Issue 1 - March 2014

From the President…

Dear Members We look forward to seeing many past students this year at The OGA Executive and Committee for 2014 were elected reunions, the Old Girls’ Day Chapel Service at 9.30am at the OGA Annual General Meeting on 25 November last and morning tea on Sunday 27 July and the OGA year. Congratulations to the following elected office Brunch at The Pavilion Function Centre, Albion on bearers:- Sunday 26 October. Please save these dates.

President - Libby Black The OGA also encourages past students to attend the Vice President - Deborah Love Professional Women’s Network events to connect and Treasurer - Dipti Shankar network with past students and other members of the Secretary - Sally Thomson community across many different professions. Details of these Committee Members:- Alison Black, Jan Chayter, Denice events are provided in this newsletter. Foley, Jacky Garnsworthy, Janice Moody, Anne Muggleton, Nina Psaltis, Jillian Scott, Isabelle Slipper and Harriette The OGA AGM for 2014 will be held at the school on Watson. Tuesday, 2 December 2014 at 7.15pm. Please keep up to date

Mother Eunice is the OGA Patron and Vice Patron is School with OGA news and events throughout the year via the OGA Principal Ros Curtis. and Alumni page of the School’s website.

As members of the OGA, we welcome your interest, involvement and feedback regarding the functioning and OGA Committee 2014 activities of our Association. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to be on the committee or have any suggestions or news from old girls at [email protected] or mobile 0430 512 411.

Libby Black President OGA

OGA Committee 2014 OGA Overseas Study Scholarships

OGA Overseas Study Scholarships 2014-2105 Applications are invited for scholarships for St Margaret’s past students wishing to study overseas. Application forms are available here and are due by Friday 27 June 2014.

The Overseas Study Scholarships provide funds of up to $5,000 a year. Preference will be given to students studying at an overseas tertiary institution/University for one or more semesters. Candidates studying overseas but not at a University are also welcome to apply.

Old Girls’ Association Newsletter Issue 1 – March 2014 2

Constitution Changes & OGA Newsletter sent by email

At the last OGA AGM, constitution changes were made so To accommodate this increase in membership, the that all past students who attended St Margaret’s for at least OGA newsletter will be delivered by email only and a year become life members of the OGA. This means that made available on the St Margaret’s website. To there are no longer membership fees to join the OGA for update your details please phone the Development and students who would have graduated prior to 2006. Since Community office on +617 3862 0765 or visit the OGA & then, the school pays a membership fee to the OGA for Alumni page on the St Margaret’s website or email each year 12 graduating student. As a result OGA [email protected] membership has now increased with the inclusion of all past students. Previous OGA Scholarship Winner

From Sophie Underwood (nee Dixon with world-leading academics and writing 2003-2007) of her study at Oxford University, approximately 4000 words for my weekly essays. United Kingdom in 2013 Suffice to say, my scholastic ability was truly pushed to the limit! I am so grateful to the OGA “The opportunity to study at the oldest for assisting me in undertaking this wonderful university in the English-speaking world was experience.” truly once-in-a-lifetime. Whilst at Oxford I studied Jurisprudence and Moral Philosophy, Congratulations also to Sophie on her recent and experienced first-hand the academic rigour for which the marriage to Josh Underwood in Goondiwindi in November university is famous - which included one-on-one tutorials last year.

Old Girls Prize 2013

Congratulations to Alice Finlay, who was announced as the 2013 OGA Prize Winner at Speech Night last November. Alice was a boarder from a sheep property near Stanthorpe. This year, Alice will be working and travelling overseas and in May, will depart for Florence where she will attend the ‘Accademia Italiana’ to study fine art and Italian for 4 weeks.

Alice with her Grandmothers Alice with her father and Guest Speaker

OGA Donates to Bronze statue “Inspired to Fly"

The OGA donated contribute to the cost $2,500 towards a new of this project. Please Bronze statue of a call Jenny Lishman on St Margaret’s girl called +617 3862 0724 or “Inspired to Fly”. The email statue stands in the jlishman@stmargarets memorial garden at the .qld.edu.au to entrance to the Eunice enquire. Science and Resource Centre at Circular Many old girls Drive. The statue was attended the unveiling created by sculptor ceremony and were Memorial Garden & Bronze Statue Old Girls at the Unveiling Ceremony Liam Hardy. Year 12 pleased to see the girls of 2013 initiated restoration of the the project and raised funds towards it, with further support memorial garden which is also the resting place of two coming from Friends of Mayo, the OGA and individual former Old Girls – Phyllis (Phyll) Drew (1917-2005) and donations. If you are interested to acquire your own replica Sandrene Kestell Cuss (nee Cornish 1960-1997). of the statue, a Marquette approximately 50cm high is available for purchase. Proceeds from these purchases also

Old Girls’ Association Newsletter Issue 1 – March 2014 3

News of Old Girls

Old Girls as Judges’ Associates heritage-listed Bustard Head Lighthouse Station on the central Queensland coast. Congratulations to the following past students from the 2007 year group who have completed their University The Buchanans took up the challenge of bringing the studies in Law and now have positions as Judges Associates lighthouse back to its former glory, after it was automated Claire Hockin in the District Court of Queensland (in in 1986 and fell into disrepair. 2014) Alison Black in the Supreme Court of Queensland (in Located near Town of 1770, the lighthouse was the first of 2014) its kind built by the newly independent Queensland Sophie Underwood (nee Dixon) in the High Court of Government in 1868. (for 2016) “Without Shirley’s conception, instigation and indefatigable Opera Singer Career Success dedication, an important part of Australia’s maritime history would have been bulldozed into oblivion,” Congratulations to Nikki Hill who Mr Buchanan said. graduated from St Margaret’s in 2008. Nikki has just been awarded a Shirley sadly passed away in June 2012, less than twelve scholarship from The Dame Nellie months before the lighthouse complex was reopened. Melba Opera Trust for 2014. The Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust In memory of his wife, Mr Buchanan has kindly donated carries forward Dame Nellie Melba’s two of his books to St Margaret’s, The Lighthouse Keepers vision by supporting the development and Light of Their Lives and a DVD of the ABC’s Australian of young Australian opera singers with exceptional promise. Story – ‘Light of Their Lives’, which are all available from This scholarship provides financial assistance, mentoring the School Library. opportunities with industry specialists and performance experience. Exciting new Business Initiative

Nikki Hill is the recipient of the Ruskin Opera Award & Annabelle Chan and Amanda Love, both seniors at Mel and Nina Waters Award with the Melba Opera Trust. St Margaret’s in 2000, are good friends and keen foodies Nikki has recently completed a Bachelor of Music majoring who have started a new business called “The Picnic in performance at the Queensland Conservatorium of Society”. Their aim is to take the hassle out of preparing a Music. She is studying with dramatic soprano, Lisa Gasteen picnic so people can get on with the fun part! Offering a and is about to begin a Postgraduate Certificate of Music range of picnics filled with handmade and gourmet items, Studies at the Queensland Conservatorium. made with locally sourced ingredients, The Picnic Society has already started filling orders for happy picnickers. Each picnic is specially personalised, freshly made on the day, The twenty-three year old lyric soprano was pleased to be and includes all the necessary crockery, cutlery, glassware a part of Opera New England’s production of La Bohème in and custom napery; all packed into a beautiful market bag, January 2014. During her tertiary studies, Nikki has also which can be kept for future performed various operatic roles including 2nd lady from picnics. For further details Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte in the Val Machin Opera Scenes, check out their website Bridesmaid in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and Rosalinde in www.thepicnicsociety.com.au Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. In 2013 Nikki was awarded The Margaret Baker-Genovesi Italian Award and in 2012, she won The Queensland Conservatorium Voice in Combination Prize.

Old girl Shirley Buchanan (nee Cort 1954) rescues an historical Queensland icon

The memory of St Margaret’s past Support St Margaret’s and promote your business student Shirley Buchanan (nee Cort St Margaret’s OGA is pleased to be able to offer your 1954) continues to shine on, thanks business a great opportunity for promotion at St Margaret’s to her dedication to one of and OGA special events. If you would like to support these Queensland’s most historic events through the donation of raffle prizes or gifts please lighthouses. contact OGA Committee Member, Nina Psaltis, on [email protected] or mobile 0418 150 557 Together with her husband and former lighthouse keeper, Stuart Buchanan, Shirley was responsible for saving the

Old Girls’ Association Newsletter Issue 1 – March 2014 4

Events

Old Girls’ Day Saturday 26 July Sunday 27 July Class of 1954 Reunion Chapel Service – 9.30am Class of 1964 Reunion Class of 1984 Reunion OGA Brunch Class of 2004 Reunion Sunday 26 October – 9am Professional Women’s Network St Margaret’s 2014 Reunions Formerly known as “Women in Industry”, these events are Date claimers have been sent out for the 2014 reunions designed to provide a professional networking forum for listed below. If you have not received your date claimer or past students, current parents and members of our know of anyone who has not received theirs, please community. Guest speakers have included past students contact the Development and Community office on +617 from a range of fields who have shared their career 3862 0765 or email [email protected]. journeys and stories of success. We look forward to seeing you at these events and invite you to bring along Interstate Reunion your family, friends, colleagues or clients. Friday 9 May - Sydney Reunion Wednesday 14 May 2014 Lunch, CBD VIP Luncheon - 60 years plus reunion Tuesday 26 August 2014 Breakfast, St Margaret's Wednesday 25 June Friday 17 October 2014 Breakfast, CBD

Reunion Weekend 2014: If you are interested in being an event sponsor, please Friday 25 July enquire by phone to +617 3862 0884 or email Class of 1994 Reunion [email protected] Class of 1974 Reunion

From the Archives

The Archive Centre also has two other banners, but we School Banners have no information about them. A photo from 1920 At the St Margaret's Day Service on 19 July 2013 a new shows an even earlier banner depicting St Margaret and a processional banner was blessed and the previous one dragon. Do you recognise any of these from your time at presented to the Archives so that it can be preserved as a school? If anyone knows when these banners were in use, part of our heritage. The old banner, which was or any other background, please contact the Archives so embroidered by Miss Evelyn Heath, an Old Girl as well as that we can document their role in the traditions of our School Principal from 1982 – 1993, had been used school. regularly in Chapel and other school Services for more than 20 years.

Bronwyn Perry School Archivist [email protected] New Old Phone: +617 3862 0816

Volunteers Needed If you are interested in volunteering in the Archive Centre If you are interested to volunteer your time and skills in at the school to assist with maintaining and preserving the any other capacity, please call the Development and school’s history, please contact the Archivist Bronwyn Community office +617 3862 0765 or email Perry on [email protected] [email protected] Phone: +617 3862 0816

Old Girls’ Association Newsletter Issue 1 – March 2014 5

From the Principal

2014 has opened with an air of excitement. Following the For the first time, this year, St Margaret's will launch an demolition of the Loft last year, work began on The Barley annual appeal for both our Capital Projects and the Sugar Garden and the restoration of the sandstone (tennis) provision of Financial Needs Scholarships (Bursaries) to wall. Construction is also taking place in Toorak, where those who would not otherwise be able to secure a St the former school library (now housed in the beautiful Margaret’s education. Old Girls have a special role to play Eunice Science and Resource Centre) is being converted in supporting this appeal as our long term vision is to into 4 flexible class room spaces for Year 7 students. promote the philosophy of the Sisters of the Society of the St Margaret’s is moving ahead, ‘per volar sunata,’ – Sacred Advent by providing financial support to families. securing first class academic results and experiences for St Margaret’s would not be the school it is today without the students and providing first class facilities. the support, both modest and large, financial and in-kind, More than ever before, we are trying to provide that has been received from past students. I wish you all a opportunities to engage meaningfully with our past Happy New Year and look forward to up-dating you either students. I hope that you can find the time to attend either through this newsletter or The Flyer on our programs our Professional Women’s Network events, Trends in designed to encourage our students ‘to fly upwards.’ Education Series, attend a reunion or OGA event, or Ros Curtis answer the call to volunteer within the school. Principal

OGA at St Margaret’s Open Day

The OGA once again this year had a display and the role of past students to current members and potential information stand at the School’s Open Day. This provides new members of the school community. Photos will be in the OGA with an opportunity to promote the school and our next newsletter.

OGA Brunch 2013

Guest speaker Natalie Wright with former teacher Wayne Singleton.

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Great books to read – written by St Margaret’s Old Girls

Rosamond Siemon (nee Nunn, 1936) – author Rosamond Siemon is the author of the very successful The Mayne Inheritance, a murder mystery set in Brisbane in the mid 19th century and The Eccentric Mr Weinholt, the true story tracing the colourful life of a man who was a wealthy landowner, big-game hunter, war hero and politician.

Siemon, R. The Mayne Inheritance (2003), Press Siemon, R. The Eccentric Mr Weinholt (2005), Uiversity of Queensland Press

Robyn Storey (nee Heelan 1969) - Robyn was a boarder at St Margaret’s and has strong links to the Dawson Valley in Queensland. She is the author of 2 books including one as editor of the memoirs of her father J.V.Heelan and another on the stories and lives of the women of the Dawson Valley

Storey, R.E. (2002) We’re off to see the Wizard… via Mungallala, the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo. Memoirs of J.V. Heelan 1919-1946, 2/7Field Company. Royal Australian Engineers, 9th Division, Australian Imperial Forces.

Storey, R.E. (2005) Valley Belles: gutsy girls & feisty females. University Publishing Unit, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton

Daphne Mayo (1907-1908) And another great book about St Margaret’s Old Girl Daphne Mayo (1907-1908). Daphne Mayo was Australia’s leading woman sculptor of her day and a passionate supporter of the visual arts. This publication accompanied the first retrospective exhibition by a state gallery of Mayo’s work in 2011 and features Mayo’s own essay “Let there be sculpture” which was published in 1942.

McKay, J. and Hawker, M. (2011) Daphne Mayo: Let There Be Sculpture, /Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane