List of alumni of Brisbane State High School

This article is a list of notable alumni who attended Brisbane State High School.

Business

• Michael Bryce – Class of 1955 – Principal Design Advisor to the Sydney Olympic Games, and husband of Quentin Bryce^[1]
• Robin Gibson – Class of 1947 – architect noted for designing QPAC, the Queensland Art Gallery, the State Library, the Queensland Museum and Queen Street Mall^[2]
• John Lazarou – Class of 1978 – one of the owners of The Coffee Club^[3]
• Andrew N. Liveris – Class of 1971 – CEO Dow Chemicals^[4]
• Katie Page – Class of 1973 – CEO of Harvey Norman, Co-owner of the Magic Millions, first woman elected to the board of the National Rugby League^[5][6]
• Ed Tweddell – CEO, F.H. Faulding & Co.^[7]
• Chris Wallin – Class of 1969 – businessman^[8]
• Graeme Wood – Class of 1964 – co-founder and Executive Director of wotif.com, 2008 Queenslander of the Year^[9]

Entertainment, media and the arts

• Jessica Anderson – novelist
• Ray Barrett – Class of 1942 – actor^[10]
• Gordon Bennett – artist^[11]
• Paul Bishop – Class of 1984 – actor and Councillor for Redland City^[12]
• John Blight – poet^[13]
• Carol Burns – Class of 1964 – actor^[14]
• Laurence Collinson – playwright, actor, poet, journalist, and secondary school teacher^[15]
• Barry Creyton – Class of 1955 – actor and playwright
• Brett Dean – Class of 1978 – composer
• Paul Dean – Class of 1983 – clarinetist
• Diana Doherty – Oboist
• Jackie French AM – Class of 1970 – Australian author; Senior Australian of the Year 2015
• Alasdair Hutton OBE, TD – Class of 1955 – writer and narrator
• Tahu Matheson – Class of 1993 – classical pianist and conductor
• Matt Okine – Class of 2002 – comedian, actor and radio host
• Charles Osborne – journalist, theatre and opera critic, poet and novelist
• William Robinson – Class of 1951 – artist, twice winner of the Archibald Prize^[16]
• Lillian Roxon – Class of 1948 – author and journalist^[17]
• Donald Shanks – Class of 1956 – bass-baritone singer
• Rachel Smith – Class of 1992 – Queensland Symphony Orchestra principal first violin, Scottish Chamber Orchestra; co-founder of the Stradbroke Chamber Music Festival
• Patrick Thomas – Class of 1949 – conductor^[18]
• Avra Velis – singer-songwriter

Governance and Politics

• Len Ardill – Labor MLA for Salisbury (1986-1992) and Archerfield (1992-1998)
• Chris Bombolas – Class of 1978 – Labor MLA for Chatsworth and Former Channel 9 sports presenter and reporter
• Mal Colston – Class of 1955 – Australian Labor Party senator representing Queensland 1975-1999
• Fred Campbell – Class of 1925 – Liberal MLA for Aspley
• Manfred Cross – Federal member for Brisbane in the House of Representatives (1961–75, 1980–90)
• John Dempsey – Queensland Minister for Police and Community Safety
• George Georges – Class of 1939 – Labor senator
• Bill Hayden – Class of 1949 – 21st Governor-General of Australia and Foreign Affairs Minister 1983-88^[19]
• Sir Leo Hielscher AC – Class of 1941 – past Head of Queensland Treasury, Head of QIC and QIDC^[20]
• Myer Kangan – Public servant and educationalist^[21]
• John-Paul Langbroek – Sub-Senior Class of 1978 – Liberal National MLA for Surfers Paradise – Minister for Education, Training and Employment 2012-2015 – Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the LNP from 2009 to 2011
• Bill O'Chee – Class of 1982 – National Party Senator; Australian Skelton representative at World Cup & World Championships 1998 - 2002
• Lin Powell – National MLA for Isis
• Guelfi Scassola – Liberal MLA for Mt Gravatt
• Lyle Schuntner – Liberal MLA for Mount Coot-tha
• Murray Watt – Class of 1989 – Labor MLA for Everton, Labor Senator for Queensland
• Lawrie Willett – Director-General of Health (1983–84); Chancellor of Charles Sturt University (2002–14)
• Jason Woodforth – Liberal National MLA for Nudgee

Journalism

• Michael Best – Class of 1998 – Channel 9 journalist
• Neil Breen – Class of 1985 – journalist, Sports Editor for Courier Mail, Editor of The Sunday Telegraph, Executive Producer of Nine's Today Show, Channel 9 presenter; 2002 Walkley Award Recipient for "Coverage of Sport", All Media
• Matt Carmichael – Class of 1998 – sports journalist
• Nick Etchells – Class of 1991 – journalist
• Heather Foord – Class of 1982 – journalist
• Edgar George Holt – poet, journalist and public relations officer ^[22]
• Sylvia Jeffreys – Class of 2003 – journalist and Channel 9 presenter
• Sandra Sully – Class of 1978 – journalist and Channel 10 presenter

Law

• Peter Applegarth – Class of 1975 – Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland
• Glenn Martin – Class of 1972 – Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland – President, Industrial Court of Queensland ^[23]
• Alan Wilson – Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland

Medicine and science

• Martin Green – Class of 1965 – scientist; Research Director of the University of New South Wales Photovoltaic Centre of Excellence

Military

• Virgil Brennan – Junior Class of 1934 – flying ace of the Second World War^[24]
• Ray Funnell – Class of 1952 – Chief of the Air Staff - RAAF 1987 - 1992^[25]
• Geoff Shepherd – Class of 1969 – "Air Marshall" – Chief of the RAAF 2005-2008
• Douglas Vincent – Major General in the Australian Army
• Ian Westwood – Major General, Chief Military Judge of the Australian Defence Force ^[26]

Religion

• Eva Burrows – Class of 1946 – 13th World Leader of the Salvation Army^[27]
• Ken Ham – senior science teacher, young-Earth creationist and creator of the "Creation Museum" in the USA

Sport

Many students of the school have gone on to represent Australia at the Olympics and win medals. More than thirty past students have competed in the Olympics during the school's history, winning numerous bronze, silver and gold medals, some with world records, across a range of sporting disciplines.

Athletics

• Nik Bojic – Class of 2009 – high jumper
• Cedric Dubler – "Class of 2012" – Olympic Decathlete 2016, 3rd Best Australian Decathlete of all time
• Norma Croker – Class of 1952 – Olympian 1956 Gold medal, 1960^[28]

Badminton

• Wendy Chen – Class of 2010 – Olympian 2016

Basketball

• Chris Goulding – Class of 2005 – Olympian 2016 – professional basketball player in Australia and Spain
• Brock Motum – Class of 2007 – Olympian 2016 – professional basketball player in Italy

Cricket

• Ian Healy – Class of 1981 – Australian test cricketer, Australian wicket-keeper of the century^[29]
• Mel Johnson – Class of 1959 – Australian Test cricket match umpire
• Michael Kasprowicz – Class of 1989 – Australian test cricketer
• Stuart Law – Australian test cricketer
• John Maclean – Class of 1963 – Australian test cricketer
• James Peirson – Class of 2009 – Queensland cricketer
• Glenn Trimble – Australian ODI cricketer

Football

• Ben Halloran – Class of 2009 – Gold Coast United FC, Brisbane Roar, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Socceroo World Cup 2014
• Chris Harold – Class of 2009 – Gold Coast United FC, Perth Glory
• Golgol Mebrahtu – Class of 2007 – Gold Coast United FC, Melbourne Heart

Hockey

• Fred Quine – Class of 1956 – Olympian 1968 Silver Medal

Kayaking and canoeing

• Lyndsie Fogarty – Class of 2002 – Olympian 2008 Bronze Medal, 2012

Netball

• Peta Stephens – Class of 1995 – Queensland Firebirds Captain

Rowing

• Ian Edmunds – Class of 1978 – Olympian 1984 bronze medal
• Bo Hanson – Class of 1990 – Olympian 1992, 1996, 2000 & 2004 - 3 bronze medals

Rugby League

• Elijah Alick – Brisbane Broncos ^[30]
• Jay Aston – Papua New Guinea Rugby League World Cup Side 2008
• Greg Holben – Queensland
• Wally Lewis – Class of 1977 – Australian national team captain from 1984 to 1989^[31]
• Andrew McCullough – Class of 2007 – Brisbane Broncos
• Ryan McGoldrick – Cronulla, Castleford Tigers, USA RL Team
• Paul Morgan – Class of 1964 – Queensland^[32]
• John Plath – Brisbane Broncos
• Will Tupou – Class of 2007 – North Queensland Cowboys

Rugby union

• Paul Alo-Emile – Class of 2009 – Australian U20's, Melbourne Rebels
• Mark Bartholomeusz – Class of 1994 – Wallaby, ACT Brumbies
• Curtis Browning – Class of 2011 – Queensland Reds
• Paul Carozza – Class of 1983 – Wallaby 15 caps, Queensland Reds
• Joel Faulkner – Class of 2009 – Australian U20's
• Chris Feauai-Sautia – Class of 2011 – Wallaby, Queensland Reds
• Charlie Fetoai – Class of 2005 – Queensland Reds
• Peter Hynes – Class of 2000 – Wallaby, Queensland Reds
• Mafileo Kefu – Class of 2000 – Tonga
• Samu Kerevi – Wallaby, Fiji U20
• Adam Korczyk – Queensland Reds
• Ryan McGoldrick – New South Wales Waratahs
• Peter McLean – Class of 1969 – Wallaby
• William McLean – Class of 1933 – Wallaby Captain^[33]
• Ben Meehan – Class of 2011 – Melbourne Rebels
• Paul Mooney – Class of 1946 – Wallaby
• David Paice – Class of 2000 – England, England Saxons, London Irish
• Ed Quirk – Class of 2008 – Wallaby, Queensland Reds
• Jacob Rauluni – Fiji Captain, Queensland Reds
• Mosese Rauluni – Fiji Captain
• Burnett Schulte – Class of 1932 – Wallaby 1946 2 caps ^[34]
• Peter Slattery – Class of 1983 – Wallaby, Queensland Reds
• Brian Smith – Class of 1983 – Wallaby 5 caps and Ireland 9 caps, Queensland Reds, Former England Attacking Coach
• Matt Toomua – Class of 2007 – Wallaby, ACT Brumbies
• Brando Va'aulu – Class of 2005 – Samoa, Queensland Reds
• David Wilson – Class of 1984 – Wallaby^[35]

Rugby union 7's

• Charlotte Caslick – Class of 2012 – Olympian 2016 Gold Medal, 2016 World Rugby Women's 7 player of the year, 2016 Shawn Mackay Award for Australia’s most outstanding women’s player, Twice selected for World Rugby’s Dream Team

Softball

• Marissa Carpadios – Class of 1995 – Olympian 2004 Silver Medal
• Danielle Stewart – Class of 1998 – Olympian 2008

Speed skating

• Deanna Lockett – Year 8-10 2009-2011 – speed skater - Olympian 2014

Swimming

• Duncan Armstrong – Class of 1985 – Olympian 1988 Gold & Silver Medal, 1992^[36]
• Evelina Afoa – Class of 2015 – Olympian 2016 representing Samoa
• Jodie Clatworthy – Class of 1989 – Olympian 1988
• Brad Cooper – Class of 1971 – Olympian 1972 Gold Medal
• Justin Lemberg – Class of 1983 – Olympian 1984 Bronze Medal
• Hayley Lewis – Class of 1991 – Olympian 1992 Silver & Bronze Medal, 1996^[37]
• Scott Logan – Class of 1993 – Olympian 1996
• Lise Mackie – Class of 1993 – Olympian 1992 1996 Bronze Medal
• Jon Sieben – Class of 1983 – Olympian 1984 Gold & Bronze Medal, 1988, 1992^[38]

Tennis

• Scott Draper – Class of 1991 – Australian Open Mixed Doubles Champion with Samantha Stosur 2005

Triathlon

• Rina Hill – Year 9 1983 – Olympian 2004

Volleyball

• Zane Christensen – Class of 2002 – Olympian 2004
• Jarryd Christensen – Class of 2004 – Australian team member

Waterpolo

• Kate Gynther – Class of 1999 – Olympian 2004, 2008 Bronze Medal, 2012 Bronze Medal
• Amy Hetzel – Class of 2000 – Olympian 2008 Bronze Medal

References