# Kambala School

Kambala is a private early learning, primary, and secondary day and boarding school for girls, located in Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1887, Kambala has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 1,000 students from early learning to Year 12, including approximately 50 boarders from Year 7 to Year 12. Students come to Kambala from the greater metropolitan area, rural New South Wales and overseas.
The school is affiliated with the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA), the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA), the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),the Global Citizen Diploma and is a founding member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).

## History

Kambala was established in 1887 by Louisa Gurney, the daughter of an English clergyman. Gurney conducted her first classes with twelve girls at a terrace house in Woollahra called 'Fernbank'. In 1891, Augustine Soubeiran, who had assisted in the running of the school and who taught French, became Co-Principal. To accommodate increasing enrolments, the School was moved to a larger property in Bellevue Hill called Kambala, from which the school took its new name.
In 1913, with an enrolment of nearly fifty, the School moved again, to its present site on New South Head Road, Rose Bay. The property was known as "Tivoli", from the original Tivoli Estate, and was previously occupied by Captain William Dumaresq and later by merchant James Robinson Love. The spacious new building was built in 1841, and the notable architect John Horbury Hunt was commissioned to extend it. Today this building houses classrooms and Kambala's boarders in Years 7 to 9.
In 1926, Kambala became a Foundation School controlled by an independent council. During Fifi Hawthorne's tenure as Principal, 1933 to 1966, the school grew from 100 students to more than 660, and buildings and facilities expanded accordingly.

## Principals

| Period | Details |
| 1891–1914 | Augustine Soubeiran |
| 1887–1914 | Louise Gurney |
| 1914–1927 | Clara Roseby |
| 1914–1926 | Minnie Roseby |
| 1927–1932 | Flora Stewart |
| 1933–1966 | Fifi Hawthorne |
| 1966–1984 | Joyce Gibbons |
| 1985–1987 | Barbara Monk |
| 1988–1999 | Peter Moxham |
| 1999 | Roderick West |
| 2000–2013 | Margaret White |
| 2014–2017 | Debra Kelliher |
| 2017–2021 | Shane Hogan |
| 2021 | Amanda Bell |
| 2022–present | Jane Danvers |

## Campus

Kambala is located on a single campus on the rising shore above suburban Rose Bay, overlooking Sydney Harbour. The school is divided into four main areas:
* Hampshire House – the Early Learning Centre (0-5 years)
* Massie House for students from Preparation (5 year olds) to Year 2;
* Junior School for girls in Years 3 to 6; and
* Senior School for girls in Years 7 to 12.

### Boarding

Boarding students reside in Fernbank Boarding House next to the school grounds. Overlooking the iconic and picturesque Sydney Harbour, Kambala’s Boarding provides a nurturing and supportive Boarding experience for approximately 50 girls, where they encourage each other and foster deep and lasting friendships.

## House system

The House system was introduced at Kambala in 1928. Each student from Years 3 to 12 is allocated to one of the four houses; Gurney, Hawthorne, Roseby and Wentworth. There are several interhouse competitions throughout the year in which Houses can earn points towards the Angus Cup at the end of the year. Each House is led by two House Captains. Tutor groups are formed according to Houses.

## Notable alumnae

Ex-students of Kambala are known as Old Girls and may elect to join the Kambala Old Girls' Union (KOGU). Some notable Kambala Old Girls include:
* Jessie Strahorn Aspinall – first female junior resident medical officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (1906) (also attended Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney)
* Claudia Black – actress, best known for her portrayal of Aeryn Sun and Vala Mal Doran in science fiction television series Farscape and Stargate SG-1
* Sheila Chisholm – socialite
* Michelle Guthrie – former managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
* Judy Playfair – silver medal-winning swimmer at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics
* Claire Messud – writer
* Chanel Contos – founder of Teach Us Consent