Aerial photo of Nyanda State High School
Forever Nyanda
1998 — 2013

Nyanda State High School was established in 1998 as a result of an amalgamation between Salisbury State High School and Acacia Ridge State High School. Situated on a ten hectare native bushland on Fairlie Terrace, Salisbury (former site of Salisbury State High School), Nyanda State High School quickly established a reputation for providing high quality public education. The name ‘Nyanda’ is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘waterholes’ and was chosen due to the river which runs through the school.

In May 2013, Queensland Minister for Education, Training and Employment, the Hon. John Paul Langbroek announced that Nyanda State High School would be one of nine schools closing down in Queensland. The community fought hard to keep Nyanda open by protesting, being present at community consultations and by writing submissions. However, on the 17th of September the decision was final, six schools would close its doors on the 13th of December.

The closure took a toll on many people and in order to bring some closure to the community, the Forever Nyanda Festival was held on the 6th of December. The festival was great and brought the Nyanda family together. With the Forever Nyanda website, we hope that we can also bring you closure as sometimes it is comforting to have a place to fall back on to reminiscent a big part of our lives.

Our School. Our History.
1998

Nyanda State High School was inaugurated on the 9th of March 1998 by Robin Sullivan, Deputy Director General of Education representing the Minister of Education, The Hon. Bob Quinn.

Mrs Helen Derbyshire
Principal
Mr G Latta
Deputy Principal
Ms J Klotz
Deputy Principal
Amanda Wilkens
Student Leader
Brad Laurie
Student Leader, Dux
Dale Fursey
Student Leader
Laurinda White
Student Leader
1999
Mrs Helen Derbyshire
Principal
Mr G Latta
Deputy Principal
Ms J Klotz
Deputy Principal
Mr K Hufschmid
Deputy Principal
Sabrina Petherick
Student Leader
Anthony de Vries
Student Leader
Patricia Lynch
Student Leader
Elizabeth Derwin
Student Leader
Sharon Ko
Dux
2000
Mrs Helen Derbyshire
Principal
Mr G Latta
Deputy Principal
Ms J Klotz
Deputy Principal
Mr K Hufschmid
Deputy Principal
Peter Blythe
Student Leader
Katya Melendez
Student Leader
Sharon Lynch
Student Leader
Jonathan Andress
Student Leader
Carolyn Hamilton
Dux
2001
Mrs Helen Derbyshire
Principal
Mr G Latta
Deputy Principal
Ms J Klotz
Deputy Principal
Melitta White
Student Leader
Steven Strathdee
Student Leader, Dux
Belin Kunst
Student Leader
Haley Thomas
Student Leader
2002
Mrs Helen Derbyshire
Principal
Mr G Latta
Deputy Principal
Ms J Klotz
Deputy Principal
Mr A Kinna
Deputy Principal
Jason Milla
Student Leader
Michael Chiu
Student Leader
Natasha Menkens
Student Leader
Stephen La Macchia
Dux
2003
Mrs Helen Derbyshire
Principal
Ms J Klotz
Deputy Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mr G Smith
Deputy Principal
Stephen Rachow
Student Leader
Mathew Stefanic
Student Leader
Kelly Shaw
Student Leader
Karen Petherick
Student Leader
Wenchuan (Chad) Liu
Dux
Zhuoyi (Jessica) Wang
Dux
2004

The first Harmony Day celebrations at Nyanda are held. The event celebrated all the different cultures that made up the school, and consisted of a concert and food stalls with dishes from all around the world.

Ms Dianne Hicks
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mr G Smith
Deputy Principal
Sarah Tezla
Student Leader
John Minehan
Student Leader
Joshua Watson
Student Leader
Daniel Janke
Dux
2005
Ms Dianne Hicks
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mr G Smith
Deputy Principal
Kasey Mitchell
Student Leader
Jessica Robinson
Student Leader
John Forkpiyo
Student Leader
Angela La Macchia
Dux
2006
Mrs Fiona McKenna
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mrs C Anghel
Deputy Principal
Bridget Craib
Student Leader
Carine O'Connor
Student Leader
Christina Pozzias
Student Leader
Jessica Walsh
Student Leader
Christine Chou
Dux
2007
Mrs Fiona McKenna
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mrs C Anghel
Deputy Principal
Sai Railwalui
Student Leader
Brooke Blake
Student Leader
Rebecca Minehan
Student Leader
Lorena Hernandez
Dux
2008
Mrs Fiona McKenna
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mrs C Anghel
Deputy Principal
Michelle Calaguas
Student Leader
Domagoj Leskarac
Student Leader
Yianna Pozzias
Student Leader
Katie Shaw
Student Leader
Samuel Horn
Dux
2009
Mrs Fiona McKenna
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mrs C Anghel
Deputy Principal
Michael Mikaela
Student Leader
Lewis Spencer
Student Leader
Elyse Faithful
Student Leader
Stewart Grenier
Student Leader
Danielle Mostina
Dux
2010
Mrs Fiona McKenna
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mrs C Anghel
Deputy Principal
Sharon Manalili
Student Leader, Dux
Samuel Duncan
Student Leader
Asosa Mika
Student Leader
Paul Mikaele
Student Leader
Janet Cuevas
Student Leader
2011
Mrs Fiona McKenna
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mrs C Anghel
Deputy Principal
Marurai (Kimberley) Tangimetua
Student Leader
Christel Mudole
Student Leader
Maica Ramirez
Student Leader
Ben Kelso
Student Leader
Nicholas Nguyen
Dux
2012

Three new houses were created to challenge students' academic, sporting and cultural achievements — Ruby, Emerald, and Sapphire.

Mrs Fiona McKenna
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mrs M Swayne
Deputy Principal
Matalena Graff
Student Leader
Paige Rohde
Student Leader
Ines Neves Almeida
Student Leader, Dux
Jesse Thompson
Student Leader
2013
Mrs Fiona McKenna
Principal
Mr P Kingston
Deputy Principal
Mrs M Swayne
Deputy Principal
Felix Gibson
Student Leader
Nadia Potter-Sayers
Student Leader
Lachlan Avent
Student Leader
Keysha Roberts
Student Leader
Timothy Taualai
Student Leader
Maria Ha
Dux