A Treasured Afternoon Together

On a Sunday afternoon in mid-May, mothers and daughters of the Girls’ School gathered in the ballroom of the Grand Millennium for the biennial Mother and Daughter High Tea. The afternoon set aside every two years honours the women at the centre of our girls’ lives.

Mothers in their high tea finest and daughters in formal uniform arrived to our talented string ensemble and friendly greeters. Guests mingled over a glass of bubbles or juice, connecting with other families in the lounge before the main event began.

When the doors to the Grand Ballroom opened, our mums and girls were welcomed into a room set with tiered cake stands of macarons, finger sandwiches, scones, and pastries. The room quickly hummed with conversation as plates were filled and refilled, tea poured, and stories swapped across tables.

Just outside, alumna Tammy Hall captured portrait photographs of every mother and daughter pairing – the kind of keepsake that the rush of ordinary life so rarely allows.

A highlight of the afternoon was the silent art auction held in the Ballroom. Each year level had worked collaboratively on a piece of artwork created especially for the event. Collections of fingerprints, painted hearts, butterflies, sea glass figures, miniature watercolours, and handmade pompoms, each one shaped by many hands at work. Guests bid throughout the afternoon, with proceeds supporting upcoming Parents & Friends projects, including line marking for an additional netball court.

The afternoon would not have been possible without the dedication of the Parents & Friends committee led by Chair Jess Wahlstrom, whose careful planning and attention to every detail shaped an event that felt as effortless as it was considered.

An afternoon of food and finery is easy to remember. What makes this one matter is who it was shared with – friends, families, and the wider community our girls are growing up within.