Recent developments and a campus review have led Mt Gravatt-based students and staff to transition to Nathan Campus.

The closure of the campus will enhance the learning environment by consolidating resources at Nathan Campus.

I thought now would be a great opportunity to explore a short history of the campus!

Brisbane College of Advanced Education: Mt Gravatt Campus (1969-1990)

The Mount Gravatt campus of the Brisbane College of Advanced Education (BCAE) was a teacher training college and operated within walking distance of Griffith University Nathan Campus. The proximity of the institutions and their aligned goals in developing future teachers saw a joint degree-diploma course in teaching offered since 1977 in which students studied across both institutions.

Yarranlea State School (1979)

Originally, Yarranlea Primary School was established in 1883 where it was called Hermitage Provisional School at Yarranlea on the Darling Downs west of Brisbane.

Following a name change to Yarranlea Primary School in 1890 as well as their first closure, the historic building was moved to the Mount Gravatt College of Advanced Education as a museum display school in 1979.

In 1987, the building was relocated once again but this time to the heart of the Mt Gravatt Campus. Soon after, Griffith education faculty academics Dr. Geoffrey Orr and Dr. Phil Meade revitalised Old Yarranlea State School and began classes.

Despite the school’s history of embracing change and adversities, with another closure in 2013, Yarranlea Primary School reopened as an independent school in 2014. As of 2024, the school teaches 56 students in years prep-6.

Brisbane College of Advanced Education’s Mt Gravatt Campus joins Griffith (1990)

In 1988, the Australian Government introduced the Unified National System in which Colleges of Advanced Education had to become Universities or merge with existing Universities. This led BCAE’s Mount Gravatt Campus to merge with Griffith University on the 1^st of January 1990.

Expansion of the Griffith University Mt Gravatt Campus (1900’s)

Once established, the Mt Gravatt Campus branched out into more socially focussed disciplines. The campus became known for Criminology, Psychology, Social Sciences and of course kept to its roots of Education.

Griffith College (1997)

Griffith College officially opened its doors in 1997 at Griffith University’s Mt Gravatt Campus. Griffith College specialises in programs designed to give students foundational knowledge and qualifications to gain entry into university programs. Originally, Griffith College started with 4 diploma programs and a tertiary preparation program with its first intake comprising of 98 students. Since then, Griffith College has added “7 more diploma options, an Associate Degree in Business, a non-award Foundation and Masters Qualifying Program”.

In 2024, the Mt Gravatt Griffith College Campus relocated to Brisbane’s CBD. Currently, Griffith College offers programs across two campuses: Brisbane CBD and the Gold Coast.

In 2025 Griffith University’s Mt Gravatt Campus will merge like it did in 1990 with BCAE but this time with Griffith University’s Nathan campus.

What do students think?

Former Mt Gravatt student Alex discusses the “quiet and very peaceful” atmosphere and how the classes were “nice and close together”. The tightly knit campus feel is also noted by student Finlay who “enjoyed how interlinked every building felt, such as how despite the Psychology building and the Library were on near opposite sides of the campus, there was a direct path interlinking the two” and how “all areas of the campus were easily accessible”. The campus café was enjoyed by many and in Finaly’s words, the Mt Gravatt café was “the best Cafe on both [Brisbane South] campuses”.  Many students enjoyed the campus being engulfed in nature and the wildlife often found on campus.

As one door closes, another opens. Just like their former campus, Mt Gravatt students and staff are embracing change and are excited to make the move to Nathan Campus.