This Year's Events

Our annual series of events include interesting guest speakers, cultural performances, the Churchill Lecture and a high tea celebrating place-getters in the ESU Public Speaking Competition.

Events are advertised here and on the ESU Facebook page. Bookings are made through Humanitix. Ease of parking is a priority at all events.

A warm welcome is assured.

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“For me the ESU has been a joy socially, as well as intellectually, with dear friends sharing encounters with written and spoken English, modern and historic, by people young and older, from many countries but mainly Australia.”

—John Thompson-Gray, author

Upcoming events

Previous events

Literary Evening
Queen Elizabeth II:
A Life in Language

This year, Queen Elizabeth II would have celebrated her 100th birthday. So ESU Queensland members and friends marked that occasion on Friday 29 May, gathering at 66 on Ernest, South Brisbane, to enjoy a delicious two-course meal before a remarkable literary performance. Members of the Communication, Speech & Performance Teachers Inc. staged a presentation combining narration, poetry, historical reflection and drama that paid tribute to Her Majesty’s remarkable life, enduring service and extraordinary legacy. The celebration was memorable, inspirational and entertaining, and was thoroughly enjoyed by a very appreciative audience.

ESU Awards Ceremony

The Awards Ceremony was again a triumphant success, thanks to the generosity of Her Excellency the Governor, the Honourable Dr Jeanette Young AC PSM, and Professor Graeme Nimmo RFD, who hosted the event at Government House on 14 April. The occasion honoured the 2025 winners of the ESU Roly Sussex Short Story Competition and Secondary School Public Speaking Competition.

Emeritus Professor Caroline Hatcher,
President ESU (Qld), delivers the vote of thanks

 

Her Excellency the Honourable
Dr Jeanette Young AC PSM,
Governor of Queensland,
welcomes guests

Roly Sussex
Short Story Competition

Open Division
Serena Moss, First Prize (unable to attend)
Natalie Sprite, Second Prize
Gil Liddle, Judges’ Commendation
Jay McKenzie, Judges’ Commendation (unable to attend)

Secondary School Division
Charlotte Serisier, First Prize
Tara Moghbelpour, Second Prize
Emily Smith, Judges’ Commendation

Secondary School
Public Speaking Competition

Senior Division
Saxon Miller, First Prize
Portia Taggert, Second Prize
Oscar De Jersey, Third Prize

Intermediate Division
Ella Marshall, First Prize
Anika Chavan, Second Prize
Yashra Abbas, Third Prize

Junior Division
Owen Taggart, First Prize
Xavier Goodhew, Second Prize
Sophie Taylor, Third Prize

Congratulations, once again, to all.

 

 

Some of the Public Speaking awardees
Some of the Rolys shortlisted
Some of ESU’s directors

Roly Sussex Short Story Competition

Open Division

Natalie Sprite

Gil Liddle

Secondary School Division

Charlotte Serisier
Tara Moghbelpour
Emily Smith

Secondary School Public Speaking Competition

Senior Division

 

Saxon Miller
Portia Taggert
Oscar De Jersey

Intermediate Division

Ella Marshall
Anika Chavan
Yashra Abbas

Junior Division

Owen Taggart
Xavier Goodhew
Sophie Taylor

Twilight Event – the Bard of the Outback

Our Twilight Event, on Friday 27 February, was one to remember!

Members and friends packed out the Darcey Mitchell Room at the Broncos Leagues Club for a night of stories and bush poetry, performed by The Bard of the Outback, Peter Frazer, entertained with his poetry, touching on various aspects of Australian life – life in the outback, in particular. Each poem painted a vivid word picture for the attendees as they travelled along with Peter into the heart of life in the bush.

Prior to Peter’s exhilirating performance, our guests were treated to readings from the 2025 Roly Sussex Short Story Competition Open Division first- and second-placed stories. Kathy Wilson performed an excerpt from Natalie Sprite’s story Watersong, runner-up in the competition. And Maree Clancy gave us a rendition from Serena Moss’s winning story, The Apology Factory.

With special thanks to the Broncos Leagues Club as our wonderful event venue and a big thank you to all who attended and presented. What a night!

Interested in attending our events? Keep an eye out for announcements on social media or sign up to our mailing list on our website.