HERITAGE WALK

The structure which houses the Chapel of the Annunciation started its life in 1972 as the school gymnasium. Under the guidance of architect Brian Dowling, the building underwent an extensive conversion and, in 1988, was officially opened as the School’s place of worship.

The building includes public and private worship spaces known as the Chapel of the Annunciation and The Lady Chapel respectively. In 1989, the Parents & Friends Association donated the Knud Smenge pipe organ and the Old Grammarians’ Association gifted the stained glass window which is based on Chapter 8 of the Book of Proverbs, and was designed by Grammarian Ede Horton (1971). The Chapel also contains a number of other gifts from member of the school community including candlesticks, pews and the Archer Bell (donated in 2001).

Like many of the buildings on campus, the Chapel has evolved over time adjusting to increasing enrolments. Originally located in a small classroom in the Boarding House, the Chapel was later allocated temporary space at the rear of the former Assembly Hall when the Boarding House underwent renovations in the late 1960s. This move improved the accessibility for day girls wishing to attend services and take up positions as chapel servers, a role usually reserved for Boarders.

The Chapel is an integral part of daily life at CGGS. During any given week, a range of Chapel services are held for students, staff and the School community with students regularly engaged in the planning and running of each service. In addition to special Easter and Christmas services, the Chapel also hosts Grammarians who wish to return to their former school to celebrate marriages and baptisms or to honour the passing of loved-ones.

Despite having been part of the CGGS environment for decades, Hargrave Oval was not officially dedicated until 19 February 1998. It was named after Mr Frank C Hargrave, a long serving member of the School Board and integral member of the Parents & Friends Association.

Mr Hargrave, a member of the Board from August 1946 to December 1963 also headed the Sports Ground Committee.

The oval is the school’s main sporting field and is also utilised for major events including fetes, picnics and the whole-of-school photograph, taken every five years.

From the terraced steps overlooking the oval, there are sweeping views across to the Brindabellas with Mount Stromlo and the National Arboretum in the foreground.

The Waterman Centre, built in 1984, was designed to be a functional and practical space for Creative Arts and Design. The building was named after Herbert Roy Waterman who, in 1933, was the inaugural President of the Parents & Friends Association and first Chairman of the School Board. He remained on the Board until 1950 and was also one of the first shareholders in the company officially formed in 1935 to acquire the school from the Sisters of the Church.

A prime example of 1980’s architecture, the building earned its designers, Collard Clarke and Jackson, the Canberra Medallion for Excellence in Architecture in 1985. The Canberra Times commented on the style of the building as, “Creating an environment that has the elusive feeling of order and playfulness at the same time, so essential for a building of this type.”

A logical and and uncomplicated floorplan features studio spaces - used for the exploration of visual arts (including painting, drawing, ceramic sculpture) and graphic design - clustered around a spacious multi-use exhibition area. Upstairs, specialised spaces are used for the study of textiles and fashion design. Students’ work is displayed throughout the building, from photographs which have been developed in the centre’s darkroom to handcrafted pottery fired in the kiln which is also located in the building.

In the gardens surrounding the Waterman Centre, more examples of students’ work are evident, including a sculpture by Maryanne Nairn (1985) who returned to CGGS as an Artist-in-residence in 1998. At the rear of the building is an extra creative space in the form of a shipping container featuring a mural by past student Georgia Goodnow (2012).

The Waterman Centre is positioned on the most elevated position of the Senior School campus, enabling all major spaces in the building to take advantage of distant, virtually unimpaired views including the Brindabella ranges.

On 19 February 1998, the IT and Food Science Centre was opened along with the Drama Centre and the official naming of the Senior School’s Hargrave Oval.

In order to keep up with the rapid advances in technology, the IT Centre is constantly evolving and students are encouraged to pursue ideas and careers that might not have been available to them in earlier days of the school.

The centre has three separate computer labs with a central ‘innovation space’ which was realised in 2016 thanks to the generous support of the CGGS Parents and Friends Association. This area, which incorporates state-of-the-art 3D printers, provides students with exciting opportunities to make use of their technology skills and creativity in delivering both curriculum based and personal projects.

Students studying Information Technology have embraced the ICT Centre and its facilities to work on projects which bring together emerging technologies to create innovative solutions to existing problems, such as creating 3D printed prosthetic arms to informative applications.

The northern most corner of the building is a dedicated to the Food Science Centre. Prior to its opening, students made use of multi-purpose classrooms which only offered basic kitchen facilities. The centre is used by students studying food science subjects along with those learning languages. Having access to the more extensive facility gives students the chance to explore different cultures and their foods through cooking.

The Senior School Hall was officially opened in 2004 (on the same day as the Music Centre) by His Excellency Governor General Major-General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC.

The Junior, Intermediate and Senior Chapel choirs performed ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ at the opening ceremony and later in the evening, the first of many school musical productions, ‘Beach Blanket Tempest’ was performed.

The Hall can seat up to 1,000 people and features retractable seating, which opens up the entire floor level of the Hall. An impressive acoustic and sound system completes the state-of-the-art facility making it the perfect venue to hold large scale productions such as concerts and musicals. It also caters as a meeting place when the Senior School community gathers once a week for assemblies. On a more informal basis, the Hall is used by students and teachers for incursions and members of the wider community who visit the school for information sessions and seminars.

In addition to providing the School with a space to stage performances, speech nights and assemblies, our textile and design students use the space for their annual fashion parade while members of the student media committee oversee the sound and lighting for all events held in the Hall, providing them with valuable experience in a professional environment.

Prior to the construction of the Hall, our student body crowded into a space which had capacity to seat only 600 people (not enough for a Senior School population of 1000 students, plus staff). The original school hall underwent significant remodelling and is now home to the Music Centre.

The construction of the Senior School Hall was generously supported by Gabriel Foundation.

Originally constructed as the Assembly Hall and opened by the Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Robert Menzies on 20 September 1964, this building was converted to the Music Centre in 2004.

The design of the top floor is centred around the recital room, which has a duel function as both a rehearsal and performance space. The original floorboards of the Assembly Hall, polished to peak condition and illuminated by natural light from the quadrangle, bring a warmth to the room and also offer a glimpse into our rich performance heritage.

Soundproof practice rooms, classrooms, a library, staff room and reception area complete the top level of this building. Students attending music classes throughout the day bring the halls to life with the magical sound of their instruments and voices.

On the lower level, an innovative computer laboratory offers students unparalleled access to equipment enabling them to work in groups or individually to explore composition through digital technology. This level is also home to the percussion room, conveniently located close to the Hall making life that little bit easier for students moving heavy instruments to the stage for performances.

Remnants of the original administration offices and textbook hire space are visible on the lower level of the building, adjacent to the car park.

The School’s music facilities were previously located where the Senior School staff common room currently resides (opposite the Hall). With the increased population of the school and the growth of our music program, the need for larger and more specialised facilities became apparent. This resulted in the conversion of the former Assembly Hall into the Music Centre.

This project was generously supported by Gabriel Foundation.

The library you see today was originally constructed in 1972 after it outgrew several other locations including a small room in the Boarding House – where the reception area is now located.

Before moving to its current, the library formed part of a new block which was built in 1965 with financial support in the form of a £38,000 government grant and additional funds from the School community. An extension in 1967 catered for a dedicated reference section to meet the increasing emphasis on research required for essay writing. It was during this time a decision was made allow students access to the library after school. This allowed girls more time to undertake research projects or simply make the most of a tranquil space amongst thousands of books.

As the girls’ passion for reading and literature grew, so too did the need for a more comprehensive library and space to accommodate it. When the library moved to its current location, a line of 4th Year students (now known as Year 10), spent a day carrying the 10,000 books across the campus to their new shelves.

In 1985 a dedicated fiction area was added to the existing space and in 2000, it became home to the textbook room – originally located in the old administration building.

Over the course of multiple moves and extensions, the library relied on generous donations from our school community to fill the shelves and provide prizes for students, a tradition which continues to this day.

The Gabriel Centre consists of the Lower Gabriel Centre, constructed in 1977 and the Upper Gabriel Centre which was added in 1990.

In 1976, under the guidance of Headmistress Jennifer Shaw, it was decided a distinction needed to be drawn between students in the junior years and those in ‘college’ – many of whom were young adults, already old enough to vote. With help from the government, the School was able to finance the development of the Gabriel Centre and, with building completed in May 1977, it made it a fitting way to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the School.

A double storey extension to the Gabriel Centre was completed in 1990, housing six new classrooms, a staff room, a Year 11-12 common area with enclosed patio and a careers room. The technology in the existing lecture theatre was upgraded to create a multimedia theatre with state of the art audio visual equipment.

In 2016, classrooms in the Gabriel Centre are generally used for geography and Asian studies while the common room creates a ‘college style atmosphere’ for senior students.

The views from the second storey of the building rival some of the best in Canberra, overlooking Parliament House to the north and the Brindabellas to the south west.

The Gabriel Centre was one of the first school buildings established through generous financial support from the Grammarians Association and the Gabriel Foundation.

This modern, purpose-built facility was officially opened in February 1998 in conjunction with the Information Technology Centre. The location of the site proved somewhat challenging. However, under the careful guidance of Integrated Construction Management Services and architects from Collard Clarke and Jackson, a functional and attractive building was realised.

The Centre’s main feature is a large performance space which includes specialist lighting and sound equipment and seats up to 100 guests. There are three smaller studios on the lower floor while upstairs there is a full-size, professional dance studio. Before the construction of the centre, a modest drama space was located in a multi-purpose wing, opposite the existing Music Centre, which was demolished to make way for the quadrangle.

Adjacent to the building is an outdoor amphitheatre which provides an additional performance space and outside classroom for when the weather is fine. During the summer months, drama students are able to showcase their talents with early evening performances.

The Drama Centre has hosted major productions including The Breakfast Club and The Importance of Being Ernest along with regular ‘Summer Shorts’ and ‘Autumn Shorts’ – series’ of short plays performed by Year 7 and 8 girls and directed by Senior students.

During school holidays, the space is regularly hired out to external performing arts organisations such as graduates of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) who conduct drama classes for up and coming actors, including our own students.

This impressive complex was constructed in two stages throughout 2011 and 2012. The original ‘B Block’ and science laboratories - which had been in use for over 50 years - were demolished to make way for the state-of-the-art buildings you see today.

The new ‘B Block’ was completed in 2011 and comprises two levels of classroom space situated above storage and archival space, student locker bays and a car park. This structure provides flexible teaching and learning spaces with an emphasis on indoor/outdoor connection. Sunlight floods the classrooms which are used for a variety of subjects including English and mathematics.

Staff and students embraced the upgraded facilities, in particular the new and improved heating system.

An enclosed walkway links B Block with the Science Wing which was officially opened in May 2012 by Nobel Prize winning astrophysicist Professor Brian Schmidt.

CGGS has always been active in encouraging girls to pursue a career in the sciences. Investment in infrastructure to support this commitment started in the late 1950s with the School receiving the first ever ACT government grant made to a school. The funding, specifically intended to encourage science education, helped build the original science block which faced Empire Circuit.

Eventually the existing facilities began to show their age and lack of contemporary resources and the decision was taken to construct the new Science Wing. Today students enjoy access to hi-tech amenities in dedicated laboratories and classrooms.

At the northern end of the building, the foyer and atrium offer views across manicured grounds to the British High Commissioner’s residence. This space is used regularly for functions, alumni reunions and exhibitions of student work.

The Science Wing received the Master Builders’ Association Excellence in Building Award in 2012. The building is the largest single investment in infrastructure in the School’s history.

Built to mark the 60^th Anniversary of the School, the Jubilee Sports Centre was opened on 11 September 1987 after years of fundraising by the school community, Gabriel Foundation and the School Board.

The building, one of the first school sports centres in Australia, was a much needed upgrade from the original gymnasium where some enthusiastic girls on the trampoline would hit their heads on the ceiling!

Today students enjoy a full-sized gym with various court markings for basketball, netball, badminton and volleyball. The complex contains a fitness room, fully equipped change-rooms, a classroom and ample equipment storage. Photographs of past and current students who have represented Australia in their chosen sport are on display creating our very own sporting hall of fame. Adjacent to the centre are full sized outdoor basketball, netball and tennis courts.

Almost ten years after the official opening of the gym, its completion was finally realised with the opening of Swimming Centre which is located underneath the Jubilee Sports Centre. The days of girls piling into the School’s mini vans to swim at public pools became a distant memory - we finally had not one, but two pools of our own.

Just a few months after the pool was opened, the builders of the Swimming Centre, Integrated Construction, were recognised by the Master Builders’ Association for their achievement in ‘Extensions, Refurbishments or Alterations – Technical Difficulty or Innovation’.

The multi-purpose Administration Hub was completed in September 2010 and officially opened in May 2011.

As the school grew in size, so too did the need to expand the area allocated to administration. Until the Administration Hub was built, the main reception and associated offices were located in the old ‘B Block’ – which still exists, only now as part of the Music Centre.

The main reception for the Senior School campus is located on the ground floor of the Administration Hub and provides a central point for students and parents to interact with the School. Also on this level are administrative offices and a multi-configuration boardroom and meeting room – allowing flexibility for meetings, official receptions and school tours, student council meetings. The facilities are also made available to the extended CGGS community including the Parents & Friends Committee. The light-filled foyer provides visitors to the school with a modern sitting area adjacent to the various school honour boards and displays showcasing students work.

The Principal’s office and meeting room are sited on the first floor with a balcony overlooking Melbourne Avenue. A shared sitting area - directly behind the suspended CGGS crest at the front of the building - links the Head of Senior School office with Directors’ offices and Student Services. The School Chaplain’s office is also located on the first floor of the building.

Originally housed in the Boarding House and later within the Jubilee Sports Centre, the School Shop is now conveniently located at street level in the Administration Hub. Burgmann and Glebe ‘house rooms are located beside the shop.

In March 1972, the Junior School (located five minute’s walk away, on Grey Street) was officially opened much to the delight of the students and staff who happily relocated from a dilapidated wooden schoolhouse which had been erected on the Melbourne Avenue site.

Like the rest of the school, junior students were originally located at Glebe House and moved to Melbourne Avenue in 1928. Enrolment numbers were increasing and after several basic buildings were utilised throughout the war years, a need for a dedicated Junior School soon became apparent. It wasn’t until 1969 that plans to build a separate junior campus were approved by the government.

Ten years after opening, additional facilities were added to the Junior School campus including a gymnasium, music room, art room, practical activity room, two new classrooms and an expanded library. 1992 saw more changes with new tennis and basketball courts, new front entry gates (to match the Senior School gates - which were donated by the Grammarians’ Association) - and a new oval, which was named after CGGS’s first Junior School Principal, Meg Kavanagh.

Monday, 7 September 1998 saw a fire sweep through the Junior School destroying four classrooms, computer rooms, offices, students’ work and staff resources. Thankfully, no one was injured and it was comforting that following this terrible event the CGGS community demonstrated wonderful support to the School. After just a few months of using demountable classrooms and amenities, the damaged section of the building was repaired and daily life returned to normal at the beginning of 1999.

To meet the growing needs of the school, the Clements Multipurpose Hall was opened in October 2010 after the original hall was demolished to make way for a larger facility. Students use the space for indoor sports, while the stage and audio visual equipment cater for assemblies and chapel services. An entry foyer, a mezzanine floor attached to the hall, student facilities and administration offices also form part of this expansion.

Once inside the front door, students and staff enjoy access to a sublime courtyard linking the original building with the new. The enthusiasm of the children moving about the campus is obvious, especially as they enter the library and adjoining innovation space where their young minds are encouraged to be creative.

The Junior School building refurbishment and extensions to classrooms was generously supported by the Gabriel Foundation.

The Early Learning Centre, located at the western end of the Junior School campus was opened in May 2004. This co-educational centre is designed to create a stimulating, challenging and safe learning environment for our youngest students.

Great attention has been given to the look and feel of the classrooms and open spaces within the Centre. Children are encouraged to interact with a variety of materials, textures and modes of expression – inside and outside – to provide a multi-sensory learning environment.

The establishment of the the Early Learning Centre was generously supported by Gabriel Foundation.