Kirwan State High School
Encyclopedia
Kirwan State High School is a coeducational state school located in Kirwan
, Queensland
, Australia
, approximately 12 kilometres (7 mi) from the Townsville
CBD
. It has 2,304 students and over 120 teaching staff, making it the biggest high school in the state and the largest in North Queensland
and The former Thuringowa city.
.
, Cricket
, Hockey
, Netball
, Rugby League
, Touch Football
, Soccer and Volleyball
). Kirwan has won 16 Queensland Championships in sports such as Soccer, Hockey, Indoor Cricket and Rugby League. Several students are enrolled in programs run by the Australian Institute of Sport
and its Queensland state equivalent.
In 2006, two former students from the class of 2002, Sam Thaiday
and Jacob Lillyman
gained selection in the
Queensland State of Origin
team and Brent Webb
(1996) played a significant role in the 2005 Tri Nations winning New Zealand Kiwis. Long-serving North Queensland Cowboys
' hooker Aaron Payne
also attended the school. Lisa Braunburger (Sports Captain 2005), has also gained selection in the Australian under 19’s team and has just been recruited in the Townsville Fire
in the National Women’s Basketball League.
Kirwan State High School is also a regular participant in the Arrive Alive Cup, a competition held for sporting excellence schools nation-wide, and is also known for its rivalry with Ignatius Park College, the other leading school in Townsville Rugby League. Iggy and Kirwan host matches against each other in rugby league annually and usually draw large crowds.
competition, winning 3rd placing in 2003. It is also known for holding musicals once a year at Townsville's premier cultural center, the 1000 seat Townsville Civic Theatre. The students from Kirwan have presented a wide range of musicals including: Grease, The Sound of Music, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Disco Inferno, Oliver, Annie, Grease, Pirates of Penzance and, most recently, Back to the 80's.
Another unique offering by Kirwan is its Music Excellence program. Students apply to join the music excellence program in grade 8 and are offered extra music classes and play in specialised grade 8 music excellence ensembles.
Kirwan is also known for its vibrant instrumental and vocal music programs. Many talented young musicians learn and play instruments from all instrument groups, including brass, woodwind, percussion, strings, guitar and vocals. The school offers a vast range of music ensembles for these students to showcase these skills. These include: string ensembles, a percussion ensemble, multiple small woodwind groups, a brass ensemble, two concert bands (the Wind Symphony and the junior concert band), multiple choirs and two jazz bands (the junior stage band and the Kirwan State High School Big Band)
All of these ensembles are directed by Kirwan High music teachers and have shared considerable success in the Townsville region. The Kirwan State High School Band in particular is renowned in the region and is highly sought after to perform their diverse range of jazz at a variety of events.
Kirwan, Queensland
Kirwan is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Kirwan includes parks, shopping, Kirwan State High School and private schools as well as the Riverway complex which has a great deal of entertainment from swimming, BBQ's and family outings to cultural events including an art gallery and...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, approximately 12 kilometres (7 mi) from the Townsville
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
CBD
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. It has 2,304 students and over 120 teaching staff, making it the biggest high school in the state and the largest in North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
and The former Thuringowa city.
History
Kirwan first took in year 8 students in January 1979, and was formally opened on 3 November 1979 by Sir Llewellyn EdwardsLlewellyn Edwards
Sir Llewellyn Roy Edwards, AC was the twelfth Chancellor of the University of Queensland, a Queensland state politician and state Liberal Party leader, as well as Chair and CEO of the 1988 World Exposition, Brisbane's World Expo '88...
.
Sport
Kirwan State High School is a nationally recognised school for its performances in Sport, and has run a range of Sports Excellence Programs which have been established for the past twelve years. In year 8, students are selected for the general Sports Excellence Program; then, in year 9, they progress to the sport-specific Excellence Programs in (BasketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
, Netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
, Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, Touch Football
Touch football (rugby league)
Touch is a field sport also known as Touch Football, or in some countries as Touch Rugby. Touch is overseen worldwide by the Federation of International Touch . Touch has traditionally been played in Australia and New Zealand but the sport has expanded internationally and features many regional and...
, Soccer and Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
). Kirwan has won 16 Queensland Championships in sports such as Soccer, Hockey, Indoor Cricket and Rugby League. Several students are enrolled in programs run by the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
and its Queensland state equivalent.
In 2006, two former students from the class of 2002, Sam Thaiday
Sam Thaiday
Samuel H. "Sam" Thaiday is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he has spent all of his career at the Broncos, with whom he won the 2006...
and Jacob Lillyman
Jacob Lillyman
Jacob Lillyman is an Australian professional rugby league footaller, currently playing for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League. Lillyman formerly played in the second row, where he had appeared for Queensland in State of Origin...
gained selection in the
Queensland State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
team and Brent Webb
Brent Webb
Brent Webb is an Australian-born New Zealand rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Leeds in the Super League. Webb plays as a full-back and is a former New Zealand international.-Early years:...
(1996) played a significant role in the 2005 Tri Nations winning New Zealand Kiwis. Long-serving North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
' hooker Aaron Payne
Aaron Payne
Aaron Payne is an Australian rugby league player. He has played for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League competition throughout his professional career. His preferred position is hooker....
also attended the school. Lisa Braunburger (Sports Captain 2005), has also gained selection in the Australian under 19’s team and has just been recruited in the Townsville Fire
Townsville Fire
The Townsville Fire are a basketball team competing in the Australian Women's National Basketball League . Since being established for the 2001/2002 WNBL season, the Fire have sustained community support, but on-court success has eluded them....
in the National Women’s Basketball League.
Kirwan State High School is also a regular participant in the Arrive Alive Cup, a competition held for sporting excellence schools nation-wide, and is also known for its rivalry with Ignatius Park College, the other leading school in Townsville Rugby League. Iggy and Kirwan host matches against each other in rugby league annually and usually draw large crowds.
Arts
Kirwan has an active participation in the arts and music, and has competed consistently in the annual Rock Eisteddfod ChallengeRock Eisteddfod Challenge
The Rock Eisteddfod Challenge is a series of dance and drama events staged worldwide by school pupils as part of the Global Rock Challenge. These events are initiated by the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Foundation, and aim to promote healthy lifestyle choices, particularly abstinence from drugs,...
competition, winning 3rd placing in 2003. It is also known for holding musicals once a year at Townsville's premier cultural center, the 1000 seat Townsville Civic Theatre. The students from Kirwan have presented a wide range of musicals including: Grease, The Sound of Music, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Disco Inferno, Oliver, Annie, Grease, Pirates of Penzance and, most recently, Back to the 80's.
Another unique offering by Kirwan is its Music Excellence program. Students apply to join the music excellence program in grade 8 and are offered extra music classes and play in specialised grade 8 music excellence ensembles.
Kirwan is also known for its vibrant instrumental and vocal music programs. Many talented young musicians learn and play instruments from all instrument groups, including brass, woodwind, percussion, strings, guitar and vocals. The school offers a vast range of music ensembles for these students to showcase these skills. These include: string ensembles, a percussion ensemble, multiple small woodwind groups, a brass ensemble, two concert bands (the Wind Symphony and the junior concert band), multiple choirs and two jazz bands (the junior stage band and the Kirwan State High School Big Band)
All of these ensembles are directed by Kirwan High music teachers and have shared considerable success in the Townsville region. The Kirwan State High School Band in particular is renowned in the region and is highly sought after to perform their diverse range of jazz at a variety of events.