BSHS Sporting Complex - Fursden Road
Getting There
Address:
143 Fursden Rd,
Carina QLD 4152
Calendar of Events
Date
Activites
Fursden Road and the P&C
History
The site of Brisbane State High has been an evolution of land grants and annexations since 1925. The Main Oval was granted to the school at its inception and was more than sufficient in size for a school population of around 500 with only a few who played organised sport. During the 1950’s, legend has it that the school was offered Musgrave Park but declined even though there was great demand for state run education for the baby boomers of post WW2. State High’s school population was 2100 by 1967 and majority of organised sport was still played on the Main Oval.
As organised sport became more popular, State High has had to rent fields to accommodate the great variety and team depth of our sports.
It wasn’t until the 1990’s, that the State Government finally granted State High a large area of vacant land at 143 Fursden Rd. Initially, the land grant included the grounds we currently have (9.66 hectares) and the land that the Presbyterian Church of Qld hold on Creek Road (4.5 hectares). The land held by the Presbyterian Church of Qld was sold in the early 2000s leaving State High with the lower, flood prone section of land.
Current Funding Model
The current government funding model for school playing fields is based on the classification of “school grounds”. Only sporting fields that are adjacent to the school proper are considered “school grounds”. These are adequately funded for maintenance and upgrades. The Main Oval at the school falls under this classification.
The Fursden Rd Sporting Complex is therefore not classified as “school grounds”!
Additionally, because there are no curriculum activities (which is different to extra-curriculum activities) performed at the fields, the Brisbane State High Foundation Building Fund cannot be used to enhance the area.
This leaves the school in a quandary – how can BSHS provide quality sporting fields to enhance the extra curricular sporting programs with:
- minimal State Government funding,
- no Building Fund opportunity,
- limited opportunity to apply for government or community grants because we are a State Government School and currently our fields are not used by the community.
Annual Running Costs
The annual running cost of these fields is $200,000 on average which includes salary for 1.5 grounds men, annual top dressing, oval sprinkler system maintenance, general maintenance etc.
You may be surprised to learn who supports this running cost annually:
State Government
BSHS
BSHS P&C Association
$12,500
$80,000
$110,000
SITE DEVELOPMENT TO NOW
When State High received the vacant land in the 80’s, it was little more than 2 stone strewn paddocks divided by a creek. Michael Kasprowicz recollects ‘quality’ time spent removing rocks from the paddocks whilst Cole Mason (past Principal) religiously cut the grass on the weekends with a tractor. The initial years focussed on the basic need of creating playing fields that were mown and marked for the three (3) sports designated to this site – Cricket (Term 1), Football (Term 2 since ’92), Rugby (Term 3).
During the years when there was talk of amalgamating Brisbane State High with either Balmoral State High or Coorparoo State High to create a Campus, Fursden Road playing fields were considered an interim solution by the school and so limited site development took place. Either amalgamation would have provided BSHS with access to school playing fields.
Since 2014 there has been a concerted effort to make Fursden Road an extension of State High that both reflects the quality of our school and provides students, staff and parents playing fields that they are proud to play and spectate at.
The school is investing ongoing funds to support small scale improvements at the site. The sub-committees are also endeavoring to help where they can.
Site developments and donations have included:
| mid 1980’s | Amenities block built and storage sheds installed |
| 1993 | De-mountable classroom relocated from school. Dene Crocker donated and installed the attached deck. |
| 2010–2018 | Bi-annual investment of $26,000 to have Bulimba Creek cleared of trees and shrubs to enhance water flow and reduce flooding events (BSHS) |
| 2014 | Fursden Road Playing Fields were fenced to stop vandalism of the fields (BSHS) |
| 2015 | Signage was improved at the site (BSHS) |
| 2015–2018 | Site Ute donated by Dene Crocker |
| 2016 | Paul Brady of Brady Marine and Civil donated and installed a 23-metre bridge. The school enhanced this project with painting and signage. This bridge now provides all weather access to the entire site. |
| 2018 | Fabric pavilion installed with concrete slab (BSHS) |
| 2019 | Amenities block upgraded (BSHS) |
| 2019 | Sunshades and bench seating installed on the western fields (BSHS) |
Conditions prior to and post the bridge installation
Masterplan
In 2016, the school embarked on an inclusive process to develop a Masterplan for Fursden Road that could provide a goal driven focus for future fundraising, capital expenditure and school enhancement programs. This Masterplan was paid for by proceeds from the annual Rooftop Ball (now Revel) Fundraising event.
The Master Planning Advisory Group for the Carina Playing Fields included:
- Wade Haynes, Executive Principal, Brisbane SHS
- Christine Collins, General Manager, Brisbane SHS
- Matthew Thornton, Staff Representative, Brisbane SHS
- Graham Legerton and Chad Brown, Senior Architects, Thomson Adsett
- David Honeywill, Project Manager, Honeywill Consulting Project Management
- Scott Slade, P&C President, Brisbane SHS
- Cherie Egan, P&C Vice President Fundraising, Brisbane SHS
- Dene Crocker, Parent Representative, Brisbane SHS
- Selwyn Faul, Parent Representative, Brisbane SHS
- Peter Cane, Parent Representative, Brisbane SHS
Three (3) primary objectives were agreed upon:
- Expand the number of sports that are played at Fursden Rd
- Create a School of Excellence which includes curriculum activities
- Create opportunities for external income
Next Steps
The School is now at the stage of seeking funds to realise the Fursden Rd Masterplan. Several steps have to be taken first with regard to development approval and consultation with our Carina community. Once these critical areas are signed off, financial assistance will be requested of many entities. Our school community, our alumni and the three levels of Government will be invited to contribute to create an exciting sporting precinct to be used by the school and wider community. The school’s intent is to have both the fields and buildings made available for use by clubs, social groups and medical professionals. The level of interest from outside sporting and community groups, as well as medical professionals, has been very encouraging.
As a parent – what can you do right now to support this?
by BSHS P&C