The next time you visit the School grounds, pause for a moment at the Toowoomba Grammar School Old Boys' Wall of Achievement. This concept was the initiative of the then Deputy Headmaster, Mr Roger Buttenshaw, and was supported by the Board of Trustees, Headmasters Mr Hugh Rose and Mr Peter Hauser, and the TGSOBA - Toowoomba Grammar School Old Boys' Association. The opening of the Wall of Achievement took place in 2003.
Thousands of TGS Old Boys have gone on to lead productive and valuable lives consistent with the time-honoured values of integrity, loyalty, honesty, compassion, respect for others and recognition of the value of effective teamwork. The School seeks to develop these qualities in the current students so that they will mature into good men.
The current students are also encouraged to aspire to do as well as they can in their chosen fields of endeavour. The various plaques on the Wall of Achievement serve as exemplars, telling students to dream big and show pride in their School and the achievements of its past students.
Amongst the former TGS students listed on the Wall of Achievement are:
- The inventor of the rapid transit galloping ambulance used during World War One.
- Rhodes Scholars.
- The Dental Surgeon by appointment to the Royal Family of the United Kingdom.
- An internationally acclaimed magician.
- Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games representatives.
- Diplomats.
- An internationally renowned photographer.
- The Commander of the 5th Light Horse Brigade who was also the first Australian to reach the rank of General.
- A Commonwealth Attorney-General.
- A recipient of a United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights award.
- A recipient of a gold medal for bravery by the Royal Humane Society of England.
- A Junior Doubles tennis champion at Wimbledon.
- Founders of international companies.
- Authors, researchers and academics.
- A captain of an Australian rugby league team.
- A world record holder in perpetuity for the professional 440-yard sprint.
- A captain of an Australian rugby sevens team.
- Federal, state and local politicians.
- CEOs of multinational firms.
- The personal Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to King George VI of England.
- Engineers of international repute.
- An international concert pianist.
- A Queen's Medallion winner for poetry.
- Actors on the international stage.
- A member of the World Health Organisation's Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health.
- A Supreme Court judge.
- A World Bank consultant.
- A former Governor of Victoria.
- A former Governor of New South Wales.
- Rugby Union internationals.
- An acting Governor-General of Australia.
All students at Toowoomba Grammar School have every reason to be proud of their School and the achievements of its Old Boys. More importantly, the current students should be proud of all Old Boys who have matured to be good men – men loyal to their family and partners, men who have displayed honesty, kindness, compassion, resilience, respect for others, respect for hard work and who made useful contributions to society.
- Mr Peter Hauser, Headmaster (2003-19)
Latest Blog
TGS Academic Enrichment Program for Boarders
Toowoomba Grammar School provides an inspiring and broad curriculum for boys, delivered by dedicated educators who understand how to engage boys in their learning. Our staff go above and beyond in providing an outstanding education and support network for our boys. They are regularly available to answer questions, assist with homework and assignments and provide academic support for all our students. This is particularly so for our boarders, thanks to our Academic Enrichment Program (AEP). All…
Teacher as a Student
As a teacher at Toowoomba Grammar School, I teach mathematics and business studies, and manage the GPS Chess team. Prior to teaching, I worked as a financial analyst. Recently I have completed a master's degree in science at the University of Southern Queensland. My study was focused exclusively on data science, and I have become an expert in the management of big data with a specialisation in modelling and forecasting using machine learning techniques. The motivation for this study was…
Developing Healthy Relationships
Healthy relationships are extremely important for the development of mental health in our youth. When you spend time with people you care about, who care about you, this can help you feel connected and supported. This term is one of the largest in regard to boys participating in activities and sports ranging from field, to court, to thought. This is in addition to music and drama programs. At Toowoomba Grammar School, we believe this allows for plenty of opportunity to develop the ability to…
Striving for the Best
Director of Volleyball, Mr Eric Smith has spent the past 20 years at Toowoomba Grammar School not only shaping the minds of the young men in his science classroom but also working tirelessly on improving his capacity to coach volleyball to the highest level. Starting at the School in 2003, Eric quickly rediscovered his passion for volleyball, something he had not experienced since playing for Ipswich Grammar School during the ‘90s. “I felt completely at home back on the volleyball court and…
When it comes to Music, Variety is the Spice of Life
In the Queensland Curriculum, the content of the music syllabus includes the study of the people, places and cultures involved in musical creation and performance. As our country becomes increasingly diverse, it is important for students in every school setting to study a wide variety of musical styles, cultures and genres. The Toowoomba Grammar School Music program of 2022 embraces this holistic approach to the study of music, encouraging teachers and students to explore a variety of musical…
Successful Decision Making - Subject Selections
Term 3 tends to be an important time for students making decisions, and for some, possibly the first time they have really had the opportunity to make a decision that could impact the course of their future. Year 8 students are taking control of their academic program for the first time, being able to select their electives for Year 9. For most, these decisions are mainly about getting the opportunity to pursue subjects which interest them and the joy of not taking some subjects which really do…
TGS Rugby Ambassadors' Program
“As a Grammar boy, you have the Blue and Gold in your blood for life. You’ve got connections and networks because of this special bond. It’s hard to describe what it is exactly; I think it stems from the history and traditions that are passed down to each generation but it’s something you carry your entire life, you’re part of this team.” – TGS Old Boy (1960-63) John Campbell, Senior Prefect 1963, Captain 1st XV Rugby 1963. John was excited to learn in a recent edition of The Blue and Gold…
TGS Leading the Way for IT in Education
Toowoomba Grammar School is fortunate to have a strong partnership with Microsoft / School Locker. We are a Microsoft Lighthouse School, leading the way in technological advancement and deployment in Australian schools. This recognition would not be possible without two key factors: our “whole school” approach to IT, whereby the School supplies every student with the same devices, ensuring equality for all boys from Prep to Year 12.our dedicated IT team, who are based on-site to immediately…
Holiday Reading
Reading is one of those activities that, the more you do, the better you get, and with the holidays fast approaching, now is the perfect time to read that book you’ve always wanted to, finish a book you’ve started or try something new. It is important to keep reading over the holidays, so that we don’t step backward in our reading journey. As the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has found, reading for pleasure is a habit that can prove essential to performing well…
