Headquarters:
Buderim, QLD
Year founded:
1990
Number of employees:
200+
Phone:
07 5477 3200
Email:
reception@mfac.edu.au
Website:
mfac.edu.au
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/school/matthew-flinders-anglican-college
Michelle Carroll
Principal
Anita Gibson
Deputy Principal, Secondary - Student Engagement
Bill Hooper
Deputy Principal, Secondary - Academics
Leadership
As the fifth principal of Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Michelle Carroll is a distinguished leader committed to adolescent health and academic excellence. Since 2024, she has championed a culture of enduring scholarship, notably launching the College’s evidence-based teaching and learning, and wellbeing frameworks.
With extensive experience, including a decade as principal of St Catherine’s School, Melbourne, Carroll is a Menzies Leadership Foundation Fellow who has collaborated on transformative pedagogical research. A lifelong learner with credentials from Harvard and Melbourne Business School, she remains dedicated to Flinders’ core values, ensuring every student thrives within a community defined by belonging and integrity.
Principal
Michelle Carroll
In January 2026, Anita Gibson became deputy principal - student engagement at Matthew Flinders Anglican College, overseeing wellbeing, pastoral care and co-curricular programs. A compassionate leader, she balances student connection with pedagogical expertise and the business acumen required for effective school operations.
Gibson’s leadership at Flinders is well-established, having served as head of secondary school and head of middle school. Her experience also includes a tenure as acting deputy principal at Coomera Anglican College. A community-focused leader, she holds a Master of Education (Leadership & Management) and a Bachelor of Education (First Class Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology.
Deputy Principal, Secondary - Student Engagement
Anita Gibson
In 2026, Bill Hooper was appointed deputy principal - academics at Matthew Flinders Anglican College. Overseeing the Secondary School’s academic strategy, he ensures the College remains at the forefront of educational excellence through rigorous, future-focused learning.
A cornerstone of the Flinders community since 1996, Hooper has built an impressive legacy as head of English, head of teaching and learning and, most recently, head of curriculum. This extensive experience provides him with a deep understanding of the College’s educational landscape. He holds a Master of Education and is dedicated to fostering an intellectual culture that empowers students through evidence-based practice and innovation.
Deputy Principal, Secondary - Academics
Bill Hooper
Jason Locke
Head of Primary
Jason Locke joined Matthew Flinders Anglican College as head of primary in January 2026, bringing over 30 years of expertise across P–12 and tertiary education. Prior to his current role, Locke served nine years as head of primary at Toowoomba Anglican School. His leadership is anchored by a passion for early literacy and extensive experience in pedagogical reviews and school improvement.
Locke previously served as head of teaching and learning at Toowoomba Grammar School and managed literacy programs across 126 schools. Holding a Master of Education, he maintains industry leadership through active memberships with the Australian College of Educators and the Independent Primary School Heads Association.
Head of Primary
Jason Locke
Heidi Müller
Director of Business and Operations
As director of business and operations at Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Heidi Müller provides strategic direction and leadership of the College’s commercial activity. She contributes vast experience, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant while at KPMG and working in independent schools. She also worked at Microsoft over nine years, responsible for the finance functions of regions in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.
Müller has a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, which enables her to teach School Economic Management Sciences and Accounting. Her roles in education include St Peter’s School in Johannesburg, South Africa and Masada College in New South Wales.
Director of Business and Operations
Heidi Müller
Christine Furner
Director of Professional Learning
Claire Napoli
Director of Advancement and Engagement
Adam Wollins
Director of ICT
David Sexton
Director Business Services
Chris Furner has held a number of teaching and leadership positions across state and independent schools. A career highlight has been the completion of a PhD on how to boost teacher learning across all career stages as a means to improve practice and accelerate student learning outcomes. She enjoys developing whole-school staff development initiatives and professional learning programs that inspire and encourage teachers and leaders and coaching them towards “outstanding teaching”.
Director of Professional Learning
Christine Furner
As the director of advancement and engagement, Claire Napoli’s role encompasses internal and external communications, enrolment, branding, school events, community relations, alumni, archiving and reception. She has a degree in business and over 20 years of marketing and business development experience. Napoli started her career in public relations and event management before moving into marketing and business development roles in the professional services sector, particularly corporate law firms.
Director of Advancement and Engagement
Claire Napoli
Adam Wollins joined Hills Grammar in July 2023. He has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, including in schools, TAFEs, universities and the NSW Department of Education. He has a proven track record in the effective creation, development and leadership of high-performing ICT transformational and operational support teams.
Director of ICT
Adam Wollins
As Director of Business Services, David oversees the financial, operational and commercial aspects of the School. In this role, he contributes to shaping and implementing strategic initiatives, supports business sustainability and enables the next phase of campus development, including the 10-year Master Plan and Strategic Plan (2026–2028).
He is an accomplished executive leader with over 25 years of experience at C-Suite and Board level spanning diverse sectors including education, not-for-profit, disability, sport and professional services. He has extensive experience shaping and executing strategic plans, driving income growth and diversification, master planning and major capital projects, stakeholder engagement, leading high-performing teams and managing complex budgets.
Director Business Services
David Sexton
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Adam Basaldella
Manager – Claims
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Product Manager
Claire Watson
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
“Having close connections with our parents, staff and community, is integral to a rich learning environment. When we work together, we can achieve amazing things”
Karen Yager,
Hills Grammar
“I believe that students learn in a supportive environment with passionate and inspiring teachers and staff. We surround our students with positive creative and inspiring people, enthusiastic about their own learning and keen to immerse students in the spirit of life-long learning across the whole community”
Karen Yager,
Hills Grammar
Matthew Flinders Anglican College on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast describes its workplace culture as one of “aspiration and care”, and is the product of years of deliberate, strategic investment in the people who work there. With 1,400 students from Prep to Year 12 and a Flinders Early Learning Centre, the college has built an employment environment that it holds up as a national benchmark.
The most transformative strategy in recent years has been the 2025 launch of bespoke Teaching and Learning (T&L) and Wellbeing Frameworks, collectively known as The Flinders Way. Rather than a top-down mandate, the frameworks were embedded through a year-long collaborative journey that prioritised staff agency, collective efficacy and professional growth.
“We have moved beyond traditional professional development to a model of sustained career empowerment,” the college says.
Central to that empowerment model is instructional coaching. Teachers partner with dedicated Flinders Instructional Coaches to refine high-impact, low-variance strategies – while ensuring teaching remains visible, consistent and sustainable. The program sits alongside a professional learning culture that draws on both external expertise and internal capability. The college has engaged leading voices in the Science of Learning field, while also investing in its own Instructional Coaches and Curriculum Leaders through a Flinders-led Science of Learning Conference in 2025.
The College Educational Leadership Team has led this work through a professional learning program that aligns college, departmental and individual priorities. This has been central to deepening the shared understanding and implementation of The Flinders Way as it enters its second year. The results have been significant, reflecting what the Class of 2025 achieved:
median ATAR of 92.28
outstanding NAPLAN results, with Flinders ranked the leading school on the Sunshine Coast for Primary and Secondary Schools. In the state NAPLAN comparison, Flinders placed 14th for high schools (Year 9 average) and 18th for primary schools (Year 5 average). The College jumped more than 30 places in Queensland since the 2024 NAPLAN results, demonstrating significant academic growth, with student scores across all five domains exceeding the 2025 state average by 6% to 25%.
Staff wellbeing at Flinders is backed by a tangible and comprehensive benefits offering. Flexible work arrangements, including scheduled work-from-home periods, additional superannuation and paid leave, salary sacrifice and novated leasing, and a staff discount of up to 25% on school fees, all support work-life integration in practical terms. The on-site gym, cafe, end-of-trip facilities, and prayer and reflection spaces further signal the seriousness of the commitment. Two community initiatives – the Flinders CARE Club, which supports staff experiencing illness or grief with care packages, and the Flinders Foodbank, which organises home-cooked meals for staff and community members in need – reflect a culture that extends its care well beyond the professional.
The college is guided by a Gender Diversity Policy, an ED&I Standards of Practice for staff, and a Reconciliation Action Plan developed with a student, staff and parent committee.
Future employees step into an environment shaped by clarity of purpose and investment in their growth, with financial support for postgraduate study, leadership shadowing opportunities, and governance training for Senior Leadership Team members among the initiatives planned for the years ahead.
For a college whose vision is to 'educate for excellence in learning and life', the logic is clear: that vision can only be realised by a staff team that is itself learning, growing, and well cared for.
Learning designed for educators
The centrepiece of Hills Grammar’s approach to staff development is its Professional Learning Model, led by director of professional learning Dr. Chris Furner. Grounded in adult learning pedagogies, aligned with the school’s strategic intent and staff profile and standards, the model deliberately moves away from compliance-driven professional development towards something more meaningful. This is delivered as learning that is authentic, research-based and tailored to where each educator is in their career journey.
Supporting this is the Learning Centre Staff Program, which creates structured opportunities for staff to share practice, reflect on their work and learn from one another. Mentoring, leadership development and action research opportunities are embedded throughout, making professional growth a continuous and collegial practice rather than a periodic obligation. It is a model that reflects Hills Grammar’s commitment to investing in the people responsible for delivering its educational vision.
Future-forward leadership
The school’s commitment to its team extends to how Hills Grammar approaches leadership. Working in partnership with the governing council, school leaders maintain a shared focus on developing what the school describes as a ‘future fit’ graduate and the workforce equipped to teach them. Innovation is encouraged, and the culture is one where academic ambition and professional development are seen as inseparable.
Wellbeing in a remarkable setting
Staff also benefit from complimentary wellbeing programs, a genuine commitment to work-life balance and access to an Employee Assistance Program. Additionally, for educators who value a workplace where the physical environment itself is part of the daily experience, Hills Grammar’s picturesque campus offers a setting that is as restorative as it is inspiring.
There is also a proactive approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), such that employees are informed and educated through integrated professional learning frameworks. Hills Grammar is proud to be actively shaping bold thinkers, and in turn empowering the people who teach them.
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