In 1955, when Tauranga College split into Tauranga Girls’ College and Tauranga Boys’ College, Lady Mary Burke was part of the founding Lower Sixth Form, the equivalent of today’s Year 12.

For Mary Poole and her classmates, the shift to the new Tauranga Girls’ College campus was anything but glamorous. The new campus comprised just three plain brick buildings, with a gully overrun by weeds, creating an atmosphere that felt stark and incomplete. However, these early students were determined, forging a path that would define the future culture of our school. Lady Mary and her close friend Gloria Hodson, who remains a lifelong friend to this day, both rose to lead the new school, serving on the Head Prefect team in Upper Sixth Form (Year 13).

Not only a natural leader, Lady Burke also excelled in athletics. Appointed as Sports Prefect, she had a particular talent for hurdling, going on to compete in the 80-meter hurdles at the New Zealand Women’s Championships in 1958 and 1959, where she impressively placed fourth in the final. Lady Burke was also passionate about her studies, particularly English, Biology, and Geography. The challenges of the newly founded school extended to academics, as Tauranga Girls' College had yet to hire a Biology teacher, which meant she had to travel back to the Tauranga Boys’ campus for lessons. Her perseverance and commitment paid off when, in her final year, she was recognised as top of the Biology class, including boys and girls; she recalls, “The boys weren’t so happy,” accompanied by her characteristic wry smile. This same year, Lady Burke was awarded Dux of Tauranga Girls’ College. To commemorate this achievement, her father generously donated the Mary Poole Cup, which continues to be awarded each year to our Dux.

Despite being recognized as a promising future Olympian, Lady Burke chose to pursue her passion for education, leaving her sporting pursuits to study in Christchurch. She began a teaching career that would span decades and take her across the globe, teaching in New Zealand, Canada, England, and Australia. A Geography teacher, she taught in a wide variety of schools and took pride in working in classrooms as diverse as public, private, state, and special character, both co-ed and single-sex. Her love for teaching was matched only by her love for exploring new places. “There was a whole world out there, and I was dying to explore it,” she shared, embodying the spirit of discovery and resilience that defines our college values.

Throughout her life, Lady Burke has worn many hats: teacher, mother, chef, gallery owner, and businesswoman. She has faced incredible challenges, including a severe accident and injury that required her to re-learn basic life skills. Lady Mary Burke’s journey stands as a testament to the qualities she exemplified as a student here—resilience, determination, creativity, and humility. We were honored to welcome her back to Tauranga Girls’ College recently, where she expressed her pride in seeing today’s students empowered to explore their world with the same vigor and passion.

Lady Burke recently attended our Senior Prize Giving as our special guest.  65 years after Lady Burke herself was first awarded the Mary Poole Cup, she awarded our 2024 Dux, Peyton Conder, the same cup in recognition of her academic excellence.