Our Founding Story

Through the Great Depression, Canberra weathered an economic setback. In 1933, St Gabriel’s was renamed Canberra Church of England Girls’ Grammar School. Due to economic hardships and a declining city population, the School came close to closing down, but it was rescued in 1935 by Canon Robertson and a dedicated group of parents and friends who took the dramatic step of purchasing it from the Sisters.

Following World War II, there was a boom in the birth rate and an increase in the number of migrants arriving in Australia. Canberra’s development accelerated with the expansion of suburbs and their associated services. As a result, the School’s student population increased.

Education as a concept was growing. Canberra Church of England Girls’ Grammar School was one of a number of government and independent schools which expanded to meet the enrolment demands of the ‘baby boomer’ generation.

Government science grants supported the School’s building program in the 1960s, as Canberra grew during a time of great optimism and buoyancy.

In 1972, the Junior School moved to a new campus on Grey Street in Deakin to allow for the expansion of both the Senior and Junior Schools.

In 1988, the School received a new backdrop with the official opening of ‘new’ Parliament House, which can still be seen from the school grounds.

New buildings sprang up inside the Senior School campus as well, including the Waterman Arts Centre in 1984 and the Jubilee Sports Centre in 1987. The new Chapel was consecrated in 1988.

In 1996, the Elizabeth McKay Aquatic Centre opened on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, strengthening the School's rowing and watersports program.

In 2001, the School changed its name to Canberra Girls Grammar School.

The Early Learning Centre opened in 2004, providing education to three- and four-year-olds.

A multipurpose building with flexible teaching and learning spaces was opened in 2011, along with additional staff and student facilities. 2012 saw the commissioning of a new, modern Science wing, and an Innovation Centre for the promotion of STEM subjects was added in 2016.

In 2018, a new multipurpose learning facility, known as Yhuuramulum (Ngunnawal for ‘to dream’), opened next to the School’s Elizabeth McKay Aquatic Centre, providing flexible curriculum delivery opportunities for students from Prep to Year 12.

In the same year, the Early Learning Centre building expanded its facilities creating a welcoming courtyard playground space and renovated learning spaces. The new facility received the Derek Wrigley Award for Sustainable Architecture and the Award for Educational Architecture at the 2019 ACT Architecture Awards.

From its humble beginnings of sheep paddocks and ten original students, Canberra Girls Grammar School has come a long way. As we progress into the 2020s, the School will continue to meet the demands of students and their parents – from defence force and embassy families, and students from rural, regional and overseas locations, to day students and boarders. We can’t wait for you to join us and, together, experience what the decade has in store for our exceptional school.