The Great Public Schools Association of Queensland Inc. (GPS) is an association of nine south-east Queensland secondary schools established in 1918. With the exception of Brisbane State High School, GPS schools are all-male, private schools. Similar associations exist in New South Wales (AAGPS) and Victoria (APS).
Schools Current member schools
There have been critics of the GPS competition of Brisbane State High's membership to the GPS Competition, primarily because it is the only Public School in the GPS competition. However, its membership is maintained despite dispute. The term "Public Schools" in the GPS acronym encompasses all public education including the Grammar Schools who are indeed themselves Public Schools. (Grammar Schools Act, 1860)
SchoolLocationEnrolmentFoundedDenominationDay/boardingYear enteredcompetition*School coloursSchool nicknameAnglican Church Grammar SchoolEast Brisbane1,8001912AnglicanDay & boarding1918Blue and greyChurchieBrisbane Boys' CollegeToowong1,6001902Uniting Church/PresbyterianDay & boarding1918Green, white and blackBBC or CollegeBrisbane Grammar SchoolSpring Hill2,1001868Secular or Non-denominationalDay & boarding1918Dark blue and light blueGrammar or BGSBrisbane State High SchoolSouth Brisbane3,361(approximately 1,669 males)1913Hawkins, T. Max. The Queensland Great Public Schools - A History. Jacaranda Press. 1965. p. 231Secular Day1921Cerise and navy blueState High or Brisbane HighIpswich Grammar SchoolIpswich1,0801863Non-denominationalDay & boarding1918Red and whiteIpswich or IGSSt Joseph's College, NudgeeBoondall1,7501891CatholicDay & boarding1918Blue and whiteNudgeeSt Joseph's College, Gregory TerraceSpring Hill1,6911875CatholicDay1918Red & blackTerrace or Gregory TerraceThe Southport SchoolSouthport1,3051901AnglicanDay & boarding1920Maroon, navy and whiteTSS or SouthportToowoomba Grammar SchoolToowoomba1,2581875Non-denominationalDay & boarding1920Blue and goldToowoomba or TGS
Former member schools SchoolLocationEnrolmentFoundedDenominationDay/boardingSchool coloursSchool nicknameSt. Laurence's CollegeSouth Brisbane20001915CatholicDayBlack and goldLauries Central Technical College High School, a Government-run school, was initially a member from 1918 but merged with Brisbane Junior State High School and High Top Wynnum State School in 1921* to form Brisbane State High School, which is still a member of the association.
St. Laurence's College was forced to leave the GPS in the 1920s because it did not have a cricket pitch and a football oval. They competed at least up to and including the September 23, 1928 Athletics Carnival. They are now members of the Associated Independent Colleges (AIC) competition.
Physical recreation
Basketball The schools have competed in an annual basketball premiership since 1986.
School Premierships Outright Shared Outright years Shared years St Joseph's Nudgee College 6 2 4 2001, 2003 1990, 1991, 1992, 1998 Anglican Church Grammar School 8 6 2 1988, 1989, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2020 1990, 2019 Brisbane State High School 11 6 5 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2016 1998, 2000, 2004, 2011, 2022 St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 4 1 3 1997 2000, 2004, 2019 The Southport School 6 4 2 2009, 2012, 2021, 2023 2022, 2025 Ipswich Grammar School 9 6 3 1986, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2015, 2018 1991, 1992, 2025 Toowoomba Grammar School 1 0 1 2022 Brisbane Grammar School 0 0 0 Brisbane Boys' College 5 4 1 1987, 1995, 2005, 2017 2005
Notes
Results up to and including 2023 season. Brisbane State High School has been the most successful school in GPS Basketball based upon premierships.
Cricket The schools have competed in an annual cricket premiership since 1919.
School Premierships Outright Shared Outright years Shared years St Joseph's Nudgee College 10 9 1 1925, 1937, 1938, 1964, 1991, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2009 1922 Anglican Church Grammar School 19 15 4 1934, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1950, 1959, 1963, 1967, 1976, 1984, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2012 1929, 1931, 1955, 1962 Brisbane State High School 7 7 0 1949, 1966, 1977, 1979, 1992, 1993, 2002 St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 3 2 1 1952, 2004 2020 The Southport School 26 21 5 1926, 1927, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1980, 1981, 1982, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 1920, 1923, 1928, 1929, 1971 Ipswich Grammar School 13 12 1 1937, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1968, 1969, 1975, 1989, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2016 1922 Toowoomba Grammar School 12 10 2 1924, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2005 1923, 1928 Brisbane Grammar School 18144 1919, 1921, 1930, 1946, 1951, 1954, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1978, 1983, 2013, 2022 1920, 1931, 1955, 1971 Brisbane Boys' College 6 4 2 1947, 1985, 1995, 2003 1962, 2020
Notes No competition held from 1942 to 1945 inclusive due to World War II. Current Premiers (2026): The Southport School Results up to and including the 2026 season. The Southport School has been the most successful school in GPS Cricket based upon premierships.
Cross Country The schools have competed in an annual cross-country championship since 1971.
School Wins Outright Shared Outright years Shared years St Joseph's Nudgee College 4 3 1 1999, 2005, 2015 2010 Anglican Church Grammar School 17 15 2 1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2009, 2012 1975, 2007 Brisbane State High School 4 4 0 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025 St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 9 7 2 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014 2004, 2010 The Southport School 1 1 0 1990 Ipswich Grammar School 4 2 2 1991, 1992 2004, 2007 Toowoomba Grammar School 0 0 0 Brisbane Grammar School 16 15 1 1974, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2016, 2017 1975 Brisbane Boys' College 4 4 0 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024 Ipswich Grammar School 4 2 2 1991, 1992 2004, 2007
Notes Current Premiers (2025): Brisbane State High School Results up to and including 2025 competition. Anglican Church Grammar School has been the most successful school in GPS Cross Country based upon premierships.
Junior Cross Country The schools have competed in an annual cross-country championship since 2014.
School Wins Outright Shared Outright years Shared years St Joseph's Nudgee College 7 6 1 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 2019 Anglican Church Grammar School 6 5 1 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 2019 Ipswich Grammar School 1 1 0 2026 Brisbane State High School 0 0 0 St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 0 0 0 The Southport School 0 0 0 Toowoomba Grammar School 0 0 0 Brisbane Grammar School 0 0 0 Brisbane Boys' College 0 0 0
Notes Current Premiers (2026): Ipswich Grammar School Results up to and including 2026 competition. Nudgee College has been the most successful school in Junior GPS Cross Country based upon premierships.
Gymnastics The schools have competed in an annual gymnastics competition from 1915 to 2020, making it the oldest GPS sport, dating before the establishment of the GPS Association in 1918.
School Wins Outright Shared Outright years Shared years St Joseph's Nudgee College 3 3 0 1916, 1920, 1996 Anglican Church Grammar School 15 15 0 1940, 1949, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 2002, 2003 St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 5 4 1 1919, 1941, 1942, 1995 1994 The Southport School 7 7 0 1935, 1936, 1962, 1963, 2008, 2009, 2010 Toowoomba Grammar School 2 1 1 1993 1994 Brisbane Grammar School 63 62 1 1915, 1917, 1918, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1939, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1992, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 2004 Brisbane Boys' College 6 5 1 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007 2004
Notes Ipswich Grammar School has never competed in gymnastics. Anglican Church Grammar School, Toowoomba Grammar School and Nudgee College no longer consistently compete in gymnastics (occasionally, small teams/individuals have represented these schools at the championships). Although never officially involved, Brisbane State High School has occasionally been represented by individual athletes. Gymnastics was contested between schools in 1915, 1916 and 1917, prior to the founding of the GPS in 1918, with Brisbane Grammar School, Nudgee College and Brisbane Grammar School winning in the respective years No competition in 1924 or from 1929 to 1932 inclusive. Results up to and including 2020 competition. Brisbane Grammar School in 2012 won Division 3 by 0.5 points and Division 1 by 0.1 points, while losing Division 2 by over 20.0 points. It has been unofficially dubbed one of the greatest premierships in GPS history. Brisbane Grammar School has been the most successful school in GPS Gymnastics based upon premierships. Brisbane Grammar School has over a decade-long premiership, winning all championships from 2011 and 2025. GPS Gymnastics has been officially discontinued after the 2020 GPS Championships on September 5, ending with a 105 year history. This was due to a continuing decline of participating students and viable competition across all schools, making GPS Gymnastics one of two sports to be discontinued by the GPS Association. The GPS Gymnastics Foundation Cup has been contested since 2021
Gymnastics Foundation Cup GPS Gymnastics was officially discontinued after the 2020 GPS Championships on September 5, ending with a 105 year history. This was due to a continuing decline of participating students and viable competition across all schools, making GPS Gymnastics one of two sports to be discontinued by the GPS Association. The GPS Gymnastics Foundation Cup has been contested since 2021.
School Wins Outright Shared Outright years Shared years Anglican Church Grammar School 0 0 0 St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 0 0 0 The Southport School 0 0 0 Brisbane State High School 0 0 0 Brisbane Grammar School 5 5 0 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Brisbane Boys' College 0 0 0
Notes Ipswich Grammar School has never competed in gymnastics. Toowoomba Grammar School and Nudgee College no longer consistently compete in gymnastics (occasionally, small teams/individuals have represented these schools at the championships). Results up to and including 2025 competition. Brisbane Grammar School has been the most successful school in the GPS Gymnastics Foundation Cup based upon premierships. Brisbane Grammar School has over a decade-long premiership, winning all championships/Foundation Cups from 2011 and 2025.
Rowing The schools have competed in an annual Head of the River rowing championship since 1918.
School Wins Brisbane Boys' College 27 The Southport School 24 Brisbane Grammar School 21 Anglican Church Grammar School 16 Brisbane State High School 5 St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 4 St. Joseph's Nudgee College 9
Notes Ipswich Grammar School and Toowoomba Grammar School do not take part in rowing competition. Gregory Terrace first competed in 1928 but did not compete again until 1954. Nudgee College first competed in 2002. No competition 1942 to 1945 inclusive due to World War II. There have been 2 ties for first place – 1928 and 1965. In all, there have been 5 ties for a podium (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) position; the most recent of which was for 3rd in the 2019 race. A "No Race" was declared in 1983 due to multiple protests regarding the outcome of the race. Results up to and including 2026. Brisbane Boys' College has been the most successful school in GPS Rowing based upon 1st VIII premierships.
The schools have also competed for the Old Boys Cup for best overall school at Head of the River since 1988.
School Wins Anglican Church Grammar School 5 Brisbane Boys' College 9 Brisbane Grammar School 4 The Southport School 10 St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 4 St Joseph's Nudgee College 7 Brisbane State High School 0
Notes