OSA Review Magazine #151 December 2020 by The Southport School

NUMBER 151

2020 ISSUE

OSA Review T H E O L D S O U T H P O RT O N I A N S â&#x20AC;&#x2122; A S S O C I AT I O N

PAST PRESIDENTS Mr R H Nimmo Mr L A Delpratt Mr C E Cook Mr F R North Mr R S Billington Mr R J McWilliam Mr G E Johnson Mr N V Henderson Mr G E Johnson Mr E C Fernandez Mr G E Johnson Mr R J McWilliam Mr G E Johnson Mr C S Roberts Mr W W Pike Mr T G G Lahey Mr C L H Monteath Mr A R Tritton Mr D J McWhirter

1919-20 1920-21 1921-22 1922-23 1923-24 1924-25 1925-26 1926-27 1927-28 1928-29 1929-30 1930-31 1931-32 1932-33 1933-36 1936-38 1938-39 1939-40 1940-41

OSA COUNCIL 2020: President: Christopher Johnstone (DIX 79-82, BID 89-90) Vice President: Craig Hobart (THO 80-85) Hon. Secretary: Scott Parry (MCK 86-90) Hon. Treasurer: Peter Waller (WAL 82-87) Patron: Jake MacRonald (THO 49-57) Hon. Editor – Review: Duncan Young (BID 90)

Mr J O Yates Mr C M C Bere Mr C A Burcher Mr T M Foggitt Mr I M B Cribb Mr R A Clarke Mr J C H Gill Mr I M Grant Mr I A H Perry Mr E D L Anning Mr A R Charity Mr J F Overall Mr R Newton Mr F G Vidgen Mr R C Overell Mr A H Kaiser Mr H E Tweedale Mr J R Walker Mr D J M Murphy

1941-42 1942-43 1943-45 1945-47 1947-49 1949-51 1951-53 1953-55 1955-57 1957-60 1960-62 1962-64 1964-66 1966-68 1968-70 1970-72 1972-73 1974-76 1976-78

Mr C Newton 1978-79, 1998-99 Mr D R M Murphy 1979-81, 1999-2001 Mr P J Overell 1981-83 Mr M W Broomhead OAM 1983-84 Mr P M Rouse 1985-86 Mr J B Anning 1986-87 Mr W J R Chandler 1988-89 Mr H J Kennett 1990-91 Mr G E Davidson 1992-93 Mr M A Searle 1994-95 Dr J R Wicks 1996-97 Mr M A Wilkinson 2001-02 Mr G P R Friend OAM 2002-05 Mr P R Cross 2006 Mr J T Carter 2007-08 Mr V B Wright 2009-10 Mr P C Wood 2011-12 Mr P E Lockhart 2013-14 Mr N I Quartermaine 2015-16

Elected Council Members: Vaughan Oxenford (MEL 80-84) Duncan Young (BID 90) Scott Andrews (WAL 94-98) Alexander (Lex) Stewart (THO 99-03)

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE:

Old Boys on School Council: F.D. Perrin (RAD 78-84) M.M.A. Blumenstein (MAU 88-92) G.C. Rix (WAL 72-77) A.K Twemlow (MIT 85) N.I. Quartermaine (MCK 96-99)

COVER PHOTO CREDIT:

School Archivist: Debbie Turner

OSA Co-ordinator The Southport School, Winchester Street, Southport QLD 4215.

LAYOUT & DESIGN: CSQD

Gold Coast Bulletin. Photographer Jason O’Brien. OSA OFFICE:

Tel: 07 5531 9803 Fax: 07 5591 2124 Email: osa@tss.qld.edu.au Website: www.tssoldboys.com.au

The Old Southportonians’ Review

Contents FROM THE DEPUTY HEADMASTER AND HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

FROM THE PRESIDENT

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

The New TSS Store

ARCHIVES

MY STORY

BRANCH NEWS

FEATURES Headmaster Greg Wain

School Captains 2000-2019

OSA NEWS Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation

New business keeping borrowers and brokers happy

Golf Day 2020

TSS Cadets – Honour Guard

Exploring the Online-verse 40 A Scientific Perspective 42 Mulgowie Muster 2020 44 Supreme Court Visit 46 QCE Comparison to Previous Academic Systems 47 SCHOOL NEWS Ekka XP eSports Young Farmers Cup Competition

Queensland High School eSports League Competition

Old Boys hit the Village Green

SPORT NEWS Cricket 52 Sailing 53 Swimming 54 Basketball 55 Tennis 55 Football 56 Rugby 58 Gymnastics 62 Chess 63 Debating 63 Rowing 64 Prep Sports

OSA NEWS - Foundation Breakfast

BIRTHS & BAPTISMS

OBITUARIES 70 Reporting child sexual abuse and seeking help Child abuse is a crime. If you have been a victim of abuse, or are currently concerned about a child being abused, you can report your concerns to the local police, or to the Headmaster (for TSS related incidents), or the Anglican Diocese Director of Professional Standards who is responsible for responding to any complaints of abuse within schools, parishes and agencies of the Diocese. Director of Professional Standards – Ph: 07 3835 2266 Email: dops@anglicanbrisbane.org.au

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F ROM T H E DE P U T Y H E A DM A ST E R

MR ANDREW HAWKINS DEPUTY HEADMASTER – HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL (MCK 92-95)

As a former TSS country boarder from Central Queensland I began to learn a lot about our school and its traditions from a young age.

Having also worked at TSS for the past 17 years this understanding of what makes TSS different has evolved significantly. The greatest challenge for an ‘old’ school is to maintain its traditions while keeping up with contemporary education and the demands of our ever-changing world. What does make TSS unique is our story and much of our story revolves around our Founder, Horace Henry Dixon.

arlier in the year it was announced that I would be the ninth Headmaster of TSS. It is astounding that a school of 120 years of age has only had eight Headmasters since 1901. The first thing that was said to me was “Surely you are the youngest Headmaster of TSS?” Born in 1869, simple math will tell you our Founder, as Headmaster, was only 32 years old when he took on the challenge of purchasing land for a school not far from St Peters Church in Southport. In those days Dixon was the Parish Priest for an area that stretched loosely from Beenleigh to the New South Wales border. Dixon secured a one-year lease from the Governor of Queensland’s summer residence, rent free if he paid for repairs, with an option to purchase after three years for 1,000 pounds. He felt Southport was the natural centre for a school as it was the main seaside resort of Southern Queensland and was also the geographical heart of Dixon’s Parish.

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It must have felt like climbing Mount Everest starting TSS with only four boarders and two local students. Once he made the decision to purchase the land with his own money, following on from the one year lease, Dixon began building the original classrooms, dining hall, dorms, and Headmaster’s residence alongside the original Governor of Queensland’s summer residence. In the late 1800s, the Governor of Queensland referred to was Lord Chelmsford. These original dwellings built by the original staff and students now form the iconic Biddle House, our fourth Boarding House introduced in 1988 for boarders in Years 8-12. I was privileged enough to be Housemaster of Biddle House some years ago and my family were raised in the same house that Horace Dixon raised his family. His son Cecil would later be a member of McKinley House, my boarding house when I was a student; another close link with the Founder and just one more reason I feel such a deep responsibility to continue to grow TSS into a world-class boy’s school. Thanks to our Founder, I get to stand on the shoulders of the leaders before me. It even seems the issues Horace Dixon faced were not too dissimilar to the contemporary issues we face today. In 1918 - 1920, just a few decades prior to the Battle of Britain where legendary Old Boy Alan Radcliffe, son of former Headmaster John Radcliffe, flew spitfires over the Western Front, the H1N1 influenza virus commonly known as the Spanish Flu spread worldwide, infecting 500 million people and killed over 50 million. Well before Donald Trump and his twitter account, there were disputes over whether the Spanish Flu originated in the USA or China, and the aggressive respiratory virus attacked the immune system and had no age barrier.

Much like Covid-19, Dixon was so concerned for the health of his boys that he made the decision to lock down TSS for the 1919 year and cancelled all holidays, visitors, and deliveries by land. Our NSW boarders this year received the sad news that they will not be able to return home during the holidays should they live outside the border bubble. 101 years later, TSS in 2020, has essentially been in lockdown. In a poem written by a student in the 1919 Southportonian it had the first and last verses that read: Now that to town I may not go Life has become a tale of woe And I think of the things I need to do In those far-off says before the “Flu” Alas! And alack! Oh, woe is me! I long for the days when I’m once more free; And I think of the things I am going to do In those glorious days when we’ve done with the “Flu” In his memoirs, Dixon wrote “that his decision to lockdown TSS whilst a hard one, was ultimately the right choice as the health and wellbeing of my boys and staff was paramount”. Yet another connection with the Founder. We share a passion for the health and wellbeing of TSS boys. All decisions for the boys during my tenure will be made with the best interests of the boys at heart, much the same as Horace Henry Dixon. The Founder was well respected and the annual tradition of Old Boys and current students, such as our First XV, travel to Lutwyche in Brisbane to visit the grave sites of Horace Dixon and his wife,

Florence Dixon. The school has always done this to pay our respects to the courage he showed to back his intuition that a school in the area would be a success. I am sure he would look down with a smile, almost a century on from his retirement in 1929 as the inaugural Headmaster of TSS, over a period that spanned 30 years. The names of those Old Boys who fought in the Great War are written on an honour board in the narthex of our beautiful Chapel built in their honour by our Founder. Before the Chapel was built, it was tradition at the end of each week after supper that the Founder would read out any Old Boy who had lost their life during the war. Every school week during the Great War up to five names were read out to the current student body. For a man described as having an intimate knowledge of his pupils and earning great popularity with them, it must have been a very challenging tenure as leader of our school during those times to lose so many former students so young. The current issues of screen time and the saturation of social media in adolescent lives suddenly seems quite trivial. One of the names on the honour roll in the Memorial Room and in the Chapel is Archibald Hewland Raymond, who was killed in action in the Great War. The only belonging found on his person was a TSS medallion that is proudly displayed in our museum today that reads “100 yards sprint champion 1908”. Evidence of the boy’s special attachment to their school and their Headmaster. It is the resilience and attachment to his students, throughout the Founder’s leadership, that motivates me to deal with the issues that present daily within a school that is now home to over 1,650 boys.

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P R E S I D E N T S R E P O RT

President's Report 2020 This has been a year like no other for all of us. The very thought that we all would be compelled by law to stay in our homes, not go out, not visit anyone, not have anyone visit us, not shake hands, wipe things down with sanitiser before giving them to others, was, prior to 2020, unimaginable.

nd yet that was the year through which we all lived and from which we are, to various degrees only now emerging, but the future to some extent, remains uncertain - socially and economically. In Queensland we're more fortunate than most being among the least affected from the global pandemic. Nevertheless, the impact was profound. When I imagined what this year would look like at our OSA planning meeting in January, I imagined a number of new events like a welcome to OSA fathers of current students (of whom, with grandfathers and great-grandfathers there are 221) early on in the year - to let those of our number know that the OSA and the School acknowledges their particular ongoing connection and support of TSS. I imagined attending our ANZAC Day service and Old Boys’ Weekend which for me would have been my 30 year reunion event. I imagined the interstate branch functions, planned changes to the website and our publications, and of course a chance for all of us to say farewell to our third longest serving Headmaster, Greg Wain. Well, the reality did not match my imagination, and there was really nothing that could be done about it. Importantly, the Valedictory Dinner and Graduation Ceremonies went ahead, but they were also different. To the graduands of 2020, our newest members, welcome. You have had a difficult year but one which I am told, has brought you closer together as a year group.This has been achieved through the collective efforts of the staff at TSS, all of whom deserve our congratulations and our thanks. We at the OSA did continue to do a number of things. We have continued to work with the school to fund

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the ongoing history project of our members who died in the Second World War. We have maintained our healthy support of certain sons of Old Boys through our bursary program, we continued our support to the Rowing Shed through distribution of the Clavill Bere Fund and we have continued to work with the school on the planned OSA Pavilion to be built on the embankment at the northern end of the Village Green. For those who missed the chance to visit the school this year, two significant changes have taken place. First, the magnificent new Annand Theatre has been built, and as I write is on track for completion at the end of this year. It is an incredible building. For a school which has so much sporting excellence, this building will now give those who excel in the arts, the greatest opportunity to display those talents. For those of us whose memories of school life are linked to the annual school drama productions, the House plays and music concerts, we should delight in the memories that this building will create. As Churchill is credited as saying (probably apocryphally) when it was suggested that funding for the arts be cut to bolster the war effort “Then what would we be fighting for?” The school has also constructed a new uniform shop with additional conference facility at the southern end of the school. Those from the 80s and earlier, will remember the old adventure training and cross country track (with barbed wire) we used to run. Our merchandise will now be on sale there. OSA members (and others) also gave generously to help with the restoration of the Chapel organ. An extremely important project for what is one of the finest school organs of its type in the country. Indeed, each of these projects serves to remind us that TSS is a living, breathing and ever-changing institution which exists, as it did for us, at each point in time for all of the current students of the school. I was reminded of this constantly throughout the year. One example was when I drove to TSS with a mate of mine (Toowoomba Grammar old boy but importantly, his father went to TSS) and his son in Year 7 who are from a station west of Springsure. They were

returning for the start of term three having only had the initial part of term one in Rogers House. His first six or so weeks had not been easy, and then Covid-19 hit. As we grabbed a quick lunch, two brothers and their mum, from Goondiwindi walked past and the younger one also in Year 7 called out “G’day Briggsy, it’s great to be back, isn’t it?” It sure is. And to some extent it feels like we are starting all over, which means we have opportunities to change, and to innovate. In that respect, 2021 looks like being a remarkable year. It will be a year when, for the first time we combine reunions of the “tens and ones” years. Hopefully there will not be too many scores to settle from the cohorts who were in Year 11 when their reunion colleagues were Seniors. It will also (hopefully) be the year when our gift to the school is built for the benefit of all, our guests and as a home for the OSA. It will be a year in which we revolutionise our information flow to our members by finishing our website redesign, and potentially developing an app to work alongside the School’s so that notifications are received to phones, and problems with legacy emails and logging on become a thing of the past. This is not to say hard copy publications will not continue to be received, but, through a new marketing structure within TSS, the OSA Review, as our primary source of information for decades will come to be integrated into Band of Brothers, which all OSA members receive.

This is simply a consequence of the fact that a standalone publication is too expensive to continue to produce, particularly where much of the information is now being doubled up in Band of Brothers. This also means our newsletters will be revamped and (hopefully) delivered by a new improved digital platform. Finally, it will be a year when we welcome our first Old Boy Headmaster who will undoubtedly continue the outstanding success of Mr Greg Wain. As for Greg, I am personally sad to see him leave the school after 17 years as our Headmaster. To ponder that length of service for a moment, no OSA member comes close to having spent that length of time at the school. I am also sad that the current environment has not allowed us to publicly farewell him at any of our planned events. Hopefully he will accept an invitation to come back next year, no doubt with a deeper tan and longer hair, so that we can thank him for everything he has done for our school. So the future is bright. We have an excellent, committed and motivated executive team. They are all fine gentlemen with whom I look forward to working in what I expect will be my last year in the President’s chair. Christopher Johnstone President (DIX 79-82, BID 89-90)

The Old Southportonians’ Review

EDITORIAL

Notes from the Editor DUNCAN YOUNG (BID 88 - 90)

Welcome to the Covid-19 edition of the OSA Review for 2020. Obviously the absence of OSA events and other functions like the usual weddings and baptisms has meant that we have less photos and stories to share. But we hope that you appreciate the stories we have been able to bring.

As to the future of this publication, as Chris Johnstone has said in his President’s report, the costs of publication and distribution probably means that this will be our last publication in this form. Instead, we will combine our news in Band of Brothers being the School’s biannual publication for the benefit of the entire school community.

In making this change, we intend to challenge ourselves to revamp and improve our digital publications to you. We will increase our digital newsletters next year, our event notifications and our information flow.

aturally, we have included a feature article on our long-serving Headmaster Mr Greg Wain and our incoming Headmaster and fellow OSA member, Mr Andrew Hawkins. We also went to or most recent former School Captains for a “where are they now” and for their reflections of their time as School Captain under Mr Wain.

I hope you will bear with us as we embark on these exciting new endeavours, hopefully you will enjoy the benefits which we at the OSA are envisaging.

Happily there has still been plenty of news on the sporting front which we have included.

2020 SCHOOL CAPTAIN JONATHON BURNETT AND VICE CAPTAIN VISHAAK GANGASANDRA AND THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2020 - OUR NEWEST OSA MEMBERS

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SCHOOL NEWS

The New TSS Store MRS SPRING BIRD PARENTS & FRIENDS LIAISON OFFICER

The TSS Parents and Friends Association are very proud to unveil the new uniform shop - The Store, which has recently been completed at the Senior School campus.

he location of The Store was chosen with parents and students from both the Prep and Senior Schools in mind, with ease of access from the Ferry Road carpark a priority. The previous store which was located in the Centenary Centre will now be repurposed, creating additional change rooms for TSS boys and visiting sporting teams. The Store is usually the first place new students and parents visit at the start of their TSS journey. The design brief was to create a great retail experience for new TSS families whilst also taking into account our existing TSS community. Feedback was sought from parents, students and staff during the consultation process resulting in the new building that stands before us today.

The architect, Simon Brook from Burling Brown Architects, received input from the Parents and Friends, the School and builder Antonio Invincibile from the Invincibile Group. Together, they have achieved an amazing outcome, creating a building that is in keeping with the character of TSS but is also a very practical and functional space. Attention to detail can be seen throughout the building with clever inclusions and design details, helping to preserve the rich history of TSS and its buildings. Outside lighting from the old Annand Theatre has been included as part of The Store fit-out, in addition to a space at the front of the building that could be utilized for a coffee shop in the future. Furthermore, the lower level houses a designated meeting room for the P & F and Support Groups, as well as an easily accessible warehouse and storage area for the uniform store. The total cost of the build including landscaping was $942,000, with $200,000 of this being generously contributed by the Parents and Friends Association.

The new store is expansive with over 150 square metres of useable retail space. Perm-a-Pleat, the Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uniform suppliers, have impressive plans to outfit the interior of The Store, ensuring that the uniform shopping and outfitting experience is a smooth process for all.

THE NEW TSS UNIFORM STORE

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A RC H I V E S

1870

The Old Man & the Sea MRS DEBBIE TURNER

John Tuesley, aka Jack, was well known and much loved around Southport in the early 1900s.

ack came to Southport in 1870 with his father to start a dairy farm in Nerang Heights trading from Nerang to Brisbane. Nerang Heights would later become Southport in 1875. Jack was an avid rower and from the age of 17 to 28, he would row on the Nerang River and won the coveted Nerang River Championship in the late 1800s. In 1906/07, Jack started his ferry service, named the Stradbroke Island Ferry Service. Jack and his motorboat ‘Cecilia’, the second only in the area at the time, would ferry anglers to Stradbroke Island from the jetty on The Esplanade in Southport. By 1909, Jack had expanded his fleet to four boats including ‘The Merry Widow’, ‘The Dawn’ and ‘The Nancy’. On 4 September 1909, a clerk working in the Post Office saw two people desperately clinging for life on an upturned sailing boat. The clerk quickly jumped on his bicycle and raced to the Tuesley’s Jetty where Jack Tuesley was cleaning up after a day at sea.

JACK ON HIS BOAT

Jack raced to the ‘Cecilia’, started it up without checking for fuel, and raced off in the direction of the ailing vessel. By now, the upturned sailboat was fast approaching the Southport Bar and being swept out to sea with the two men clinging on in a desperate state. The waves were large and the bar, known to be treacherous was pounding, but Jack somehow managed to pluck both men from danger and save their lives. Coming back to shore, Jack and ‘Cecilia’ were greeted by a cheering crowd who had lined up on the jetty to watch the rescue unfold. The two men were extremely grateful to be rescued, as they did not have much hope of lasting too much longer. The men were our very own Charles Thorold and Arthur Dunlop Anderson of TSS. TUESLEYS JETTY

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1909 HOUSE FOURS, THOROLD AND MCKINLEY

A newspaper report on the incident said that Charles was a teacher at the boys boarding school and his student Arthur was a boarder there.

A newspaper report on the incident said that Charles was a teacher at the boys boarding school and his student Arthur was a boarder there. They had begun after lunch with the intention of a short sail on the Nerang River, but ended up taking in water from a rogue wave and capsizing. Managing to cling on to the sailboat, the two sailors were at the mercy of a fast, outgoing tide. At a ceremony held at TSS in November of that year, Jack Tuesley was awarded a silver medal for bravery from Governor MacGregor on behalf of the Royal Humane Society.

At the age of 80 years old, Jack retired from his ferry service with his son ‘Pud’ taking over the business and later becoming Inspector of Fisheries. Tuesley Park, located on the Southport Broadwater at the bottom end of Railway Street, was named after the family in recognition of their service to the area. Tuesley Park is the location where the old Tuesley’s Jetty once stood and docked the ‘Cecilia’.

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M Y S T O RY

Bert Cockerill MCKINLEY HOUSE 1946 - 1955

GARY FERGUSON

he Southport School has a great record of producing a number of outstanding sportsmen over its long history. In each decade, a number of young men came forward to record extremely high achievements in a range of sports. The conditions under which these feats were recorded were remarkable. The swimmers had the Nerang River to train in and perform to their best, whereas the ground preparation of the ovals for cricket, football and athletics prior to 1960, were rugged to say the least. Yet our best were able to perform at GPS carnivals and more than hold their own. Many boys only attended the Junior School, and left to help at home or weather the economic conditions as best they could. Others stayed for only two years in the Senior School before setting off for the world at large. Our history records that Bert Cockerill entered the Junior School in 1946 and was able to lead his age group in swimming, athletics, football and cricket. There is not a sports honour board in the Junior School that does not record Bert Cockerill’s name as a high achiever. In 1952 Bert entered the Senior School and immediately stamped himself as "Firsts" material. Rowing came naturally to Bert, and even though he was quite small his super strength ensured he wasn’t a coxswain. Bert was a fixture in every athletics, swimming, football and rowing team for his entire Senior School career. The honour boards attest to Bert’s achievements. Bert has remained a humble champion and has never failed to be a team player and a credit to his school. Bert Cockerill has maintained his life long association with the OSA and TSS. He continues to seek out all Old Boys within 1,000kms of the school. If there is word of someone in trouble, then Bert will organize help, he willingly offers a helping hand when someone falls over.

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Bert has a passion for all Old Boys and will travel long distances at his expense to attend and support an Old Boy’s function. Bert’s great friend the late Lewis Cooper, started a golf weekend 39 years ago and gathered a number of Old Boys to join him for good fellowship. Everyone knows that Bert is not a golfer, however, he can cast a line and tell a good story. Lew could not think of a better person than Bert to keep the aptly named “ BEAGLE BOYS” going for another 39 years. Three times a year these Old Boys meet for lunch and continue the wonderful friendships they started at school. The stories of sporting events, old masters, the rivalry between Houses, the Dining Hall cuisine and the fun times that boys were able to make out of their shared experiences, make for a very enjoyable lunch. Everyone is welcome and the only criteria for joining is to bring a copy of an old Beagle Boy comic.

BRANCH NEWS

Branch News 1975 — 45 Year Catch Up (L-R) Clive Quartermaine (MCK), Col Smith (DEL), Dennis Weaver (DEL) and David Bartlett (DEL).

Sydney Branch Christmas Lunch 2019 13 DECEMBER 2019

City Tattersall’s Club | Thank you to branch coordinators, John Hawker (MCK63) and James Irvine (MAU93)

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1988 TSS Reunion Back Row – (L-R)– Jason Dacey (MAU), Clayton Burgess (KAI), Damien Moffrey (WAL), Scott Rowley (RAD), Jason Young (MAU), Nicholas Cook (TUR), Simon Scott (MCK) Front Row – (L-R) – Ben Levi (ATK), Rod Macleod (WAL), Richard Pate (WAL), Sasha Laws (MEL), Mark Muir (MEL), Mark Parry (MCK).

The ‘65ers held their annual lunch recently at St Lucia Golf Course in Brisbane. Seems that not even Covid-19 could break the spirit of this mob with a roll up of 23 (including two recovering from serious illness) – with 12 apologies. Nearly half of the Alumni of 1965 are still connected after 55 years. Front Row – (L-R) John Mainwaring (MCK), Denis Brown (MCK), Roger Chandler (MCK), Geoff Carruth (THO), Terry Herbert (THO) Back Row – (L-R) John Hiew (THO), Randall North (MCK), John Stille (MCK), Rod Rush (DEL), Ian Munro (MCK), Peter Graham (THO), Geoff Taylor (DEL), David Matthews (THO), Garth Carey (DEL), Horse Jackson (THO), Anthony Fox (THO), Huw Griffiths (THO), Tony Thelander (THO), Angus Christensen (THO), Peter Kerkenezov (DEL). Absent: Peter Lockhart (THO).

Old Boys from the First XV in 2010 and 2011 presented jerseys to the 2020 XV at St Peters church, Southport AUGUST 2020

(L-R) Jack Hoath (SUR11), Winiata Barrett (TUR11), Sam Fattal 11, Matt Fairnington (WAL11), Lachie Duncan (ATK11), Sam Cox (THO10), Will Slipper (TUR10), Josh McHugh (TUR11), Nick Oui (TUR11), Antony Vassiliades (DEL11) and Captain of Rugby in 2011.

Premiership Winning 1989 First VIII supporting one of their own on the tragic day of the funeral of Jack Cameron, son of Nick. OCTOBER 2020

(L-R) Mark Yeates (BID89), Islay Lee (Coach), Ross Norman, Nick Cameron (BID89), Greg Ruddle (MCK89), Duncan Free (ATK90), Jock Beveridge (ATK89), Ashley Bradnam (RAD89), James Burton (BID90). 14

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F E AT U R E S

Headmaster Greg Wain One article introducing Mr Wain to the TSS community states “Mr Wain’s academic qualifications include a Diploma of Teaching majoring in mathematics, a Bachelor of Education majoring in psychology, a Master of Educational Administration and a Master of Business Administration. He brings a wealth of 25 years experience as a teacher and Housemaster at day and boarding schools in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane.” It is widely attested that Mr Wain was appointed by The School Council as they sought a visionary leader who will continue to enhance the quality of education of boys at the School. The School Council Chairman Professor Irving stated, “we believe he will work well with the whole school community as we seek to provide the best possible Christian-based education for the boys who attend this school.” And enhance The Southport School he has.

his year marks the end of an era as we farewell the eighth Headmaster of The Southport School, Mr Greg Wain, after 17 years toil at the helm. In this issue of the OSA Magazine, we look back at how Mr Wain was first introduced to the TSS Community, and his many accolades and achievements prior to TSS. Mr Wain was appointed in 2004, following the resignation of Dr Bruce Cook who had been Headmaster of TSS for 16 years. Mr Wain came to the School from Cannon Hill Anglican College in Brisbane, leading the co-education school as Principal and The Scots College where at various times he held the positions of Senior Day Housemaster, Boarding Housemaster and Head of Mathematics.

Developing an extensive knowledge base in the education of boys, adolescent brain research, positive psychology and emotional intelligence, Mr Wain has brought a new ‘wellbeing’ era to the students, staff and community of TSS. Over the past 17 years, the School has built a strong academic focus with national renown for the Drug Testing program and use of Myers Briggs profiling of senior students. We look forward to reading Mr Wain’s many tributes forthcoming in the next edition of the Band of Brothers magazine.

Born in Perth, Western Australia, Mr Wain spent two years as a jackeroo on a large sheep station in the North West before completing a teaching qualification. He taught mathematics and science at Scotch College in Perth for several years before moving to Sydney to teach at The Scots College for 14 years, a GPS boys’ boarding school.

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F E AT U R E S

School Captains 2000-2019 MICHAEL DAVIS

(2000)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? I was working full time at Parkable. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? It wiped out 70% of our business revenue. Most of our staff took some time off. Fortuitously, I met someone during that time and have decided to partner on a new business together. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? A very windy one! I studied Mechatronics Engineering, thinking I’d be a world class robot guru. Then somehow ended up in a pet food factory, then helping Rio Tinto mine coal smarter, then helped launch Uber across Queensland, then started my first business which was acquired by an international startup, which is where I am currently. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school?

What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? Learning how satisfying it is to challenge yourself and give your all. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? Being a part of such a great school and cohort. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Nothing at all! Who has been your biggest influence? I don’t know! There are so many amazing people around us. I do try to have people I look to for guidance and inspiration in different parts of my life. What are you most proud of? Having the courage to make the big decisions. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? Enjoying more time with family and friends.

Realising that being a good guy or smart is going to get you where you want to go.

Michael Davis School Captain 2000

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Ashley Rourke School Captain 2002

ASHLEY ROURKE

(2002)

What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain?

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19?

Camaraderie of our cohort - especially at GPS events.

Continuing to work in the healthcare sector after ten years experience in law and as an in-house counsel at a multinational/multifaceted construction company.

What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could?

How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? Working in healthcare during the pandemic has been interesting. It has been a privilege to work with such a well-organised and integrated network. I’m proud to be in a country that has insulated incidence so effectively and been ready for various elevated scenarios. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? Since graduating TSS, I studied Law / Commerce in Australia and the United States. I worked as a legal practitioner, in-house counsel for a multinational/multifaceted construction firm, and now work in the private healthcare industry. I married my wife Lauren in 2015 and we live in Sydney (we met in Melbourne although she’s from New York). We have since grown our family to include an almost 2-year-old daughter (Allison) and 3-year-old Cavoodle puppy (Millie). What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? Pivoting professional service industries during the GFC and taking a risk on a career path with more uncertain outcomes. What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School?

Pursue your passions. Travel, study and work abroad and be single-minded in achieving your ambitions. Who has been your biggest influence? Family, friends and professional mentors. What are you most proud of? Diverse and interesting experiences in Australia and abroad which have made me who I am today. Getting married and becoming a parent to our now almost two-year-old daughter (Allie) – she amazes us every day. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? To still be enjoying a challenging and stimulating career, with a good work-life balance spending time with family travelling (when we can) I appreciate in retrospect, in 2010, I’m not sure many people would have correctly predicted “where do you see yourself in 10 years” when thinking about 2020! Anything else you would like to add? o those currently studying and to those who have T recently graduated, I hope the current Covid-19 environment doesn’t dishearten you and that you learn that the landscape is constantly changing. Make the most of your time, opportunities and appreciate those close to you. Take risks and pursue your passions – the path becomes self-evident through your experiences.

Work hard, stay humble. Respect and appreciate the opportunities in the pursuit of your goals.

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Alex Douglas School Captain 2003

ALEX DOUGLAS

(2003)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? Running an accommodation business in Byron Bay and managing a portfolio of properties (The Norfolk Byron Bay). How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? The short term accommodation side of the business was shut down for three months due to a ban on non essential travel in NSW as well as border closures. We retained a number of permanent tenants through the shut down period and received support from the bank which helped to keep the business afloat. Since travel restrictions were lifted at the beginning of June we have been overwhelmed with bookings. I am confident that there will be sufficient business over the next 12 months to catch up on lost ground provided that we don’t experience a lengthy lockdown in Byron Bay or in Sydney. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? I studied commerce at Bond University after a brief stint at UQ and Kings College. I organized and promoted a number of small music festivals whilst studying at Bond. After graduating from university, I went to work for John James, assisting with the management of his commercial property portfolio in Brisbane, particularly in and around the James St Precinct. In 2018 after 10 years with John James, I moved to Byron Bay.

What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? I am sure I am not alone in saying that there have been many hurdles for me since leaving the safety of school life. I have done my best to learn from challenging experiences in an effort to avoid them in the future. What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? The importance of being polite, respecting authority, valuing traditions and having good manners. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? I have fond memories of writing poems late at night, with the help of a few close mates, to introduce our representative teams at assembly the following morning. Being given the honour of stepping into one of the lead roles in the annual school musical after my talented colleague Patrick Sharpe tragically passed away was something I will never forget. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Spend more time studying! Who has been your biggest influence? I will always be grateful for the support and leadership our headmaster Dr Bruce Cook provided throughout my time at TSS. In terms of my career, John James has been an employer, mentor and is now a business partner. My parents, Susie and Alex and my siblings, Caroline, John and Helen. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? With a family living in Byron Bay, spending plenty of time playing golf and surfing – hopefully with kids enrolled to board at TSS and St Hilda’s.

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STEPHEN KYRANIS

(2004)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? After completing medical school in 2010, I’ve spent the last 10 years training to become an Interventional Cardiologist. In 2019, my wife, daughter and I packed up our lives and moved to Cambridge in the United Kingdom where I worked as an Interventional Cardiology Fellow at the Royal Papworth Hospital. This was an exciting year for our family that allowed me to develop as a Cardiologist whilst also having the opportunity to explore Europe. We’ve since moved back to Australia, just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit and I am now working as an Interventional Cardiologist at both the Redland’s Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? There has been an enormous amount of preparation in the public hospital system in order to prepare for Covid-19. Whilst we have ceased some of our elective cardiac procedures, we have invested time in preparing for the potential cardiac complications that are known to occur in patients with this virus. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? The biggest challenge I’ve faced in my career since leaving school is the demands that training as a junior doctor place on personal relationships. Working as a junior doctor meant frequent secondments to hospitals throughout regional Queensland, spending many months away from friends and family. Studying for specialty exams while working full-time and attempting to have something that resembled a social life was also very challenging.

Who has been your biggest influence? The guidance, direction and support from my parents has helped me get to where I am today. The support and love that my wife has given me has pushed me to grow both personally and professionally – she has contributed enormously to my success and happiness. What are you most proud of? Personally – the amazing family I have around me, especially my spirited and independent two year-old daughter Madeline. Professionally – being admitted as a fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? Cardiology is a rapidly developing field of medicine and I hope to be at the forefront of this ongoing development over the next 10 years.

ADRIAN PULJICH

(2005)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? Prior to Covid-19, I was working to grow the company I founded in October 2016 - GemLife Communities. The business has been growing quickly, with 17 master-planned communities across Australia, in various stages of development. Study-wise, I was not actively enrolled in any tertiary courses, but I had been looking at enrolling into a Master of Business Administration program, here in Queensland. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all?

The Southport School equipped me with the tools I needed to succeed at self-directed learning at University and beyond.

Thankfully, my business has remained resilient and continues to withstand the current economic pressures facing businesses across the country. Like all businesses, we’ve had to adapt quickly to new modes of working and become more flexible in the way in which we market and deliver our product offering. Of most importance to me has been ensuring that our valued homeowners living in our established communities have remained safe and well.

What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? My favourite memory in my time as School Captain was the sense of community and camaraderie within the school, especially within rugby – I have fond memories of supporting the junior grades playing rugby on Saturday mornings.

The current climate has undoubtedly changed the way in which businesses, indeed people, operate and the importance of furthering my knowledge base is highlighted by these unprecedented times. The appeal of enrolling into a Master of Business Administration program is certainly something I will look to give due consideration post Covid-19

What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School?

What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Relax and enjoy your high school years, they are some of the most carefree years of your life!

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What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today?

What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain?

After school, I enrolled into a Bachelor of Laws and then went on to complete a Master of Laws, shortly thereafter. Whilst undertaking my Master of Laws, I worked in the family business, which still actively operates within the same industry I am in today. With my secondary and tertiary qualifications underpinning my knowledge base, coupled with my experience and progression into a senior role within the family business, I decided to branch out and seek new challenges in 2016. I am now a founder and director of a company which seeks to innovate how masterplanned communities for the over-50s are delivered and operated.

My most favourite memory has to be the school winning the GPS Swimming Championship. It was early in the year and one of the most important dates in the school sporting calendar. The way in which the whole school came together to support and cheer on our boys, across each age group, was a humbling moment for me and one which has certainly impacted the way in which I approach my private and professional life.

What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? The biggest challenge was starting a new business on the back of my family’s success in the same space. Going out on my own and finding the right business partners with a shared work ethic and vision was daunting but exciting too. There is much to be gained by collaborating with like-minded people and businesses. What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? The biggest lesson I learned at TSS is the importance of ‘brotherhood.’ The sense of brotherhood that was formed during my time spent in various sporting and academic endeavours showed me that strong relationships are the foundation of being able to work together as a team to achieve goals.

What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? That persistence, patience and honesty is key to whatever you do. Life is too short and there is no time to harbour regrets. Who has been your biggest influence? My late mother taught me the importance of family and values whilst my father and my current business partner taught me the importance of a strong work ethic and respect. What are you most proud of? In my private life, I am proud to be a husband and a father. Nothing beats the feeling of starting a family and laying the foundations for a happy home. Professionally, I am proud of what I have achieved since leaving school. I have tried to enjoy every experience and sought to improve who I am both as a leader within my business but also to the community I represent. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? I see myself continuing with my current professional endeavours, whilst also growing my family. I know that experiences and opportunities will continue to shape my life’s journey, but I will try to remain true to myself and those around me.

Adrian Puljich School Captain 2005

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What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? Being in the middle of the mining industry in Perth during the commodities crash of 2013-14. Watching businesses do whatever it takes to survive. Watching many hard-working and well-intentioned employees made redundant. It taught me that the world can be tough, and you need to look out for yourself. What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School?

John Fox School Captain 2006

JOHN FOX

(2006)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? I teamed up with my brother Jack in 2017 to start an education technology business, which we continue to run today. It’s an online education resource for schools, teachers and students following the IB Diploma Program (mainly international schools). We started just the two of us, now built a team around it, and it’s starting to go pretty well. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? Fortunately we’ve received a bit of a tailwind as our business is all online and involves online/remote learning. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? I studied Engineering at QUT and then worked for The Swire Group in their mining and logistics divisions for about five years in various roles & locations across Australia. The work mainly involved assignment on projects to design and implement technology to drive efficiencies and automation within the businesses. At the start of 2017 I resigned from Swire and teamedup with Jack to try our hands at starting a business (we’ve both always had the entrepreneurial spirit, right back as kids, collecting golf balls from the lakes of Southport Golf Club and on-selling them to the members). We raised some venture capital, built the first version ourselves and fortunately gained some early traction in 2017/18 to keep it going, and we’re now thinking about what’s next and expansion. Lot’s of opportunity in focused, high-quality, video based, online education resources.

Our First VIII rowing crew was in the middle of an intensive training block. We were all permanently tired, trying to get through all the sessions while maintaining the academic side. A few of us went to our coach (Olympic Gold Medalist Duncan Free) and asked if we could reduce the number of sessions per week. His response was “well we could, but we’ll be less likely to win the Head”. That line has stuck with me since school. I’ll often say it to myself when doing anything hard. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? Winning the rowing Head of the River with a good bunch of guys. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Become proficient and confident with technology. The creation and understanding of it, rather than simply consuming it. It may not need to be your core focus, but it’s a valuable addition. The world is heading this way, technology-first organisations are thriving and competencies in these areas are in high demand by employers and customers. Who has been your biggest influence? Probably my parents. I’ve come to learn the importance of habits, both good and bad ones. I reflect on my childhood and realise they demonstrated many good habits; eating healthy, staying fit, reading, questioning, being curious, etc. What are you most proud of? Being healthy and happy. Having positive relationships with family and friends. Building a business with happy customers and providing employment. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? One thing I’ve learnt is that long term planning can be a bit futile, as these plans don’t take into consideration future unexpected opportunities. I used to have goals of certain roles in certain companies, but then opportunities popped up, and I think it’s important to be agile and take them. But with that being said, I hope that I’m still healthy and happy, I hope I’m raising a family with my wife Krista, and I hope that I’m still in business with Jack, in whatever form that may be.

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Association, in the sales and operations of PRIMEX Field Days. Upon graduating university I went to work with for a few different property firms and then also worked in sales for a startup called BuildingLink, which is an unbelievable residential building management system/platform. I then made the move to London in 2014 and started working for CBRE where I have been since. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school?

Brodie Cunningham School Captain 2007

BRODIE CUNNINGHAM

(2007)

hat were you doing study/career wise prior to W Covid-19? I have been living in London since 2014 working with CBRE providing property insurance valuations globally. Prior to Covid-19 really kicking off, I had moved to our Berlin office in January to grow the business further in Germany, but only lasted out there until March as I headed back to London for all of the lockdowns. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? The initial lockdowns obviously affected my ability to stay in Germany and like 99% of businesses it was just a real shock to see what was unfolding – no one plans for this type of situation. A big part of my role is to travel around to inspect our clients’ portfolios, which was impossible for those first three months, but really since the many borders opened back up in June it has pretty much been business as usual, just a lot busier trying to make up for those few lost months and a lot of hoops to jump through to comply with different Covid-19 requirements to gain entry to countries. I guess we are probably less affected then some industries/services as in any market scenario, people still need to have their assets insured and to make sure they are either minimizing their risk or taking advantage of any savings that could arise. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? Probably haven’t taken the straightest path to where I am and have definitely changed my mind in what I’ve wanted to do and worked in a few different roles but briefly: After a gap year in 2008 I started my property degree at Bond Uni and completed this in 2011. Throughout Uni I worked for Bruce Wright, ex-President of the Old Boys’

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My biggest challenge originally was probably not knowing exactly what I wanted to do and the fact I did jump around numerous jobs and in multiple industries. This can make potential employers a bit wary etc. However, I think in this generation we are not working in the same job/same company/ same profession for 40 years like our parents and grandparents, so I think we do have the option to look around if we are not happy and want to pursue something else. What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? That is pretty difficult but probably to back your own abilities and to work to your strengths. And a final one would be to also really make use of the Old Boys' network as it reaches far wider than just the Gold Coast or even Australia. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? Again, that’s a hard one as there is plenty, but I would say the Valedictory Dinner the night before we graduated. It was a great final night together with everyone and then to have the opportunity speak to the boys about what we had done that year and what we all got up to in a very informal way and mention things that probably couldn’t be said the next day at the actual graduation ceremony was unreal. Leading a few war cries inside the Dining Hall was a great way to end the night. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Just to really savour all the time you get to spend with your mates in that final year as everyone slowly disperses all over the place and then to always make sure you are having fun with whatever you are doing.

Who has been your biggest influence? My parents for sure. Both have been very supportive of my move over to the UK and with whatever I’m pursuing, but I dare say with everything going on at the moment mum is hoping I wrap it all up sooner rather than later. Other than the folks though, I would have to say Bruce Wright, who gave me my first job, would be a big influence/mentor to me. We still chat regularly and discuss what is going on with each other and its always great to catch up with him and his family when I’m back on the Gold Coast.

How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? The construction industry hasn’t been overly impacted by Covid-19 yet. Productivity on our sites has slowed down a little and there were a few issues with procurement of items out of China at its peak, however, we know the Covid-19 economy will be difficult. We expect the downturn over the next 12 months to be severe and are already seeing the impacts on the order book. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school?

What are you most proud of? I’m fortunate that I’ve been able to set up a life over in the UK, met some unreal people who I can call now call great mates and to land a job where I get to travel the world.

The construction industry is a very dynamic environment that requires you to be confident in your decision making. The biggest challenge with this is being able to gain the experience necessary to challenge ideas and influence those around you.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? I definitely want to be back living and working in Australia within the next few years and hopefully on the Gold Coast, but I will take anywhere you can go to the beach and have a fish. The plan at this stage would be able to come back with CBRE to grow our service offering in Australia, but I will just have to see what opportunities arise.

What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? Hard work pays off, especially if you make the most of each opportunity that presents itself. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? There’s a lot of pretty special memories from school and its hard to narrow it down, but my fondest memories are the simple ones that I’ll never get again, like going to the rugby on a Saturday or just having lunch in the Dining Hall with your mates every day. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Stop worrying about the future, aim to be your best but enjoy now because it’s going to be alright when you get there. Who has been your biggest influence?

Jackson Bailey School Captain 2008

JACKSON BAILEY

(2008)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? After graduating Year 12, I have completed a Bachelor of Construction Management as well as a Bachelor of Architecture and I have started studying an MBA in April this year. I currently work as a Project Engineer with Watpac Constructions.

While at school, and for a few years after I graduated, I spent a lot of time in the swimming pool. I met a lot of influential people along the way, however the values instilled in me by my coach, Chris Nesbit, have provided me with the determination, focus, and mindset of success in life and in my career. What are you most proud of? I am very grateful that I have found an industry that I really enjoy working in and am fortunate enough to have a loving family around me Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? Aside from the career focused goals I have for myself, I also hope to see myself on the sidelines of the rugby ovals at TSS watching my 10 year old son play rugby.

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THOMAS PAXTON-HALL

(2009)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? Working as a doctor at Gold Coast Uni Hospital - on the pathway to becoming an obstetrician. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? It’s obviously induced significant provision change within the hospital but generally the work hasn’t changed too much at my level compared to other professions. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? I undertook a Bachelor of Science at the University of Queensland before completing medical school in NSW. During that time I was lucky enough to spend time in regional and rural NSW in addition to placements in Cape Town, South Africa and Darwin in the Northern Territory. Subsequently I’ve been based at Gold Coast University Hospital with short stints in Roma and Mossman and have recently gone back to university to complete a Masters of Reproductive Medicine. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? I would say fracturing my neck whilst playing rugby at university. It was a big obstacle at the time because rugby was such an important part of who I am. However, it taught me to focus on other endeavours and reinforced that there can be so many avenues in life.

What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? Being organized. The culture revolved around being involved in all aspects of the school community which definitely keep you on your toes. Remaining organized at all times is something I still aim to practice in order to be as efficient and successful as possible. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? Definitely too many to mention! But my top two would have been beating Nudgee 18-0 on Old Boys’ Weekend in the rugby and sharing graduation week with all the mates I’d made through the years. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Enjoy every minute of it because you’ll be writing about it 10 years down the line as if it were yesterday. Who has been your biggest influence? Without a doubt my Dad. He has always been and always will be the man I aspire to be. Intelligent, a strong leader and always put family first. What are you most proud of? My ability to maintain a good work/life balance even when life gets crazy. Sometimes it would be easier to relax certain aspects of your life in order to make others easier, but it doesn’t give the same satisfaction at the end of the day. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? I hope to be happy and healthy with a family and working as an obstetrician, wherever that may be!

Thomas Paxton-Hall School Captain 2009

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career-defining decision at age 18 can be daunting, but if you can explore multiple avenues then go for it. What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School?

Dom Buckland School Captain 2010

DOM BUCKLAND

(2010)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? I was leading the Digital Communications program at the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, having recently graduated from a Masters in Business (Integrated Marketing and Communications). How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? Covid-19 certainly had an impact, but we were able to transition effectively into a purely remote working environment. The restricted lifestyle put a few travel plans on hold, but also provided an opportunity to focus on professional development and work life balance. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? After completing a Bachelor of Music, I spent the first few years working as a ghostwriter, artist and producer for a Sydney/LA based music label. Alongside these creative beginnings, I was fortunate to attend UQ’s Kings College as a sporting and cultural scholar, thoroughly embracing college life and forging life-long relationships. Whilst continuing to work in the music industry I underwent postgraduate studies in Business and Marketing, seeking a strong understanding of strategic communications, corporate affairs and organisational leadership. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school?

I loved every minute of my time at TSS and am hugely thankful for the opportunities it has afforded me. If I were to pass along any advice it would be to get involved in as much extra-curricular as you possibly can, especially if it places you outside your comfort zone. The benefits may only reveal themselves years later, but a well-rounded education places you at a distinct advantage. Additionally, lean into the culture and build relationships with a diverse range of people. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? Without a doubt, the experience was made special because it was shared with an amazing group of people. The culture of inclusion, camaraderie and mateship will undoubtedly sustain for many years to come. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Study hard, give it everything you’ve got and then take a gap year. Senior year can be a busy and stressful time. Investing in new/different experiences can be a great way to bridge the gap between Year 12 and your next step. Who has been your biggest influence? Proactively seeking mentorship is key. The OSA is full of old boys who are more than willing to provide an introduction or point you in the right direction. What are you most proud of? I’m definitely proud that I took risks early and followed a less conventional path. Investing in creativity resulted in some very unique and memorable experiences including performing at Falls Festival and Splendour in the Grass. Regardless of what the future holds in more corporate endeavours. I’ll treasure those memories and always remember to be myself. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? I’d love to be occupying a senior leadership role in an impactful organization. Getting the best out of a group of high-performance individuals is what success looks like for me in the medium term.

Trying to balance a creative outlet with a more traditional career path has always been a challenge for me. Upon reflection, I’m glad I pursued a true passion immediately out of school. Making a potentially

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Oscar Millroy School Captain 2011

OSCAR MILLROY

(2011)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19?

Leaving Year 12 and going back to the bottom of the food chain in the workplace took a bit of adjusting.

For the last two years I have been working for an integrated beef company in a business development role.

5What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School?

How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? I feel fortunate to have chosen a career in an industry that has remained relatively stable through the global pandemic. Despite the food service industry having been heavily impacted by Covid-19, both here in Australia and in overseas markets, the Australian beef industry has been able to remain resilient, as the need for safe and nutritious protein hasn’t diminished during the pandemic. If anything, we have seen more people return to butchers and are cooking more at home. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? Keen to experience more of Australia, I took a job as a Jackaroo at the Consolidated Pastoral Company’s Carlton Hill Station, near Kununurra, Western Australia. After a couple of years up north, my aspirations to study international relations were replaced with a determination to continue a career in the agriculture industry. Studying a Bachelor of Agribusiness at the University of Queensland, I was exposed to the business side of the industry, while I continued my hands on experience during holidays by working on various properties, including two off seasons care taking on a property for Minderoo Pastoral in the Pilbara, Western Australia. Since the completion of my degree I have worked across both the livestock and the product end of the beef supply chain.

What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school?

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The more I reflect on my time at school, I have become more and more aware of just what a privilege it was to be able to attend The Southport School alongside some great blokes and to be given so many fantastic opportunities to play sport and be pushed academically and culturally. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? We may not have had the best reputation as a year level, and got up to our fair share of trouble, but I know we would all agree we were a tight-knit group. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Don’t be in a rush. The next 10 years will go in the blink of an eye. I was in such a rush to graduate and be out in the “real world”, when I wish I had realised that it was some of the best and carefree years I would ever have. Who has been your biggest influence? My greatest influence without a doubt is my parents. What are you most proud of? To be voted School Captain was a privilege, and a moment I will always be proud of. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? A side effect of Covid-19 has been the inability to plan too far ahead. I hope I continue to grow in my career and can make a positive impact in the agriculture industry.

CATO PERRIN

(2012)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? Prior to Covid-19 I was Owner/Director at 'Perrin Projects' a Gold Coast based construction company that I started in late 2019. I completed a carpentry apprenticeship and a Bachelor of Construction Management via Open Universities Australia. ow has the current climate affected your studies/ H career, if at all? Initially there was some hesitance surrounding the construction industry and my work in general as clients were very cautious on having trades in their homes during the virus' most prominent time. There was some uncertainty surrounding the finance and the economy in general, however, I have never been busier. The working from home environment has encouraged a lot of homeowners to undertake some works they may have been putting off for certain reasons and the inability to holiday and splurge on desirables has meant renovations have come to the fore. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? After leaving TSS in 2012 I had about a year off and undertook some different types of employment including working on a remote Iron Ore Mine in the Northern Territory. I started a carpentry apprenticeship not long after that and completed my Bachelor of Construction Management online whilst completing the carpentry trade also.

What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? The last year has definitely been the most challenging for me as I had to take the risk of leaving full time employment and guaranteed income to start my own company and venture out on my own. The uncertainty of sustained income and where and when the next pay cheque will come from certainly proved difficult at first. What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? The biggest lesson I have taken from my time at TSS would probably be to take every day as it comes and don't look too far ahead. Despite our best efforts to plan and prepare for what tomorrow holds the world is a funny place sometimes and there is no better example than Covid-19 and what we are currently going through. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? Quite unrelated to my role as School Captain but it would be impossible to go past defeating Nudgee at Ross Oval as a member of the First XV. The friendships created between the players and coaches on that day will last forever. hat advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 W self if you could? To simply enjoy it. There is literally nothing that compares to your time at TSS. Nothing I've experienced yet anyway! Enjoy your time at school and take as much from it as you can because its a lot more forgiving than the real world as much as you don't believe it at the time! I think chasing your passion and true desire is very important too and sometimes we - I in particular- tended to get too enthralled in the academic and sporting results that were achieved. What are you most proud of? I think my range of skills and employment is something I'm quite proud of. Even two years after finishing school I wasn't really sure as to where my future would go but learning and experiencing different industries and roles has most certainly exposed and educated me on plenty of different demographics. Following my own path and doing something that wasn't necessarily the norm in a trade and online degree is something else I’m pleased with. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

Cato Perrin

All going well I'd like to think I can continue to grow and expand Perrin Projects and see myself overseeing a large construction company Australia wide.

School Captain 2012

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What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? There are certainly some values you take with you for life. I think that how you behave and conduct yourself in any environment is really important. Also saying yes to any opportunity that presents itself. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? It’s hard to pinpoint just one. Just being around mates every day and enjoying your downtime is something I miss. This being said, the sporting or other school events were always a real highlight and something that’s hard to recreate once you leave school. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could?

Sam Rasmussen School Captain 2013

That’s a hard question. I try not to dwell on the past too much, but I’d tell myself to worry a little less. Life will take its place and when you really want something, you’ll do what you have to do to get there or make it happen. Who has been your biggest influence? That’s an easier one, definitely Mum and Dad. Wouldn’t be the person I am without them. What are you most proud of?

SAM RASMUSSEN

(2013)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? Working at Suncorp Bank. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? I’ve been fortunate that Covid-19 hasn’t impacted my work or lifestyle too much here in Brisbane, in fact it’s been a very busy 6-9 months working with our businesses who have been affected by the pandemic. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? I studied Commerce & Economics at UQ before landing a Graduate job at Suncorp. More interestingly I spent six months living in the UK while doing an exchange semester at Uni, definitely a highlight! What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? I would say the job hunt as I was nearing the end of university, but more specifically trying to work out what I really wanted to do and what career path I should take.

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Certainly graduating university and getting a job where I haven’t stopped learning since day one. Hopefully being good to friends and family too. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? Sitting on the fence here, I hope I don’t know the answer to this one!

are massive learnings for me and it is exciting to be able to work harder and change those results down the track. What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? Don’t skim past the little things, appreciate them.

Fred Dorrough School Captain 2014

What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? Every war cry I got to lead with the whole school. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Don’t try and please everyone and make more mistakes. Who has been your biggest influence?

FRED DORROUGH

(2014)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? I had recently finished my Business Degree at the end of 2018 and I was playing professional rugby union in Barcelona, Spain. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? Covid-19 had a huge impact on my career, because I was overseas, I was forced to return to Australia very quickly, which cut my rugby season over there about two months short. Although I was much luckier than most, because the club I was playing for reacted very quickly and got us back home in a matter of a couple of days.

There would be a few people but my dad would be my biggest influence. He’s pretty much the first person I tell about rugby stuff and the first person I’d talk to about any options or decisions I have to make. What are you most proud of? I’m proud of lots of little things during my 24 years but I don’t think I’ve done the one thing I’m most proud of yet, I don’t know when or I don’t know what it will be but I know I will do it and I’ll let you know when it happens. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? In 10 years, I’ll be 34 and I hope I have just recently retired from rugby with not too many injuries, plenty of money in the bank, seen the world and have started or will be starting/ buying a business.

What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? My focus when leaving school was 100% rugby, I wanted to be a professional and will continue that because I am still very young. Although I did study straight after school because I did want to have a little back up just if things went south. So, I am very glad I took that study/training/working route directly after school. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? Obviously, the study/ training/ working balance was difficult once leaving school because most of TSS life is quite organised for you. However, the biggest challenge regarding rugby, sport or any competitive work environment for that matter is the knock backs when you don’t make a certain team or perform a certain way. This has been a challenge for me because when you work extremely hard at one thing and something doesn’t go as planned it just makes it that bit harder and can be a little disappointing. Although along with these obstacles they

CHARLIE WELLS

(2015)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? Prior to Covid-19, I was just beginning my fourth and final year of a duel degree in Agronomy and Agribusiness. I also started working at Pohlmans Nursery as an R&D technician in mid-July 2019 and I am still there to date. I was very lucky to continue working during the challenging period, as the nursery was one of the fortunate businesses that continued to operate. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? In terms of study, the current climate forced an immediate transition to online learning with all practical studies being discontinued. This was difficult for a degree that requires doing a lot of practical and

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hands on assessment. Missing out on the practical heavy components was unfortunate, especially in an agricultural science degree, however I’m lucky my current job and career interests kept me busy and ensured I was constantly learning. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? All through school I knew I would have a career in Agriculture and always had an interest in becoming an Agronomist from a young age. When I first left school, I ran with the idea of spending my gap year working around Moree and gaining as much real-world work experience as I could. My first job was working as a cotton crop scout for a private agronomist followed by a job working night shift at a cotton gin. Another TSS Old Boy and I worked at the cotton gin for about four months and by the time we finished up there we both got a job with B&W Rural as crop scouts for the winter and summer crop season. This was the role that definitely increased my enthusiasm to work in agriculture and the wealth of knowledge I gained in my time there helped greatly with uni studies, particularly the practical and real-world application components. The 2016 season was one of the best and wettest winters in recent times so being part of that and to learn what I did was especially exciting. I also had the opportunity to work in North Queensland's Gulf country as a farmhand/crop scout during university holidays in 2018/19. This was particularly exciting as there are a number of growers looking to establish cotton production systems in Northern Australia. From July 2019 to now I’ve been working at Pohlmans Nursery near UQ Gatton Campus, as an R&D technician. The tools and wealth of knowledge I attained right up till getting this current job was through my previous experiences as there are many skills and concepts I learnt in my time as a crop scout and farmhand that have helped me with my current role. While glasshouse nursery production is very different from broadacre agriculture, there is a definite overlap of many underlying principles, of which are all relevant to my career. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? The biggest challenge would have to be finding the balance and discipline between work, study and life in general. The current role I am in now has made me realise this especially because all my previous jobs beforehand were performed during university holidays when study commitments were lessoned, whereas this role is performed while still committing to four subjects a semester.

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Charlie Wells School Captain 2015

What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? Time management would be one of the biggest lessons that I learnt. Having a form of structure and routine was something I’ve carried through into my work experiences as well as studies. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? Would probably have to be our Valedictorian Dinner, the night before Graduation. It was the last time our grade all sat down together, laughed and hung out as seniors of TSS. Who has been your biggest influence? I’d have to say the team of agronomists I worked under during my time with B&W Rural. Being able to learn from a number of industry experts who specialised in different areas definitely broadened my knowledge, so much so that I still use what I learnt to this day. The wealth of knowledge they passed onto me has certainly given me the tools to be able to perform my job as professionally as possible. What are you most proud of? I think I’m still yet to achieve what I’ll be most proud of but the fact that I’m actually graduating this year after four long years is something to be pretty proud of. It hasn’t been the easiest period of time so I’m very happy that I finally get to go out into my career and put all the skills I’ve learnt to work and begin the next chapter. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? I see myself working as an agronomist, driving a Landcruiser and hopefully have my own private agricultural consulting firm by this time.

BEN PAXTON-HALL

(2016)

hat were you doing study/career wise prior to W Covid-19? I was completing my undergraduate Bachelor of Arts majoring in Economics and Political Science at the University of Queensland. Along with university study, I was working casually as a political staffer for a federal Member of Parliament in Brisbane’s western suburbs. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? Just prior to the restrictions imposed as a result of Covid-19, I received an opportunity to take the job I’d been working casually fulltime, which I immediately took advantage of. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? I’ve certainly taken an indirect route to where I am today. I’ve chopped and changed my University courses, taken six months off to play rugby and worked a number of jobs all before I found a firmer career path.

What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? Chill out and enjoy the moment! I’ve always been pretty serious and reserved. In my limited time since leaving school, I’ve learnt to relax a little and not take myself too seriously (as cliché as that might sound!). Who has been your biggest influence? My dad and brother have always been my best mates. I continue to seek their counsel when contemplating important decisions I’m faced with. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? I haven’t got that far yet. I intend to complete a postgraduate law degree and continue to further my work in political consultancy. I remain ambitious and optimistic about the future, whatever it might hold! Anything else you would like to add? I owe so much of who I am to my time at The Southport School. TSS encompasses its rich history and ethos into the young men lucky enough to immerse themselves into it.

What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? I have too many fond memories to remember them all. The final week of Year 12 was a special time for all Valedictorians and it’s hard to describe the combination of emotions we all felt that week.

Ben Paxton-Hall School Captain 2016

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What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? At TSS I learnt that collaboration is key. By yourself, you can only achieve so much, but with a team of motivated people around you, then anything is possible. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain?

Jim Chapman School Captain 2017

My best memory as School Captain was doing the poems at assembly and to introduce each new team before their first GPS round. I also loved playing touch rugby on the river ovals after school, and forming incredible mateships that are still alive today. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

JIM CHAPMAN

(2017)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? Before Covid-19 I was studying my Bachelor of Business/Commerce at Bond, whilst running my social enterprise startup Nice Coffee Co. ow has the current climate affected your studies/ H career, if at all? Quite a lot. My business saw a reduction in orders of around 80%, as most of our corporate clients were working from home. On the upside, I could watch my lectures in my pajamas, as I no longer had to travel into uni! What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? Since leaving school, I spent some time in Kenya with my family, then returned to the Gold Coast to start my Bachelor of Business/Commerce. I became interested with business, but more specifically how I could use business to solve some of the challenges in Kenya. This led to the founding of Nice Coffee Co, a social enterprise that supplies offices and organizations around Australia with coffee and machines – using 100% of profits to build schools to help kids break the cycle of poverty. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? As a uni student trying to grow a startup, I come across new challenges every week. Covid-19 has definitely brought its fair share of challenges, but a good learning curve I guess.

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I could definitely see myself diving deeper into the social enterprise/NGO space. If anyone reading this works in this field, then I’d love to chat!

Thomas van der Schyff School Captain 2018

THOMAS VAN DER SCHYFF

(2018)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? I was and still am studying a Bachelor of Property Economics at QUT in Brisbane. How has the current climate affected your studies/ career, if at all? It has been quite a different change to my studies. My university course has moved to online learning. It has affected me in a way but I am a lot better off than other people in the world. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? I made a bold decision to move to Brisbane to further my studies rather than stay on the Gold Coast and it has been awesome. I don’t regret anything I have done and encourage future TSS boys to do the same. The people you meet and the connections you make are second to none and something that will help me in the future. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? I am pretty fresh from leaving school as I graduated in 2018, but the biggest challenge I have found is to be organized and manage your time well. There aren’t teachers telling you what to do after leaving school so being organized is important for me. To add, using your time wisely. There are a lot of distractions after leaving school but it is some of your best years. Use your time to study and to have a good time as well. What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? I learnt to have a crack at everything. Whether you are good or bad at something, TSS offered a diverse range of academic and co-curricular activities and everyone

was encouraged to have a go. I encourage all boys to get stuck in and not look back and regret the opportunities missed. I still try new things and like to step out of my comfort zone. What is your favourite memory from your time as School Captain? My favourite memory is pretty broad, but my time spent in Year 12. It was my best year with all the memories and friends I made, it is so special to me. My whole year would be looked back on and enjoyed, it will never be forgotten. What advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 self if you could? I would tell myself and for all the TSS boys reading this to enjoy your time at school while it lasts. You make lifelong friends and memories at school and it is compared to nothing else. Once your time at school is up you can never go back. Enjoy your time at school because you will definitely miss it when you leave. Who has been your biggest influence? My Mum and Dad have been my biggest influence. They have formed me into the man I am today and without them I would have nothing. All credit must go to my Mum, Dad and family. What are you most proud of? This is a tough question for me but I am most proud of being school captain of this great school. I am still pretty young and nothing has come close to that achievement. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? I see myself as a property manager/developer in Brisbane. I will always try to stay connected to TSS and try give back to the school that gave me so much.

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What is the biggest lesson you took from your time at The Southport School? SS taught me many lessons, however the biggest T lesson I took from my 13 years at The Southport School is to take on board and make the most of every opportunity you’re given in life. I know it might sound cliché but the amount of opportunities TSS offers is immense and I tried my best throughout my time there to do as much as I could, which certainly has helped me as a person. It is the same in life, every opportunity could be an open door to your success or happiness, so making the most of every opportunity is the biggest lesson I learnt from my time at TSS. hat is your favourite memory from your time as W School Captain?

Wilson Statham School Captain 2019

WILSON STATHAM

(2019)

What were you doing study/career wise prior to Covid-19? I am studying a Bachelor of Agribusiness at the University of Queensland (UQ). ow has the current climate affected your studies/ H career, if at all? The current climate has affected my learning ability, as I am someone who prefers face-to-face learning/ interactions and being able to communicate and meet new people. What path have you taken since leaving school to get you where you are today? Since leaving school I have taken a path through university and college to learn as much as I can about the agricultural and business world and gain as many new connections as possible as sometimes it’s about who you know, not just what you know. What is the biggest challenge or obstacle to your career you have experienced since leaving school? Since only leaving school last year the biggest obstacle that has come in the way of my learning/career is Covid-19, as it has interrupted universities making them fully online, whereas I prefer to learn in a face to face environment. It has also reduced job opportunities for me to build my personal profile/career.

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is is a hard one, the whole year was filled with so Th many great memories from my time as School Captain but one that stands out would be leading the final war cry on Graduation Day with Vice Captain Harry Blok and taking in those last moments all together as a cohort with lifelong friends and memories. hat advice would you go back and tell your Year 12 W self if you could? e advice I would go back and give my Th Year 12 self would be to do Speech and Variety, even though as School Captain there is a lot of public speaking involved, having the ability to publicly speak off the cuff was something I struggled with quite a bit. That is one piece of advice I’d give not only my Year 12 self but my whole high school self. It is something that I wish I had done during my time at school as it is such a helpful and important skill to have. Who has been your biggest influence? I would say that my parents have been my biggest influence, as together they have taught me so much in life that I’m so grateful for. What are you most proud of? I’m most proud of my family, it is easy to take your family for granted but they are the ones who will always be there for you and I’m proud to have a family that I can turn to. Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? In 10 years time I see myself in the Agricultural industry possibly working in the family business, with skills in most areas of the industry as well as connections throughout. Whilst I also hope to have gained a large amount of experience in both the agricultural and business side of the industry.

OSA NEWS

Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation Recently, Perry Cross AM (MAU92), was invited to present to the Year 7 cohort at TSS. He enjoyed an open and robust conversation with the students about what it means to be human with regards to the body, mind and spirit and how this forms the whole person. Perry shared his story and was inspired by the engaged conversation and interesting questions that were asked.

"At its core, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is designed to give people housing options that best suits their circumstances, allowing them to choose the type of home, the location and who they want to live with. The ultimate goal is to ensure that people with high-care needs no longer need to live in inappropriate settings, such as aged-care facilities, and that those who rely on the family home have the option to live independently. For me, accessing this funding has given me freedom and independence I haven't known since before my accident."

Perry Cross Founding Director and CEO

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OSA NEWS

New business keeping borrowers and brokers happy BOND UNIVERSITY

“We try to match you with that provider by doing a reverse auction, kind of like how Airtasker or Upwork work. It’s like Ebay, but for finance,” Mr Scholer said. “One thing we realised is that not all brokers are the same, they all work with different lenders, they have different applications they prefer, so it was hard for us to know which broker would be best." “People really like the idea they can get connected with the broker first time around. Normally if they want to get multiple offers from different brokers, they’d have to fill out a fact form for every single broker, which is obviously really time-consuming.” Mr Scholer said while some people might question the wisdom of launching a business during the Covid-19 crisis, the pandemic had acted as a litmus test.

Gold Coast entrepreneur Mitchell Scholer (ATK13) is building his business dream – by making it easier for other people to achieve theirs.

r Scholer, 24, a former student of The Southport School and a Bachelor of Property graduate from Bond University, launched the Financr website in February, providing a platform for finance brokers to compete for customers looking for home, business, car and personal loans, along with consolidation and refinancing options. Financr users upload details of the loan they need, allowing brokers to browse a secure section of the website and make an indicative offer. None of the user’s contact information is made public, and their details are only sent to the broker whose offer they select as the “winner”. Users can also opt to not accept any offer. “We’ve already had over $60 million in loans auctioned through the platform. I guess we’re a bit of a challenger company in that we’re changing the way people would normally go about getting finance, so instead of going directly to your bank or going to your broker, we’re the marketplace that connects you with a broker or a bank.

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“I think it’s proven why our business model works in a sense, because you don’t have to go to your local broker and meet with them face-to-face to be able to get a loan. You can have any broker anywhere in Australia. A lot of brokers are realising that now, they get a lot of their customers nationally, they don’t just go local.” The recent Hayne Royal Commission examined the brokerage industry, and Mr Scholer said it was scrutiny which was well overdue. “Some brokers don’t always put their best foot forward, and they refer business through to a volume lender where they get paid a high commission, but it doesn’t work out to be the best interest rate on the market for the borrower, we thought with a reverse auction platform like ours, they can’t do that.” Mr Scholer will soon launch a mobile-friendly version of the Financr website, as well as an app which will eventually be able to notify users whenever loan products change or interest rates drop, pushing them to refinance. “I think there’s three or four billion dollars wasted a year in interest, people could refinance and pay less, but their bank never prompted them to, they’re a bit lazy, and the agents didn’t say they should look at it – we’d like to fix that.”

OSA NEWS

Golf Day 2020 It was a cracking day out on the green on Friday 6 November for the TSS Foundation Golf Day and McWhirter Cup. I do hope all our players enjoyed the day and will be back for more action in 2021. Many thanks to our Golf Day Partner Shane, at House of Golf Bundall for all of his ongoing support and to all of our Hole Sponsors on the day. It really makes a difference not only to the experience but also to the funds raised to support the Scholarship Program atÂ TSS.

Congratulations to our game day champions Dan Ahearn, Scott Stoodley, Gavin Janetski and Mark Gillies and to our winners of the OSA McWhirter Cup Andrew Speirs, Paul Sutton, Aaron Morris and Mat Rogers. Thanks also to Derek and Doug Murphy for keeping the OSA McWhirter Cup tradition alive, it really is a coveted competition.

For more information about the work of TSS Foundation head to tss.qld.edu.au/foundation

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OSA NEWS

Manos Livestream Due to Covid-19 restrictions Old Boys were unable to join TSS at the Village Green for the final First XV match. Local restaurant Mano's at Main Beach showed the live stream for Old Boys to continue the Red, White and Blue spirit.

Jackson Rameau (KAI18) The No.1 Junior Salesperson in Ray White internationally.

Damien Moffrey (WAL88) visits Eidsvold Station

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OSA NEWS

TSS Cadets – Honour Guard MR SIMON LEES CO-ORDINATOR TSS HISTORICAL HONOUR GUARD

This year TSS were asked to help organise and facilitate the 78th Kokoda Memorial Service in conjunction with Gold Coast Rotary. This is held every year in August and as proud custodians of the 39th Battalion Banner, it is the honour of TSS to be involved.

his was the second service for Kokoda that TSS has been involved with. This year a service was held on the ANZAC lawn outside of the St Albans Chapel, in honour of the passing of Arnold “Titch” Forester, a veteran of the Kokoda campaign. He can be seen on the right next to our Director of Cadets Mr Jason Sten CSM. Every year TSS provides the honour guard and flag orderlies for the service as custodians of the 39th Battalion Banner. This year we were asked to help organize the event. With Covid-19 restrictions, only a limited audience could attend the memorial, which is held at the Kokoda Memorial Wall in Cascade Gardens Broadbeach. It was decided to video the ceremony and release via YouTube on Saturday 8 August. Unfortunately, due to the weather the venue was moved to the “Hall of Fame” at the Centenary Centre at TSS. Guest of honour and giving the address was LtCol Dianne Grey, CSC Commanding Officer Warrant Officer and Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, LWC, Canungra, Queensland. The service was officiated by TSS Old Boy and Rotarian, George Friend. Prayers

were led by TSS Chaplain Father Jonathan Whereat. Members of the Gold Coast Council were also present. The current TSS boys from Papua New Guinea, sang at the beginning of the service “Papua Oi Natumu”, along with the PNG and Australian National Anthems. The TSS Historical Honour Guard formed the Catafalque led by Commander Kye Kanemura (his last service after being involved in the honour guard for five years) as well as a re-enactment of a Kokoda patrol led by Reyne Fennell and four flag orderlies in their WW1 Light Horse Uniforms. The honour role for the 39th Battalion fallen was read by Charlie Hart (CdtSUO) and Lachlan Goldie (CdtRSM) and the roll for the Papuan Infantry Battalion was lead by Soloman Kasokason (CdtSGT). Laying wreaths on behalf of the 39th Battalion was Solomon Kasokason and Flynn Pelgen, the youngest of the PNG boys, and laying a wreath on behalf of the School was Charlie Hart and Lachlan Goldie.

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OSA NEWS

Exploring the Online-verse During 2020 many schools around the globe were forced to quickly introduce an online curriculum delivery system. TSS dedicated resources into significant planning and consultation with online learning experts to ensure our curriculum and co-curricular delivery surpassed expectations and was in fact something other schools would aspire to.

iven the environment during these unprecedented times, we as a nation are being urged to be able to work and learn from home using online resources. This situation called for the School to act swiftly and in turn deliver a curriculum via a digital avenue. Although TSS only closed for a short period of time during Term Two, this mode of delivery also readies us in the event of any future closure. The school’s teachers have immersed themselves into up-skilling and preparing lessons and units of work for delivery in a mode that is quite different to face-to-face teaching. The Southport School’s model for online delivery of curriculum is informed by a rationale that is governed by curriculum delivery through familiarity and consistency across all subjects for students. It also recognises and enables the importance of maintaining teacher-student relationships based around the education of boys.

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Also in this vein the sports department created a number of online drills and live fitness sessions, the most popular being lunch time quick fit. These online training sessions quickly became the normal but certainly didn’t fulfil the ‘mateship’ that comes from playing team sports. One TSS First team member summed it up quite succinctly stating “no disrespect to the coach, it was a great skill development session - but I only really play sport to be with my mates”. Queensland schools were very lucky during 2020 to only have four weeks utilising a learning from home model. We found our students deeply missed the relationships that forge through face-to-face interactions with both peers and staff members. Indeed, it was not only the students who missed the hustle and bustle around campus! The TSS community has much to be thankful for during 2020, from amazing IT and communication bridges to the realisation for students that the closing of school is not all it’s cracked up to be as friendships and lessons are part and parcel. If Covid-19 has taught us one thing at TSS, it’s that innovation in our education model can happen overnight, and we have the knowledge, skills and capacity to make it happen!

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A Scientific Perspective MS AMY MCDOUGALL It’s not often you hear of a student being offered places at the leading American and UK universities, but this is exactly what happened to former TSS student Yinuo Han (MCK ’15)

While Yinuo was offered the opportunity to study at Princeton, Caltech, Stanford, Oxford and Cambridge universities, he decided on Cambridge to study exoplanets.

dedicated student, Yinuo fully immersed himself into his school and university studies and gained some amazing achievements during this time, including being named Dux in his graduating year at TSS. He credits former TSS teacher Mr Oliver Alini for helping push him into his field of interest by suggesting he sit the Australian Science Olympiads Exam in Year 11. “I found the competition challenging (but fun) and it turned out I did well enough to be selected to the Australian Science Olympiads summer school at ANU and later to the national team for the International Physics Olympiad,” he said. “I got to meet so many fun and passionate friends, in addition to learning lots of cool physics beyond school, and the positive experience was a good motivation to continue studying more physics during university. For some reason, these national science teams are not fully funded by the government and other sponsors. TSS helped pay most of the associated expenses and I very much appreciated this support.”

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Following his graduation from TSS, Yinuo went on to study a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) (Honours) at the University of Sydney where he majored in both physics and neuroscience. Yinuo chose this degree because of his interest in both the universe and how the human brain works – two fields he says embodied to him the most interesting science questions. Following this, an offer of exchange came from The University of California, Berkeley, where he spent a semester studying physics. Although he travelled during this time and very much enjoyed exploring North America, the biggest memory Yinuo has from Berkeley itself was its cosmopolitan and socially/politically active student and academic community which further provided a wealth of opportunities.“Of course, I learned a lot academically, but perhaps the most valuable things I took away from the exchange was an adventureseeking mindset, great friends and the bombardment of new ideas from conversations which I reflect on even today. I would highly recommend going on exchange if possible.” Yinuo followed his interests in astrophysics and decided to apply for a few graduate programs at many of the leading universities in both America and the UK which would afford him the opportunity to work on exciting research with great scientists.

Despite being offered places at five leading universities; Princeton, Stanford, Caltech, Oxford and Cambridge no less, Yinuo chose Cambridge where he is studying a PhD in Astronomy. His ever evolving and continued interest in science has presented many different opportunities but his focus is now very much on scientific research. “I like to follow my interests and give weight to what I enjoy at present, so now I am hoping to be able to continue with a career in astronomy.” For any student who is perhaps interested in this same career path, Yinuo suggests having a strong interest in science and a curiosity in the understanding of nature will provide a great starting point. “A strong interest is a powerful motivation and is what makes the field enjoyable. Some other practical tips I found helpful are reading widely about topics you like, building a handy toolbox throughout your education (skills like maths, statistics, coding and data science-related techniques) and developing good scientific communication skills (scientific writing, giving presentations).” We look forward to following Yinuo's career path in the future.

Yinuo’s Top Five Achievements • University Medal, University of Sydney • Have continued playing the piano for 16 years • Managed to be financially independent during university • Bronze Medal at the 46th International Physics Olympiad • Dux of The Southport School

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OSA NEWS

Mulgowie Muster 2020 MR GREG CORNELSON DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPHY

The 24th Mulgowie Muster was held at the Mulgowie Hotel on Saturday 7 November and in great style 88 Old Boys and wives attended the largest ever Muster which Annelise and Sandy Kemp first hosted in 1995.

t was another outstanding event, but with a difference. Annelise Kemp sent the 2020 muster invitation out only three weeks prior to the event, and the level of interest was amazing with basically all replying over the first weekend.

The Muster was MC’d this year, very ably, by Simon Scott as long-time MC Gary Ferguson was unable to attend. In a highlight of the day OSA President Chris Johnstone presented Sandy Kemp with an Honorary Life Membership of the OSA. Also in attendance was Headmaster Elect, Mr Andrew Hawkins, much to the delight of everyone present. Three generations of the Lahey’s were present. Gavan, Greg and young Old Boy Lawrence. This event is eagerly anticipated each year and importantly brings mates together. For those who have not attended a Mulgowie Muster keep an eye out for the next one.

GREG GAVAN LAWRENCE AND SARAH ROSE

3 GENERATIONS OF LAHEYS

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CHRISTOPHER JOHNSTONE AND SIMON SCOTT

LAWRENCE SEHMISH-LAHEY, SIMON SCOTT AND ANDREW HAWKINS

CHRIS JOHNSTONE PRESENTING SANDY WITH HIS LIFE MEMBERSHIP

CHRIS PERSSE (DEL66), DAVID HANDYSIDE (DEL66), DOUG BRYCE (THO65), JENNY DOUGLAS, ERROL STEINHARDT (MCK50), RANALD WARBY (THO65), DAVID REES(THO54)

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SCHOOL NEWS

Supreme Court Visit MS JESSICA PROUTEN HEAD OF BUSINESS AND ENTERPRISE

During August the Year 11 Legal Studies class went to Brisbane to visit the Supreme Court. This excursion was planned at the start of the year, and was a little touch and go about whether the excursion would go ahead given the Covid-19 pandemic.

The students visited a number of different courts, viewing criminal and civil cases. We finished the session with a talk by Justice Bond who was able to explain to the students what being a judge is like. It was great to bump into OSA President Chris Johnstone who was also at the Supreme Court on the day presenting a seminar. Some observations from the boys included:

"I particularly admired the judges in how understanding they were of the public gallery. In movies the judge is a vicious authority that will crack down on the most minor happenings. The judges at the Supreme and District court in Brisbane were much kinder than expected, which meant the proceedings of the court were far more relaxed that I thought to be. " - Jack Dwyer

"I particularly enjoyed listening to Justice Bond’s experience about being a judge himself. It was interesting as it gave all of us an insight into the life as a judge. Maybe one day some of the boys may want to be a judge as well. " - Marcus Savala

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"The excursion to the Supreme Court was a way to see the elements of the court process firsthand which is extremely beneficial for us future lawyers. It is one thing to learn from a textbook; but to watch the barristers argue points and the Judge deliver verdict is another. This excursion provided method to the madness that is this highly complex process. " - Saxon Gemeri

SCHOOL NEWS

QCE Comparison to Previous Academic Systems 2020 marks the end of the introductory phase of the ‘New Queensland Certificate of Education’. This moves Queensland’s senior phase of learning away from the old Overall Position (OP) and Queensland Core Skills Test and into line with other states by providing students with an ATAR score (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank). So what does this mean? It means that for the first time since the 1970s boys at The Southport School will need to complete an external examination for each subject that they study. For three weeks in October, Year 12 students at TSS and around the state will sit external exams as the culmination of their Year 12 and schooling studies.

In some subjects these exams will contribute 25% of the boys' final marks (with the other 75% having been completed across three school based tasks ranging from examinations to assignments). In mathematics and science the final examination is worth 50%. The boys have been busy preparing in a variety of ways; from skills and content focussed lessons, to an upcoming session to complete mock exams and receive feedback. The boys are engaging well. We hope the Old Boys might join the rest of the School community in wishing the boys well as they prepare!

What goes around comes around At TSS v BBC GPS Chess TSS Old Boy and former GPS Chess Captain, Heaven Elishav (ATK18) is always on hand for analysis sessions when students complete games, to deconstruct strength and weakness of each individual's game. He examines every move based on notations made by students throughout the game. A valuable addition to our chess players

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SCHOOL NEWS

Ekka XP eSports Young Farmers Cup Competition MR KESHLAN CHINIA YOUNG FARMERS FINALS

Mr Kesh Chinia and Mr Khalid Almaktoum took the First VI Regional/Day Boy Young Farmers eSports teams to the Ekka Brisbane to compete and bring home the first ever XP trophy and $1000 cash prize for the TSS Cyber Sharks.

Match Recordings Young Farmers Cup Competition DAY 1

DAY 2

Regional Schools • • • •

Maryborough State High School Somerset College The Southport School- Boarders The Southport School- Day students

Brisbane City Schools • • • •

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Earnshaw State College Forest Lake State High School Kelvin Grove State College Ormiston College

"I was lucky enough to be nominated the Captain of the TSS Border Young Farmers team by Toby Humphries and Jace Harrold. When I first came to this school I did not see myself playing eSports, especially for a competitive farming simulator. All three of us had never played farming simulator like this before, we had only played it on the weekends when we had free time. When we saw this competition in the daily notices, we all said "let's give it a go for a bit of fun" and it was definitely FUN! We all arrived with a good mind set of just seeing how long we could last. For all of us this was the fist time ever seeing a proper eSports gaming arena and it was truly awesome. When we got there, it took us a bit to get ready as we just couldn't believe how amazing this venue was. We missed our practice time because of the bad weather and traffic and our first game ended in a draw as we were also nervous. We were able to find our rhythm in the second match and as Captain I decided to allocate roles and come up with a strategy. I was on header and bale loader, Toby was on bailer and Jace was on header. This plan worked so well, we won the first round and several games afterwards allowing us to make it to the grand finals. Going into the grand final on day two, all of us didn't mind the result as we never thought we would be in this position. We were up against the favorite city team, however we weren't going to go down without a fight. We went in there with a set plan and worked as a team. The first game it was so close with myself just getting the last bale in. The second game was a nail-biter and one to remember as we played the game perfectly and somehow managed to pull off the win and leave the event as champions. "As someone who didn't plan on being apart of eSports, I was over the moon. This was one of the funnest things

I have ever done and I recommend it to everyone. There are so many more games then just farming simulator and if they are all like that event then it's going to be amazing. You might think eSports is just about playing games, but believe me, in that environment, it's so much more. Playing competitively requires a lot of team work, communication, strategy and it's fun when you meet new people and make new friends." Hayden Carrigan Young Farmers Regional eSports Captain 2020 "When I came to TSS I would never have thought that I could be in a competition playing a game like farming simulator with a large prize pool. Going and competing at an event like this was nothing like I have ever experienced before and I can say that I enjoyed every second of it. It would be great to see more boys get involved and honestly I think they are missing out on a great experience. At the end of the day it is just like any other sport and is made to have a good time with others." Toby Humphries Young Farmers Regional TeamÂ Member "The Ekka was a great experience that I was able to be a part of. The atmosphere was great and the competition was insane! Not knowing what to expect, was truly amazing and the experience blew me away and I am sure it did for others too. I must say again this experience was the funnest thing I have ever done, and you need to give it a go. I also want to thank Mr Chinia because without him TSS eSports would not exist and be this amazing!" Jace Harrold Young Farmers Regional Team Member

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SCHOOL NEWS

Queensland High School eSports League Competition MR JEREMY HUANG ESPORTS MASTER CHIEF 2020

Mr Kesh Chinia and Mr Khalid Almaktoum hosted the first Queensland High School eSports League matches remotely from TSS. We played against the following schools and placed 2nd overall.

• • • •

QUT - St Hilda’s School (Corvus) QUT - Marist College Ashgrove (Swarm) REMOTE - Toowoomba Anglican School REMOTE - The Southport School

"On 15 August, TSS eSports competed against three other schools in a tournament organised by QUT where three different games were involved, "Rocket League", "Overwatch" and "League of Legends". Before the tournament, I was filled with excitement despite being nervous about it. Since we had no idea what skill levels the other schools were on, it was a great opportunity to show others how good TSS eSport players can perform.

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At the end of the day, TSS came second overall in the tournament. Even though the matches were tough, all of us had a fun time during the day and would definitely like to compete in the tournament again. I believe that the tournament provided us with the opportunity to get to know others better not only in our school but also those from other schools. Teamwork, discipline and respect were shown by all the schools that participated in the tournament. I believe the boys and the teachers all tried their best to represent TSS, even though the results at the end of the day may not have been perfect. This is only the beginning of TSS eSports and a motivation boost for improvement which will lead us on a new path towards victory".

SCHOOL NEWS

Old Boys hit the Village Green Rugby Old Boy Training on Village Green During Camp (L-R) George Blake (THO19), Lachlan McInnes (TUR19) (in the School’s First XV squad in 2019 until he sustained a bad knee injury, which ruled him out for the season) and Zane Nonggorr (KAI19) who was Captain in 2019. Both he and George were in the Australian 2019 U/18 team.

Old Boys Football Friendly Game (L-R) Scott Robinson (MAU17), Lachlan Armstrong (ATK17), Austin Ludwik (TUR14), Layton Bingham (KAI17), Curtis Stollery (KAI14), Jack Tobiano (MEL16), Dominick Knowles (RAD16), Declan Bingham (KAI14), Finn Lane (RAD16).

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S P O RT N E W S

TSS SPORTS 2020 The year started like any other year with large numbers playing the summer sports. Little did we know that the week after the GPS Head of the River everything would grind to a halt. Thankfully we saw all the boys back in action in Term Three where they performed very well across eight different sports and activities. The following reports give a brief overview of the year.

CRICKET TERM ONE

The 2020 GPS Cricket season will be remembered for a season of challenges and that every game of cricket should be cherished, enjoyed and appreciated. The last two rounds of the 2020 GPS Cricket season were cancelled and the awards presentation was postponed due to the Covid-19 measures.

The GPS season was just the tip of an iceberg and many boys were also involved in Club and Representative cricket. The First XI were a product of many specialist sessions and they displayed a great team effort and exceptional fielding standards. In the end the First XI finished only 20 runs away from winning the shortened GPS Season.

ongratulations to Griff Williams who deservedly won the John Glenn Trophy for most outstanding Year 7 – 10 non First XI Player 2020. His performances in the 9A team and his selection into the Qld U15’s are testament to these efforts. The 11A and 7B teams were the winners of the Most Successful TSS Team Trophy in 2020 after an undefeated season. This is certainly a hit with our boys, with over 80% of them accessing the program.

2020 Cricket Award Winners: State Representative Players Season 2019-20 • Qld U17 Representative 2019: Lachie Crump • Qld U17 & Australian Representative 2019: Jackson Sinfield • Qld U15 Schoolboys 2019: Liam O’Connor • Qld U15 Schoolboys 2020: Griff Williams

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S P O RT N E W S

SAILING It’s hard to believe but TSS has over 100 boys involved in the sport of sailing and benefit greatly from the school’s location next to the Nerang River.

Our youngest sailors are in Year 6 and learn their skills in the smaller ‘Tacker’ boats. They have been loaned to the school courtesy of Australian Sailing and these have been an excellent way for our boys to learn.

t the Senior School, we have had two groups of boys follow the ‘Start Sailing 1’ course, and have been learning to sail in Pico Lasers for the first time. Quite often the wind picks up in the afternoon and the boys have to negotiate some strong winds. Of particular note is the number of boarders who have learned to sail for the first time – over half of the Rogers House boys have taken to the water in their first term at TSS, and on the days when they haven’t been training themselves, they have been watching the other groups sail, whilst fishing from the jetty! As the boys progress, they graduate on to the Pacer fleet of boats, which have two sails, rather than one. These boats are used by our competitive sailing crews in our Racing Team. This Term again has seen large numbers of boys in both of these groups, and again significant progress has been made. Last year’s sailing Captain, Tom Wright has joined the coaching team this year, and has joined the other coaches in further developing the boys skills.

also enabled us to select our First and Second Teams for the GPS Regatta and congratulations are due to the following boys for their achievements:

Firsts: Blake Wilson, Zach Miller-Wright, Angus Wheatley, Max Dewhurst, Lachlan Wheatley, Harry Hogan. Seconds: Andrew Douyere, Tadgh Stuckey, Lachlan Free, Ben Stroebel, Blair Parker, Benedykt Dominikowski. The next two Sundays saw us compete in the Teams Racing competition, and again saw TSS perform very strongly with only two defeats in 20 races across the two weeks. Unfortunately, that was it for the term – initially high winds in Moreton Bay prevented sailing from taking place and then Covid-19 took over to ensure that the season was brought to a premature close.

The progress made by these boys was evident in our TSS Regatta, which took place on Sunday 1st March. After some dull, wet, windless days in the week prior, we saw a great turnout of boys taking part in racing in some beautiful weather, with perfect winds. The Racing Team this year, comprised two groups, the Performance Transition group, which focused on Fleet Racing, and the High Performance Group, which competed in both disciplines of Fleet Racing and Teams Racing. The first two weekends saw TSS crews compete very successfully in the Schools Fleet Racing Regattas at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, in Manly. The top three TSS crews finished in first, third and fifth place overall, with Blake Wilson and Zach Miller-Wright the first placed crew in the competition. These regattas

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S P O RT N E W S

SWIMMING A wonderful swimming season to start a new era at TSS Swimming.

The Team of 2020 shared a great feeling of togetherness and mateship from Year 7 to Year 12. This spirit and camaraderie was vital on the Championship Day as they battled to a hard fought fourth place.

key focus for the team was ‘doing it for the supporters and for the School’ and to see and hear them cheer the team on, on the day was fantastic. We would like to thank all the boys and parents who made the journey to Brisbane to support us.

Special Congratulations to: • The Opens boys – who finished top school in that age group – maintaining TSS standard as the best Opens program. • Ben Reilly winner of Opens 100m freestyle • Flynn McGregor winner of Under 16s 50m breaststroke

The Old Southportonians’ Review

Winning events at this Championship is a remarkable achievement – the quality of opposition is unbelievable. Further highlights included Jack Coffey (Opens), Cooper Ritchie (Opens) and Brayden Mercer (Under 16s) – all three with outstanding individual performances. The most exciting factor, however, was the team ethic and camaraderie developed in the Year 7 and Year 8 boys – these boys will lead us through this new decade. The same team spirit is clearly building in the Junior Team and we can be very proud of their efforts in 2020. Recordbreaking attendance at training, huge improvements in the water and big performance on the championship day saw them take home seventh place in front of a noisy crowd of Prep boys (and Sharkie Pup). Their unwavering support on the day was hugely appreciated.

S P O RT N E W S

BASKETBALL Many of the basketball teams in this year’s GPS season have seen a turnaround in their fortunes, none more than 11As who finished with a six win and two loss record and second place on the premiership ladder.

The efforts of this Year 11 group have shown perseverance and the addition of Liam Claverie and Lachie Ganis has seen a big improvement on last year, as this age group had no wins for the 2019 season. Well done to this playing group.

turn builds their trust. This leads all players to be given the opportunity to reach their full potential. The GPS competition saw a number of Year 12 players depart who have set a fine example in the program. Our departing Year 12 players; Captain Maika Shortland, Nick Cross, Lachlan Hale, Harry Blair and Austin Billing have all had different journeys. It is pleasingly to note how hard they have worked, their persistence and improvement on the court.

leasingly we had two players within the First V program make the club pathway U18 Queensland South team in Lloyd McVeigh and Preston Le Gassick. Several other players were part of the Basketball Queensland U16 SPP program including Year 10 students Billy Rigby, Amarco Doyle and TJ AmbrosePearce. The First V playing group secured 3rd position on the GPS ladder with a six and two record and a special thanks must go to the coaching staff, in particular our First V Head Coach Mr Anthony Petrie who continues to build genuine relationships with all players and in

The First V team headed to the Annual Champion Basketball School Queensland Tournament at the commencement of Term Three holidays full of confidence and did not disappoint finishing with a bronze medal. TSS played Gregory Terrace for bronze and secured a close game winning by two points TSS 92 to 90. Lloyd McVeigh saved his best game until last having a tournament high of 45 points in the final.

TENNIS The Tennis program went into the 2020 season with high expectations with returning Captain Jack McCarthy going into his third straight year of being undefeated at the #1 singles position.

Newcomer, and National Junior Champion, Alec Braund arrived at TSS in Term Four of 2019 and quickly proved why he would be considered the second best player in the entire competition. Rounding out our First IV were Max Ashley and Timmy Yeung Packer. This was Max’s first season but Timmy comes in with experience at the top level over the last few years.

nfortunately due to weather (two wash-outs) and two matches that were decided by a few points, we weren’t able to capture the 2020 GPS crown, but TSS did go on to win the State Championship and qualify for Nationals. In other year groups we have extremely strong teams across the board in what is arguably our deepest overall side in years. Our Year 5s have been exceptional and our Year 9s have played and beaten the best in the competition.

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S P O RT N E W S

FOOTBALL At the end of Term One, Covid-19 was taking its grip around the world and a huge cloud hung over the possibility of having any more GPS sport in 2020.

TSS took on an innovative online initiative in Term Two by live streaming Covid-19 safe sessions that boys were completing at TSS while the School was closed. We did this for PE lessons as well as sport specific challenges to invite one boy in at a time and re connect with them after the period of lockdown.

t was only when the “roadmaps to recovery” came into play that football saw a glimmer of hope and thanks to the GPS Headmasters, we were given the green light for a full competition in Term Three. Thanks to the nature of football training, there was plenty that all schools could do in the “non-contact” phase of our roadmap allowing us to have a full season in Term Three.

The Easter Tournament that usually provides some pre-season competition for our A teams was obviously cancelled, however a round robin day between Ipswich Grammar, Toowoomba Grammar and ourselves allowed us one competitive game before the season started. The First XI team got off to a great start with a 4-0 win against Nudgee, and this was the sign of things to come. They went on to claim an undefeated “invincible” Premiership with eight wins from eight games: TSS 4-0 Nudgee College Churchie 2-3 TSS TSS 4-1 Brisbane State High TSS 5-3 Toowoomba Grammar School TSS 3-2 Brisbane Grammar School Brisbane Boys’ College 0-6 TSS Gregory Terrace 3-5 TSS TSS 3-2 Ipswich Grammar School

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A magnificent effort from the boys and the coaching staff to claim their first title since 2014. We were strong again in the Open age group with the Second and Third XI teams only losing two and one game respectively in the season, our 11Bs had a terrific eight game winning season, our 8As won six games out of eight and the future looks bright with our Year 5As winning five out of six games with one draw. A special mention must go to our Year 12 students who have shown true commitment and dedication to their football during their time here, none less than Captain Ewan MacLeod winner of the prestigious Sports Honour Award who has represented the First XI team since Year 9 and led the team to a magnificent GPS victory in his final year.

Representative Honours Josh Dimarco

Brisbane Roar Academy

Lachlan Duke

Brisbane Roar Academy

Liam Hugo

Brisbane Roar Academy

GPS Football Teams Players’ Player of the Year Award Winners: 5A Nicky Hall

10A Murphy Baker

6A Sean Hirabe

10B Nicholas Stuart

6B Will Barnes

11A Tom Lynch

6C Will Robson

11B Lachlan Dougherty

7A Will Seery

3rd XI

7B Charlie Ware

2nd XI Barry David

8A James Greenup

1st XI

Connor Pye Lochie Johnston

8B Lawrence Keates

GPS Premiership Winning Squad Lachlan Duke

Folajimi Kazum

Jack Biddle

Ewan MacLeod ©

Charlie Blok

Zac Donato

Liberato Vinaccia

Josh Koloski

Max Sabados

Kota Masuda

Marty Dwyer

Harry King

Cameron Anderson

Sam Bedingfeld

Bailey Anderson

Lochie Johnston

Josh Brown

Josh Dimarco

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S P O RT N E W S

RUGBY This year was definitely one that will go down in the history books. Early Term One training of the Seniors was ceased due to the pandemic. All boys were provided with individual training plans and skills videos made available for them to train at home in isolation. The boys are to be commended on how well they adapted to this.

he advantage of the staggered return to contact, was coaches and boys were able to really focus on safety and technique.

Round 2: First XV TSS 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NC 21 (Trial)

a yellow card. Jye made a small break and JoJo continued to gain ground and the ball got to Jack Denson in space for him to race some 40m to score.

This trial game was played on Ross Oval in quite slippery conditions and was played in twenty-minute periods. Both teams were utilising their kicking game and hard carries. JoJo Fifita made a break inside the Nudgee 22 and was pulled down just short of the line, however excellent forward work helped Carsen Patu dive over for the first try and Syris converted. At the end of this period the score was 7-14. JoJo then saw a chance when he pounced on a loose ball and just beat a couple of defenders to race over 50m to score under the posts and Syris converted. Following the next kick-off, a Nudgee player received

Even when students were permitted back at school, rugby training was very different, with NO CONTACT allowed. With Term Two sport being cancelled, all sports were to run concurrently during Term Three. Testament to the strong history of rugby at TSS, even competing with football, basketball and tennis, our numbers for rugby only decreased slightly and TSS still fielded the same amount of teams.

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We hope our wider community and Old Boys in particular enjoyed watching many of the games live streamed this season.

After Hunter Dalzell stole the ball from a Nudgee lineout on halfway, Kaleb Ngamanu kicked long to the corner and Beau Arscott managed to get to the ball and popped it up for JoJo to score out wide. With no conversion the score became 24-21 and that was the final score a few minutes later. Coaches points went to JoJo Fifita 3, Carsen Patu 2, and Jack Denson 1. Congratulations to the 11 boys who made their debut in a First XV game as a number of boys in our squad were given game time.

Round 3: First XV TSS 31 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ACGS 29 (Trial #2) Pressure for the first eight minutes was mainly in the Churchie half and good forward play was finally rewarded with Carson Patu crashing over to score the first points. Syris Schmidt converted this and two others and had a good field kicking game. TSS dominated the scrums and gained a few penalties throughout the game. Jye produced a nice grubber kick and caught and scored under the posts but a very uncharacteristic miss occurred on the kick, so the score was 12-12 at the break. The forwards worked well and got close to the line and two quick passes saw Isaiah score again, therefore 31-19. Churchie then ran in two backline tries towards the end to finish the game 31-29. Coaches points went to Carsen Patu 3, Jye Gray 2, Isaiah Tolotu 1, and Harry Vousty gained an Honorable mention.

Round 4: First XV TSS 49 - BSHS 19 The game was played at BSHS with a westerly crosswind. A break by Nick Hilton and an offload to Carson Patu saw him run some 30m to score and Syris Schmidt converted. Minutes later pressure in the 22 saw the ball spun out wide and from a quick ruck JoJo Fifita received the ball to run 15m and score near the corner. A scrum penalty, TSS had the dominate scrum throughout the match, saw a grubber kick picked up by Caid Jenkins and passed to JoJo and he had only 10m to run score. The TSS forwards won a BSHS scrum 5m out and Syris broke through to score right on half time and the score became 34-7. A number of substitutions then started to occur to make the final score 49-19. Coaches points went to Carsen Patu 3, JoJo Fifita 2 and Massimo De Lutiis 1. Honourable mentions went to Michael van der Schyff, Nick Hilton, Jonathan Burnett and on debut, Hunter Dalzell.

Round 5: First XV TSS 32 - TGS 17 This game was played on the Village Green and the TSS team were without injured players from last week, namely JoJo Fifita and Harry Vousty. Therefore, Zach Strydom and Cooper McGeary made their debut. A 30m break by Kaleb Ngamanu gave the forwards real momentum and eventually Syris stepped his way through the defence from 15m and scored. Generally, TSS had the dominate scrum but did not gain much advantage from it. The lineout was efficient against a very good opposition, however Michael van der Schyff pinched two of their lineouts at crucial times. TSS gained some control and then a 15m break by Fraser Cowan gave the team renewed enthusiasm and tight forward work over a number of phases finished with Carson Patu crashing over the try line on half time and the score became 22-10. TGS sustained pressure saw them spin the ball wide at halfway and with multiply support passes scored and converted. The backs worked a clever move and a short pass from Syris to Caid Jenkins saw him dart through a gap and beat the defence to score under the posts minutes from fulltime and that remained the final score of 32-17. Coaches points went to Syris Schmidt 3, Carsen Patu 2, Michael van der Schyff 1. Honourable mentions then went to Jonathon Burnett, Jack Denson and Isaiah Tolotu.

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Round 6: First XV TSS 20 – BGS 15

Round 7: First XV TSS 6 – BBC 45

The game started with a BGS kick-off and a strong westerly was blowing across the field. A short blindside pass saw Carson Patu step and make a small break and give a nice pass to Zac Strydom to score in the corner. A barging break by the big BGS 13 gave them momentum and a play later saw their backline combine well and score. Play was halted when Jack Denson suffered a serious knee injury and was replaced by Blake Raymond.

With Jack Denson joining the injury list with an ACL, Blake Raymond made his debut. BBC fielded a big and talented team determined to make up for their close loss to TSS last year which dashed their premiership hopes.

After some 12 minutes, Kaleb Ngamanu made a 30m break and passed to Beau Arscott and he ran the ball around close to the posts to score. BGS elected to have a scrum however the TSS forwards who had been generally dominate in the scrum took their tight head. A penalty to TSS near the 22 saw excellent forward power, a small break by Carsen and Massimo De Lutiis finally scores after multiple pick and drives. Michael stole another lineout throw and TSS mucks a penalty and BGS have the scrum feed right on full-time. A very determined pack completely overwhelmed BGS, gained the penalty which was quickly kicked out to end the game with the score being 20-15. Coaches points went to Massimo De Lutiis 3, Michael van der Schyff 2, Jonathon Burnett 1. Honourable mentions went to Carsen Patu and Syris Schmidt.

The Old Southportonians’ Review

Syris kicked two penalties early and JoJo Fifita made a 30m break, however was stopped by an excellent tackle by the last defender. TSS at one stage were within a metre of the try line with multiple phase plays but strong BBC defence prevented a try. A BBC raid into the 22 saw Blake pull off a great tackle and secured a turn-over. Another turnover in the 22 eventually lead to a try near the posts and then there was more general play to half time and the score was 6-19. The BBC 10 and 13 had very good games and TSS were very pleased to have JoJo back to help contain their 13. Further BBC tries followed either from TSS making mistakes in the 22 or BBC putting pressure deep within the 22. The final score was 45-6 to BBC which was disappointing with the TSS team playing a determined game but outclassed on the day. Coaches points went JoJo Fifita 3, Mike van der Schyff 2 and Nick Hilton 1. Blake Raymond received an honourable mention.

Round 9: First XV TSS 25 – IGS 19 With Beau Arscott injured, Luca Sibson made his debut and played at 12 with Caid Jenkins at fullback. IGS fielded a big pack and had the kick-off, which they regained. After over five minutes in the attack area, pick and drives lead to Harry Vousty crossing over to score. Throughout an ever changing game TSS gained more penalties, disrupted the IGS lineout and were slightly dominant in the scrum. The next try was scored by Blake Raymond playing on the wing when he intercepted a loose IGS ball and raced some 50m to score under the posts.

There were many great tackles however the best open individual one happened when the huge IGS eight thought he would run over Jonathon Burnett who lowered his shoulder and drove the eight backwards for a very big cheer. IGS did make a break from around halfway and they scored in the corner on fulltime which made the score 25-19. Coaches points went to Caid Jenkins 3, Blake Raymond 2 and Zach Strydom 1. Well done to all concerned on a very different season and adjusting to so many injuries. Congratulations on having an 8-1 season tally and running second in the very tough GPS rugby competition. A fond farewell to the departing seniors.

2020 FIRST XV TROPHIES “Stephen Russell” Front Row Club

Harry Vousty

“Alan Ware” Best Defender

Nick Hilton

Faulkner Trophy - Best Back:

Syris Schmidt

Faulkner Trophy - Best Forward:

Michael van der Schyff

“Collins Family” Best Lock in Open Division

Michael van der Schyff

Most Improved Player: Most Consistent Player: “John Fraser” Best and Fairest: The Players’ Trophy:

Carsen Patu Caid Jenkins & Jonathon Burnett Jojo Fifita Carsen Patu

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S P O RT N E W S

GYMNASTICS Gymnastics began 2020 with high expectations of improving their overall third position from the previous year.

With the announcement that this was to be the final official GPS Gymnastics Championship before being relegated to Foundation Sport status in 2021 all athletes and coaching staff were keen to do the school proud after such a rich history in the sport.

erm Two saw a complete shut down of the training facility and postponement of the Championship until Term Three due to Covid-19 restrictions. Once we restarted, the teams were able to attend one lead up meet at BBC in the week prior to the official Championship at BGS on September 5. The lead up meet was only for Division 2 and 3 gymnasts. TSS demonstrated good routines all around

placing third and second respectively in each of the divisions. One week later TSS performed exceptionally well to place second overall with team results of second in Division 1; third in Division 2 and 2nd in Division 3. Individual highlights were Prep students Zack Marland and John Cleverly who placed second and third overall respectively. TSS can be extremely proud of the gymnasts’ performances in 2020. Due to clashes with other sports competitor numbers were diminished and many boys combined their gymnastics training and competing with the demands of other sports. Their dedication and commitment to their teams was highly commendable.

CROSS COUNTRY The Cross Country team competed with determination and discipline at Limestone Park in Term Three. A long and interrupted season, which presented many challenges due to the Covid-19 restrictions.

Our team trained hard on the coast, and often in isolation. We did however, lack opportunities to compete with no House Carnival or Inter School competitions allowed under government guidelines.

mportant to mention that our most inspirational award went to Oliver Cronin. Oliver ran the GPS Championships with a stress fracture in his leg, he was insistent that he wanted to compete in what would be his last ever opportunity to represent the School. Oliver has been at TSS since Year 8 and has always been a top 10 performer at GPS Cross Country. In what was one of the bravest performances seen by

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a schoolboy runner, he pushed himself over the hills of Limestone and finished 10th in the Open event, our best placed athlete. Our team placed 6th overall, satisfied and proud of our team we motivated to improve in 2021.

On the day we had some really pleasing individual results, the highlights included; MJ Lowe placed forth in U14 years Brayden Mercer fifth in U16 years

S P O RT N E W S

CHESS This year was another year of growth for the chess squad, with ever increasing numbers involved with both social chess through the Chess Club and playing in the GPS competition.

Even though the ability to get together to train and play social games was restricted this year, many students were able to attend one of the afternoon training sessions during Term Three and worked hard to improve their chess. Fifty-six students, from Year 5 to Year 12, played at least one game in the GPS competition. Our squad overall has been improving and we can look forward to continued success in the coming years.

Our Chess Captain, Vishaak Gangasandra was very active in his leadership of the team and was determined to the lift the profile of chess at the school. Vishaak was ably assisted by Vice Captain, Noah Purza-Page.

ur Premier Team this year consisted of Ben Atia on Board 1, Raff Atia on Board 2, Thomas Xu on Board 3 and Ray Zhai playing on Board 4. The team were competitive in every round and it was always exciting to watch their games. With such a young team, the prospects for the next few years are very promising. The TSS Premier Team had a fantastic result in the Secondary Schools Chess State Finals in October. After two days of battle against the best schools in Queensland, they were awarded third place on count back after finishing on equal second in points.

DEBATING TSS had a frustrating 2020 season with the pandemic bringing the year to an abrupt halt, leaving us missing out on taking on two powerhouses, Terrace and Churchie.

We were disappointed about this because we like to benchmark ourselves against the stronger schools. The highlight of the year for the Debating Society was splitting the results evenly with Brisbane Grammar at BGS, the first time we have managed that in at least 10 years.

hile the Senior A team did not achieve as many wins as they would have liked, there were in the end of a number of split decision losses, which on another night could have fallen in their favour. Their work ethic over the last two years has been outstanding. A number of teams achieved top three placing in Years 8, 9 and 10, and nearly all boys from 2020 have signed up again, meaning we will have some depth in our teams as we head into the new season.

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S P O RT N E W S

ROWING Rowing had a great season with several crews performing exceptionally well at the Head of the River.

The Southport First VIII managed to come through the pack to finish in second place by one second in an exciting race. The Rowing program had 247 rowers signed on for the 2020 season and entered crews in all of the GPS point scoring races on the day.

SS Rowing had a good day at the Head of the River with the boys finishing third place overall in the Old Boys Cup (two points behind Nudgee College).

was represented by 17 rowers, with a number of the boys coming home with a State Medal which was a great achievement, which also included the First VIII taking First place in the Championship Men’s Under 19 VIII race. TSS finished the regatta, achieving the following results at the State Championships; • Men’s Under 17 Quad (4x+) – Fifth (W. Mayne, K. Fisher, W. Bucknell, J. Lomax, cox: M. Baker) • Men’s Under 17 Quad (4x+) – Seventh (K. Aitchison, C. Dawson, O. Gleeson, Z. Howard, cox: C. Stewart)

There were many highlights to the 2020 Season. The Year 9 program performed well improving on their Year 8 season, although their results don’t contribute to the Old Boy’s Cup tally. All crews finished the season with good results and should be extremely proud of their efforts during the season. The Year 11 first VIII had a very close race at the HOR with Churchie to take the win on the line. The Year 11 second VIII finished in second place to Churchie in another close race illustrating that if they keep developing they have the potential to be a strong contenders in 2021.

• Men’s Under 19 Double (2x) – Third (Z. Nixon, G. Callaghan)

In addition to the Head of the River, TSS attended the Queensland Rowing State Championships held at Wyaralong Dam prior to the start of Term One. TSS

The 2020 rowing season for TSS saw many solid performances across the program.

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• Men’s Under 19 Double (2-) – First (L. Wright, M. Branch)

• Championship Men’s Under 19 VIII – First (D. Kennedy, K. Dittmar, G. Callaghan, H. Ward, B. Stewart, L. Wright, M. Branch, Z. Nixon, cox: L. Mactaggart)

S P O RT N E W S

PREP SPORT ROBERT EGAN – PREP SPORTSMASTER

It’s an unexpected win, but 2020 saw the launch of a new initiative in our Prep Sport program.

Our TSS Preparatory Football Club became an associated member in the Football Gold Coast league back in 2018, with boys playing for TSS against clubs the length and breadth of the coast. This year our U6 and U7 junior footballers launched a brand new initiative, in conjunction with Magic Football Club, which saw our fun Friday Football competition kick-off.

his program offers an exciting opportunity for our Preschool, Reception and Year 1 boys to engage in formal sport for the first time, and join a development pathway for a few extra hours after school each week. When it comes to youth development it’s important we get things right as you only grow up once. You would have all heard the saying “first impressions last” and never has that been more true than in youth sport. All parents would testify to many a short lived club, or hobby, or toy as their children get older. This initiative is sure to break the mould, with the key aims of the program being: • Enjoyment (FUN) • Challenge • Excitement (FUN) • Progress • more FUN

This year the program was all action for a whole term of Football, with up to two training sessions and three matches a week. We had an influx of players with over 40 boys taking up the opportunity to engage with our extensive coaching team. The boys began working on their technical ability, exploring ways to master the ball, developing their confidence and creativity as individuals and enjoy being part of a team. The skills and attributes the boys learnt will form the foundation of their physical movement skills moving forward. It was great to see them improve their agility, balance, speed and coordination throughout the season. Perhaps one of the biggest wins in the foundation phase of development is the social engagement. This program's close association with Magic Football Club allowed the players plenty of time to develop their social sensibilities, learning how to self-focus and consider others. Working as part of a team, our young footballers develop empathy, and learn to value hard work over result (winning and losing well). As with our Junior Football and Rugby club, this new initiative is sure to thrive over the next few years with plenty of healthy competition and an abundance of fun to follow. A big thank you to our school staff and coaches and well done to the boys. On we go to 2021.

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Prep Sport 2020

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OSA NEWS

Foundation Breakfast It was an absolute pleasure welcoming back the Foundation family to the TSS Foundation November Business Breakfast hosted by the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre.

uests were entertained by Headmaster Mr Greg Wain’s address which focused on adolescent brain research, boys’ education, positive psychology and emotional intelligence. A very special thank you to our 2020 Foundation Sponsors for their continued support of our Indigenous Education Program.

For more information about the work of TSS Foundation head to www.tss.qld.edu.au/foundation/

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TSS and King's share a very strong bond. Liam Phelps (BID17) was President of the King’s Students’ Club this year and he will be succeeded by James Murray (WAL18) in 2021.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Baptisms and Births Remy Melia (RAD06) and his wife Jessica welcomed their first child, Violet Joy, on 25 March 2020

Olivia Mia McDougall born 16/01/20 & Emilia Ivy McDougall born 02/09/16 were baptised on the 01/03/20. Child of Cameron McDougall (MEL03) & Lisa McDougall

Murphy William Woods born 5/1/2020 was baptised on the 09/05/2020. Child of Matthew Woods & Bree Woods

Soren Lincoln Smith born 28/8/2015 was baptised on the 03/03/2020. Child of Lincoln Smith & Helen Smith

Daniella Rose Pohl born 14/05/2019 was baptised on the 15/02/20. Child of Hilton Pohl (WAL99) & Paulina Pohl

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O B I T UA R I E S

Obituaries FAREWELL DEAR FRIENDS Darrell Greenhill (RAD75)

Ian Thomas East (THO61)

John Graham Butler (MCK89)

Robert Ross McMullen (MCK55)

Bruce McLean (MCK68)

Neal Morgan Kerr (THO41)

Jim Bassingthwaite (DEL50)

Dale Rodgie (SUR81)

Tom Frith (DEL50)

Jon Espie (THO60)

Joy Saxby - Prep School Teacher (1973-76)

Raymond Shepherd (MCK45)

Nicholas Braid (MAU01)

mother in his early years before finishing his primary education at Stanthorpe State School. Peter was a proud Old Boy of The Southport School. People would know Peter best as a cricket tragic and an excellent player but he was also an accomplished tennis player, and his son Tim recalled his pride at being able to show off his father’s accomplishments on the honour board at TSS when he was also a student. Peter had a long involvement with the Rural Fire Brigade and served on the Rural Fire Board as Fire Captain. In recognition of his service, members from Liston and beyond formed a guard of honour as he made his final journey across the paddocks on the back of his trusty Landcruiser. One of Peter’s proudest achievements outside of his beloved family was to be named the Tenterfield Citizen of the Year in the 2020 Australia Day Awards. A worthy recognition of this humble gentleman’s contribution to his community.

Peter Roland Bonner (MCK56) The Southern Downs, Tenterfield and Liston communities lost a true gentleman and champion of the district in so many ways. Peter, who had been bravely battling illness for many months, was laid to rest in the Bonner family cemetery on his beloved Aloomba Top property. His sons, grandsons and family paid tribute to the contribution and influence he had on their lives and the lives of so many others. Peter was the third of four Bonner boys and along with brothers Dick, Bill and Chris grew up at Aloomba. Like so many of his generation, he was homeschooled by his

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Peter and his wife Tere met when she was 14 and she was the love of his life. They were married in 1965 and shared over 55 years of marriage. Peter was most proud of the achievements of his family and relished watching sons Tim and Martin and then his grandsons grow into fine young men. Grandsons, Adam, PJ (Peter) and Thomas all spoke of the positive influence their grandfather had on their lives. His granddaughters, Layla and Dawn, lit up his life. As one of four boys and no girls in his own family he was immediately smitten by the girls when they arrived. As time was called on an innings well played by Peter Roland Bonner, his family reflected that although they were no doubt previously fine, the pearly gates will now swing properly. The strains on either side will be tight, Peter Bonner tight.

John Michael Taylor 30 JUNE 1935 - 7 DECEMBER 2019 MCKINLEY HOUSE - 1951

John was born in Roma and lived there until moving to Southport after his father (also an Old Southportonian) was tragically killed on military training exercises.

He formed many close friendships during his seven years at Southport and has since been a great supporter and follower of the OSA, and kept in touch with many of his old school mates. After his time at TSS, he went on to Gatton Agricultural College. Following his graduation, he was employed as a jackeroo and then in property management, including at “Ularunda”, a Scottish Australian Company property at Morven. John then moved to Canada where he worked for some years for a mining company in the Yukon Territory and a computer company in Montreal, Canada. He then returned to Queensland and worked as an agricultural chemical sales representative for many years.

John was easy going, of good humour, fun loving, kind and generous, practical and innovative. He had an inquisitive mind with an early and ongoing interest in technology and how things worked. He married later in life and he and his wife Jane, who survives him, enjoyed a happy and loving retirement at Palmwoods. Ian Munro (MCK 1962-65)

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WILLIAM KEITH STEVENSON DELPRATT HOUSE - 1965

Queensland and Australia lost a great character on 31 March 2020. Bill Stevenson was raised on a property on the Barcoo River near the township of Isisford. When the family left there, they spent 12 months in Longreach before settling on a block called Rocklea in the Barcaldine district. Bill went to The Southport School as a boarder and was a member of Delpratt House. On leaving school, he had stints in Melbourne and Brisbane in the retail sector before heading home to Rocklea. During that period, he had a variety of roles, from driving gravel trucks for this father Keith Stevenson to jackarooing on various stations in central Queensland. At one stage in the mid 1980s he was part owner of the Landsborough Lodge motel in Barcaldine.

Bill once again headed for the big smoke of Brisbane where he started a lawn mowing run and selling real estate for LJ Hooker in Paddington. While in Brisbane he met and married Louise Watson-Brown. The couple had two children, Sam and Sophie, and the whole family has always maintained its strong connections to the Barcaldine and Longreach communities. Bill and Lou forged a very successful business partnership, at one stage owning more than 20 Blockbuster Video stores after first owning a Video Flicks store in Wynnum. When that industry was being changed by the introduction of streaming services, they had the business acumen to move into other areas, in their case, Telstra retail stores, a very successful move. Bill was an amateur artist, and there are several Bill Stevenson paintings hanging on the walls of Queenslanders. Born on 25 April 1950, he died just before his 70th birthday. Bill Stevenson was a great Queenslander, and was a proud member of the Queensland Club.

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WILLIAM MOULDS

JOHN HEUSSLER

PREP 1951-1955

MCKINLEY HOUSE 1948

WILLIAM (BILL) J MULLER

Formerly of “Denton” Longreach. Dux of the School in his final year. He was a past President of the United Grazier’s Association of Queensland. He also served on the board of the Longreach Pastoral College.

TSS STAFF MEMBER - 1972 - 1977

Bill passed away in Townsville Mater Hospital on Saturday 23 May 2020. He is survived by his wife Julie and sons, Jonathan and Liam, and their families. Bill was a staff member at TSS from 1972 to 1977 as Radcliffe Housemaster during that time. After Bill left Southport, he taught at Ballarat Grammar School in Victoria. He then took up the position of Deputy Headmaster at Townsville Grammar School in 1980; remaining in this position until 1998. He then stayed on at Townsville Grammar School as the School Archivist until 2017. Bill was actively involved in sport in Townsville, particularly Rugby Union. The main oval at Townsville Grammar School is named after Bill.

John was awarded an AM after many years of service to the Pastoral industry in Queensland with many overseas trips promoting Australian Agriculture. He passed away at Buderim Queensland after a short illness on 14 August 2020.

GEORGE WALLENS JUNIOR SCHOOL 1926-1927

Passed away on the 19 October 2019 at the age of 101.

SAXBY, JOY (PREP STAFF, 1973-76)

Bill along with Richard Lyne (THO74) and others formed the Past Grammarians Rugby Union Club, now known as North Ward Rugby Union Club.

Mother of Old Boy Matthew Saxby (MCK 1970-79)

Bill will be greatly missed by the Townsville Rugby community, North Ward Rugby Union Club and the Townsville Grammar School community. He is remembered as a true gentleman, great educator and mentor to many people who had their lives enriched by knowing Bill.

Mrs Saxby taught Remedial English while at the school, and privately for several years after leaving the School TSS Prep boys continued to be among her students in her years as a private tutor.

Passed away 28 November 2019, aged 92.

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Peter Warren Blundell (THO54) Late of Mt Malakoff, passed away peacefully Saturday 26th September 2020 aged 84 years.

Dearly loved husband of the late Marjory Blundell. Much loved father of Peter and James. Amazing grandfather of Peter, Harry, Nicola, Briar, Travis, Fian, Ria and cherished Great-Grandfather of Charlie and Maddi. Dear Brother to Prue and Bill. Friend and mentor to Brent. An absolute Gentleman and "Cheeky Bugger."

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Neil Alexander Stronach A LIFE WELL LIVED 17 SEP 1922 – 30 JAN 2020

One of The Southport School’s oldest old boys Neil Stronach passed away earlier in the year, aged 97. This is his story as told by his son Fraser.

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As so often in life, one small event can provide a pivotal moment. For Neil Stronach that happened around aged six, when in a moment of youthful mischief he shot the family nanny in the backside with his pellet gun. Fortunately there was no great harm done for the lady in question, but for Neil’s indiscretion he soon found himself being shipped off to board at The Southport School where he spent the rest of his school days. And thus started a lifetime association with TSS. Perhaps TSS was chosen as Neil’s father, George Stronach, a building contractor and later the State and Federal President of the Master Builder’s Institute, helped build the original TSS. No doubt George also thought TSS would provide a less cavalier focus for Neil’s enthusiasm. Neil was the youngest of four children to mother Jessie, and as he progressed through the years at TSS he developed into a sporting champion at swimming, athletics and rowing, especially in his senior years at the school. He also excelled at team sports such as cricket and rugby. All early signs of his competitive nature.

In his RAAF memoirs Neil wrote “During training I had one wheels-up forced landing near Wollongong in a field behind a pub”. That turned out to be a lucky place to crash land, as he stayed here for the next 24 hours waiting for the RAAF recovery crew to turn up, all the while being shouted free drinks by the amused hotel patrons. The fact that he wasn’t of legal drinking age didn’t seem to come into it. In his memoirs Neil also recalled in a very nonchalant way, “I flew under the Sydney Harbour Bridge during a fund raising exercise”. What Neil didn’t say was that the idea of the fund raising was to drop leaflets over the city, not to fly under the harbour bridge as he did with two of his fellow 24th Squadron pilots in their Wirraway planes. By the time they landed back at Bankstown airfield the commanding officer had already got word of the high jinx, which was a serious breach of RAAF regulations, and Neil and the other two Wirraway pilots involved were lucky not to be discharged from the RAAF there and then. Apparently a fourth Wirraway came close to crashing into the bridge after the pilot decided to abort the underpass at the last minute and pulled up to fly over the bridge.

Father George’s successful business meant the family were relatively well off and George owned a supercharged Bentley, one of the most powerful cars on the road at that time. Neil was lucky enough to learn to drive in that big, fast Bentley, which, like the pellet gun incident, would prove another pivotal event in Neil’s life. In Neil’s last year at TSS, 1939, World War II broke out in Europe and like thousands of young men at the time there was a rush to join the armed services. Interestingly, of the 100,000 young Australians who had volunteered for service by the end of March 1940, 68,000 had applied to join the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the majority wishing to work on the ground as so called ground crew, which involved some 60 specialised ‘musterings’ or trades. Still, some 11,000 opted to become air crew and especially pilots, which was a fair number given on the eve of the war the RAAF possessed less than 250 aircrafts! Neil too, was attracted by the idea of flying a powerful and fast plane, as so many young men at the time were, his keenness no doubt whetted by his experience with the supercharged Bentley. As soon as he turned 18, he applied to join the RAAF as a pilot without even telling his parents. Apparently just being able to drive a car - not a widespread skill at the time – helped in his application and some six months later he was called up, sent off into training and just after turning 19 received his ‘wings’ as a Sergeant Pilot. Neil was no doubt at home in the pilot’s seat, as only a tiny fraction of would-be pilots actually got to be pilots. Later RAAF history would show a strong correlation between schoolboy sports champions and those RAAF volunteers who made the grade as a pilot.

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24TH SQUADRON RAAF VULTEE VENGEANCE DIVE BOMBERS OFF THE NORTH COAST OF NEW GUINEA IN LATE 1943

While still stationed at Bankstown in Sydney, 24th Squadron were issued with Vultee Vengeance dive bombers, the Allies' answer to the infamous German Stuka, and Neil decided to immediately try it out. Again from his memoirs: “I took the Vultee up to 12,000 feet, put the nose down without the dive brakes and when I looked at the airspeed indicator just before pulling out it was showing over 400mph. By the time I had levelled out at about 200 feet I suddenly realised the engine had stalled as I was shooting over house rooftops somewhere near Penrith … I pumped the throttle madly and the engine fortunately started!” As part of Vultee-equipped 24th Squadron, Neil was posted to New Guinea, and at one stage during a raid on Lae on the north coast of New Guinea, some American warships escorting troop-carrying ships for a landing at Finschhafen opened up with their antiaircraft guns on the Vultees, no doubt mistaking them for Japanese planes. Neil’s summation of the incident: “I think their gunners needed more practice!”

During his time in New Guinea. Neil flew some 30 missions in Vultee Vengeance aircraft carrying out close support dive bombing for Australia ground troop and in August 1943 and before even turning 21, he received his officer’s commission as a Flight Lieutenant.

In 1964, the third of Neil and Olga’s children and their first daughter Laurinda was born. Imbued with a sense of adventure shared with Olga, Neil then took a position as a financial controller with Savage River mines in north-west Tasmania. By that time Neil was a student architect, designed an awardwinning house for the family in Burnie. From there the family moved back to Sydney but Neil went further afield to Barraba in northern NSW, where he worked as Secretary and Treasurer at Woodsreef Mines. Always on the move, Neil then took up a position as the Financial Controller on Melbourne’s Westgate Bridge construction project, with Olga, who was now well versed in moving home, and Laurinda in tow.

NEIL THIRD FROM CAMERA IN A WIRRAWAY. NEIL FLEW ONE OF THESE UNDER THE SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE.

While on leave in Queensland in 1944 Neil met Toowoomba-born Olga O’Sullivan, who was a radio and Morse-code operator in the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force. Olga was a couple of years older than Neil, so an unusual attraction for the time. Not long after the end of the war in the Pacific, Neil and Olga were married on 20 October 1945, at the chapel of Neil’s beloved TSS.

Neil retired in 1983 and in 1986 moved to Palm Beach, on Sydney’s northern beaches. In his retirement Neil travel extensively with Olga many times to Europe, while also travelling to Japan, South Africa and more exotic locations such as Turkey, Egypt, Morocco and the UAE. Neil was also a tireless volunteer for Probus, the RSL and various charities. In late 2019 Neil attended the TSS’s Older Old Boy’s Assembly, aged 97, his last school outing. Neil passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 2020, with Olga following six months later on July 6 but not before clocking up 100 years. Both are survived by sons Peter and Fraser, and daughter Laurinda and her son Alexander. Godspeed Neil and Olga.

While living in Townsville, Neil and Olga’s first son Peter was born in August 1946 while son Fraser came along in 1952. Both boys went on to race motorcycles in later life, so there was definitely ‘speed’ in the genes inherited from Neil. In the early 1950s Neil took up a position in field construction administration on the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme in Cooma, NSW. It was here that he bought a Volkswagen Beetle, having been impressed how well they performed in the local arduous conditions as part of the vehicle fleet utilised by the Snowy Mountains Hydro Authority. The Beetle was a big come down from the pre-war Bentley, and was one of the least powerful cars on the road at the time but with Neil at the wheel it was more like a poor-man’s Porsche. At the time the family seemed to be constantly going on road trips to places as distant as Brisbane and beyond and despite the Beetle’s modest performance, it was doing most of the overtaking and not the other way! And if another car did pass it was invariably a big Jaguar. From Cooma the family moved to Sydney around 1960, with Neil working as a financial officer with Civil and Civic. That job involved overseas travel, which sparked another of Neil’s interests that played out later in life.

NEIL AND OLGA ON THEIR WEDDING DAY IN 1945

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NEIL IN 2018 AT THE WAR MUSEUM AT THE WAR VETS VILLAGE AT NARRABEEN SYDNEY. THE PLANE TO HIS LEFT IS A MODEL OF THE EXACT VULTEE VENGEANCE HE FLEW.

NEIL AND OLGA WITH SONS PETER (ON RIGHT), FRASER AND NEW-BORN LAURINDA

CAPTION NEILâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WIFE OLGA OF 74 YEARS SERVED AS A RADIO AND MORSE-CODE OPERATOR IN THE WAAAF DURING WW2

NEIL, AGED 97, AND WIFE OLGA, AGED 99, ON THE DAY OF THE 74TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.

NEIL AND OLGA TRAVELLED EXTENSIVELY IN THEIR RETIREMENT YEARS.

John Clifford Bird 13 JUNE 1950-31 MAY 2020 DELPRATT HOUSE - 1967

John was a kind and mild mannered gentleman, his wife Karen’s life partner and the father of their three children Jesse, Brendan and Kate and father-in-law to Sofia and Ian and grandfather to Cliffie and Freddie Bird Grant. His dignified stance against a wretched and rare cancer ended at Hopewell Hospice in Arundel Queensland.

John was born and lived his life on the Gold Coast, never moving far from his beloved Southport. After school, he worked with his father and later with a friend farming on the Coomera River. In the early 1980’s, he moved into the Southport/Main Beach area where he began a long and well-respected career in Real Estate and Building Management. He married Karen in 1987 and raised and educated his three children – Jesse (RAD02), Brendan (RAD05) and Kate (St Hilda’s 1994-2007). John was an avid fresh water and ocean swimmer, and motor cycle rider whose first love was Rugby Union. He was also a member of GC Rotary and volunteered with GC Rosie’s Outreach until his illness prevented him attending.

‘They told me, Heraclitus’ They told me Heraclitus, they told me you were dead, They brought me bitter news to hear and bitter tears to shed. I wept as I remembered how often you and I Had tired the sun with talking and sent him down the sky. And now that though art dying, my dear old Carian guest, A handful of grey ashes, long, long ago at rest, Still are thy pleasant voices, thy nightingales, awake; For Death, he taketh all away, but them he cannot take.

Callimachus, translated by William Johnson Cory

VERN LINDEN DELPRATT HOUSE 1945-1948

Vern Linden late of Coolum Beach, Sunshine Coast passed away peacefully on Sunday 18 October, 2020 aged 97 years.

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