Camberwell High School Ex-Students Society - CHESS

Following our recent AGM, we're pleased to confirm this year's CHESS Committee! The group is excited to continue promoting ex-student connections and the history of the school.

We still have vacancies on the committee - if you are interested in helping us out, please send us a message!

Happy Birthday CHS! This week we are celebrating 85 years of our wonderful school 🎉
What is your favourite memory from your time at CHS?

Today, the 27th May, 2026 marks the 85th anniversary of Camberwell High School. Our school opened on May 27th, 1941 during the 2nd World War with an initial 362 students and the first headmaster was A.V.G James. The school consisted of one main building, a building which we know today as the A building (A block) with the main office and the Brereton Library. Due to the war, the school briefly closed from 1942 to 1945, its official opening in 1947 occurred with much celebration. By the end of the decade over 500 students were enrolled. A number which has grown to over 700 male and female students today.

Throughout the last few decades, the school has gone through many changes with the construction of multiple new buildings and renovations such as the C Building (1970), Assembly Hall (1970), Sports Hall (1995), VCE Centre (2001) and D Building (2004) with the most recent major project being the construction of the Enterprise Centre which was opened in 2012.

The school has had a total of 11 principals throughout the span of 85 years. The first being A.V.G James from 1941 to 1947 and the latest Ellie McDougall, 2025 to present, making her the 5th female principal, a tradition which has been held since the last male principal in 1987. Additionally, there have been multiple individuals and alumni who have attended the school throughout the years who’ve gone on to become famous and contribute to various industries, pursuing successful careers.

After 85 years the school still stands strong. We take the opportunity today to reflect on the many memories of past and present students and staff which have made the school what it is today.

As the school celebrates its 85th anniversary throughout the week, be sure to stay tuned for more posts.

By Will Sanderson

The 2026 Annual General Meeting for the Camberwell High School Ex-Students Society (CHESS) will be held on Tuesday 19 May at 7pm. All are welcome!

Register your attendance via TryBooking: https://www.trybooking.com/DKQJA

Join our committee! 🌱
Have you considered volunteering on the CHESS Committee? It is great volunteering experience for recent graduates, or those wanting to reconnect with the alumni community!

The committee is relatively low commitment, with meetings 4-5 times a year and tasks shared between us.
We are particularly looking for experience or willingness to assist with:
- Social media and marketing
- Website management
- Preparing newsletter content and communications

We would love to have you on our committee to help CHESS! If you are interested, please message us or reach out at [email protected]

2026 AGM Camberwell High School Ex-Students Society (CHESS) Join us as we reflect on the past year of CHS Ex-Student Society activities and elect office bearers for the next 12 months. As this is an online...

A great performance from the CHS senior's AFL team - well done!

The CHS senior AFL team delivered an outstanding performance at this week’s interschool carnival, finishing undefeated against strong competition from Balwyn, Doncaster, and Kew High Schools. The team set the tone early with a dominant 73–2 victory over Balwyn, followed by a commanding 51–12 win against Doncaster.

In their final match, the boys showed resilience and teamwork to secure a 58–32 victory over Kew. Across all three games, the team demonstrated excellent skill, discipline, and sportsmanship, making the school extremely proud.

Congratulations to all players and coaches on a fantastic achievement!

Where was your favourite spot to sit at lunchtime?

Did you wear a tie to school at CHS?

Where were assemblies held when you were at CHS?