine Noonan
Bec Obarzanski
Susan O'Hare
Kylie & Joshua Paffey
Panchapakesan Family
S Pandey & S Khanal Pandey
Sarath & Lasanthi
Paranavitha
Park Family
Lara Parker
Emma & Nick Parr
Meghan Parry
Tiffany Partington
Margaret Annette & Catherine Peel
Amber & David Pennell
Frederique Pentecost
Perry Family
Ela & Peter Perry
Lucy & Zoe Peters
The Phua Wu Family
Pollard Family
Dr Glenda Powell AM
Prof C Praeger AC Prasad Family
Sandhir Prasad & Sandhya Kisun
Maurice Prendergast & Family
Susan Pritchard
David & Emily Pryor
Grace Qiu
Richard Qiu & Connie Shen
Sanjeev Ranjan & Nirmal Saraswat
Ian & Tressa Reddie
Violet Ross
Dr Matthew Russell
Himabindu Samardhi
The Savage Family
M & E Schablon
Crissi Schmidt
Janine Schmidt AM
Dr Michael Schuetz & Dr Dominique Commentz
L Schwarten
Dr Cameron Scott
Naomi Seibel
Kim Selwa
Elaine Serisier
The Shaw Family
Karla Shaw
Jinghuan Shi
Dr Diana Shogren
Jaclyn & Edward Sia
Louise Siganto
Jasjeet Sihota
The Skene Family
Shane Skillen
H Smerdon AM & S Smerdon
Smith Family
Charlotte Smith
Sommerfeld Family
Dr Tony Son & Jenny Lee
Paul & Roberta Spezza
Ann Stark
John Statham
Tricia & Jason Steer
Stevens Family
Melissa Stevenson & Tom Granger
Dr Kay Stewart
Dr Saj Sumanasekera & Donna Sumanasekera
Gavin Sun & Sophia Su
Masatoshi Suzuki & Xia Wang
Swayne Family
Swindells Family
Katherine Swindon
Taheri Family
Jasmin Tavella
Renae Taylor
Christian & Leah Telford
Paul & Gina Telford
Brendon & Kerrin Thomas
Lorraine Thornquist
Emily Tiang & Nicholas Ting
Dr Steven Ting & Anne Ting
Luke & Michelle Titus
Quy Anh To Tran Family
Trappett Family
April & Harry Tynan
Susan & Luke Uhlmann
Dr Jatheesh Valappil & Vidya Jatheesh
Mei-yun Valdivia a l'Onions
Dr S Vasani & S Vasani
The Vella Family
Nikola Vidakovic
Diane & Geoff Voller
Lili Wackwitz
Louise Walls
Terry Walton
Elaine Wan
Kwok Ming Wan
Wang Family
C Wang & M Liu
Wei Wang & Zhaohui Li
Ward Family
Ann Waterford
Rev P Wetherell
Wille Family
Robin Williams
Wong Family
H & R Wong
Y Wong & A Chung
Retha Wood
Woodward Family
A/Prof Daniel Worthley & Dr Liza Phillips
David Wright & Emily Cross
Ivy Wu
K Wu & F Wang
Tracey Wyatt
L & Dr P Wysocki
Lulu Xiao
YFG Shopping Centres
Chang Yoo & Lucy Huang
Siu Yuen
Linping Zeng
Qingshan Zhang
Shengnan Zhang
The Zhang Family
Zhao Family
Jun Zhao
Zhe Zhao & Xingzhi Fang
Zheng Family
The Zhou Family
Peng Zhou & Shu Liu
Gang Zhu
Zhenzhen Zou
90 Anonymous Donors
Sophia Beanland Circle
Thank you to the School’s Support Groups for their important contribution and service throughout the year
Dr Bruce Addison
Mrs Kay Brassil (1959)
Dr Barbara Burge (1950)
Mrs Ann Caston (1958)
Mrs Julie Caton (1981)
Mrs Tatiana Coulter (1994)
Dr Jonathan Davies &
Mrs Helen Davies (1962)
Parents and Friends Association
P&F Uniform Shop
Old Girls Association
Fathers Group
How you can support
Contributions to support the future of BGGS and its students can be made in any of the following ways:
Telephone
+61 7 3332 1300
Email Development@bggs.qld.edu.au
Online www.bggs.qld.edu.au/giving
Direct Deposit (EFT)
For more information about how you can give via EFT, please contact Director of Development and Alumnae Relations Ms Nickie Warton on +61 7 333 21300 or development@bggs.qld.edu.au
Gifts of $2 or more are tax deductible
ABN: 31 445 392 850
Mrs Lesley Davies (1959)
Mrs Jenny Everett (1961)
Ms Julie Hennessey
Ms Linda Lee
Mrs Jeanette Lockey OAM (1952)
11 Anonymous Members
Music Support Group
Oobla Rowing Support Group
Water Polo Support Group
Grammar Women Mentors
Gregory Terrace, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia communications@bggs.qld.edu.au +61 7 3332 1300 | bggs.qld.edu.au
/BrisbaneGirlsGrammarSchool /school/brisbanegirlsgrammarschool @brisbanegirlsgrammar