Weekly eNews
Ross Featherston
Headmaster, Brighton Grammar SchoolThe Duigan Centre embodies eight years of collaboration, the generosity of our donors, and a shared vision brought to life, one of innovation, entrepreneurship, and the pursuit of excellence.
More than 750 people in our community have toured the centre in the past week. The Hon Nick Duigan (grand nephew of pioneer aviator and Old Boy John Duigan) officially opened the centre on Thursday 27 February and Bishop Kate Prowd performed the blessing.
Following music from our String Quartet, our wonderful Ten Tonners sang The Duigan Centre Anthem, composed by Ellis Cregan (Year 9) for his iDesign project. In Ellis’s words: ‘I was inspired by our new Duigan Centre which represents the best of our values and learning at BGS.’
We then opened the doors to our community on Saturday who were impressed with the new teaching and learning environment that the centre affords our students and staff.
It is my hope that The Duigan Centre helps our students to connect with our School’s rich history through the stories of those Old Boys who have gone before them, such as John Duigan, be inspired by their courage and vision and that they carry with them a piece of John Duigan’s extraordinary spirit and values.
Enjoy the long weekend.
Simon Angus
Deputy Headmaster, Head of Secondary SchoolOn Tuesday morning, our Year 10 students embarked on their three-night Awake experience, an opportunity for personal growth and reflection in the outdoors.
In yesterday’s assembly, we proudly acknowledged students who achieved OELP Colours for their outstanding contributions to Outdoor Education Leadership in 2024. Their commitment to adventure, teamwork, and resilience is truly commendable.
A sincere thank you to all families for engaging in our Term 1 Parent Teacher Student Discussions, which have now concluded. These conversations are essential in supporting each student’s growth, and we appreciate your ongoing partnership with your son’s teachers.
Finally, I hope everyone enjoys the well-earned long weekend!
Meliora Sequamur.
Happenings & Reminders
- 10 March – Labour Day Public Holiday
- 12 March, 4.30pm – Upper Strings Solo Soirée
- 19 March, 7.00am – Business Breakfast with Thomas & Anabelle Burns
- 19 March, 4.30pm – Woodwind Solo Soiree
- 20 March, 5.00pm – Year 9 Performance Evening
- 31 March, 7.00pm – Semester 1 Concert – Large Ensembles
- 2026 Term Dates are now available
Geography Fieldwork Trip
Last Friday, the Unit 3 Geography class travelled to the Melbourne Docklands as part of an investigation into the impacts of land use change. Students collected data on environmental quality surveys, questionnaires, and pedestrian and traffic counts.
We also had an opportunity to visit the offices of Development Victoria to hear about their management of the Docklands urban renewal project. These findings will be formatted and analysed against their hypothesis in a report.
Christian Machar
Head of Geography
Careers Expo
The Brighton Grammar/Firbank Grammar biannual Careers expo allows Years 10, 11 and 12 students to discover tertiary opportunities and explore career pathways.
To be held in Firbank Grammar’s Senior School, the expo will feature exhibitors from major universities and industry leaders in the fields of Science, Health, Business, Creative Arts, Sport and Defence.
Guest speakers will share their working journeys and decisions and how these have impacted their career opportunities.
Read more about the expo.
BGS Business Breakfast
Our next BGS Business Breakfast on 19 March features guest speakers Thomas Burns (OB 2016) and his sister Anabelle Burns, founders of Femmé Organic.
Owning and operating their small family business, Thomas and Anabelle are on a mission to inspire change and simplify the market by providing plastic free, organic, sustainable and biodegradable sanitary care products.
They are already making waves, stocking with large retail companies such as Priceline and partnering with businesses such as TLC Healthcare, Grill’d, KOOKAI, Cotton On, RACV and more.
Join us at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club to hear their story, from inspiration to concept, setbacks, criticism and now the thriving business that Femmé Organic is today.
BGS Generations, including Uncles!
The BGS Generations program acknowledges boys with BGS heritage including sons, grandsons, great-grandsons and, more recently, nephews and grandnephews of Old Boys. In recognition of these ties, boys receive a pin to wear on their blazer.
The 2025 presentation of Generations pins is coming up soon so, please ensure we know all your family connections by completing this form here, if you haven’t already.
This includes brothers, fathers, uncles, grandfathers, great uncles, and great grandfathers.
The School is always delighted when an Old Boy enrols his son at BGS, especially if the Old Boy himself is a second generation BGS student.
Please note:
When determining third or fourth generations, there is no distinction between paternal or maternal grandfathers and great grandfathers.
Uncles and their nephews will receive a ‘Generations Family’ pin in the absence of any other Old Boys in their direct lineage.
If you have any questions, please email Alumni & Community manager, Kate Speirs
From Reverend Waterhouse
Wednesday this week was called Ash Wednesday, which marked the beginning of the season of Lent, a period of forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays).
Christians have traditionally observed this time with fasting, penitence and abstinence of some sort, where there is space for self-reflection, in preparation for the later commemorations of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
In Luke’s gospel, we are told that Jesus resolutely sets out for the city of Jerusalem, where he knows he will be handed over to the Roman authorities: ‘They will mock him, insult him … and kill him. On the third day he will rise again’ [Luke 18:31-33].
Such events, while evil, were not outside of the control of God. In fact, the Son of God was destined to die as a suffering servant, fulfilling the promise made centuries earlier to Adam and Eve, that one of their descendants would one day crush the serpent’s head (representing the defeat of death) – see Genesis 3:14-15.
This Lenten season, I encourage you to read a biblical gospel like Luke afresh and reflect on the remarkable love of Christ for us: a love that would take him to the cross and to the grave.