Merrimac State High School

Merrimac State High School
Front entrance signage of Merrimac State High School, 2026
Front entrance signage of Merrimac State High School, 2026
Location
Dunlop Court

Mermaid Waters
,
Queensland
,
4218

Australia

28°02′24″S 153°25′04″E / 28.0400°S 153.4177°E / -28.0400; 153.4177
Information
TypeState secondary day school
MottoPride in excellence
Religious affiliation
Non-denominational
Established1979
AuthorityDepartment of Education (Queensland)
Principal
Rachel Cutajar
Deputy Principals
  • Celia Norling
  • Jason Gibbs
  • Rachel Deere
  • Nyree Hawley
Business Manager
Rachel Bullock
Year levelsYear 7 – Year 12
GenderCoeducational
Enrolment970: 2  (August 2024)
Average class size
  • 21 (Year 7 - 10): 2 
  • 18 (Year 11 - 11): 2 
LanguageEnglish
Campus size
10.4 acres (0.042 km2)
Colours
  •   Green
  •   Black
Websitemerrimacshs.eq.edu.au: 1 

Merrimac State High School is a public high school in Mermaid Waters (Queensland, Australia). The school falls within Division 12 of Gold Coast council.

Motto

The motto of the school is "Pride in Excellence", which is featured on the school's crest.

Merrimac State High School's motto on the signage of one of the school's buildings, 2026

Administration

Staff

As of 2025, the school has a teaching staff of 84 (Full-time equivalent: 79.7) and a non-teaching staff of 51 (Full-time equivalent of 41.8).

Principals

In 1979, the first principal of the school was Brian Hallewell. As of 2026, the current principal is Rachel Cutajar. Recent principals have included:

Principals of the School
Principal Tenure
Initial Year Final Year
Rachel Cutajar
2022
Current
Chris Tobin
-
2021

Students

Years

In 2015, Anna Bligh's state-wide "Flying Start" program was officially implemented to align Queensland with the other states by transferring year 7 into the high school system, meaning that in 2015 Merrimac State High School started catering for years 7 – 12.: 3 : 3 

Student enrolments

In 2023, Merrimac State High School was reported to have a maximum student enrolment capacity of 1,492 students.

The trend in school enrolments (August figures) has been:-

Recent Student Enrolment Statistics
Year Years Gender Total Ref
7 8 9 10 11 12 Boys Girls
2010 - - - - - - 679 613 1,292 : 3 
2011 - - - - - - 640 590 1,230 : 3 
2012 - - - - - - 690 618 1,308 : 2 
2013 - - - - - - 662 651 1,313 : 3 
2014 - - - - - - 660 619 1,279 : 3 
Addition of year 7
2015 - - - - - - 699 700 1,399 : 3 
2016 - - - - - - 636 622 1,258 : 4 
2017 - - - - - - 628 579 1,207 : 4 
2018 - - - - - - 605 595 1,200 : 3 
2019 - - - - - - 605 624 1,229 : 2 
2020 217 234 197 210 194 182 623 611 1,234 : 2 
2021 250 220 235 183 192 143 623 600 1,223 : 2 
2022 224 225 203 208 167 147 593 581 1,174 : 2 
2023 165 203 210 191 199 115 557 526 1,083 : 2 
2024 177 144 199 181 176 142 513 506 1,019 : 2 
2025 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA 472 458 930
2026 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

Sports

Houses

The school's four sports houses dervied the name from various Australian native animals and the translation of the names of those animals into the local indigenous language.

Sports Houses
House Name Mascot Colour Surnames Ref
Pigin Turtles Turtle   Red A - E
Mibunn Eagles Eagle   Yellow F - L
Bowai Sharks Shark   Blue M - Q
Ngurun Dingoes Dingo   White R - Z
Merrimac State High School sport's oval, 2026, featuring the rugby field and basket ball courts.

Notable alumni

Sports

Sports
Name Graduation Date Sport Achievement Ref
Marcus Ashcroft 1988 Australian rules football Former professional Australian rules footballer for Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions, and Gold Coast football coaching panel member. The Marcus Ashcroft Medal is named after him.
Caine Eckstein 2003 Surf lifesaving Ironman champion
Grant Hackett 1997 Swimming Former professional Australian swimmer, gold medallist and world record holder, former "Regan Funds Management" Director, and current chief executive officer of "Generation Life".
Trevor Hendy 1986 Surf lifesaving Ironman Champion and professional kayaker
Steven McLuckie 1990 Australian rules football Former Australian rules footballer for Brisbane Bears, 1993 Queensland-Northern Territory State of Origin squad member, 2000 Joe Grant Medal winner, and Gold Coast school principal.
Amber Pilley 2014 Australian rugby league footballer Center for both the Brisbane Broncos Women's Team and Indigenous All Stars.
Ricky Petterd 2005 Australian rules football Former Australian rules football player Melbourne Football Club and Richmond Football Club.

Entertainment

Entrainment
Name Graduation date Achievement Ref
Pete Evans 1990 Chef, author, and My Kitchen Rules judge

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Principal's welcome". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  2. 1 2 "History". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Merrimac State High School". Education Queensland International. Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. Archived from the original on 2 December 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  4. ↑ "Merrimac State High School (1979—)". National Redress Scheme (www.nationalredress.gov.au). Retrieved 20 October 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Benowa State High School (2150)". School Directory (www.schoolsdirectory.eq.edu.au). Queensland Department of Education (www.education.qld.gov.au). Retrieved 26 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Our Staff". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Retrieved 20 October 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  7. 1 2 "Merrimac State High School | School annual report | Queensland state school reporting | 2023" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 7 June 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Merrimac State High School│School annual report│Queensland state school reporting│2024" (PDF). Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Department of Education (Queensland). 9 June 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 October 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  9. 1 2 "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
  10. ↑ "School Profile". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  11. ↑ "Uniform Shop". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Cr Nick Marshall OAM | Division 12 Councillor". Gold Coast Council (www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au). Archived from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
  13. 1 2 "Benowa State High School, Southport, QLD → 2025". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  14. ↑ Taylor, Jim (27 February 2021). "It is with heavy heart, that I advise all Foundation students of Merrimac High that our first and beloved principal, Brian Hallewell, passed away two days ago of rapid on-set Motor Neuron Disease". Retrieved 8 January 2026 – via Facebook.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  15. 1 2 "Principal's message". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Archived from the original on 8 January 2026. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  16. 1 2 "Our Staff". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Retrieved 9 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  17. ↑ "Principal's message". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "Our Staff". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  19. ↑ "Principal's message". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  20. ↑ "Our Staff". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  21. ↑ "Year 7 to move to high school from 2015 in Queensland, says Anna Bligh". Courier Mail (www.couriermail.com.au). 10 June 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  22. 1 2 "Merrimac State High School – Queensland State School Reporting – 2014 School Annual Report" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 16 October 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  23. 1 2 "Merrimac State High School – Queensland State School Reporting – 2015 School Annual Report" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 23 June 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  24. ↑ "Merrimac State High School". Education. Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 2023. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  25. ↑ "Queensland State School Reporting – 2010 – Merrimac State High School (2147)" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 11 April 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  26. ↑ "Queensland State School Reporting – 2011 – Merrimac State High School (2147)" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 7 September 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  27. ↑ "Merrimac State High School (2147) – Queensland State School Reporting – 2012 School Annual Report" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 13 June 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  28. ↑ "Merrimac State High School – Queensland State School Reporting – 2013 School Annual Report" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 26 June 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  29. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  30. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  31. ↑ "Merrimac State High School – 2016 – Annual Report – Queensland State School Reporting" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 5 June 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  32. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  33. ↑ "Merrimac State High School – 2017 – Annual Report" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 20 June 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  34. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  35. ↑ "Merrimac State High School – Annual report 2018 - Queensland State School Reporting" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 4 June 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  36. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  37. ↑ "Merrimac State High School – Annual Report – 2019 – Queensland State School Reporting" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 18 June 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  38. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  39. ↑ "Merrimac State High School – School Annual Report – Queensland State School Reporting – 2020" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 11 June 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  40. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  41. ↑ "Merrimac State High School – School annual report – Queensland state school reporting – 2021" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 30 June 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  42. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  43. ↑ "Merrimac State High School – School Annual Report – Queensland State School Reporting – 2022" (PDF). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 2 June 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  44. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  45. ↑ "Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sports". Merrimac State High School (www.merrimacshs.eq.edu.au). Archived from the original on 8 January 2026. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  47. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Star Students: Merrimac State High School's top alumni". Gold Coast Bulletin (www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au). Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  48. ↑ "About us – Generation Life has been providing Australians with tax effective investment solutions for over 17 years". Generation Life. Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  49. ↑ Potts, Andrew (11 August 2016). "Remember when: Gold Coast schoolboy and future Olympian Grant Hackett made Sweden splash". Gold Coast Bulletin (www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au). Retrieved 9 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  50. ↑ Hughes, Lisa (29 April 2021). "Olympic swimmer Grant Hackett puts villa on Hedges Avenue up for auction". Real Estate (www.realestate.com.au). Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
  51. ↑ "2022 Joe Grant Medal". AFL Queensland (www.aflq.com.au). Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  52. ↑ "Troy Clarke: 15 fantastic footy moments". AFL Queensland. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  53. ↑ "Ricky Petterd". Ricky Petterd. Retrieved 9 September 2023 – via LinkedIn.