Ferny Grove State High School

Ferny Grove State High School
Location
Ferny Grove , Queensland Australia
Coordinates	27.406172°S 152.934552°E / -27.406172; 152.934552
Information
Type	Independent public school
Motto	Always Aim High
Established	1980 (1980)
Principal	Kiah Lanham
Enrolment	1963 (2021)
Colour(s)	peppermint green/bottle green
Website	Official School Webpage

Ferny Grove State High School is a public secondary school in the suburb of Ferny Grove, in Brisbane, Australia.

The school has a total enrolment of more than 1900 students, with an official count of 1961 students in 2023.[1] In 2007, the school won the award for the most innovative music program in Queensland.[2] Ferny Grove also won the award for the cleanest school for 8 years, with the latest Green and Healthy Schools award being won in 2010.[3]

History

The school was opened in 1980 on its current site at McGinn Road, Ferny Grove, near the Ferny Grove Railway Station and primary school; the Primary school is located in Finvoy Street.

Principals

• Keith Tabulo (1980–1982)
• Tony Marsland (1982–1985)
• Ralph Took (1985–2000)
• Russell Burguez (Acting) (2000)
• Chris Rider (2000–2007)
• Kaye Gardner (2007–2010)
• David Sutton (Acting) (2010)
• Mark Breckenridge (2010–2017)
• John Schuh (2018–2021)
• Joseba Larrazabal (Acting) (2021)
• Janelle Amos (Acting) (2021)
• Kiah Lanham (Acting) (2022–present)

Teachers

Notable teachers at the school include John Howard Amundsen who taught the subjects of manual arts, media and business.[4][5] Amundsen gained notoriety in May 2006, after a stockpile of explosives and detonators were found in his home which caused the school to be evacuated and searched.[4][5][6][7][8] On 10 May 2006, the school was closed for most of the morning as police with sniffer dogs checked classrooms, before they declared it safe for students and staff to resume lessons.[5] In a Brisbane court on 11 May 2006, he was charged with fraudulently obtaining 53 kg of the explosive substance Powergel.[8] He was charged with preparing a terrorist act, as well as two counts of making a threat and making a hoax threat.[8] In February 2007, the charges of terrorism and making a hoax threat were dropped but replaced with new charges of possessing incendiary devices and having dangerous goods in a vehicle.[9][10]

Campus

Location

The school is located in the suburb of Ferny Grove in Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. It is situated on McGinn Road, neighbouring Ferny Grove State School and the Ferny Grove Railway Station.

Alumni

• Andrew Letherby,[11] long-distance runner. Bronze medallist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
• Anthony Lister,[11] artist.
• Barry Berrigan, rugby league player.^[citation needed]
• Jharal Yow Yeh,[11][12] rugby league player. Represented Queensland and Australia.
• Julia Robinson,[11] NRLW player
• Justin Hodges,[11][13] rugby league player. Represented Queensland and Australia. Won premierships in 2002 and 2006. Captain of the Brisbane Broncos from 2014-15. Dally M Centre of the Year in 2007.
• Lisa and Jessica Origliasso[14] of The Veronicas. The sisters sang together in the 1998 Ferny High school talent quest and placed second.[15]
• Lochlan Watt^[citation needed]
• Kenny Dougall, Australian football player, competed in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Matches.^[citation needed]
• Melina Vidler,[11] actress. Won Most Outstanding Newcomer – Actress at the 2016 Logie Awards.
• Remy Hii,[11] actor. Won Most Outstanding Newcomer at the 2014 Logie Awards.
• Rohan Bail, Australian rules footballer.^[citation needed]
• Ryan Williams,[11] former German teacher at the school before leaving to pursue a medical career.[16] Winner of the TJ Ryan award.[17]
• Sharon Cripps,[11] sprinter. Gold medallist at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Competed at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.
• Shaun Berrigan,[11][18] rugby league player. Represented Queensland and Australia. Won premierships in 2000 and 2006. Clive Churchill medallist in 2006.
• Stephen Eaton,[11][19] OAM,[20] athlete. Gold medallist at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.
• Tamara Nowitzki,[11][21] swimmer. Silver medallist at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.

Notes and references

1. "Ferny Grove State High School Enrolment 2023". Department of Education and Training (Queensland). February 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
2. "Unmasking excellence in state schools: More to the music". Education Queensland. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
3. "Ferny Grove State High School named Brisbane's Greenest & Healthiest School!" (PDF). Green and Healthy Schools (Queensland). 18 August 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2008.^[permanent dead link‍]
4. "Teacher refused bail over bombs". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 May 2006. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
5. Kennedy, Les (11 May 2006). "Bin Laden in the classroom". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 8 September 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
6. "Brisbane teacher to face court again over explosives find". ABC News. 11 May 2006. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
7. Oakes, Dan (11 May 2006). "Teacher charged over explosives and detonators". The Age. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
8. "Teacher up for terrorism". News24. 11 May 2006. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
9. Meade, Kevin (20 February 2007). "Teacher's terror charge dropped". The Australian. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
10. "Terrorism Court Cases". Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
11. "Past students". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
12. "STARS SHINE FOR THE KIDS". North-West News (1 ed.). Brisbane, Australia. 13 June 2012. p. 022. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
13. "Redemption". Pine Rivers Press (1 ed.). Brisbane, Australia. 4 June 2003. p. 044. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
14. "The Veronicas Board: What high school, or part of brisbane". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007.
15. Ferny Grove State High School: Magazine (1998). p. 70. 2nd Place: Lisa and Jessica Origlasso with a song and dance
16. Ferny Grove State High School Archived 2006-12-12 at the Wayback Machine
17. "TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarship: Past medallists". The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts). Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
18. "Ferny Grove State High School: History". Ferny Grove State High School. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
19. "Big throw". Northside Chronicle (1 ed.). Brisbane, Australia. 1 November 2000. p. 062. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
20. "Eaton, Stephen Robert, OAM". It's an Honour. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
21. OLIVER, LEE. "Swimmer's Story Splashed Over Pages Of New Book". Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2015.