Opening of Kev Carmody House
UQ St Lucia campus, Brisbane | 9 May 2022
Delivered by Professor Deborah Terry AO, Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of Queensland
Thank you, Andrew.
I, too, acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we meet today. We honour their Elders and their continuing cultural and spiritual connection to this land – as we walk together on the path to Reconciliation.
I’d also like to acknowledge:
- Kev Carmody and Beryl Wesley
- Peter Varghese AO, Chancellor & members of Senate
- Heads of the UQ Colleges
- Distinguished guests, UQ colleagues, one and all.
It’s great to be here on what is a momentous occasion for UQ and most of all I’m delighted that our guest of honour, Kev Carmody, along with his wife Beryl, could join us here today.
Before I introduce Kev, I’d like to acknowledge the deep history of residential life at UQ, and how this spectacular facility aligns with our ambitions for the future.
On-campus accommodation is a defining part of many of our students’ experiences at UQ.
It not only enriches their time at university; it also enlivens our campus.
Our 10 St Lucia-based colleges know this very well, as do our alumni who have benefited from having the rich experiences provided by these committed partners from the very beginning of UQ’s long history.
The opening of Kev Carmody House complements the offerings of our colleges by broadening the range of options available to our students to include a high quality, independent living option.
It also significantly increases the size of our student cohort who will have the opportunity to live right here on our beautiful St Lucia campus.
Kev Carmody House will be a place of connection, creativity, conversation, and undoubtedly, there’ll be some cramming done here, too!
This is a place where lifelong friendships will be formed.
It’s a place for our students to call home, and where they will also feel supported as they establish their place within the UQ community.
On site, we have a Welfare Manager, who provides both advice and support to the residents; as well as a Community Engagement Officer, who organises social events throughout the building.
There’s been an enormous amount of planning that has gone into the building’s design to ensure that it is both a home and a place to learn, as well as a place that encourages interaction between the residents.
On that point, I’d like to acknowledge the magnificent work of all who have contributed to the building’s development – both within UQ and externally.
I’d especially like to welcome and thank our design and construction partners – including Michael McNab and the McNab team; Rodney Moyle and the team from Nettletontribe Architects; and Andy King and the Gleeds team.
As you’ll see, they’ve done a terrific job of creating enticing spaces for the residents to study, socialise and have fun.
There’s this Games Room that we’re currently in – and the adjoining courtyard.
There’s the impressive pool and BBQ area – up on the rooftop.
There’s also a gym, a cinema, meeting rooms, designated study spaces, a laundry, and a gourmet communal kitchen.
And very appropriately, given its namesake, there are music rooms and even a recording studio.
While I could talk at length about the features of Kev Carmody House, a very important piece of UQ’s history was restored during this project – Cairngorm House.
Built 120 years ago, this Queenslander is older than UQ itself and was originally a factory for wire fences, which we understand were proudly displayed, each year, at Brisbane’s Ekka.
More recently, Cairngorm House has been the site of the UQ Alumni Centre, as well as the official home of Alumni Friends and their Book Group.
Members of our Alumni Friends recall it as: “a place where friendships were sparked over regular cups of tea and book sorting, accompanied by good conversation and the familiar smell of old books.”
This history bodes very well for the future use of Cairngorm House as a ‘quiet space’ for study and contemplation, although the books may be a bit harder to come by these days!
As you can see, the first cohort of residents has already moved in, and I’m delighted to say that the building is now fully occupied.
Roughly 40% of the residents are domestic students, and 60% are from overseas.
The residents come from 46 different countries and include a number of Indigenous students.
This building is also part of our ambitious plan to help overcome the barriers to higher education that we know still exist in many parts of our society – barriers that include a lack of access to affordable residential options.
Along with the increasing numbers of residential scholarships that are being offered by our colleges, we are proud to have 16 students living at Kev Carmody House who are the recipients of residential scholarships.
So, Kev Carmody House truly is a melting pot of differing cultures, nationalities, backgrounds, and belief systems – something that I know Kev is particularly excited to see.
And, Kev, I heard a rumour that you might be making a curry for residents to bring people of diverse backgrounds together over a meal. With 610 students, I can assure you that we’re on hand to help!
I’d like to conclude now by making the important point that there are very few people who could accurately capture and embody all that we are aiming to achieve within these walls.
But, when Kev’s name was suggested, it just made sense. It felt right.
Kev Carmody is a proud Murri man from northern Queensland and an alumnus of The University of Queensland, having graduated with a Graduate Diploma in Education in 1981.
In the years since then, he has earned a reputation as one of Australia’s finest singer-songwriters.
Kev was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry’s Hall of Fame in 2009.
Throughout his career, Kev has used his unique gift for storytelling to help spread understanding around the vitally important issues of Indigenous land rights and the ongoing national project of reconciliation.
When he was once asked to name his favourite song, Kev famously responded: “the song I’m working on now because you never stop learning.”
And that quote really typifies Kev’s deep commitment to both his art and the notion of lifelong learning.
Late last year, when we asked Kev if he would agree to give his name to this building, he came to look around as the construction was being finalised.
Once he arrived, I think Kev felt a little overwhelmed by both the size of the building and the enormity of having his name attached to it.
I remember he turned to me and said: “Maybe we could name just one level of it the ‘Kev Carmody Floor'.” I begged to differ.
Kev, as a highly regarded UQ alumnus, and a much-loved Australian singer, songwriter & storyteller, we know that you’re more than worthy of this honour.
I’m sure this building will be a place where different cultures gather for decades to come – to learn, to create, and to form lifelong friendships.
And, to me, the name “Kev Carmody House” really encapsulates the ideals of respect, culture, and education that we want to embed in this building.
Kev, we’re absolutely delighted and honoured that you’ve given us your blessing to name this building – the whole thing – after you and I’d now like to invite you to say a few words.