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Djarragun College Limited

The College is owned and operated by Djarragun College Limited, which complies with the Corporations Act 2001 and the requirements of ASIC.  The Constitution sets out the objects of the company and contains provisions about membership, general meetings, voting, the appointment of directors, the powers and duties of directors, audits, accounts and many other matters.

Members do not have an economic interest in the assets or operating surplus of the company or the College and are not entitled to any dividends or other payments.  Any and all surplus must be applied for the benefit of the College.

The Board of Djarragun College Limited

The business and enterprise of Djarragun College Limited is overseen by a Board of Directors.

The Constitution permits there to be up to ten directors, and contains provisions for the appointment and removal of directors.  Directors are elected by members of the Company.  Directors may also be nominated by the Board.

The Role of the Board

The role of the Board is to oversee the management and business of the company, and in particular to:

  • appoint the Principal and Company Secretary and monitor performance;
  • establish the vision and strategic direction of the College;
  • support the College Executive and management in the implementation of that vision and strategic direction;
  • ensure that the resources necessary for the achievement of those goals are available.

How the Board Operates

The Board meets approximately once per school term and works closely to support the College Executive and management.

An amount of the Board’s work is conducted through the directors in standing committees and interim working groups, according to the issues at hand.

Board of Directors:

 

Dr Stephen Codrington (Chair)

Stephen served for 25 years as Head of five international and multicultural schools in four countries. Drawing upon his experience during that time as a member, observer, evaluator, and advisor to school boards, he wrote a manual on school board effectiveness called ‘Optimal School Governance’, and now works with a number of school boards to enhance their governance policies and processes, strategic planning, performance reviews, change implementation, restructuring and crisis management. He also works with Alphacrucis College in the position of Director of School Governance and Leadership Development.

Stephen is a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators (ACE), a former Chairman of the Heads of Independent Co-educational Schools (HICES), former Vice-President of the Association of Executives of Christian Schools (AECS) and former President of several academic and teaching associations, including the Geography Teachers Association of NSW and the Geographical Society of NSW.

Stephen’s wider experience in education includes many years of service as a senior IB (International Baccalaureate) examiner, including five years as an IB Deputy Chief Examiner. He has spoken widely at various conferences and venues on themes such as change management, best practice in education, and building cross-cultural understanding through education. He is the author or co-author of 69 books, and his work has taken him to more than 160 countries. He maintains a personal website at www.stephencodrington.com.

Ms Fiona Jose (Executive Director)

Fiona Jose is the Chief Executive Officer of Cape York Partnership, where she leads the strategic direction and delivery of its comprehensive reform agenda to empower Indigenous families across the Cape.

Belonging to the Kuku Yalanji and Zenadth Kes peoples and deep connections to Wujal Wujal and Badu Island, Fiona brings lived experience, systems thinking, and a collaborative leadership approach to her role. She oversees a diverse portfolio of initiatives that translate policy into practice, spanning education, employment, health, and economic development, with a focus on enabling families to take responsibility, seize opportunity, and drive long-term change in their own lives.

Fiona has been instrumental in the establishment of several nationally recognised innovations. She led the development of Cape York Girl Academy, Australia’s first boarding school for young mothers and disengaged girls, Mayi Market, a fresh food social enterprise tackling food affordability in remote communities, and the Work Opportunity Network, a regional strategy linking school leavers with employment and further training. CYP’s targeted jobs plan, driven under her stewardship, is on track to deliver 300 jobs over three years in some of the country’s most impoverished regions, where there is no jobs market.

Nationally, Fiona is one of ten First Nations leaders advancing the Empowered Communities initiative, a reform movement shifting the relationship between government and Indigenous communities by placing decision-making and accountability in local hands. She plays a key role in aligning local practice with policy design, ensuring innovation is grounded in community context and scalable impact.

Fiona holds executive directorships across Cape York Partnership entities and serves on the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service Board, Empowered Communities Board, National Indigenous Employment & Training Alliance Board and a range of roles on philanthropy and government advisory groups.

At the heart of her vision is a deep commitment to the next generation:

“Children have no time to wait for adults or governments to get their act together. We must change their circumstances today, or we’ll continue to pay the price tomorrow and long into the future.”

“Education is the powerhouse to a better life. Without it, our children are locked out of the economy, out of society, out of a future they have reason to value.”

Dr Zoe Ellerman (Non -Executive Director)

Zoe career, both within and outside of government working at the nexus of policy, evidence, innovation and partnership, has been focused on helping to drive more effective responses to complex and entrenched disadvantage. Zoe led policy development at the Cape York Institute from January 2013 until late 2019, and in this role worked on our agendas, including welfare reform, education, employment and economic development, land reform, constitutional recognition and empowerment. Zoe is most proud of the role she and her team played to support the establishment of the Girl Academy – a boarding school in Cape York for disengaged girls and young mothers.

Zoe began her career working as a native title lawyer, including for the Wik and Wik Way people of Western Cape York. She has played key roles on many major public policy reviews, including the Crime and Misconduct Commission’s review of policing in Indigenous communities after the death of Mulrunji on Palm Island, and regarding alcohol-related violence when working as a Director, Law and Justice Policy in Queensland’s Department of Premier and Cabinet. Currently, Zoe works as a Director in Queensland Corrective Services with a focus on partnerships and engagement to drive strategic reforms, including with respect to Indigenous incarceration.

 

Ms Allison Halliday (Non -Executive Director)

Allison is of the Malanbarra Clan of the Yidinji Tribe/Nation and the Malanbarra peoples are the Traditional Custodians of the land in which Djarragun College is built upon.

Allison has been actively involved in, community engagement, native title, cultural heritage and land management for over 30 years to ensure Rainforest Aboriginal People are meaningfully involved in the Management of Country and provides strategic advice on legislation, policy and programs at the local, state and federal level that impact Rainforest Aboriginal People of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.

Since 2016 Allison shifted her focus to education and provides support, assistance and cultural guidance to Djarragun College and Cape York Girl Academy in aligning all aspects of both Campuses to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culturally competent and to assist in the development and improvement of practices when working with Students and Staff of the College, in the areas of health and social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

Allison also maintains vast networks and develops meaningful relationships and partnerships internally and externally for both Campuses.

Allison is a Director of Djarragun College and Ngak Min Health and sits on various Boards and Committees to improve the life of children and their families through taking a collective approach to strengthening communities and tackling complex processes and systems.

 

Dr Dirk Wellham (Non -Executive Director)

Dr Dirk Wellham was the Principal of Caloundra City Private School (CCPS) from 2013 to 2019. The School’s establishment as a leading academic school with high-performing students in NAPLAN and university entrance achievements are noteworthy.

Dirk was the Deputy Headmaster (Academic) at Churchie for seven years. Prior to this role, he was Dean of Studies of The Southport School for four years. He was the Head of English and Languages at Blue Mountains Grammar School, Wentworth Falls, NSW and he had three years teaching at The Hutchins School, Hobart.

He established research projects with Swinburne University in Emotional Intelligence; University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education in Learning Space and eLearning Design; QUT in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning; and with University of Queensland in Positive Psychology and Motivating Boys.

Dirk was awarded a PhD in 2009 for his thesis titled, The Relationship Between Academic Achievement and Co-curricular Involvement. He has a Master of Arts and a Master of Educational Administration from Deakin University. He presented to the International Boys’ Schools Coalition on, “The Importance of Sport in Boys’ Schools,” in Sydney in 2014.

From 1980 to 1994 he played cricket for Australia, NSW, Tasmania and Queensland.

He is teaching at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School in Brisbane, whilst joining the Board of Djarragun College in 2025.

Ex Officio:

Executive Principal: Dr Michael Barton

Company Secretary: Andrea Van Dorssen

Annual reports

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