Queensland’s biggest public school lacks facilities at sports field

Girls from Queensland’s biggest public high school are having to change on the bus because there are no female change facilities at the school’s sports field.

Female students at Queensland’s biggest public school are having to change on the bus because of a lack of change facilities at the school’s sports field.

Brisbane State High School’s sporting fields at Carina currently do not have dedicated change rooms for girls or adequate after-dark lighting.

The school has developed a master plan for Fursden Road which includes upgrading facilities and a state-of the art sports training facility.

But BSHS School Council parent representative Bryce Corbett said with the recent federal announcements of $200m injection into girls sport, he hoped some of that would come into Queensland as they prepare for the Olympics.

Brisbane State High School students Lily Punch, 14, Arianna Skeers, 17, Eve Lee, 17s, and Grace Kuilamu, 16, are disappointed by the lack of facilities for them at their sports field. Picture: Steve Pohlner

He also hoped the private sector would help support the plan and give some funds to the school’s project.

“Half of the students population are unable to play sport because we don't have female change facilities,” he said.

“We are just asking for the facilities to match and better serve the enormous potential that is coming through the school.”

Mr Corbett said they had met with Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and he was supportive but he hoped it was put into action.

Young Matilda and member of BSHS Opens football team Grace Kuilamu said it didn’t seem far facilities existed for boys but not for the girls.

“A lot of us get changed on the bus because we don’t have change rooms at our own home ground,” she said.

BSHS Opens football team player Eve Lee said the Matildas gave her hope but she still felt there were obstacles in the way.

“We all watched the World Cup, and saw the Matildas become the toast of the country, and that’s exciting, but it still feels like there are obstacles between girls and achieving the same sort of professional success that I think a lot of boys take for granted,” she said.

Mr Corbett said there was a large amount of talent coming from the school.

“The population of brisbane state high has exploded in the last 10 years and there’s so many students going there,” he said.

“The facilities just haven’t kept pace.

“They are competing against schools that have multimillion dollar budgets and these kids are incredibly talented.

“There’s this enormous amount of raw talent that we want to make sure is being nurtured.

Brisbane State High School students Lily Punch, 14, Arianna Skeers, 17, Eve Lee, 17s, and Grace Kuilamu, 16, have to change into their kit on the bus because there are no facilities for them at their sports field. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Mr Corbett said the upgrade would allow regional and remote students to access world class sporting tuition. He said it could be a great plan in the lead up to the Olympics.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the facility had “ fully equipped change rooms for home teams and visiting teams which can be easily used for girls and boys separately as required”

“The Queensland Government is committed to providing high-quality educational facilities for all students choosing to attend a state school,” the spokesperson said.

The assertion that Brisbane State High School’s Fursden Road sporting facilities lack change rooms for girls is incorrect.

“The school is currently constructing new facilities at Fursden Road as part of a $3.1 million project to increase female participation in sports. Additional toilets will be included in the new facility which is currently on track for completion by the end of the year.”

But Mr Corbett said the department “clearly have a strange idea of what constitutes a level playing field”.

“The fact remains that boys and girls cannot use the sports fields at the same time because there are no designated girls changing facilities,” he said.

“And that’s before we discuss the complete lack of after-dark lighting at Fursden Rd ovals which is a serious safety issue for female students.”