Wavell State High School

Wavell State High School is a coeducational independent public secondary school based in Wavell Heights, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The school has a total enrolment of more than 1500 students from years 7–12, with an official count of 1674 students in 2019. Since 2021, the role of Executive Principal of the School has been held by Elizabeth Foster.

Some of the school's buildings are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.

History

Wavell State High School opened on 27 January 1959 under the leadership of the founding Principal, C.E. Anstey. As the suburb of the school, Wavell Heights, which was named in 1942, Wavell State High School was named after Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell (5 May 1883 – 24 May 1950), a Commander-in-Chief of British and Dominion Forces in the Middle East from July 1939 to July 1941. Many Australians served under his command during the early period of World War II; mostly in North Africa, Greece, Crete and Syria.

In 2018 many of the original buildings received State Government Heritage Listing due to their cultural and historical significance.

In early 2021, Jeff Major, the school's 8th and longest serving principal, announced he was going on extended leave to finalise his retirement plans. Replacing him, is MacGregor's Elizabeth Foster.

Sporting houses

Wavell State High School's four sporting houses, Alamein, Burma, Keren and Tobruk, are named in reference to places and battles associated with Earl Wavell:

• Alamein commemorates the Second Battle of El Alamein, the turning point of World War II in the Middle East. After two frustrating years of successes followed by reverses, British and Dominion forces led by Lt. General Bernard Montgomery successfully fought this decisive battle from 23 October to 4 November 1942 near El Alamein, in Northern Egypt, not far from Alexandria and Cairo. The Australian Ninth Division had an important role in the battle. The German and Italian Armies subsequently retreated to Tunis where they surrendered in May 1943.
• Burma, part of Wavell's responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief of the south-West Pacific, was invaded in December 1941 by the Japanese Army who gained control of the country by May 1942. This occupation posed threats for India and Ceylon and severed the Chinese nationalists' main line of communication with the outside world via the port of Rangoon. Allied policy was that Germany should be defeated before Japan and only limited resources were available to assist Wavell and his successors. However, operations by soldiers known as Chindits were organised behind enemy lines during Wavell's time as Commander-in-Chief. Australian Air Force and Navy personnel were among those Allied forces who retook Burma in 1945.
• Keren was the location of a decisive and bitter battle from 15 to 26 March 1941 in which British troops defeated Italian troops, paving the way for British control of East Africa and thereby removing some of the threat posed by the Axis powers to British interests in the Mediterranean. British success in March followed an earlier unsuccessful attempt to secure the area in a battle from 3 to 13 February. The town of Keren is located in a mountain area in the north of Eritrea, near the Red Sea. At the time, Eritrea was one of the six provinces of Italian East Africa.
• Tobruk was the scene of a siege in which allied servicemen defended the town against the German Army from 10 April to 7 December 1941. This siege of 242 days is the longest in British Military history. The defenders, who were outnumbered ten to three, included Australians of the Ninth Division and a Brigade of the Seventh Division, as well as troops from Britain, India and Poland. By holding this strategic port in Libya the Allies were able to thwart the progress of the German Armies in their quest to control Egypt and the Suez Canal. The Rats of Tobruk Association, survivors of the siege, donated a debating trophy which is presented each year at Wavell State High School's Wavell Speech Night.

Notable alumni

The school is known for producing many rugby league footballers that have played in the NRL.

Rugby league

Other sports

• Jason Akermanis, Australian Rules footballer
• Madonna Blyth, field hockey player
• Naomi Castle, water polo player in 2000 & 2004 Olympics. Gold medallist at 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Captain (2004).
• Joyce Lester OAM, softball player, 1996 Olympics Bronze Medal, Team member 1977–1996, Captain (1985–1996)
• Sandra Yost, Commonwealth Games Swimmer 1974 Gold 200m Butterfly, Silver 200m Backstroke, Bronze 100m Butterfly

Other

• Anthony Chisholm, Senator
• Sir Ross Cranston, High Court of Justice of England and Wales
• Jessica and Lisa Origliasso of The Veronicas
• Peter Timms, koala conservationist

Notable staff

• Ross Henrick

References

External links

• Official website