09 Nov 2026
A dedication to serving others and fostering a strong, faith-filled school community has seen Principal Erin Wedge from Mary MacKillop College Nundah honoured with the 2026 Neil Bloxsidge Leadership Award.
Presented at Brisbane Catholic Education’s annual Leadership Dinner on Saturday 7 November, the award celebrates Erin’s positive influence and commitment to supporting and inspiring those around her.
Since 2010, the award has continued to honour the legacy of the late Neil Bloxsidge, a highly respected and much-loved member of the BCE community.
BCE Senior Leader Catherine Thompson described Erin as a leader whose approach is grounded in humility, faith and a passion for learning.
“Erin is a deeply reflective leader who continually seeks new ways to engage authentically in an ever-changing educational landscape,” shared Catherine.
“She consistently demonstrates the attributes of a leader who is committed to developing the professional capabilities of others, while leading by example as a lifelong learner.
“She has an extensive understanding of current, contemporary research across a range of educational settings, more recently focused on the development of faith-filled, courageous young women.”
At Mary MacKillop College, Erin has been instrumental in leading the learning improvement agenda.
Her focus on strengthening pedagogical practices, particularly in mathematics, has contributed to sustained improvement in Year 9 numeracy results over the past two years.
“Recognising how students approach learning in an all-girls’ environment, Erin introduced Transforming Learning principles to empower students to be curious, confident and engaged in their learning,” said Catherine.
Erin’s commitment to empowering young women has also reached an international audience, with presentations in Philadelphia and New Zealand on the College’s Year 7 Remarkables Transition Program.
The program proactively addresses anxiety during the transition to secondary school while fostering a strong sense of belonging and empowerment among students.
Beyond the College gates, Erin plays an active role in strengthening relationships across the local community and Catholic education.
“Erin regularly represents the College at local events and contributes to professional networks including the Catholic Secondary Sports Association, International Coalition of Girls’ Schools and Association of Josephite Affiliated Secondary Schools,” said Catherine.
“These relationships create new opportunities for our students and enable Erin to share and learn alongside educators beyond our College.”
For Catherine, Erin’s leadership ultimately comes back to her commitment to others.
“Through her commitment to learning, faith and service, Erin demonstrates leadership that empowers others while keeping students and their growth firmly at its heart.”
About Neil Bloxsidge:
Neil passed away suddenly in 2010. At the time, he was the Director of School Service Centre South. As well as an exceptional leader, he was a much-loved figure in Catholic Education. He was also a natural born leader, deeply committed, very genuine and very personable with a wicked sense of humour. He was always an accomplished professional.
You only needed to spend a very short time with Neil to know that his leadership style was inspiring, it was built on relationships and trust and above all, he empowered and built trust in people. His sometimes relaxed and natural style masked a person with great inner strength, focus and strategic ability. The people who have received the Neil Bloxsidge Leadership Award also show these great leadership traits.
Image captions: Principal Erin Wedge with students. ©Brisbane Catholic Education, Mary MacKillop College Nundah (2026).
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