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House System

Students in the Junior School join one of four Houses where they work as a team in a range of activities such as the annual Inter-House Shield competition. Students meet in their Houses fortnightly for planning and practice as well as sharing and celebrating.

Every student from Preparatory is placed in a House. Students with a family House association will join same House. 

Each House is named after a strong female figure in Australia’s history, and has an Australian animal emblem and an assigned colour.

 

Bates House


Daisy Bates was an Irish journalist who, having lived in Australia briefly before returning to England, was sent to investigate reports of poor treatment of Aboriginal people. She based herself mainly around Ooldea, camping, living and working among the Aboriginal people of the Musgrave Ranges in north-western South Australia for over 30 years from 1913. Bates House’s colour is blue and its emblem is a platypus.

 

Chisholm House


Caroline Chisholm is honoured as 'the immigrants’ friend'. She was appalled at the conditions of immigrant women in Sydney in the early 1800s when it was still a convict town. For the rest of her life she worked both in Australia and in England to improve living and working conditions for young female immigrants. Caroline Chisholm’s face was on the five dollar note for more than twenty years. The koala is Chisholm House’s emblem and its members wear purple.

 

Gilmore House

Poet and writer, Dame Mary Gilmore took part in William Lane’s ill-fated experimental utopia in Paraguay, before returning to Australia to continue to write. She is honoured on Australia’s 10 dollar note. Gilmore House's members wear yellow and their emblem is a kangaroo.

 

Mackellar House

Dorothea Mackellar, probably Australia’s most famous female poet, was born and raised in Sydney and at family properties in the Gunnedah region. Dorothea spoke five languages and wrote her most famous poem My Country while feeling homesick in England. Mackellar House's members wear orange and their emblem is a wombat.