When are you going to
build an Anglican School?
The Story of Georgiana Molloy Anglican School
The Revd Peter Laurence OAM, CEO, AngliSchools
The story goes that it began with a simple question, asked casually on a Busselton street but with unmistakable intent: ‘When are you going to build an Anglican school?’ It was a nudge that carried both expectation and faith. And it sparked a journey that would reshape education in the South West.
Six years later, Georgiana Molloy Anglican School (GMAS) opened its gates to 128 students, a small number of classrooms and a big, bold vision. A school shaped by faith, community and service on Wadandi Boodja. Today, more than 1,200 young people learn, serve and grow at GMAS.
Taking Shape
In the late 1990s, the communities of Busselton and Dunsborough were expanding fast. Local schools were full and many Anglican families were travelling elsewhere for a faith-inspired education. The Revd Tom Wilmot, then newly appointed Rector of the Anglican Parish of Busselton, recognised that the region needed a school that honoured Anglican Identity while serving local families.
With the support of AngliSchools (known as the Anglican Schools Commission at the time) and its then CEO Michael Bromilow, a Steering Committee formed to explore the possibility. Progress came through determination, community consultation and many volunteer hours. As Bromilow wisely cautioned, ‘You will need to commit a lot of energy to this project over a long period of time.’ Those words would prove true!
The search for the right site eventually settled on a 15.2-hectare parcel of land at Yalyalup, generously contributed by land-owners and negotiated by Nigel Satterley. Its location along the Bussell Highway, with links to surrounding towns and coastal communities, made it an ideal location for a new school. I say ‘eventually’, as it was planned to opening on a site in Vasse 2002, but as the site could not be serviced, it was decided to delay one year to open in 2003 at the Busselton location.
Over the years to come, the school campus expanded to accommodate several new builds including an Early Learning Centre and a Multipurpose Activity Centre (MAC).
A Patron with a Love of the Land
The school’s patron, Georgiana Molloy (1805–1843), was a woman who understood the courage required to build something new. An early settler with a deep Anglican faith, she established friendships with local Aboriginal people, discovered a love for the land, and became one of Australia’s earliest and most respected botanical collectors.
Her life of service, resilience and learning is reflected in the school’s motto, ‘Rejoice in Service’. The crest carries symbols of this story: hands joined in partnership, the Bishop’s mitre, the coolamon symbolising water, and the Australian Christmas Tree flower, a species that Georgiana very carefully sent back to England.
Now and Into the Future
This year, the school launched its 10-year Master Plan, to support continued growth to 1,650 students over the next decade. The Plan includes the construction of a beautiful Chapel, delivery of new specialist facilities across Early Learning, Primary and Secondary, and the provision of modern, inclusive and future-focused spaces for learning.
What began with a single question on a Busselton street has grown into a vibrant and thriving AngliSchool that is deeply connected to its local communities and to the people who call it home. GMAS is a place where students are encouraged to explore, to serve, and to grow not only in knowledge but in character and faith.
In answering the question that started it all, ‘When are you going to build an Anglican school?’, GMAS has done more than establish a school. It has created a strong community that embodies the AngliSchools way: empowering learners to lead lives of meaning and purpose.
