This time a century ago, excitement was no doubt building in the hearts and minds of our founders as they anticipated Queenwood’s opening. As 2024 draws ever nearer to a close, excitement around next year’s centenary celebrations is also building. Queenwood staff have been planning this historical year for some time to ensure our celebratory year is one that lives long in the memories of students, staff, families and our wider community. Over the course of 2025, our community will enjoy many opportunities to celebrate our first 100 years.
Queenwood Aboriginal Artist in Residence program
Distinctive to Queenwood is our appreciation of the arts and the wisdom of First Nations elders, and both are embedded in our curriculum and student experience. It’s fitting, then, that one of our major centenary initiatives will be to launch the Queenwood Aboriginal Artist in Residence program. We’ve been blessed and honoured to bring renowned contemporary Aboriginal artist Mary McMurty, a proud descendant of the Kalkatunga people, to our school to help create a special centenary artwork. Mary has been collaborating with students, staff and the community to create a powerful piece that celebrates our identity, values and connection to Country. Her residency and partnership with our students will culminate in a significant canvas artwork and a mural that reflects the history and spirit of our school and the land on which we learn and work. Also under this program, we invited Kalkatunga Elders and educators, Aunty Julie Smith and Aunty Janette Baliney, to work with a group of Year 8 students to craft a unique Songlines story connecting Queenwood’s four campuses. The project will culminate with the Year 8 Songlines team developing a plaque for each entrance of Queenwood’s four campuses, with carefully considered words and symbols that invite us to honour Country and ‘sing up’ spirit as we walk together on this land.
Save the date: Wednesday 18 June 2025
The power of music and the passion of our student musicians ring loud at Queenwood. So we’re delighted to invite our community to a celebration like no other on Wednesday 18 June next year at Sydney Town Hall. Our Centenary Music Concert will naturally feature a host of our musically talented students, including various ensembles, choirs, orchestras and bands. This special concert will also showcase the diversity of Queenwood experiences that contribute so much to our community. We’ll represent our Indigenous programs and the work of Mary McMurty, our performing and creative arts, and our curricular and co-curricular learning. Other highlights will include a spectacular multi-media composition commissioned especially for our Centenary, and a very special whole-of-school performance involving every Queenwood student from Kindergarten to Year 12. We’re sure it will be a showstopper.
Our celebrations won’t end there.
Next year promises so much for so many at Queenwood, from our Once in a Century Parent Party on Friday 21 February in Term 1, right through to the launch of our Queenwood One Hundred Years history book. For our students, being a Queenwood girl in our Centenary year will make each of them an indelible part of our school history. For our wider community—including parents, families and staff—it will be a year of celebrating the spirit of Queenwood in truly momentous ways.
Keep these special dates free as we look towards next year:
- Centenary Balmoral lectures: Tuesday 29 April and Tuesday 3 June (date TBC)
- Queenwood Turns 100 – School’s Birthday celebrations: Friday 19 September
- Once in a Century All Years Reunion: Saturday 20 September
- Centenary Giving Day: Wednesday 22 October
- Violets Centenary High Tea: Saturday 8 November.
And keep an eye out for these upcoming events too:
- Songlines launch
- Mural and artwork unveiling,
- Queenwood One Hundred Years book launch
Expect to find out more details about our celebrations in early Term 1 next year.
I’m looking forward to celebrating with you!