# Palm Beach Currumbin State High School

Palm Beach Currumbin State High School is an independent public, co-educational, secondary school, located in the Gold Coast suburb of Palm Beach, in Queensland, Australia. It is administered by the Department of Education, with an enrolment of 2,649 students and a teaching staff of 198, as of 2023. The school serves students from Year 7 to Year 12.

## History

The school opened on either 24 January 1972 or 1 February 1972.
In August 1973, the construction of 'H' block was announced; it was described it would include 'six classrooms, a staff room, locker room, store, and additional toilets.' It was stated to cost $149,162 at the time.
In 1974, the Works and Housing Minister at the time, Mr. Hodges, announced the construction of a science building at the school, which was to cost $160,121 at the time.
$49,000 was allocated to the school for the installation of water tanks to irrigate the school grounds in 2006. The project was estimated to save twenty-two million litres of water each year.

## Excellence programs
### Academic Excellence

Academic Excellence was established in 2001, specifically created for students who desire to achieve the most out of their scholastic studies. Students that participate study a modified curriculum to further streamline their progression into the senior school.

### Creative Arts Excellence

The Creative Arts Excellence program focuses on developing ambition, artistry and academia in students. The program includes specialised skills training, arts showcases and projects.

### Sports Excellence

In 1996, the Sports Excellence program was created to allow students in years 8-12 excelling in sport to play and train at a more professional level. The program helps students develop as athletes as well as the fair play and leadership aspects that accompany it. ‘Sport Ex’ is taken as 1 of 6 chosen subjects, which enables more time per week in the program. Sports Excellence now accommodates students in AFL, Basketball, Kayaking, Netball, Soccer, Rugby League, Tennis, Track & Field, Surfing and Touch Football.

#### AFL Team Achievements
##### Senior Male (Years 10-12)

* AFL Queensland Schools Cup
    Champions: (7) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
    Runners Up: 2019, 2021
* AFL Queensland Schools of Excellence Cup
    Champions: (3) 2013, 2014, 2015

##### Senior Female (Years 10-12)

* AFL Queensland Schools Cup
    Champions: (4) 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024
    Runners Up: 2019, 2022

##### Junior Male (Years 7-9)

* AFL Queensland Schools Cup
    Champions: (6) 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
    Runners Up: 2016, 2017
* AFL Queensland Schools of Excellence Cup
    Champions: (4) 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

##### Junior Female (Years 7-9)

* AFL Queensland Schools Cup
    Champions: (6) 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

## Notable alumni
### Rugby League

* Clint Amos – former North Queensland and Gold Coast Titans player
* Scott Anderson – former Melbourne, Brisbane and Wakefield Trinity player
* Aaron Booth – player for the Melbourne Storm
* Darius Boyd – former player for the Brisbane Broncos and Australian international
* Jed Cartwright – player for the Penrith Panthers
* Sam Cook – former New Zealand Warriors player
* Cameron Cullen – former Gold Coast Titans and Manly player
* Brad Davis – former Gold Coast Titans player
* Tom Dearden – player for the Brisbane Broncos
* Kane Elgey – former Gold Coast Titans and Manly player
* Jaelen Feeney – former Newcastle Knights player
* Jamal Fogarty – player for the Gold Coast Titans
* Luke Garner – player for the Wests Tigers
* Ben Hannant – former Sydney Roosters, Brisbane, Canterbury and North Queensland player and Australian international
* Keegan Hipgrave – player for the Gold Coast Titans
* Jahrome Hughes – player for the Melbourne Storm and New Zealand international
* Justin Hunt – former South Sydney, Parramatta, St George Illawarra and Wests Tigers player
* Ben Ikin – former Gold Coast Seagulls, North Sydney and Brisbane player and Australian international
* Sam Irwin – former Gold Coast Titans and Featherstone player
* Ryan James – captain of the Gold Coast Titans
* Kevin Kingston – former Cronulla, Parramatta and Penrith player
* Tom Kingston – former Gold Coast Titans player
* Karl Lawton – player for the New Zealand Warriors
* Kayne Lawton – former Gold Coast Titans and AS Carcassonne player
* Will Matthews – player for the Gold Coast Titans
* Brent McConnell former North Queensland and Brisbane player
* Steve Michaels – former Brisbane, Gold Coast Titans and Hull F.C. player
* Kai O'Donnell – player for the Canberra Raiders
* Luke O'Dwyer – former Parramatta and Gold Coast Titans player
* Keenan Palasia – player for the Brisbane Broncos
* Dimitri Pelo – former Catalans Dragons and Canberra player and French international
* Lloyd Perrett – former Canterbury and Manly player
* Sam Perrett – former Sydney Roosters and Canterbury player and New Zealand international
* Kevin Proctor – player for the Gold Coast Titans and New Zealand international
* Jordan Rankin – player for the Castleford Tigers
* Jordan Rapana – former Gold Coast Titans and Canberra Raiders player and New Zealand international
* Ryan Simpkins – former Gold Coast Titans player
* David Tangata-Toa – former Hull KR and Celtic Crusaders player
* Cody Walker – player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
* Shannon Walker – former Gold Coast Titans player and Australia rugby sevens international
* Anthony Watts – former Cronulla, North Queensland and Widnes player
* Craig Weston – former Gold Coast Seagulls, Eastern Suburbs, South Queensland, Huddersfield, Doncaster and Widnes player
* Shane Wright – player for the North Queensland Cowboys

### Australian Rules

* Lauren Ahrens – player for the Gold Coast Suns
* Claye Beams – former Brisbane Lions player
* Dayne Beams – former Brisbane Lions / Collingwood player
* Brayden Crossley – former Gold Coast Suns player
* Jacob Dawson – former Gold Coast Suns player
* Sam Gilbert – former St Kilda player
* Caleb Graham – player for the Gold Coast Suns
* Will Graham – player for the Gold Coast Suns
* Jacob Heron – former Gold Coast Suns player
* Jesse Joyce – former Gold Coast Suns player
* Marc Lock – former Gold Coast Suns player
* Brad Scheer – former Gold Coast Suns player
* Max Spencer – former Gold Coast Suns player
* Jed Walter – player for the Gold Coast Suns
* Joel Wilkinson – former Gold Coast Suns player

### Football

* Mackenzie Arnold – Australian international
* Mitch Nichols – former Australian international
* Shane Smeltz – former New Zealand international

### Surfing

* Mick Fanning – former three-time ASP World Tour champion
* Joel Parkinson – one-time ASP World Tour champion

### Other

* Drew Anthony – performer, director, choreographer and producer