“If your intentions are good and you’re willing to move forward, you have the power to create a better future for yourself and those around you.”— Geoffrey Smith, (TGS 2002-06) Co-founder, Australian Spatial Analytics and 2025 QLD Australian of the Year
Toowoomba Grammar School’s Senior School Speech Night was marked by a powerful address from Old Boy Geoffrey Smith (2002–06), recently named the 2025 Australian of the Year for Queensland.
Geoffrey, co-founder of Australian Spatial Analytics (ASA), has become a national leader in recognising the untapped potential of neurodivergent Australians in the workforce. His organisation provides geo-spatial and engineering services while creating meaningful employment opportunities - with 80 per cent of ASA’s employees being neurodivergent and 61 per cent previously experiencing long-term unemployment.
A Strong Grammar foundation
Reflecting on his time as a boarder at TGS, Geoffrey spoke of the lessons learned in resilience, listening deeply and assuming the best in others. He recalled the camaraderie of sport and the School’s enduring emphasis on service and leadership: “Grammar instills a strong sense of prioritising support for others, over chasing power or wealth for oneself.”
These values, he said, gave him the confidence to try new things and the freedom to choose his own path, a freedom that ultimately led him to build a social enterprise that is changing lives across Australia.
Turning obstacles into opportunities
Geoffrey shared his journey from corporate data analyst to social entrepreneur. After leaving a conventional career, he worked with a small non-profit supporting people with disabilities into employment. There, he witnessed the despair of autistic Australians being systematically overlooked despite their talents.
The statistics are stark: unemployment among autistic adults is ten times higher than the general population. Yet Geoffrey recognised their unique strengths — pattern recognition, attention to detail, and analytical thinking — as precisely the skills Australia’s growing digital economy needs.
This insight became the foundation of ASA. Today, the enterprise has provided careers for more than 275 Australians, delivered projects worth over $30 million, and reinvests every dollar earned into creating new jobs.
Ripples of impact
Geoffrey described the profound ripple effects of ASA’s work — not only for employees but for their families and communities. He recalled a psychologist who contacted him to say she shares ASA’s story with parents of autistic children to lift them out of despair and show them a hopeful future.
“I had no idea how far those ripples would permeate when we started,” Geoffrey reflected.
A message for students
Speaking directly to the boys of TGS, Geoffrey urged them to embrace unexpected paths and to act with courage even when the way forward is unclear:
“Your journey does not have to follow a straight line.”
“Be a doer, not a fretter - take a different path.”
“Purpose-driven innovation shows that social and economic impact don’t need to be in competition; they can be two sides of the same coin.”
He reminded students that strength of character lies in showing up, moving forward, and supporting others along the way.
Celebrating 150 years
As TGS marks its extraordinary 150th anniversary, Geoffrey’s words resonated deeply with the School’s mission of educating boys and developing their good character for life. His story of service, innovation and resilience stands as a testament to the enduring values of Grammar and the impact its Old Boys continue to make in the world.
Geoffrey Smith’s journey reminds us that courage and purpose can transform not only individual lives but entire communities - a message that will truly echo long beyond this milestone Speech Night.
Latest Blog
A Holistic Approach to our Boarders' Activities Program
A true education is about much more than just lessons in a classroom. It’s about providing experiences that challenge a child, physically and mentally. It’s about providing opportunities that build independence, resilience and that help develop their good character. Toowoomba Grammar School is proud to offer a broad and liberal education that stretches way beyond the walls of a classroom and equips our boys with the skills to flourish as an individual. We offer a diverse and engaging…
A Beginner's Guide to Manga
If your son has brought home a book with big eyed characters, and he seems to be reading backwards, chances are, he's discovered Manga. The Dent library has a Manga collection that would be the envy of many schools, with over 100 unique titles. It Is easily the most visited section in the library, over half of the top 100 titles borrowed this year are Manga! But what is Manga? Manga is an umbrella term for a variety of print comics and graphic novels originating from Japan. Unlike western…
A Safe, Welcoming and Joyous Community
Tell us about yourself My background, at least that associated with boarding and teaching, is long and varied with a number of different aspects leading to this chosen career path. For the most part, I was schooled in Canberra but had extended periods in Lesotho, Norfolk Island, and Samoa as a result of my father’s work in foreign aid. My schooling was quite disruptive, and I wasn’t a model student! I was always passionate about English; often distracting myself (amongst other things) immersed…
Facilitating Respect
Recently the 2022 TGS Prefect group spoke at the Headmaster’s Assembly about respecting individuality. But what does this mean? The foundations for a successful relationship with peers, family, co-workers, and others is framed and supported by a two-way street of respect. However, for this two-way street to be functional it is important to know that respect cannot be demanded, it can only be earned. Toowoomba Grammar School is no different and respect is nurtured in various forms such as in the…
The Benefits of Early Learning at TGS
Making a decision about our children’s education can be difficult; especially when there are so many options available. Once upon a time parents simply sent their children to the school that was a walkable distance from home. Much research has evolved since the early 1900s about what is best for our children to foster a love of learning and feel confident and safe in the classroom. Here at Toowoomba Grammar School, we take this very seriously. Pastoral care comes before anything else; we see…
Outside of the Text Book
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” — Ludwig Wittgenstein There is no denying that learning a foreign language can sometimes be a challenging experience, particularly with limited opportunity to practise outside the classroom. However, learning a language is a skill that will add to many facets of your life, often without you even realising, and as part of a well-rounded education, the value of language learning cannot be underestimated. "A different language is a…
TGS Academic Enrichment Program for Boarders
Toowoomba Grammar School provides an inspiring and broad curriculum for boys, delivered by dedicated educators who understand how to engage boys in their learning. Our staff go above and beyond in providing an outstanding education and support network for our boys. They are regularly available to answer questions, assist with homework and assignments and provide academic support for all our students. This is particularly so for our boarders, thanks to our Academic Enrichment Program (AEP). All…
Teacher as a Student
As a teacher at Toowoomba Grammar School, I teach mathematics and business studies, and manage the GPS Chess team. Prior to teaching, I worked as a financial analyst. Recently I have completed a master's degree in science at the University of Southern Queensland. My study was focused exclusively on data science, and I have become an expert in the management of big data with a specialisation in modelling and forecasting using machine learning techniques. The motivation for this study was…
Developing Healthy Relationships
Healthy relationships are extremely important for the development of mental health in our youth. When you spend time with people you care about, who care about you, this can help you feel connected and supported. This term is one of the largest in regard to boys participating in activities and sports ranging from field, to court, to thought. This is in addition to music and drama programs. At Toowoomba Grammar School, we believe this allows for plenty of opportunity to develop the ability to…
