Brisbane Boys' College

History

Brisbane Boys' College was established in 1902 by Arthur Rudd. Rudd arrived in Brisbane in 1901 by boat from Melbourne and started a school in Clayfield. The school officially started in March 1902 with just four students.

In 1912, the school moved to a new location on the corner of Bayview Terrace, near the tram terminus, needing more room. Even with the new land, due to space constraints sporting activities were out of the question, so for many years the boys walked to the nearby Kalinga Park. In 1908, there were 80 students and a cadet corps was formed with the impending 1914–1918 war. The school suffered the losses of eight Clayfield Collegians during the war. In 1931, the school was moved, again due to a lack of room for new facilities, to its current site in Toowong with support from its owners, the daughters of the late Premier of Queensland, Sir Robert Philp. The Clayfield campus became a primary school department of Somerville House, which later developed into the independent Clayfield College.

Today BBC is owned by the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association, which was formed in 1918, and owns other private schools in Queensland.

Campus

BBC's campus is located in the Brisbane suburb of Toowong on land bordered by Moggill Road, Kensington Terrace and Miskin Street, with the main entrance from Kensington Terrace.

The main building dates from the early 1930s, when the school moved to the site, and is characterised by its arches and clock tower in the Mission Revival architecture style. The Rudd and Hamilton wings, built in 1963, form a T-shape extending away from the main building, and the modern glass fronted Resource Centre, built in 1996, fills the quadrant. Other buildings on the site include McKenzie wing (built in 1983), Barbara Helen Thomson Sports Complex (opened in 1987), and the Birtles wing (built in 1973). The main Junior School precinct was completed in early 2008, and a separate building catering exclusively to Prep students was completed in mid 2007. The Junior School precinct was designed in light of the introduction of Years Prep to Grade 3 in 2007. The old college hall (built in 1979) was demolished in late September 2009 and a new college hall was constructed and opened in early June 2011. The present college hall includes an air conditioned auditorium capable of seating 695 people, the Phil Bisset Gallery, and facilities for the music department. In 2014, a new state of the art Middle School precinct was completed, which is situated next to the Junior School buildings.

There are three ovals included within the BBC grounds: the John Noblet Oval, the Parents & Friends Association Oval, and Miskin Oval. BBC also makes use of the Oakman Park ovals, Toowong College (QASMT), University of Queensland and St Lucia, Queensland playing fields. The school plans to build new sporting facilities in a location detached from the main school, possibly in Corinda, though this has sparked local residents' concerns about traffic problems and noise pollution.

In 2022 it was reported that Brisbane Boys' College, in partnership with the Presbyterian Methodist Schools Association, settled on the purchase of the neighbouring 1.23-hectare (3.0-acre) Goldicott, outlying A$17 million.

House system

The school is divided into a house system with ten houses.

The house system was introduced in 1931 by the headmaster at the time Mr Hamilton. The school was divided into 3 Houses – School House (Boarders), Wesley House (Day Boys A–L) and Knox House (Day Boys M–Z).

Due to increasing numbers of boarders School House was sub-divided into Rudd and Campbell House in 1950. However due to boarding numbers once again declining, the two houses were briefly managed together, before the decision was made to continue with only Rudd House for boarders, with Campbell placed in hibernation until 1976, when it was reactivated as a day house. Five new day houses were introduced in 1980, (Flynn, Hamilton, McKenzie and Wheller). Birtles was house was introduced in 1998, and Cole House was introduced in 2020 after the retirement of long time chaplain Reverend Cole the previous year.

Co-curriculum

Music

The music department hosts string, orchestral and vocal ensembles, as well as concert and stage bands throughout the levels of the school. The school's strings program is among the most prestigious in Queensland. Brisbane Boys' College maintains the tradition of conducting a pipe band, which plays at public events such as the annual ANZAC Day March in Brisbane. The pipe band has also played at the 2018, 2022, and 2024 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Edinburgh, the special 2019 Sydney Tattoo, and also the 2023 Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo.

Sport

The college offers rugby, football, rowing, gymnastics, cricket, basketball, volleyball, chess, tennis, debating, cross-country, Australian rules football, athletics, swimming, waterpolo, golf and sailing.

They have a number of former representative players and coaches as coaches at the college.

Rugby union first XV head coach: Daniel Leo (rugby union) – former Samoa national rugby union team player

Rugby union first XV assistant coach: Brad Thorn – former New Zealand national rugby union team player, former Rugby league and Rugby union player

Rugby union first XV assistant coach: Ben Meehan – former Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne Rising, London Irish, and Gloucester Rugby player

Cricket first XI head coach: John Buchanan (Australian cricketer) – former Australian national cricket team coach and Queensland Bulls player

Brisbane Boys' College has achieved sporting success as a GPS school in the following activities:

Track and field – 2016, 2017, 2018

Australian football – 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009

Basketball – 1987, 1995, 2005, 2011, 2017

Cricket – 2003, 2020

Cross country – 2018, 2019, 2024

Football – 1991, 1993, 2004, 2010, 2011

Gymnastics – 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007

Swimming – 2025