News Feed

The Old Boys' Association marked BGS Foundation Day with the annual Welcome Drinks for Old Boys who are now parents of boys at the School. This year Foundation Day also closed the 150th-anniversary celebrations of Brisbane Grammar School.​ For 120 of those 150 years, the BGS OBA has been a part of the School's story.​

The OBA's contribution to the 150th celebrations included a campaign to raise funds for the restoration of the War Memorial Library, culminating in a moving Remembrance Day ceremony at the School in front of the Library. Our Annual Reunion Dinner celebrated some of our notable musicians and featured a once-in-a-lifetime live jam that played out like a time machine, making (many of) us feel 20 years younger.

At our AGM in April a new management committee was elected:

• ​President - Michael Forrest '87
• Vice President - Cameron Feltham '86
• Secretary - John Emery '83
• Treasurer - Richard Wheeler '99
• Past President - Stuart Rees '79
• Committee Members: Stephen Bizzell '84, Geoff Clarke '64, Cameron McLeod '88, Jim MacPherson '85, Ben Morris '10, Luke Morris '12

The new committee looks forward to continuing and expanding past initiatives. On 8 June we are hosting the BGS community and friends for The Jam - Band Battle '19 at The Triffid, and the Annual Reunion Dinner will take place on Saturday 31 August.

In the last few years, the OBA has been hosting professional networking events for Old Boys working in medicine, finance, engineering and law. These have been very well supported by both mentors and mentees, and the feedback has been great.

The OBA is looking to expand this to other areas, and the Committee is keen to hear suggestions. We are developing, in association with the School, a Mentoring Program that will enable Old Boys to offer their services as a mentor to younger Old Boys seeking advice and assistance early in their career. Mentoring can be rewarding and beneficial for everyone involved, with many mentors finding they gain as much from the interaction as they give.

Another area the OBA is very excited about is our involvement in promoting men's health. The Grammarians Rowing Club continues to grow and provides an avenue for ex-rowers, as well as novice rowers, to get involved in this wonderful sport. Involvement extends from occasional participation through to Masters' Competition. Our association with DadBods is also growing, and we hope this expands in the coming years.

Finally, I'd like to pay tribute to outgoing President Chris Austin '79, who has worked tirelessly over many years to benefit Old Boys. Many thanks from all of us​.

Dr Michael Forrest '87
​President – Brisbane Grammar School Old Boys' Association