OUS Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Oxbridge Reception and Opera Gala

Friday 29 May, 2026

Members and their guests enjoyed a special opportunity to experience one of Canberra’s leading cultural venues - the Snow Concert Hall at Canberra Grammar School, home to a growing international concert series attracting outstanding artists from around the world.

A pre-performance drinks and canapés reception was hosted by Dr Justin Garrick (Cantab), who spoke about the vision for the School. Snow Concert Hall Artistic Director, Ana de la Vega, introduced the Opera Gala and shared insights into the 2026 concert program. The Opera Gala featured Opera Australia artists Jane Ede (soprano) and Helen Sherman (mezzo-soprano) in the Snow Concert Hall.

Oxbridge Reception at the British High Commission

Thursday 4 December, 2025

We were delighted that Her Excellency Dame Sarah MacIntosh DCMG, who was appointed British High Commissioner to Australia earlier this year, kindly hosted a drinks and canapés reception for Oxbridge alumni at her official residence Westminster House, as our end of year event for 2025.

Dame Sarah was appointed British High Commissioner to Australia and Head of the United Kingdom’s Oceania Network in April 2025. Previously she has served as Deputy National Security Adviser and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs from 2022 to 2024, and as the United Kingdom’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to NATO from 2017 to 2022. Sarah joined the FCDO in 1991. Previous appointments include Director General, Defence and Intelligence (2014-2017); Director, Defence and International Security (2011-2014); Director, Strategic Finance (2009-2010); Her Majesty’s High Commissioner to Sierra Leone and Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Liberia (2006-2008); and the Strategy Co-ordinator for the UN Mission in Kosovo (2004-2005). Sarah has also been posted to the UK Mission to the United Nations at New York; the UK Mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency at Vienna; and the British Embassy Madrid. 

Meet the Author - Brooke Boney

Thursday 10 April, 2025

Journalist Brooke Boney (St Anthony's, 2024) was in conversation with Virginia Haussegger on her new book All of It. Summed up as notes on public life, private joy and everything in between, it is a collection of witty and heartfelt essays about love, loss and ambition. Brooke Boney is a journalist who started her media career as a political correspondent for SBS and then for NITV and the ABC before joining Nine's Today show in 2019. Brooke is currently a Charlie Perkins Chevening Scholar studying a Masters of Public Policy at The Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. An extremely talented and versatile communicator, Brokke also works as an MC, moderator, panellist and keynote speaker, with a huge passion for igniting discussion around Indigenous Affairs. Brooke is particularly recognised for her candid and insightful approach to topics surrounding identity, representation and social justice. Brooke’s authenticity and outspoken views have made her a both a standout and well-respected voice in Australian journalism Brooke’s engaging writing blends personal stories with social commentary, making complex topics feel accessible and thought-provoking.

We were delighted that Brooke stayed on afterwards for book-signing and gave Oxbridge alumni an opportunity to chat more informally.

Oxbridge15 dinner and trivia quiz

Wednesday 12 March, 2025

Alumni who graduated in the last 15 years (2010~) were invited to our first Oxbridge15 event where we were joined by our Cambridge counterparts. Guests were able to network and share fond memories over drinks in an informal setting.

Oxbridge Reception with Professor Peter Kanowski

Wednesday 4 December, 2024

The Oxford and Cambridge Societies in the ACT welcomed members and their guests to an end of year gathering at which Professor Peter Kanowski (Wolfson, 1983), National Secretary for the Rhodes Scholarships in Australia and Master of University House, gave a short presentation on the Rhodes and Oxford-Australia Scholarships and an update on the University House restoration and reopening.

Reception with Professor Tina Dacin

Wednesday 1 November, 2023

The Oxford and Cambridge Societies (ACT)  were delighted to invite members and their guests to a drinks and canapés by the pool reception with guest speaker Professor Tina Dacin.  Professor Tina Dacin holds appointments as Fellow, Centre for Social Innovation at the Judge Business School, Cambridge and Visiting Fellow at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge as well as the Stephen J.R. Smith Chair of Strategy and Organizational Behaviour at Queen’s University, Canada.  Her research interests include AI and social impact; social entrepreneurship; and traditions, place and institutions.

Reception with Professor the Hon Gareth Evans AC KC BA LLB (Hons) (Melb) MA (Oxon)

Tuesday 8 August, 2023

The Oxford and Cambridge Societies (ACT) invited members and their guests to a canapés and drinks reception, followed by a seated talk by Gareth Evans on ‘My Oxford’, a fascinating, reflective and humorous talk.  In the Q&A session after the talk he commented on wider contemporary issues.  Gareth Evans read PPE at Magdalen from 1968 to 1970, and was elected an Honorary Fellow of that College in 2004. He was a Cabinet Minister throughout the Hawke and Keating Labour Governments, in the posts of Attorney General, Minister for Resources and Energy, Minister for Transport and Communications and, from 1988 to 1996, Foreign Minister. From 2000 to 2009 he was President and CEO of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, and from 2010 to 2019 Chancellor of the Australian National University, where he is now Distinguished Honorary Professor.  He has written or edited, singly or jointly, 14 books, most recently Good International Citizenship: The Case for Decency (2022).

Thank you for your interest in OUS Canberra (ACT). Please get in touch with us if you have any queries. We hope we will be welcoming you soon to ACT events. Membership enquires should be directed to Tracy Cui: 

Professor John Carver, President

Jim Windeyer, Treasurer  

Tracy Cui, Membership Secretary

Colin Steele, Events Coordinator