A Brief History

Brisbane Girls Grammar School has much to celebrate. When it was founded in 1875, Sir Charles Lilley's vision to provide girls with the same educational opportunities as their brothers, was far ahead of its time. In the following years, the traditions established for the education of young women not only were maintained, but also greatly strengthened.

The opening of Brisbane Girls Grammar School in March 1875 signified its development as a successful academic secondary school for girls in the unsophisticated colony of Queensland. This was six years before women were admitted to universities in Sydney and Melbourne and before similar schools appeared elsewhere in the country. It is therefore not surprising that there were inordinate pressures on those responsible for the development of the school.

The School opened as a branch of Brisbane Grammar School with fifty students who were under the direction of a Lady Principal, Mrs Janet O'Connor, in premises on George Street, Brisbane. Within six months the School outgrew these premises and moved to Wickham Terrace.

By July 1882, the School was well established and the decision was made to separate from Brisbane Grammar School and to operate independently under the Grammar Schools Act . Plans were also made that year to move the School to its present site on Gregory Terrace and in 1884, the Main Building, designed by architect Richard Gailey, was opened to one hundred students.

Equality of opportunity has become an accepted part of our culture and Girls Grammar is proud of the role it has played in the development of education for girls in Australia. The majority of those entering the School at Year 8 graduate from Year 12 after five years of secondary schooling when all girls achieve a Senior Certificate. The majority of graduates choose to proceed to university studies and the opportunities that the principles of life-long learning promote, together with the growing acceptance of the value that multiple pathways present for our young people, are now well accepted.

These changing philosophies are reflected in the way in which we organise our School. A large variety of extension experiences are available at different stages including university link programs, community service, vocational education, traineeships and sister school programs, which contribute to helping our young women develop knowledge, understanding and sensitivity to the society of which they are part.