This annual celebration will take place on Friday 27 August 2021 and commemorates 101 years since the first Old Collegians’ Association meeting was held.

To celebrate this anniversary we encourage all members of the BBC community, past and present, to pause and raise their boater to their BBC brothers around Australia and across the world. Take a boater selfie or, if possible, take a photo together with other Old Boys in your family, workplace, sports team, or social group.

No longer have your BBC Boater? Print out your own personal boater here. Get creative! Email your photo or video clip to oca@bbc.qld.edu.au to share how you are commemorating the day or tag your Facebook posts with #RaiseYourBoater2021.

We would love to see as many students, parents, staff and Old Boys involved as possible.

Did you know?

Former Headmaster, Mr P.M. Hamilton introduced the distinctive BBC boater in 1931 when the College moved to its Toowong campus. Since then Boaters have been worn with pride by many generations of BBC boys.

Since their inception, Boaters have disappeared from College life for only two brief periods. In 1938 pre-war shipping was difficult and for a year or two the new day boys wore felt hats, while the boarders retained their boaters. Post-war saw a similar situation whereby manufacture of the boaters became difficult and the whole school wore felt hats. There was a school vote and, by the smallest of margins, the boaters vote won and they were retained.