Mackay North State High School Year 11 student Tim Piper will travel to Perth these September school holidays for Geography's Big Week Out, after being named Queensland's top Year 11 student in the 2026 Australian Geography Competition.
Tim placed in the top 1 per cent nationally, scoring 37.27 out of 40 in a competition giving students just 30 minutes to answer 40 questions spanning mapping, data analysis, population, infrastructure, topography and environmental hazards.
That result earned Tim selection for Geography's Big Week Out — a multi-day program in Perth combining fieldwork and theory for just 16 Year 11 students from across Australia.
Tim is one of only two Queensland students selected and the first North High student ever invited to take part.
The program could also open the door to an even bigger opportunity, with four students progressing towards representing Australia at the International Geography Olympiad in Latvia.
“I'm excited for it," Tim said.
His fascination with geography started young, through games involving flags and country outlines. These days, he admits he reads Wikipedia for fun, learning about countries, states and cities.
Achievement also runs in the family. Tim's older brother Nicolas Piper was North High's 2025 Dux, graduating with a 99.05 ATAR, and Tim hopes to follow in his footsteps and become Dux himself next year.
Both their parents also work at North High. Dad Matt is a Science teacher, while mum Lana works with the CATT team and teaches across Science, English, History and Maths.
After Year 12, Tim hopes to study Civil Engineering, with interests in transport, drainage, the environment, pedestrian movement and designing liveable, sustainable cities.
Despite his latest achievement, Tim remains characteristically humble.
“I still don't know how I got to number one," he laughed.
Congratulations, Tim — and enjoy Geography's Big Week Out in Perth!