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The Southport School
Location
2 Winchester Street, Southport, Queensland Australia
Coordinates	27°59′8″S 153°24′52″E / 27.98556°S 153.41444°E / -27.98556; 153.41444
Information
Type	Independent early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school
Motto	Latin: Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat (Let him who deserves the palm of victory bear it.)
Denomination	Anglican
Established	1901; 124 years ago (1901)
Founder	Horace Henry Dixon
Chairman	Adam Twemlow
Headmaster	Andrew Hawkins
Years	Early learning to Year 12
Gender	Boys only
Enrolment	c. 1,551
Colour(s)	Navy, white & maroon
Tuition	Varies by grade
Affiliation	Australian Boarding Schools Association Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia Independent Primary School Heads of Australia Independent Schools Queensland Great Public Schools Association of Queensland Round Square schools
Alumni	Old Southportonians
Website	www.tss.qld.edu.au

The Southport School (TSS) is an independent Anglican early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in Southport, a suburb on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia.

Established in 1901 by the Revd Horace Henry Dixon, TSS is the oldest Anglican boys' boarding school in Queensland and the only all-boys boarding school on the Gold Coast. The school has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 1305 students from early learning to Year 12, including 276 boarders from Years 7 to 12.

The school is affiliated with the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA), the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA), Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ), and has been a member of the Great Public Schools Association of Queensland (GPS) since 1920.

History

The Southport School was established in 1901 by the Revd (later Rt Revd) Horace Dixon. The land was originally owned by Benjamin and Ann Spendelove.

The first boarding houses (Delpratt, McKinley and Thorold) were established in 1908.

The Southport School has the third oldest school boat club in Queensland, having first started rowing in 1905. This followed Brisbane Grammar School and Ipswich Grammar School first having a rowing contest in 1890.

Headmasters

The following is a list of the headmasters of the school.

House system

The Southport School utilises a house system. The Senior School is divided vertically into the twelve houses: eight day boy houses and four boarding houses. The Preparatory School is divided into four houses. The Senior Houses are:

The three original houses – Delpratt, McKinley and Thorold – were founded in 1909, 1909 and 1908, respectively.

Sport

TSS has a strong sporting tradition and over the years has produced many Australian and international athletes of note. The school currently offers the following activities to its students: basketball, chess, cricket, cross country, debating, soccer, gymnastics, rowing, rugby, swimming, sailing, tennis, and track and field. TSS has been a member of the Great Public Schools' Association Inc (GPS) since 1920. TSS fields soccer teams within the development divisions of Football Queensland South Coast. The school has achieved many sporting premierships during its membership.

GPS Premierships (official GPS records):

• Rowing (22) 1918, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1970, 1978, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2000, 2006, 2018, 2024
• Cricket (24) 1920, 1923, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1980, 1981, 1982, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
• Rugby (11) 1922, 1926, 1933, 1938, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2019
• Tennis (9) 1921, 1924, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1956, 2000, 2001, 2018
• Swimming (8) 1922, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016
• Gymnastics (7) 1935, 1936, 1962, 1963, 2008, 2009, 2010
• Sailing (7) 2002, 2003, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019,2022
• Athletics (5) 1918, 1919, 1922, 1929, 1933
• Football (4) 2012, 2013, 2014, 2020
• Basketball (4) 2009, 2012, 2021, 2023
• Cross Country (1) 1990
• Shooting (4) 1956, 1963, 1967, 1971 (suspended 1974)

Associated Schools Championships:

• Basketball 1980–81 (1979–1986)
• Soccer 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990 (1978–1991)

State Championships

• Basketball (3) 2012, 2021, 2023

National Championships

• Basketball (1) 2023

Notable alumni

The Old Southportonians Association (OSA) is the alumni organisation for Old Boys of the school. All Old Boys of the school become a member of the OSA, which boasts a proud list of members such as Nathan Sharpe, Michael Neser, and more. The OSA is run by Old Boys, ATK20 Noah Purza-Page and other volunteers The OSA celebrated its 100 years as a recognised body in 2007.

Historic figures also include past choirmaster Henry John King.

Student exchange program

The Southport School is a member of Round Square and as such has an extensive network of partner schools with which it performs many student exchanges. TSS is involved in a student exchange program with the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States; and with Collingwood School in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Pacific Cable Station

The two surviving buildings of the Pacific Cable Station were relocated to the school in 1982 for use as the school's music department. Largely untouched from their original form, they are listed on the Gold Coast Local Heritage Register.

See also

• List of boarding schools in Australia
• List of schools in Queensland
• List of Anglican schools in Australia

References

1. 2016 TSS Handbook
2. "The Southport School Domestic Fee Schedule 2019" (PDF). Retrieved 13 March 2019.
3. "TSS Prospectus" (PDF). Enrolment Information. The Southport School. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
4. ^ "The Southport School". Schools. Australian Boarding Schools' Association. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
5. "AHISA Schools". Queensland. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. November 2007. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
6. "JSHAA Queensland Directory of Members". Queensland Branch. Junior School Heads' Association of Australia. 2007. Archived from the original on 12 April 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
7. "Brisbane Grammar School". School Search. Independent Schools Queensland. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
8. ^ "GPS Schools". Sport and Music. Brisbane State High School. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
9. "About Spendelove Bistro & Bar: Southport Restaurant". Spendelove. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
10. "Senior Boarding Handbook 2004" (PDF). The Southport School. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
11. "The Southportonian", 1912 Vol. II No. 4 May
12. "Pre GPS schoolboy racing in Queensland". Australian Rowing History. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
13. The Southport School Admissions Book Archived 10 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine (accessed:2007-05-18)
14. "Old Southportonians' Association". Potentiality Online Communities. Archived from the original on 25 February 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
15. "Gold Coast Local Heritage Register - N to Z" (PDF). Gold Coast City Council. pp. 91–92. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.

External links

• The Southport School website

• Educational institutions established in 1901
• 1901 establishments in Australia
• Anglican high schools in Queensland
• Anglican primary schools in Queensland
• Boarding schools in Queensland
• Boys' schools in Queensland
• Schools on the Gold Coast, Queensland
• Southport, Queensland
• Great Public Schools Association of Queensland
• Junior School Heads Association of Australia Member Schools
• Round Square schools
• Soccer teams on the Gold Coast, Queensland