Reception for Brisbane Girls Grammar School 150th Anniversary

The 25th Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and 24th Governor of Queensland, the Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO; Brisbane Girls Grammar School Alumna and Chair of the Queensland Community Foundation Board of Governors, the Honourable Margaret McMurdo AC and the Honourable Philip McMurdo; Brisbane Girls Grammar School, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Ms Julie McKay, and Members of the Board; Principal, Ms Jacinda Euler Welsh; Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of Queensland, Professor Deborah Terry AC and Professor Ottmar Lipp; Vice-Chancellor and President, Griffith University, Professor Carolyn Evans; Brisbane Girls Grammar School student leaders, current and former staff, strategic partners and supporters; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.   

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here this afternoon. 

Graeme and I are pleased to be hosting this afternoon’s reception at Government House, and to add our congratulations to Brisbane Girls Grammar School, as it celebrates its sesquicentennial year. 

It could be said that this school is intrinsically linked to the development of our State itself—echoing the triumphs and challenges that are brought by social change and shaped by pivotal global events.   

In 1875, that great champion for equal education, Sir Charles Lilley, commented that the recent branch campus for girls that had been opened as part of Brisbane Grammar School would “likely be attended with success”, adding that “the girls had never received an order of instruction equal to the boys, and it was time that their wants were attended to”. 

At the time, women in our State were still a long way off from achieving even the most basic of rights, such as voting for their political representatives, and the first female member of the Queensland Parliament was over 50 years away.  

Yet, the foresight and tenacity of the early Trustees, Principals, teachers and supporters, took on the sceptics and established a school that has since seen generations of girls receive a first-class education, and attain a deep and unshakable understanding of their immense value to society. 

It is a powerful sense of connection, and an unwavering loyalty to its own ethos and objectives that have enabled Girls Grammar to provide stability and surety, even as the world around it is constantly changing.   

And while history and traditions build a strong foundation, what has also made this school so successful over the course of 150 years is its ability to innovate and push the boundaries, always seeking to improve opportunities for its girls, and enable them to pursue any career, or follow their own unique dreams.   

This emphasis on helping girls find their purpose, be brave, and be true to themselves has encouraged the development of many brilliant minds—from those who have forged new pathways in academia or the sciences, to those who have excelled in the arts, sport or business.  

And whether graduates go on to become publicly known for their achievements, or quietly progress their areas of interest, these young women are each instilled with the same motivation to strive, to question, and to speak up—qualities essential to creating beneficial change for women in our state and beyond. 

This sesquicentenary is an incredible milestone, and as I commend all those who came before, and who contributed to the growth and evolution of BGGS. 

I express my sincere gratitude to those who are part of the present school body—the esteemed Members of the Board of Trustees, chaired by Ms Julie McKay; Principal Ms Jacinda Euler Welsh, the Executive Team, Senior Leadership Team, all teachers and staff, the generous donors, and of course, the students themselves, represented here today by the 2026 Student Leaders Elect. 

I also acknowledge the hard work of the Sesquicentenary Committee who have made this celebratory year a highlight for all. 

On behalf of the people of Queensland, I wish Brisbane Girls Grammar School every success in the future.