The Head of the River is a name given to annual

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n rowing

regatta Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wate ...

s held in

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

and

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. The regattas feature competing

independent school An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British Eng ...

s, and the winner of the 1st division boys or girls race is crowned the "Head of the River". The name '' Head of the River'' is taken from similar regattas held in other countries, including the

Head of the River Race The Head of the River Race (HORR) is an against-the-clock ('processional') sport rowing, rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England between eights, other such races being the Schools' Head of the River Race, Women's Head of ...

held annually on the

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

since 1926.

New South Wales

AAGPS Head of the River Regatta

The Head of the River takes place in

Penrith, New South Wales Penrith is a city in New South Wales, Australia, located in Greater Western Sydney, 55 kilometres (31 mi) west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Nepean River, on the outskirts of the Cumberland Plain. Its elevati ...

, Australia at the end of the first term (normally in March) at the

Sydney International Regatta Centre The Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC), located in Penrith, New South Wales, Penrith, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is a Rowing at the 2000 Summer Olympics, rowing and Canoeing at the 2000 Summer Olympics, canoe sprint venue built fo ...

(SIRC). It is the culmination of the

AAGPS The Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales (AAGPS) is a sporting association of boys' schools in New South Wales, Australia that contest sporting events among themselves. The AAGPS was formed on 30 March 1892, and t ...

(Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools) rowing season, and has been held since 1893, initially on the Parramatta River and then from 1936–1995 on the

Nepean River Nepean River (Darug: Yandhai), is a major perennial river, located in the south-west and west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Nepean River and its associated mouth, the Hawkesbury River, almost encircles the metropolitan region of ...

. On the Nepean the senior events were the 1st VIII, 2nd VIII, 1st IV, 2nd IV, 3rd IV and 4th IV. The VIIIs rowed over a mile and a half and the IVs over a mile. In 1996, the regatta was moved to the then preparatory Olympic course and since then raced over 2000 metres. In 2001, a 3rd VIII event and the three year 10 VIII events were added to the programme. The competing schools are

Sydney Grammar School (Praise be to God) , established = , type = Independent, day school , gender = Boys , religious_affiliation = None , slogan = , headmaster = R. B. Malpass , founder = Laurence Hynes Halloran , chairman = ...

, The King's School,

Newington College , motto_translation = To Faith Add Knowledge , location = Inner West and Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales , country = Australia , coordinates = , pushpin_map = A ...

Sydney Boys' High School , motto_translation = With Truth and Courage , established = , location = Cleveland Street, Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales , country = Australia , coordinates = , pu ...

The Scots College , motto_translation = O that we may be worthy of our forefathers , location = Bellevue Hill, Eastern Suburbs, Sydney , country = Australia , type = Independent single-sex primary a ...

, St. Joseph's College, Saint Ignatius' College,

The Armidale School , motto_translation = Without God, Nothing , location = Armidale, New England Tablelands, New South Wales , country = Australia , coordinates = , pushpin_map = Australia New ...

and

Shore School , motto_translation = , established = , type = Independent school, Independent Single-sex education, single-sex and Mixed-sex education, co-educational Pre-school education, early learning, Primary sc ...

, compete at the Head of the River.

NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River Regatta

The NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River was first raced in 1991. The inaugural Schoolgirl Head of the River Regatta took place in October 1991 on Middle Harbour Creek at Davidson Park, Roseville. The regatta is now usually held at the

(SIRC), Penrith on the Saturday following the Schoolboy Head of the River. It is the culmination of the Schoolgirls rowing season that involves crews from Independent Schools, Catholic Colleges and State High Schools. The NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River is organised by the Combined Independent Schools Sports Council. Schools that are eligible to compete in the NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River are all affiliated schools of the NSW Combined Independent Schools Sports Council (NSWCISSC), NSW Combined High Schools Sports Association (NSWCHSSA) and the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges Sports Association (NSWCCCSA). The regatta is run in accordance with Rowing NSW laws of boat racing. In 2018, Pymble Ladies' College won the 1st VIII Race and then went on to win the Australian National Championships.

South Australia

South Australian School's Head of the River Regatta

The South Australian Head of the River is a collegiate rowing race held between the colleges and schools of

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

, Australia. It is the culmination of the Rowing South Australia's schools' season and is the most prestigious event on the calendar. Races are generally hard-fought, close encounters that showcase the very best of junior rowing talent, with the winning 1st VIII crew each year being crowned with the title of 'Head of the River'. Inter and Junior coxed quad crews fight for the same honour in their respective divisions. These title races come with immense pressure, with wins considered significant successes for the victorious schools and their rowing programs. The event draws huge crowds of up to 15,000 (2010) from across the state, generally consisting of school students, parent supporters, and old scholars. The regatta is currently held at the world standard course at West Lakes International Regatta Centre and involves junior and inter coxed quadruple sculling events over 1,000m and 1,500m respectively, as well as senior coxed four and eight races over 2,000m. The South Australian Head of the River is held on the second-to-last Saturday of the first school term of each year. The event had its inception on the Torrens Lake in 1922 as the result of a challenge between St. Peters and Adelaide High School. However St. Peters and their traditional rivals Prince Alfred have been racing for the prestigious Blackmore Shield which is to be contested only between the two schools since 1892 as part of their Intercollegiate program. When the Blackmore Shield changes hands, the Captain and Vice-Captain of Boats from the losing school present the shield to their counterparts in front of an assembly of the victorious school. Since 1923 this race has been incorporated into the Boys 1st VIII race at the Head of the River. The trophy presented to the overall winning Schoolboy 1st VIII is the Gosse Shield, which was presented by Sir John Gosse and his family as a perpetual trophy in 1932. Competing schools are drawn from

's traditional independent schools and an increasing number of

state school State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary educational institution, schools that educate all students without charge. They are ...

s. Since the 1970s the number of girls competing in the regatta has steadily increased; resulting in now larger numbers of female rowers than male competing at the regatta.

Seymour College (I will grow by serving) , established = 1922 , type = Independent, single-sex, day & boarding , denomination = Uniting Churchpreviously Presbyterian Church of Australia , slogan ...

(an all-girls school) gained entry to the regatta in 2006, and Annesley College (an all-girls school) competed for the first time in 2007.

Loreto College, Marryatville , motto_translation = Mary, Queen of the Angels. While I live, I believe in the Cross , established = , type = Independent primary and secondary day and boarding school , denomination = Roman Catholic , religious_affiliation = Institu ...

first competed in 2012 and

St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School St Peter's Girls' School (commonly known as Saints Girls) is an independent Anglican early learning, primary and secondary day school for girls located in the Adelaide suburb of Stonyfell, in South Australia, Australia. Founded in 1894 and or ...

entered in 2013. Currently 15 schools compete in the regatta: 3 all boys schools, 5 all girls schools and 7 co-educational schools. At the 2019 Head of the River, hosted by Pembroke School, there were a total of 1162 athletes entered into the regatta's 36 events. Walford Anglican School for Girls has won the Florence Eaton Cup awarded to the winning Schoolgirl 1st VIII crew a record 19 times. In 2022 Walford’s winning time of 6:47.75 was a course record beating the previous record of 6:48.06, held by Walford from 2010. Until 2005 the Head of the River was officially known as the Public Schools' Regatta.However, the SA Public Schools' Regatta was informally known as, and the Schools Regatta is informally referred to as, "The Head of the River". The name has since been changed to the "Schools' Regatta" by the Heads of Rowing Schools Committee, a committee of the Headmasters/Principals of the Head of the River Schools.

Second VIII's

The Clinker IV event was constituted the Second Crews's Race in 1938 and was rowed in eights from 1957.

Open, Under 16 and Under 15

These events were rowed on fixed seats until the introduction of slides for Open and Under 16 Fours in 1937, and Under 15 Fours in 1938. In 1932 and 1933 Open Tub Slides were rowed as well as Open Fixed and were won both years by S.P.S.C.

Under 14 Quad Sculls

Coxed quad sculls replaced sweep oar fours in division A in 1991, division B in 1992, division C in 1993.

Competing schools

South Australian Head of the River - Boys Results

* Boys Open First VIII - for The Gosse Shield * Boys Open Second VIII - for The Wallman Trophy * Schoolboy 1st IV - for The Cudmore Cup (2,000m) * Boys Year 10A Quadruple Sculls - for The Menz Cup (1,500m) * Boys Year 9A Quadruple Sculls - for The Ferguson Cup (1,000m)

South Australian Head of the River - Girls Results

* Girls Open First VIII - for The Florence Eaton Cup (2,000m) * Girls Open 2nd VIII - for The Adelaide HS Centenary Cup (2,000m) * Girls Year 10A Quadruple Sculls - for The Denise Collins Cup (1,500m)

Queensland

Queensland Head of the River Regatta

The Head of the River for schoolboys is contested between seven of the nine GPS (Great Public Schools) schools in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

, with schools

Brisbane Boys College (Let Honour Stainless Be) , established = 1902 , type = Independent, single-sex, day and boarding , denomination = Presbyterian and Uniting Church , slogan = , headmaster = André Casson , city = Toowong , state = Queensland , country ...

Brisbane Grammar School , motto_translation = Nothing Without Labour , established = 1868 , type = Independent, day & boarding , gender = Boys , denomination = Non-denominational , slogan = , key_people = , ci ...

Brisbane State High School , motto_translation = Knowledge is Power , city = South Brisbane , state = Queensland , country = Australia , coordinates = , type = Public, selective, co-educational, secondary, ...

Anglican Church Grammar School The Anglican Church Grammar School (ACGS), formerly the Church of England Grammar School and commonly referred to as Churchie, is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in East Brisbane, an inner suburb of Brisbane, ...

, St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace,

The Southport School , motto_translation = Let him who deserves the palm of victory bear it. , established = , type = Independent early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school , denomination = Anglican , headmaster = Andrew Hawkins , ...

and St. Joseph's Nudgee College competing. The GPS Head of the River has been held since 1918, with Southport winning in the inaugural year. The races have been held on the

Milton Reach The Brisbane River is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after the ...

of the

Brisbane River The Brisbane River is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after the Go ...

, Wivenhoe Dam,

Hinze Dam The Hinze Dam is a rock and earth-fill embankment dam with an un-gated spillway across the Nerang River in the Gold Coast hinterland of South East, Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for potable water supply of the Gold Coas ...

, Lake Kawana and now race at

Wyaralong Dam The Wyaralong Dam is a mass concrete gravity dam with an un-gated spillway across the Teviot Brook that is located in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for supply of potable water for the Scenic Rim ...

. Crowds of several thousand attend the annual Championship Regatta at Lake Kawana but in earlier years there are reports of both sides of the river being lined with spectators and tens of thousands attending.

Queensland Girls Head of the River Regatta

On 13 October 1990 the Inaugural Schoolgirls' Head of the River was held on the Milton Reach of the Brisbane River. The seven schools that competed were

All Hallows' School , motto_translation = God and Duty , city = Brisbane , state = Queensland , postcode = 4000 , country = Australia , coordinates = , type ...

, Brisbane State High School, St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School,

St Hilda's School , motto_translation = Not for Ourselves Alone , established = , type = Independent single-sex early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school , denomination = Anglicanism , slogan = , principal = Wendy Lau ...

, St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School,

St Peters Lutheran College , motto_translation = ''Further beyond'' , established = , authority = Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority , schooltype = Private school , gender = Co-educati ...

and

Somerville House Somerville House is an Independent school, independent, Boarding school, boarding and day school for girls, located in South Brisbane, Queensland, South Brisbane, an inner-city suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Es ...

. Sixteen events were competed with 118 competitors and 3 entries in the Open 8+. The newly formed Brisbane Schoolgirls Rowing Association conducted the Head of the River with additional competitors from

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School , motto_translation = Nothing without labour , address = Gregory Terrace , city = Spring Hill , state = Queensland , postcode = 4000 , country = Australia , coordinates = , type = Independent secondary d ...

Clayfield College , motto_translation = Let Your Light Shine , established = 1931 , type = Independent, day and boarding , gender = Girls and Boys , denomination = Uniting Church and Pre ...

Indooroopilly State High School Indooroopilly State High School (ISHS), colloquially known as "Indro", is a state high school situated in the south-western suburb of Indooroopilly in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The school was founded in 1954, and offers the International ...

, Kelvin Grove State High School and Stuartholme School. By 1992, entries in the Open 8+ had doubled to six, the number of events expanded to 19 and 11 schools competed.

Bundaberg Head of the River Regatta

A 'Head of the River' competition is also held among Bundaberg schools. It is held on an annual basis and has been for the past 18 years. All Bundaberg secondary schools except for the Bundaberg Christian College participate in the regatta. These schools are Bundaberg North SHS, Bundaberg SHS, Kepnock SHS, St. Luke's Anglican College, Gin Gin SHS and Shalom Catholic College. St Luke's Anglican recently broke Shalom's twenty year winning streak over the other schools for the travel world overall points trophy with a score of 123, to 65.

Victoria

VIC Head of the River Regatta

The Victorian race is contested between the 11 Associated Public Schools of Victoria (APS). The race is usually the last race of the official APS rowing season and has recently been rowed on

Lake Nagambie Lake Nagambie is a manmade reservoir located in the Goldfields region of Victoria, Goldfields region of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The lake was formed by the damming of the Goulburn River by the Goulburn Weir. The town of Nagamb ...

which is a full buoyed international standard course allowing six boat finals.

VIC Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta

1984 was the final year that school girls from non-APS schools participated in the APS Head of the River. As a result of being barred from further competition in the APS regatta, the Principal of Morongo Girls’ School initiated a meeting that established in the Head of School Girls’ Regatta, founded on the basic principle that any school could compete. The first HOSG was held in 1985 at Ballarat with 7 events, 16 schools and 240 competitors. In 1987, the event moved to Geelong. In 1991, the HOSG Regatta Committee became an incorporated association. In 2013 the HOSG regatta was contested by 35 schools and 1766 competitors.

Western Australia

WA Head of the River Regatta

The Perth race held in late summer/early autumn is contested between the 7

Public Schools Association Established in 1905 the Public Schools Association, or the PSA, is an association of seven independent boys schools in Perth, Western Australia. The descriptor 'public school' references the historical usage of the term and the model of the Brit ...

members. The regatta consists of many races with points contributing to the Hamer Cup, and in the final race of the day, the 1st VIII crews from each school compete for the Head of the River trophy. Originally the race was run on the Swan River then

Canning River The Canning River (Djarlgarra in Nyungar) is a major tributary of the Swan River in the South West Land Division of Western Australia. It is home to much wildlife including dolphins, pelicans, swans and many other bird species. Source and ...

, near

Canning Bridge Canning Bridge is a traffic bridge which is the most downstream crossing of the Canning River in the city of Perth, Western Australia. The bridge is a part of Canning Highway, and it connects the suburbs of Como and Applecross. The Canning Rive ...

. Since 2009 the event has been held at the purpose built rowing course at Champion Lakes, Kelmscott. Records have tumbled since the venue change with records set in 2009 and 2010. The current record time for the 2000m event is 5 minutes 48.2 seconds.

WA Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta

In the winter several private Perth girls schools race for the title.

Tasmania

The Tasmanian Head of the River is currently held at the Lake Barrington Rowing Course. Held over the full championship distance, the schools associated with SATIS (Sports Association of Tasmanian Independent Schools) from both the north and south of the state compete for the event.

The Hutchins School , motto_translation = Character lives after death , city = Hobart , state = Tasmania , country = Australia , coordinates = , type = Independent, day & boarding , ...

, Launceston Church Grammar,

The Friends School Friends schools are institutions that provide an education based on the beliefs and testimonies of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). This article is a list of schools currently or historically associated with the Society of Friends, reg ...

Guilford Young College Guilford Young College is a Roman Catholic senior secondary college, with campuses located in the Hobart suburbs of Glenorchy and Hobart City in Tasmania, Australia. The College provides education to students in Year 11 and Year 12, offer ...

Scotch Oakburn College (I will find a way to higher things.) , established = 1886 (MLC)1901 (Scotch)1979 (Amalgamation) , type = Independent, co-educational, day and boarding , denomination = in association with the Unit ...

, St Patrick's College and St Brendan-Shaw College all compete in the boys race, while

St Michael's Collegiate School , motto_translation = For the Church of God la, Beati Mundo Corde(Blessed are the Pure in Heart) , established = , type = Independent early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school ...

, The Friends School, Fahan School, Scotch Oakburn College, St. Patrick's College, St Mary's College and Launceston Church Grammar all compete for the girls trophy. The Head of the River regatta is often held the Saturday before Easter. However, in 2006 the Head of the River was postponed for the first time in its Tasmanian History with a limited regatta program being amalgamated in to the Tasmanian Masters Regatta. This was able to cater for the main races with Hutchins taking out the boys' Head of the River trophy and St Michael's Collegiate School the girls. In 2007 Scotch Oakburn won their first Head of the River in a decade in a tight race with just a second between themselves, Launceston Church Grammar and The Hutchins School. The chance for Hutchins to claim their 5th consecutive title was denied. The Friends School came a distant 4th place after much hype. In the girls event the dominant Friends School crew won easily over Launceston Church Grammar with surprise combination coming from Fahan School gaining second place. In 2008, The Hutchins School regained the title from Scotch Oakburn in a close race, with St Patricks college in third. The following year, The Hutchins School won after being challenged all season by a strong St Patricks College crew. In third spot was Scotch Oakburn College. In 2010 The Hutchins School won, having dominant performances throughout the season. Scotch Oakburn collected up second spot and the Friends crew came in third. The 2011 Tasmanian School Boys Head of the River saw yet another dominant performance from The Hutchins School taking the win by 10 seconds from Scotch Oakburn with Friends placing third. In girls race the victors were Grammar with Scotch Oakburn placing second. In 2012, the Head of the River Champions were Launceston Church Grammar for the girls and The Hutchins School for the boys. In 2013, The underdog crew from Scotch Oakburn took out the Head of the River by a margin of 2 lengths to The Hutchins School, who had a dominant season and went into the race as favourites. This prevented Hutchins from a 6th title, and gave Scotch Oakburn their first win in 6 years. Closely in 3rd, The Friends School. * First VIII - "Tasmanian School Boys Head of the River"