Brisbane Boys' College

This week, we acknowledge Queensland Mental Health Week, culminating in World Mental Health Day this Friday, 10 October. This awareness aims to encourage all of us – students, staff, families, and community members – to prioritise our mental and emotional wellbeing.

Recent national data highlights the significant nature of mental health challenges in Australia. Reputable and community-oriented mental health organisations like the Black Dog Institute report that one in five Australians aged between 16 and 85 experiences a mental illness in any given year, while the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that nearly half of the population (approximately 42.9 percent) will experience a mental disorder at some point in their lives. This is staggering and reaffirms the great work happening within our classes about educating young men on the importance of prioritising mental health, creating a culture of care, and breaking down stigmas associated with speaking up.

Additionally, findings from the 2024 Australia’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Check report by Beyond Blue highlight that many individuals delay seeking professional support until they are ‘very distressed’ or ‘extremely distressed’, with some postponing help for years. These statistics collectively emphasise the urgent need for early intervention, accessible mental health services, and proactive strategies to promote wellbeing across a person’s lifespan.

I am very proud of our Tartan+ Wellbeing Model, which provides a multi-faceted layer of support across the school to support our students. From designated school counsellors and curriculum, Heads of Year, Heads of House, our nursing team, mentor teachers, and co-curricular staff, our students have access to pastoral experts at every touchpoint, ensuring they have the right message and person to connect with if in need.

This year’s theme, ‘Connect with Your Community’, urges us to maintain and strengthen connections in four key domains:

Connect with self – Pause, notice how you feel, build habits that sustain you (e.g. sleep, movement, creativity), and seek help when needed.

Connect with community – Foster environments of acceptance and support; look out for one another.

Connect with others – Cultivate relationships with family, friends, and ‘mob’. Share, listen, and show you care.

Connect with nature – Take breaks from screens, enjoy fresh air, slow down, and recharge.

These connections don’t need to look grand or take a lot of time; simple, daily, and small steps often have the greatest impact.

We know that we are at our best, both personally and in supporting others, when our own wellbeing is prioritised. Please encourage gentle check-ins at home with your son to see how they are coping, remind them where they can go if in need of support, and reiterate that speaking up is a sign of strength. I encourage all of us to connect with our community this month.

Mr Scott Murphy
DEPUTY HEADMASTER

Love for Enemies

To be honest, sometimes it is hard to watch or read the current news. It seems that we are constantly bombarded with so much anger and violence. Unfortunately, because of this, so many individuals, families, friends, and communities are left hurting. And all of these people are valued individuals, made in the image of God.

We see versions of this anger in our own communities, from people being cruel on social media while others cut in lines, to someone denting your car in a shopping centre but failing to leave a note or even something scarier like road rage or a home invasion.

So, what does this have to do with God and his story? Well, Jesus had some values around how we should treat people we consider our enemies (not just ‘don’t like’ or ‘don’t get along with’ or ‘can’t stand’).

Luke 6:27-35 says:

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

If we all tried our best to live by the values Christ taught, we could make a positive difference in the world one day at a time. The world is a complicated place, but we each have the power to make our patch of it a little bit more compassionate and patient by following Jesus’ wisdom.

Living as a Christian is no easy life choice. Practising the faith set before us, not just when it’s convenient, but all the time, is challenging. And yet, that is exactly what the Bible calls us to do.

Mr Stephen Ward
CHAPLAIN

BBC and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Suncorp Stadium

As you may well have heard, an exciting announcement was made yesterday on Noblet Oval. We’re delighted to confirm that we’ll be continuing our long and successful relationship with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (REMT) when it arrives in Brisbane early next year, with our incredible Pipe Band set to perform as part of the main event at Suncorp Stadium.

We’re excited for our students to be a part of this record-breaking cultural event for our city and our state. We know that the boys’ phenomenal talent will be unmistakable as they thrive on the international stage.

If you were driving along Miskin Street yesterday morning, you would have seen the small fleet of news vans on hand to share the news. Year 12 student Nicholas Shelburn did a fantastic job as our spokesperson across multiple TV channels, including a live interview with The Today Show. He also called in for a radio interview with 4BC to further spread the good word. Thank you, Nick, for your dedicated support.

Thanks must also go to the Number 1 and Number 2 Pipe Bands, who played beautifully for the broadcasts, and the Number 3 Pipe Band for their contagious good cheer and college spirit. And, of course, none of this would have been possible without the efforts of Mr Stevie Stanley, Mr Stuart Quill, Mr Jamie Hawke, and Mr Andre Casson, whose continued efforts to strengthen and support our Pipe Band have clearly paid dividends.

For more information, you can read an official media release about the announcement.

You can also take a look at the following coverage from:

The Today Show

Channel 7 News

Channel 9 News

Channel 10 News

ABC Breakfast Radio with Craig and Loretta – (BBC from 2:37:46)

4BC Afternoons with Sofie Formica – (BBC from 1:03:07)

ABC Drive – (BBC from 2:20:30)

We look forward to sharing more about BBC’s participation in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in the months ahead as the boys prepare for this unrivalled opportunity.

Changes to Junior School Drop Off and Pick Up Zones

As you may have seen this week, work is underway on our new Junior School Prep Deck, with construction continuing into Term 1, 2026. This splendid new area will provide an additional space for our students to learn, play, and thrive, offering opportunities for both outdoor learning and recreation.

Naturally, a build of this scope requires appropriate safety measures in alignment with our duty of care to boys, staff, and community members. In furtherance of this, a notable portion of the sidewalk below the Junior School Office has been fenced off for the duration of the building process.

This has necessarily affected drop-off and pick-up points along the Junior School access road. There are two drop-off and pick-up zones, one in the staff parking bay directly behind the Noblet Oval cricket nets, which has been temporarily repurposed during the building period, and another at the undercover shelters alongside the Pipe Band Practice Room.

We've created a handy video to show you how things will work while construction is underway. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Junior School Office for additional details.

We appreciate your continued partnership and support as we refine and enhance our campus to ensure that it remains a tailor-made space built for boys where every student can thrive.

Updates to Blue Card Requirements for Volunteers

We wish to inform you of recent amendments to the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000 which came into effect on 20 September 2025.

These changes impact Blue Card requirements for individuals working or volunteering with children.

Key Updates:

1. Introduction of a 7-Day Exemption if a person works or volunteers with children

A 7-day exemption now applies per calendar year (1 January - 31 December), during which a Blue Card is not required, unless the individual is:

A restricted person

Participating in an overnight excursion or camp

Involved in activities requiring close personal contact with a child who is not their own

Please note:

A "day" includes any period of time worked or volunteered within a calendar day, whether a full or part day.

The 7-day exemption is cumulative across all organisations (e.g. 3 days volunteering at a school + 4 days at a sports club = 7 days total).
These requirements apply to all volunteering activities, including weekend events.

2. Declaration requirements for Parent Volunteers

Parent Volunteers who are exempt from holding a Blue Card must complete a declaration confirming they are "Not a Restricted Person".

Actions required:

1. ‎If you are exempt:

(i.e. under the 7-day limit and meet the exemption conditions):

Your host staff member will forward your full name and date of birth to our HR Department before the activity or event, to be recorded on the Blue Card register.

You are also required to complete a "Not a Restricted Person" declaration on the day of the activity or event, which can be done by making use of one of the following: