Brisbane Boys’ College (BBC) in Toowong has officially become home to the newest Australian Army Cadets unit in the South Queensland Brigade, a milestone the BBC Old Collegians Association has described as the continuation of a proud tradition.
The unit held its first parade on 2 March, marking the formal re-establishment of a cadet tradition that stretches back more than a century. The unit was officially re-formed recently, bringing to a close a hiatus of roughly 50 years.
A Tradition Rooted in History
The story of cadets at BBC is one that spans generations. The Cadet Corps was first established at the College in 1912, on the eve of the First World War. The program endured through the decades, revived during the Second World War, when 200 boys reportedly formed five platoons on the school grounds. In 1962, the College expanded the program further with the launch of an Air Training Corps, according to the College. The program was not revived again after 1975.
The Road Back
According to the South Queensland Brigade, Brigade Commander Colonel Arthur Tsamis personally welcomed the BBC Principal and two prospective unit staff members to AFX25, described as a field exercise for Army Cadets, giving them a ground-level look at what the cadet experience involves. The visit appears to have been a significant step in the unit’s formation.
Brisbane Boys’ College described the re-establishment in strong terms, framing it as more than the return of a program. In a post on the College’s social media, BBC described the return as “History renewed. Tradition restored. Servant leadership reimagined.”
The BBC Old Collegians Association was equally enthusiastic. In a post ahead of the first parade, the Association described cadets as sitting alongside the boater, the pipes and drums, boarding life, and the College’s green, white and black sporting heritage as one of the traditions that have historically shaped character at BBC. “From one generation to the next, the legacy continues,” the Association wrote.
Part of Something Bigger
Australian Army Cadets is a youth development program run in partnership with the Australian Army. With BBC now the newest unit in the South Queensland Brigade, the school joins a network of cadet units across the region. The Brigade has indicated that more updates from the new unit are on the way.
Brisbane Boys’ College is a long-standing part of the Toowong community, and the return of cadets adds another thread to the fabric of an institution that has been part of this corner of Brisbane for well over a century.
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The first parade has been and gone, and the Brigade has indicated there is more to come. After roughly 50 years away, the cadets are back.
Published 31-March-2026
