Spectemur Issue 4 2023 by Camberwell Grammar School

SPECTEMUR ISSUE 4

2023

Editorial Committee Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Taryn Das Neves Marketing and Communications Manager, Claire Denbury Head of Community and Development, Ryan Whitehead Development Associate (Alumni), Cindy Parker Contact us Alumni Foundation Marketing

ocga@cgs.vic.edu.au cec@cgs.vic.edu.au cda@cgs.vic.edu.au

55 Mont Albert Road, Canterbury VIC 3126 Spectemur is printed on FSC certified 100% recycled uncoated ‘Revive Laser’ paper. The carbon emissions associated with the Spectemur production have been offset through various sustainable practices. By adopting carbon-neutral practices, Spectemur aims to uphold the environmental values of the School.

Legacy of Celebration

Contents School From the Headmaster’s Desk......................................................... 2 To the Class of 2023. . ................................................................... 4 Celebrating the Giants of Camberwell Grammar.............................. 8 Student Voices: Who We Are........................................................ 10 Green Pages............................................................................... 12 Staff Profiles............................................................................... 14 Teaching and Innovation . . ............................................................. 16 Murdoch Centre for Educational Research and Innovation............... 18 Grandparents’ Day...................................................................... 20 Art Exhibitions. . ........................................................................... 22 News from Around the School...................................................... 25 Community Connections.............................................................. 30 House Drama Competition........................................................... 32 From the Music School................................................................ 36 Central Australia Tour.. ................................................................. 40 Sport . . ........................................................................................ 42

Community Alumni News............................................................................... 44 Alumni Profiles............................................................................ 46 From the Archives.. ...................................................................... 47 Community Events . . ..................................................................... 48 Obituaries................................................................................... 52

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

From the Headmaster’s Desk As our Year 12 students began their final examinations, and as we farewelled them with rituals and feasting, many of them remarked to me how quickly the year has flown past. And as all of us worked our way through the final term of the year, scrambling to get all of the things that need to be completed, it does seem that this year has marched on at a rapid pace. The reality is, of course, that all years fly past – and they seem to gather speed the older we get. Earlier this year, a film was released called Living. It tells the story of a man who faces a sentence of terminal cancer realising that his life has slipped by without him ever feeling that he has lived. He has chosen a safe and conservative path, short on passion and joy, and by the time he faces death, he realises that it is almost too late. He had spent his life following predictable patterns and processes, but he had not ever expressed his emotions or cultivated deep relationships with others – not even his wife or children. In all external ways his life had been successful, but he was not satisfied or made happy by that success. The philosopher Alan Watts argued many years ago that most of us miss the point about life. We think of it by analogy to a journey, with a series of stops along the way and some elusive final destination – success, wealth, or Heaven. We tell ourselves

we need to keep working hard, striving to get to the next stop on the journey, or to climb the next rung on the ladder – only to find that there is always another stop ahead or another step on the ladder to climb. For our students, it is especially tempting to think in these ways at the moment. They focus on the next examination, the next test, the next course. And in some ways, our very schooling system encourages them to do so. Watts suggests another way of thinking about life however which appeals greatly to me. He argues that rather than life being a journey thing, it is really a musical thing. The point about music is that what is important is the experience itself – the end is not the point. We play the piano or the violin – we don’t work them. With music, there is joy in merely doing. When we dance, we do not aim to get to a particular point in the room – we lose ourselves in the process itself and find joy in it. It doesn’t matter where we end up. Alan Watts encourages us to think about life like that too – we should try to delight in living and we should treasure the joy and awe in it for its own sake. Of course, life without goals or effort is not very productive, and we do all need to work and try hard and to do our best at whatever we take on. But we also need to recognise that the purpose of life lies in the living, and that joy and love and compassion and play are perhaps better indicators of success than material wealth or professional promotion. This edition of Spectemur is full of stories about students living their lives, and their joy and optimism. It is a timely reminder to all of us to dance to the music of life. Dr Paul Hicks Headmaster

“This edition of Spectemur is full of stories about students living their lives, and their joy and optimism.”

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

To the Class of 2023 How Lucky We Are that Saying Goodbye is So Hard Term 4 was filled with bittersweet moments of farewell as the Year 12 cohort – some of whom have spent 14 years at Camberwell Grammar – enjoyed their last days on campus together. During the first weeks of Term 4, Year 12 students participated in several ceremonies and rituals as part of the conclusion of their formal schooling and time at Camberwell Grammar. These events were filled with a combination of fun, emotion, and celebration as the School marked the contribution of each student to the Camberwell Grammar community during their time here. Indeed as Mr Ben Jeacocke, Deputy Head and Head of Senior School, said to the Class of 2023, ‘Rituals and rites of passage are important transition points across many contexts in our lives’, and it was great to see our Year 12 students and families making the most of these special events. The final Year 12 days on campus culminated in the ever‑fun ‘Muck-Up’ Day, final House Assemblies, Prize Giving, the Leavers’ Service at St Mark’s, and Valedictory Dinner at the MCG. On the last school morning, they gathered in the Performing Arts Centre where staff from Junior, Middle, and Senior School reflected on their time at the School, their growth, and their achievements as a cohort, finally finishing with the Cufflink Presentation by members of the Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Association to welcome them into their new chapter and connection with the School as soon-to-be alumni.

In the closing of his Valedictory speech as Captain of the School 2023, Cooper Carbone said, ‘As you look around, you will recognise each student’s face – proudly wearing their gold and double blue uniform for the last time. These are the comrades and brothers we sing of. The poignancy of this occasion, gathering as a cohort for the last time, speaks volumes for the connections we have developed. The Class of 2023 epitomises the unique and supportive sense of community that makes Camberwell Grammar so special. How lucky we are that saying goodbye is so hard. As we bid farewell to the familiar halls and grounds of the School, we embark on a new chapter filled with possibilities. Let us continue to learn, grow, and make a positive impact on the world. Let us be known not by our words but by our deeds. Let us face new challenges with courage and integrity. And may we always look on one another with a smile as we remember the unity and collective bond we’ve shared.’

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

In his toast to the Leavers during the Valedictory Dinner, long-term serving member of staff Mr John Allen addressed the cohort saying, ‘Gentlemen, we are so proud of you. Let me reflect upon the three qualities embodying the ethos of Camberwell Grammar. First, you have, as a group been diligent academically, and in good cheer with both staff and one another. Second, you have not only respected and embraced the outsider, but celebrated diversity in a way that is a model for any community, and finally, you have been passionately

engaged in all aspects of school life, setting an exemplary model for younger students. You have been blessed with the opportunity of attending the greatest school in the universe and leave as sensitive and assured young men who will live rich lives and responsibly serve our democracy.’ Congratulations and farewell to the Class of 2023, we are so proud of all of your hard work and contribution to the Camberwell Grammar community throughout your time at the School.

“The Class of 2023 epitomises the unique and supportive sense of community that makes Camberwell Grammar so special.” Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Celebrating the Giants of Camberwell Grammar L-R: Dr John Tuckfield, Mr John Allen, and Mr Paul Double.

This year marks the last school chapter for three long-serving members of staff who have contributed to the life and history of Camberwell Grammar, building its culture and legacy of innovation. Thank you to Mr John Allen (55 years of service), Dr John Tuckfield (35 years of service), and Mr Paul Double (30 years of service) for the legendary service and care you have shown the School community over the decades.

Thank you, Mr John Allen John was appointed to the staff in 1969, a mere three headmasters ago, and will be remembered as a master wordsmith and inspirational teacher of English who, following in the footsteps of Tony Brown, became the Head of the English Department. This, the School’s largest department and with some equally large personalities to wrangle, was managed with aplomb and calmness by John that was appreciated by all; only he could get such a disparate group to pull together so effectively. But of course, John’s attitude was, and has continued to be, that ‘Every teacher is a teacher of English (or should be)’ – and as such his influence has spread far beyond the English Department. Originally serving Summons House and then as an inaugural Tutor of Schofield in 1973, he has always shown genuine concern and welfare for the young men placed in his care. Indeed, John has epitomised what it means to be a Tutor and has always made a point of forming a deep connection with every student, and so has been a model for new Tutors in the delivery of pastoral care. John also has an amazing appreciation of the arts, influencing not only the students he has taught but all those he has come in contact with. Over many years, he organised and coordinated large groups of students, staff, and friends to enjoy Melbourne Theatre Company productions and to this day shares his love of music with friends. Of all the things John is known for – and there are many – the one that stands out is his love of literature, and his joy in passing that love on to others, whether they be students, staff, or friends. John has excelled in bringing a text to life and goading the most reluctant of readers into discovering the joy of novels, plays, and poetry. He produced a Middle School English textbook series called Springboard and collaborated with 8

Barry Humphries to create The Humour of Barry Humphries. For decades, John has been a leading figure in VCE English and English Literature curriculum circles in Victoria, influencing generations of students and teachers. However, life is not all about academia, as John is an accomplished sportsman starting with Basketball and Football as a student at Ivanhoe Grammar, under Nigel Kendall, then coaching Basketball and Cross Country at our school. In 1994, John partnered with Gary McManus to introduce Triathlon, again impacting a broad spectrum of personalities, including future AFL footballers by dramatically improving their aerobic abilities. The sweetest victories for the team came in 2015 and 2016 when Camberwell Grammar was crowned State Champions with John’s coaching playing a major part in those successes. He continues to demonstrate his willingness to ‘walk the talk’ today by training and racing with the students, usually achieving podium finishes. We all have at least one standout tale about John. I recall the two of us going for a run and as we returned to school via Mont Albert Road, I was feeling pretty good, so I bravely pushed the pace. As I pressed harder and harder, he just stayed beside me, only to remark with a grin as we reached the School driveway, ‘It was never a race, was it?’. How could I dare to compete with this future 2023 Triathlon World Champion in the making? So, there is the John Allen everyone knows and the John Allen who knows everyone, not merely literary giants like David Malouf, but it seems everyone, as was demonstrated to his audience at this year’s Valedictory Dinner, and so we thank John for his amazing contribution to our community. Mr Glenn Pountney and Friends

Farewell to Dr John Tuckfield

A Tribute to Mr Paul Double

John Tuckfield began teaching Latin at Camberwell Grammar in 1988. By the time I joined the School in 2002, he was a wellestablished figure, its Head of Latin. Observing John in those early months, I recall being impressed by his dynamic leadership style, his keen wit, and his acute, questing intelligence. He was a scholar to the core, passionate about improving curriculum and its delivery; but also, he was earthy, direct, and funny in his teaching style, a charismatic storyteller always with a twinkle in his eye.

Paul has devoted nearly half of his life to Camberwell Grammar. He first joined the staff in 1988-1999, and for five years he was Deputy Head of the Middle School. Deciding that a change was as good as a holiday, he spent the years from 2000 to 2005 teaching in Europe and the Bahamas. Fortunately for us, he returned to Mont Albert Road in 2006.

I soon discovered that nothing energised John like the prospect of innovation. In the mid-2000s, for example, he plunged with characteristic enthusiasm into a new pet project: writing a software program on Authorware to make routine grammar, vocabulary, and translating exercises more engaging. It was a great success, one of the pioneering efforts in Australia, I believe, to challenge students through computer gaming to compete with themselves to achieve subject-content benchmarks. Another of John’s projects from that time was upscaling a school trip to Rome and Pompeii, which had been run sporadically with small numbers since the 1920s. Thanks to John’s planning and popularity, this trip soon burgeoned into a biennial Latin Tour, which ran for a full three weeks, included travel to far-flung areas of Roman sway like Sicily, Egypt, and Croatia, and by 2016 had blown out to an astonishing enrolment of 41 Latinists. John was in his element on such adventures, brimming with excitement and pushing the students hard to experience as much as possible. One quality that proved invaluable was his ability to think laterally in a sudden crisis—we certainly had plenty of those! Invariably we came to rely on his judgement at such moments. In 2006, John took on a new role as Director of Studies and, a decade or so later, of the Murdoch Centre. In these roles, the School was able to make full use of his talent for pioneering and promoting curriculum and pedagogy. John was instrumental in introducing cutting-edge programs like teacher-coaching at Camberwell Grammar, and was one of the first at the School to champion the ‘growth mindset’ philosophy of learning, which he tested and refined in his own classroom. He even somehow found time to undertake a Ph.D. degree, deepening through rigorous research his special expertise in boys’ education. Finally, John served (and continues to serve) as the Secretary (in effect, President) of the Classical Association of Victoria for over 20 years, co-ordinating annual meetings for the state’s secondary and university level Classicists, overseeing Latin Reading Contests, and providing all manner of support to colleagues and students outside of the School. His impact on all of us has been incredibly far-reaching and meaningful. And so, retirement? Well, I suspect it will be only really a springboard to new ventures in Latin teaching, unconstrained by the blare of school bells. . . and no doubt, too, jetting off to exotic locales rich in history, like the Silk Road regions of the Near East. The one thing of which we can be sure is that John will always be looking for that next adventure round the corner!

There are a few aspects of life at Camberwell Grammar where Paul has not made a major contribution. In the classroom, Paul has been an inspiring teacher of English and History, but perhaps his most enduring legacy relates to his work as Head of Learning Support. Academic pursuits do not come easily to many students: Paul’s diligence and patience has given many the confidence to persevere and to conquer. For two decades, Paul was either umpiring Football or coaching budding schoolboy umpires or both. This is not to say that when watching his beloved Bombers he has always agreed with the decisions of the men with the whistle. In more recent years he has been the force behind our success in Water Polo. A complete list of Paul’s work with students looking for a challenge would fill pages. Suffice to say, that among the wider Australian teaching community, Paul is feted as the guru for organising and promoting mind-expanding events. He is perhaps best known in Da Vinci Decathlon circles. And who can forget the many years of his Camberwell Grammar United Nations debates? Interact (a Rotary offshoot) at Camberwell Grammar is synonymous with Paul. While he successfully encouraged students to be proactive in the community, it was he who was often putting in the hard yards at fund-raising events. His prowess at sausage sizzles is legendary. He was also for years the force behind social functions for students in Years 8 and 9. Paul has been among the most valued tutors in the School. His Steven House groups have benefited hugely from his humour, his sage advice, and his genuine care. Paul has been a positive influence on hundreds of students, and many returned recently to pay tribute. The current students who organized the function are among those whose direction in life owes much to Paul’s guidance. Paul’s colleagues will miss his company and his wisdom, and we wish him well for life’s next chapter. Mr Julian Grigg Numeracy Learning Enhancement Teacher

We wish him, warmly, all the best. Dr Tebb Kusserow Head of Latin Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Student Voices: Who We Are

Camberwell Grammar’s student body consists of an array of individuals, artists, sportsmen, creatives, and musicians across the year levels. Here, students share some insight into their life as a Camberwell Grammar student.

Tom Weickhardt (Year 8) In Term 4, Tom was awarded the Ben Jago Award for Sportsmanship, Dedication to Studies, and Community Spirit. This significant Middle School award is presented to a Year 8 student who has contributed enthusiastically to the life of the School and recognises good citizenship and support for others, willingness to get involved, and a positive spirit towards all areas of school life. Tom shares some insight into his time in the Middle School and what he looks forward to the most in the Senior years ahead. Throughout my time at Camberwell Grammar, I’ve had the privilege of engaging in a variety of activities that have enriched my Middle School years. In the realm of Music, I’ve been an active member of the Middle School stage band, which has not only allowed me to explore my musical talents but has also fostered a strong sense of teamwork and camaraderie. On the sporting front, I’ve participated in several sports, including Soccer and Basketball, which have not only kept me physically active but also taught me valuable lessons about discipline and perseverance. I’ve also enjoyed extracurricular activities like Debating, where I’ve developed my critical thinking and public speaking skills. My approach to Middle School has been one of curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. Camberwell Grammar has provided me with incredible opportunities, from engaging classes

to extracurricular activities. These experiences have not only enriched my academic journey but have also shaped my character and values. I’ve found that the friendships I’ve made here and the support of teachers and mentors have been invaluable in my personal growth. As I look forward to the Senior School, I’m excited about the prospect of delving deeper into my academic interests and taking on more leadership roles. I hope to continue my involvement in music and sports, while also exploring new opportunities for personal and intellectual growth. My advice to those entering Middle School next year would be to embrace every opportunity that comes your way, be it in the classroom, on the field, or in extracurricular activities. Each experience at Camberwell Grammar has the potential to shape you in unique and meaningful ways.

“We very much want to engage with as much of the School community as we can.”

Tommy Auwardt and Hamish Westcott (Year 11) This Term the School community welcomed the news that Tommy and Hamish had been selected as the School Captain and Vice Captain for 2024, along with a wonderful group of Prefect leaders. Tommy and Hamish have both enjoyed a full and enriching time in the Senior School and look forward to their last year as Camberwell Grammar students. ‘I started at Camberwell Grammar in 2019 as a Year 7,’ says Tommy. ‘So far, some of my best memories have come from the Music and Drama Departments. I play tenor saxophone and have been since I started at the School. My favourite music event of the year is always the Carol Service held in the final week of school before Christmas and it is a fantastic way to cap off the school year.’ Tommy has also enjoyed participating in various school plays and musicals since Year 7, either acting or helping backstage. ‘This year I also got to be a part of the 2023 whole school musical Oliver!. I’m so grateful for the Music, Drama, and production staff members who have helped me have so many wonderful experiences in the Performing Arts.’ ‘Being able to get involved in so many different facets of life at Camberwell Grammar is something I’ve really cherished so far and cannot recommend enough for everyone across our community,’ adds Hamish. ‘Personally, I couldn’t speak about the School without mentioning our Music Program. Through the Music Academy, I have been coached by some incredible guest artists in masterclasses, experienced moving performances, and so many other enriching experiences. Our music community and education are unparalleled and have been a crucial part of my personal development.’ Both Hamish and Tommy have also been part of the Camberwell Grammar Rotary Interact Club which raises funds throughout the year and donates all profits to various charities. ‘We are incredibly privileged to be at this school, and I like to

think that I have made a positive impact with the opportunities I’ve had,’ says Hamish. Tommy, who also joined the Debating team in Senior School, suggests that students should ‘walk through all the doors that open up, you won’t regret it.’ When it comes to learning leadership skills, Hamish recommends students in the Senior School get involved in the Cadet Unit. ‘There isn’t any program which fosters teamwork quite as well as Cadets. The skills, bonds, and leadership that we develop throughout the year both get tested and flourish on our two annual camps. The tough conditions and activities can feel a lot at first, but I have only ever left a Cadet camp feeling like I have grown as a person.’ With regards to what 2024 will bring, Tommy and Hamish are looking forward to the usual highlights, especially the Biennial Concert at Hamer Hall. ‘I’m looking forward to getting to know the new Year 7s, as well as all the other students who I haven’t had a chance to meet,’ furthers Tommy. ‘I have high hopes for Clifford House and, I have a feeling, that 2024 might be our year!’ ‘I’m especially looking forward to working with the wonderful Prefect team throughout the year,’ says Hamish. ‘I know it sounds cliché but do come up and say hi if you see me or any of the other Prefects around the School,’ adds Tommy. ‘We very much want to engage with as much of the School community as we can. 2024 is shaping up to be another excellent year and I’m really looking forward to getting started!’ Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Green Pages

Zero Landfill Waste Open Day On Open Day, the Sustainability Team ran a Zero Landfill Waste event. The recently upgraded 3-bin system, combined with the services of Green My Plate and other compostable and recyclable items, enabled us to celebrate the School’s Net Zero by 2030 pledge to reduce landfill emissions. Thank you to the Camberwell Grammar community for committing to reducing landfill emissions while enjoying a wonderful, sustainable Open Day.

GALESS Energy Transition Conference In October, Camberwell Grammar hosted a day of the 2023 Melbourne GALESS (Global Alliance Leading Edge Schools for Sustainability) Energy Transition Conference, organised by the Boroondara Gifted Network (BGN). During the conference, four Melbourne schools and two international schools came together for four days to present research on innovative technology in energy transition and the huge impact it will have on every citizen in the upcoming decades. Thank you to the Enrichment students, Alex Zhang, Ivan Zhang, and Leonard Lee (Year 10), supported by Mr Paul Double and Ms Jo Menzies, who presented on the community’s understanding and attitude of future energies and ways to mitigate climate change. 12

Electrifying Boroondara Expo Congratulations to Henry Shirrefs (Year 12), Ned Chesler (Year 12), and Mr will Hone for presenting at the recent Electrify Boroondara Expo in October, educating the Boroondara community about our solar array and renewable energy usage, and the School’s ongoing commitment to being Net Zero by 2030. A special thank you to Oscar Wallis and Eamon Newell (Year 8) for assisting with the stall on the day.

Mobile Muster Winner Congratulations to Thomas Klebanowski (Year 9) who was recently a winner in MobileMuster’s mobile phone recycling competition. The annual competition seeks to educate students about the lifecycle of mobile phones and encourages them to use creative ways to motivate their local community to recycle old mobile phones.

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Dr Sheila Nguyen visited Camberwell Grammar in late October to share her experience as Head of Sustainability at the Women’s World Cup and FIFA’s long-standing sustainability framework and ambitions.

Towards2050 Farewells Year 12 Members The Towards2050 sustainability group farewelled its Year 12 members and celebrated their sustainability efforts and passion. Special thanks to the 2023 Prefect for Sustainability Henry Shirrefs for leading Towards2050 and developing the Interschool Sustainability Partnership (ISP). Henry’s passion and motivation to connect the community was acknowledged at the recent Boroondara Youth Awards. Henry, Ned Chesler, Flynn Helmer, and many of the other Year 12 students have been wonderful role models. Tony Zhang, who takes on the role as the 2024 Sustainability Prefect, shared some insight into what he is most looking forward to leading the Towards 2050 sustainability group: ‘I applied for this specific Prefect position because I believed that I had the most experience in my year level about sustainability issues, and I felt that I had a sense of responsibility to lead and make meaningful changes since joining this group back in Year 7. Next year, I hope to maintain the group’s ongoing long-term projects, such as Green Week, Open Day, the beehives and gardens, and the Interschool

Sustainability Partnership. I would like to increase awareness about the large variety of bins available in the School to reduce our overall landfill waste. To any students reading this, if you want an opportunity to show leadership, teamwork, and create a lasting legacy, now is the time to make that move and join Towards 2050.’ Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Staff Profiles Mr Nic Campbell Head of Aquatics

Nic has been running the Aquatics progam at Camberwell Grammar for over five years, a role that incorporates facilitating and staffing programs for Junior, Middle and Senior School PE, Sport, Community Access programs (Learn to Swim and Squad), as well as curriculum swimming lessons for local primary schools. It’s an honour to enable so many eager users to enjoy the facilities and programs all managed by our staff. Camberwell Grammar Aquatics has enjoyed significant growth in a short period of time. Our Learn to Swim and Squad programs have over 1000 participants, and we help educate around 3000 children from local primary schools. Factor in our own PE Curriculum and Sports Programs, and the pool is one busy place! My journey at Camberwell Grammar started in 2018 as Aquatics Coordinator, and in that time I’ve enjoyed building and developing programs for our stakeholders and users. It’s been an enjoyable journey learning about and understanding our school community (staff, parents, and students) as well as our Aquatic community (boys and girls from Camberwell Grammar and the wider community). We have built a great team of staff, and it is incredibly rewarding to assist and enable our people to grow and develop their skill sets and careers at the pool. I began working in Aquatics nearly 25 years ago as a Learn to Swim instructor. I loved working with kids and thoroughly enjoyed working collaboratively with a team. Enabling children to gain confidence and water safety skills gave me the ‘bug’ 14

to get into coaching. My coaching journey spanned 20 years and has taken me all over Australia. I loved learning the fundamentals of High-Performance Coaching from master coaches in our sport. I take great pride in being able to pass that knowledge on, inspiring my team to be hungry to learn and continue searching for best practice. Personally, I’m a big beach/surf goer – the more remote the better. Anyone who knows me, knows I love a challenge and have a deep love for all things aquatics! I dabble in car restoration as well. My wife and I have three energetic, fun-loving kids. My eldest son is almost eleven, my daughter is nine, and my youngest son is six years old. My youngest has a rare syndrome (Ververi‑Brady – QRICH1), and our journey with him has enabled us to shape our children’s lives, their peers, and our friends in positive ways that we didn’t expect. Needless to say, (as all parents are) we are very busy with all things family. With regards to building the swimming program here at Camberwell Grammar, I love the ability to get creative and find better ways of doing things. I learn new things every day (still!), and thoroughly enjoy a good challenge. Camberwell Grammar is a beautiful place to work. We not only enjoy working in world class facilities, but amazing people to work with every day. Our staff, swimmers, and parents all play such an important part in our daily work. Having the ability to create programs, systems, and pathways is very rewarding.

Mrs Gillian Brown Year 2 Teacher

Gillian joined the Camberwell Grammar Norge family in Term 3 this year, bringing a lifelong love for learning and primary education to the special class of Year 2 students.

When I was offered the position at Camberwell Grammar, many friends and acquaintances independently commented that they had heard great things about its welcoming and inclusive culture. This was reassuring to hear as I had been looking for a big change professionally and my calculated risk paid off almost immediately. From the very beginning, I was struck by the universal friendliness and positive culture across the entire school. I was inundated with requests: ‘How are you going?’ ‘Do you need any help?’ More importantly, there was a genuine interest in my reply. I felt supported, which was reassuring and much needed because as with any new job, it is a steep learning curve. It has been a very easy transition in so many ways. I feel protected and supported by everyone. Additionally, teaching in a smaller school has so many benefits. It’s like an extended functional family.

I have had an unusual teaching career to date. I qualified as a primary school teacher in Brisbane and headed to the UK in the early nineties. It was a fabulous experience and teaching at a small school gave me a strong sense of belonging and working in a team of educators. After four years, I moved to Scotland to be with my partner. I undertook lots of CRT and short-term contracts. We married and had a wee baby boy, Fergus, in our first year of marriage. We decided to move back to Australia and had another baby, Harriet. I dipped my toe in the teaching pool in Brisbane and remembered the joy and thrill that teaching gave me. I got involved in the local school taking on short term contracts and attending camps. My husband, David got a job which brought our little family to the city of Melbourne. Fast forward five years and I found myself teaching again in a lovely school in Armadale. I taught upper primary for 10 years until my husband and I found ourselves in the Cook Islands in the middle of Covid-19. I began teaching at a local school where Cook Island Maori is taught in an almost immersion environment. It was an eye-opening experience and left an indelible mark on my heart, and did change my life, so that on my return to Australia in December 2022, I began to look for another challenge which is what led me to this fabulous school. I am delighted to be here and thoroughly enjoy my job, even though it has been report writing season!

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Teaching and Innovation

External Studies at Camberwell Grammar School Mr Matthew Wood, Head of eLearning and Coordinator of External Studies, shares some insight into the various university course offerings for the Higher Education Extension Studies program at Camberwell Grammar for VCE students and how they can take advantage of this program. Diversification of learning opportunities for students has been the increasing focus in secondary education, particularly as the digital economy has begun to reshape both the nature of learning and the skills needed to support it. While the classroom experience is inevitably reshaped as a consequence of such changes and the recent emergence of AI in the form of ChatGPT, the digital landscape has also opened new opportunities, or added to already existing ones for students that make the traditional geographical divides that have limited or defined student learning opportunities in the past of less importance. Universities in particular have understood the benefits that flow from such changes for both their enrolled students and the capacity it gives them to offer the opportunity for VCE students to step into the tertiary education space as a part of their approved studies. Deakin University has certainly sought to extend the digital delivery of its degree programs as a means of encouraging secondary students to explore potential degree pathways by offering the Deakin Accelerate Program through the VCE Extension program available to students enrolled in Year 12. Many parents may already be familiar with University Mathematics, offered through The University of Melbourne Extension Program. This sits alongside other opportunities for students to study Biology, Chemistry, French, and Philosophy, among other subjects, giving students the opportunity to explore selected units at first-year university level. The Deakin Accelerate Program adds to this offering, making available subjects such as Accounting, Criminology, Law, Philosophy, Robotics, and Data Science, among others, in a digital learning environment.

The key benefit is that our students have the opportunity to experience teaching and learning in a tertiary environment, working alongside other Year 12 students and enrolled firstyear university students. While The University of Melbourne has the benefit of the reputation of an established sandstone university, Deakin University has emerged as the leader among tertiary institutions in the development of digital teaching and learning strategies, with a focus placed on the continuation of the development of students’ skills in the kind of real-world environments they are most likely to encounter when they move into the workforce. This points as much to the evolution of the nature of learning in both the secondary and tertiary levels of education, giving students greater choice in the study pathways they pursue and enabling them to experience the way the process of learning is adapting to the changes that are occurring in the world of postcompulsory education and in the workplace. Similar changes are reflected in the digital delivery of VCE subjects through schools like the Virtual School of Victoria, where student autonomy and digital skills are at the forefront of the learning experience. In combination, both forms of study offer students the benefits of participating in approved VCE courses of study while enhancing their skills as independent learners in a supported environment that offers gradual exposure to senior secondary and early tertiary teaching and learning for students enrolled in Years 11 and 12. We look forward to the continued development of these learning opportunities, which give our students the opportunity to broaden their own areas of study and to engage with the changing and increasingly digital nature of degree study.

“The key benefit is that our students have the opportunity to experience teaching and learning in a tertiary environment, working alongside other Year 12 students and enrolled first-year university students.” Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Murdoch Centre for Educational Research and Innovation Celebration – a Retrospective Well, I had written an article on the teacher crisis: the imbalance between the supply and demand of teachers that is impacting schools in Australia and much of the Western world. But everyone who read it – myself included – felt it was just too grim for a celebratory edition of Spectemur like this, so I decided to change tack and indulge in a bit of a retrospective of 35 years teaching at Camberwell Grammar. You see, I started teaching at Camberwell Grammar in 1988, a time so far back that many of my current students simply can’t imagine it. I’m now teaching the children of the students I first taught all those years ago (and you’d be amazed how little difference there often is between father and son: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree), although at least I’m not yet teaching their grandchildren, unlike Mr John Allen. So how far has teaching come in three and a half decades? On the practical side, a lot has changed. When I first started, teachers were given a box of white chalk at the start of the year; if you were a bit of a groovy sort, you might get a box of coloured chalk as well. There was no email and only two phone lines into the School. If a parent wanted to contact you, they phoned the School; the receptionist took down a message and walked up to the common room, and placed it in your pigeon hole; you then found a school phone and called them – compare that to today, when phones and email have made us constantly contactable. 18

Absentees were done by writing the name of any missing student on a slip of paper, which was posted in a little letter box on the door of your classroom; this was collected by Mr Jim Curtis, huffing and puffing his way across the School twice a day. We did have computers: a bank of Apple 2Es in a classroom on the top of Roystead. This was of course a decade before the internet came to us, and communication between computers was done with a floppy disk transferred between devices. Innovators like Mr Glenn Pountney mastered the machines but the rest of us were confident they were a passing fad that we could safely ignore. The first big change came with Headmaster Mr Colin Black, who must be credited for setting higher aspirations for the School. He had a vision of Camberwell Grammar as a ‘boutique school’: a smaller, more bespoke version of some of the major players in independent education in Melbourne. He lifted the professionalism of the staff and raised our academic sights. VCE results began to gain much more prominence and staff were held accountable for their results. Slowly the School began to be noticed for its academic standing. This happened at the same time as the local suburbs were undergoing major demographic changes, with East Asian families settling in Balwyn, Canterbury, and Box Hill and, for most, their number one priority was education. They wanted a school that had excellent academic standing, and Camberwell Grammar was the right school at the right time, and they changed the ethos of the whole school for the better. It was helped by the fact that the School already had a strong Asian Studies Centre in Kingussie (now the staff Common Room) and had been the first school in Australia to teach Chinese. Students at the School found they had classmates who were serious about their studies and worked hard; they soon realised that if they wanted to keep up, they would have to do so

A selection of images from around the School, 1997/1998

too. Teachers found students who were polite, respectful, and eager to learn; teaching at Camberwell Grammar became one of the most desirable jobs in education in Victoria. Misbehaviour rates plummeted and teachers could focus on teaching rather than lion-taming. Dr Paul Hicks was then able to build on this wonderful foundation as Headmaster. He maintained the strong academic focus but also added so much heart to the School. It didn’t need to be the rather macho place it had been in the past days, and relations between staff and students soared. Technology came and our lives became much busier and full of reminders and pop-up messages, but the essence of good teaching remained constant: passing knowledge from one person to another, with that knowledge becoming greater in the sharing. Mr Black’s insistence on a liberal education was built on, and in recent years I think we have got the balance right: excellence in academic fields, and now through the amazing work of our Music and Sports Academies – and over 500 students are members of these – we now outperform any other school in the state in these areas as well.

Our niche in the market, so to speak, is the top end of achievement, especially in the rigorous academic subjects. We are great at Specialist Maths, Physics and Chemistry, Latin, and Chamber Music, and we should be rightly proud of this. It’s who we are. It has been commonplace for the past two millennia at least for one generation to moan about how awful the next generation is, but I totally disagree. When I compare the students of today with how I and my friends were as students in the 1980s it is chalk and cheese – and we were the chalk. The students of today have a drive and a work ethic that I am in awe of. There is no antagonism, no divide between students and teachers – there is a genuine sense of all of us working together with a real love of learning and shared purpose. And if that isn’t something to celebrate, I don’t know what is. Dr John Tuckfield Head of the Murdoch Centre for Educational Research and Innovation

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Grandparents’ Day In Term 4, the School hosted over 700 grandparents of current students for the annual Grandparents’ Day, a calendar event that is much treasured across the School community. The sun was out for this special day, as guests enjoyed a morning tea spread, followed by an address by the Headmaster, and performances from the Junior and Middle School Music Ensembles. Highlights included Nicholas Feng (Year 7) stepping in at the last minute to lead the Middle School Strings Ensemble from the podium and Head of Music Mr Ben Bishop interviewing students about why grandparents are so special. Samuel Pai (Year 5) remarked that he loved his grandparents ‘Because they give me tasty food!’, while Alexander Yakop (Year 5) loved his grandparents ‘because they let me do whatever I want.’ After the performances, grandparents met up with their grandsons for a tour around the School. Many delighted in seeing the playgrounds and animals in the Junior School, while those visiting Senior School enjoyed trying their hand at robotics or having a quiet moment together around the grounds. Students are always proud to share their school life with family, and we hope that many treasured memories were made on the day.

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Art Exhibitions The David Williams Gallery at Camberwell Grammar hosted two exhibitions during Term 4, the departing Year 12 Art students’ work in ‘Exit23’, and the Junior School’s Art Show, ‘A Feast from the Garden’. Nothing captures the essence of the Visual Arts more than an exhibition of student works. The opportunity to come together as a creative community to celebrate the journey that students have taken to resolve a work and to present it to the viewer is a journey that unites us. For students, regardless of whether it is our youngest artist in the Junior School or the past student showing at an OCGA exhibition, the courage and bravery required to reveal oneself takes great capacity to be vulnerable. To expose your understanding of the world – to present your ideas, to raise or comment on issues from a personal perspective – and, ultimately, who YOU are, requires trust. What all exhibitions held in the Williams Gallery, Art and Design studios, and around Camberwell Grammar this year reveal are the strong bonds between students and Art and Design teachers to safely navigate the creative process together in a way that nurtures, yet challenges students to express themselves. To trust their creative voice and to apply the many different media available to visually communicate it. Mr David Williamson Head of Art 22

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

News from Around the School

Junior School House Athletics Carnival In October, all Year 3 to 5 students competed in the Junior School House Athletics Carnival at Doncaster Athletics Track. It was a beautiful day, with students giving their all in various events throughout the day. A highlight included some of the Senior School students, there to assist the staff, cheering the

younger boys on through the various events, especially the 800m races. It was extremely close in the House points tally, with Derham House taking first place and Summons House only four points behind in second place.

Congratulations to Nicholas Lipscombe (Year 7) who had great success at the Archery Australia 2023 National Youth Target Championships in October. Nicholas came second in the U14 division, shooting many personal bests over the course of the event which now places him Number 2 in Australia for Outdoor Recurve in his category!

Congratulations to our musicians and staff who participated in the Victorian School Music Festival in September. Five of our ensembles performed at Hawthorn Arts Centre, achieving outstanding results. The Middle School Concert Band, Dorset String Orchestra, Angliss Strings, and Senior School Concert Band were all awarded the top prize – a Platinum Shield. Senior School Symphonic Winds were awarded a Gold Shield. Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

AMusA Awards Congratulations to the following students on being awarded their AMusA: Derek Wei (Year 8), was awarded his LMusA on both piano and double bass. This is the first occasion that a Camberwell Grammar musician has achieved LMusA on two instruments in the same session.

Derrick Kwon (Year 10), is the first Camberwell Grammar cellist to be awarded his LMusA with Distinction. He prepared an enormous program of Brahms, Britten, Beethoven, and Elena Kats Chernin.

Tyler Li (Year 9), was awarded his LMusA on piano with a program of Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninov, and Debussy.

Owen Wu (Year 10), was recently awarded his AMusA on Piano. He presented a challenging program of works by Bach, Chopin, Haydn, and Poulenc.

Leo Qi (Year 9), was awarded his LMusA on Violin with a program including Bach, Grieg, Bloch, and Wieniawski.

Congratulations to Jason Kua (Year 10), who won the Australian Research Council RECARB Hub Logo Competition with his fusion of science and design logo.

Congratulations to Jerry Jin and Joel Cheok (Year 11) who have been invited to participate in the 2024 Australian Science Olympiads Summer School in Canberra next January. With only 24 places offered nationally, this is an outstanding achievement for them and we wish them all the best in the program.

Congratulations to Ravin Desai (Year 12), past student Benjamin Chesler (2018), and Henry Shirrefs (Year 12) who received Boroondara Youth Awards over the September holidays.

In October, a Year 9 and a Year 10 team competed in the VEX Robotics Competition at Thornbury High School, where they designed, built, programmed, and drove a robot to score points in the ‘Over Under’ game.

Henry received the Environment and Sustainability Award, Ravin the Leadership Award, and Benjamin Chesler the Creative Arts Award.

Congratulations to the Year 10 team, consisting Austin Dai, Lachlan Courmadias, Leon de Rooden, Alan Wang, Christopher Khong, and Ivan Zhang who came first in the qualifying matches, receiving the Tournament Champions and Design Awards, the best result the team has had in competition.

The Boroondara Youth Awards are a celebration of young people and organisations that support young people in Boroondara and the awards recognise young people’s role in contributing to a safer and more resilient community.

Junior School Science Day In Term 4, Junior School students enjoyed a morning of science, conducting their own experiments involving bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and other acids like apple juice, and lots of bubbles! Students worked in their House groups, with the older students helping the younger ones. It was a fun morning learning all about acids, bases and chemical reactions.

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

A big congratulations to Liam Papas (Year 12) who was awarded Bronze in the WorldSkills Australian National Championships for Automotive Services. Liam is passionate about this VET subject area, and it is great to see our students following their diverse interests with such success.

F1 in Schools STEM Challenge This year, Camberwell Grammar participated, for the first time, in the F1 in Schools STEM Challenge, a global competition held amongst schools where students are challenged with designing, analysing, manufacturing, and racing miniature compressed air powered F1 cars. Many teams signed up for the School’s inaugural year, with students in Years 7 to 11 competing at the recent Victorian State Championships. The teams soon realised this competition was more than just racing cars; it offered a much broader learning experience. Students had to find sponsors to cover all the costs, which involved reaching out to potential sponsors, they had to find support, whether it was financial help or technical guidance on things like the aerodynamics of the car and materials with

which to build it. Teams also had to promote themselves through social media and events, such as open days. Keeping track of finances, including budgeting and accounting, was a crucial skill they had to develop. Everything, from getting sponsorships to marketing their teams, managing finances, creating 3D car models, and building the cars, had to be done quickly. The F1 in Schools journey was more than just a competition; it was a valuable experience that taught us essential life skills and created lasting memories. We learnt the power of collaboration, creativity, and perseverance. And we also placed 3rd at the recent State Championships, beating Trinity! Michael Huang (Year 11)

Camberwell Grammar salutes a World Champion, Mr John Allen Congratulations to Camberwell Grammar’s newest world champion, Mr John Allen! Not only is Mr Allen one of the most pre-eminent English teachers in the State, but he is also one of the fittest staff members as evidenced by his recent victory at the World Olympic Distance Triathon in the 75-79 age group Championships at Pontevedra Spain in September 2023. Triathlon was introduced as a sport at Camberwell Grammar by Mr Allen around 30 years ago. Since then, he has coached, mentored, and encouraged hundreds of our students in this very challenging sport. Mr Allen has inspired many and shown the students the tricks of the sport while racing with them. Mr Allen loves challenging himself against the best athletes and has regularly been a Victorian and Australian champion in his age group in both Triathlon (swim, bike, run) and Duathlon (run and bike). He has regularly competed at World Championship level; no mean feat as he had to qualify against the best Australian athletes. Mr Allen loves a physical challenge; he has swum the Rip across Heads of Port Phillip Bay, completed countless Pier to Pub swims, ridden the major climbs around Bright, and completed the Alpe D’Huez triathlon, which involves climbing the famous Alpe D’Huez climb regularly featured in the Tour de France. During this year’s September holiday break, Mr Allen ventured to Pontevedra, Spain (not far from the Spanish-Portuguese border), to compete in the World Olympic Distance Triathlon, so named because it features the same distance legs as the event at the Olympic Games: 1,500m swimming, 40km cycling, and 10km running.

After the 1,500m swimming leg in the local river, Mr Allen exited it in first place. Then, after a panicked search for his bike, Mr Allen headed out on the course. The cycling segment consisted of two 20km laps on a brutal course. Each lap consisted of a vertical elevation gain of 320m, most gained from a 2.5km climb. To try and put this in perspective for the bike riders out there, the 1 in 20 climb from the Basin to Sassafras in the Dandenongs, gains 270m altitude over 7km. His time of 87 minutes worked out to an average of 28km per hour. After the cycling, Mr Allen was in fourth position. He is an exceptional runner and sliced through the field to win by over three minutes, running 10km in 51.49 minutes. This was just over five minutes per kilometre – an impressive feat for most folks, let alone someone 78 years young. Mr Allen is certainly an inspiration to all of us and I know, as a valued friend and colleague, there is no one more deserving of achieving success at the highest level. Mr Allen embodies the mantra of consistency in training, good nutrition, and no excuses! Congratulations to Mr John Allen, our latest World Champion! Mr Mark Collins Chemistry, Science, and Mathematics Teacher

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Community Connections

The Mallinson Organ Scholarship Our school community knows the name Mallinson as the Music Building, named to honour the pioneering service of former Director of Music (1964-1987) Mr John Mallinson, who built the foundation for the excellent music program we enjoy today. John Mallinson led a double career as an educator and organist. He was organist at St Mark’s Camberwell and, subsequently, Organist and Director of Music at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne. The Mallinson Organ Scholarship was established in 2011 to encourage Camberwell Grammar students to study the organ, and since then, there have been seven students who have benefitted from the financial help of this important award. During an Assembly at the end of Term 3, Mr John Mallinson presented the Mallinson Organ Scholarship for 2024 to Joash Law (Year 10).

John Mallinson with current organ students. Back row: Jarrod Leong, Horus Cheung, Ethan Zhao, Leo Qi, Nathan Wu. Seated: Joash Law, Allan Wan.

Supporting Operation Toilets The Camberwell Grammar Rotary Interact Club has continued its support of Operation Toilets in 2023. In October, Mr Mark Balla, from Box Hill Rotary Club, visited the club to explain the continuing work that Operation Toilets has done to construct and renovate girls’ bathrooms in Indian schools and the lasting impact this can have. This project has continuously been developing, improving, and helping over 180,000 Indian school girls to access clean, usable toilets at school. We were proud to donate $5,000 to Operation Toilets, bringing our total funds raised for this wonderful project to $30,000! 30

Rotary Interact’s The Max McKenzie Award was presented to Orlando Rofe (Year 9) by Max Helmer (Year 10), the 2022 recipient. This award is dedicated to a Year 9 student who goes above and beyond to help the club. The award is named after club member Max McKenzie, who sadly passed away in 2021. Max’s commitment to ‘service above self’ was unparalleled and his impact on the club will be remembered for many generations. We thank and congratulate Orlando on this special achievement.

Koala Kids Walkathon In October, Middle School participated in the annual Koala Kids Walkathon around the beautiful parks of Canterbury and Deepdene. It was a fun-filled day topped off with a sausage sizzle. Koala Kids works hard to raise valuable funds in support of families caring for children with cancer. This year, Mrs Amanda Mandie, Executive Director of Koala Kids, launched a House Trophy to be awarded to the House who raised the most money. Congratulations to Schofield House for raising $2,524. Overall, the Middle School raised $9,490 for this important charity. Special mention to Siraj Khoder (Year 7) who raised an outstanding $1,000.

The Andrew Lane Prize for Service In conjunction with the School and the Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Association, the inaugural Andrew Lane Prize for Service to the Camberwell Grammar School Community was awarded to two students in October. Andrew Lane (1979) has embodied service to the School for many years, being involved across the whole spectrum of OCGA events and school activities. Congratulations to this year’s recipients Noah Smith (Year 9) and Anson Lim (Year 10) for their service to the School community and adherence to our School Values.

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

House Drama Competition In October, Senior School students from the eight Houses gathered in The Middleton Theatre for the 2023 House Drama Competition. William Jenkin, Captain of Drama 2024, shares the highlights, humour, and creativity from this year’s competition. The culmination of months of planning, hours of rehearsing, and hectic last-minute finessing had finally arrived. The Monday morning to end all Monday mornings. An audience mainly comprised of rambunctious students all eagerly anticipating each performance. Cast and crew awaiting the curtain’s impending rise with bated breath. During the yearly House Drama Competition, each House is tasked with creating and performing an original, short-stage production. Each year, a different theme is picked, and each House must write, direct, and perform a play based on that theme. This year the theme, ‘Tiny TV’, inspired works such as Bananas in Pyjamas, Sherlock, Breaking Bad, and more.

Hannah Montana, performed by Derham House, combined biting, gracefully-incorporated social commentary with wellwritten humour and a charming cast. That, in addition to a clever set design and captivating music numbers, secured Derham’s well-deserved second place. Summons House’s Bananas in Pyjamas ingeniously developed a deceptively simple premise into a whirlwind of a show, culminating in a transcendent finale. The atmosphere, comedic timing, and two extended dance sequences maintained a delightfully frenetic energy unlike any other.

Immense congratulations are due to every House, all of whom worked tirelessly and performed exceptionally well. Clifford After the first round of performances, all of which were true to House’s Sherlock featured a fan-favourite performance from Leo Quan (Year 11) as Moriarty, who was met with raucous their source, yet outstandingly creative and absolutely joyous laughter after every line, as well as outstanding lighting design to watch, a final four were selected: Clifford, Derham, Steven, from Luna Robinson (Year 10). Macneil House’s performance and Summons. of Married at First Sight contained the only spoken joke to The following night, after every play had been performed for receive rapturous applause upon its delivery. Not to mention, the second, and very last time, it was Steven House who some fabulous female impersonations. Robinson House’s was awarded the coveted first place for their production of Brooklyn 99, featured exceptional physical performances Scooby Doo. Though I am biased, I maintain that it was a and visual jokes, and finally, Bridgeland House and Schofield fantastic translation of the source material. The wickedly talented House’s Camberwell Grammar-centric stories were filled with cast, excellent costuming, and impressive staging and tech, all local references (and characters) that sparked sheer delight coalesced for Steven House to truly earn first place. amongst the audience.

House Drama Competition

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

While I and many other students enjoy participating in and watching the School’s yearly productions, such as this year’s Oliver! and Around the World In 80 Days, House Drama provides a singularly unique experience. In a student-led competition for House glory, some less theatre-oriented students truly shine. Not all of them can be mentioned individually, but it would be remiss not to mention the immensely engaging and unpredictably heartfelt performances of Ashton Nunn (Year 11) and Josh Cooper (Year 11), B1 and B2 respectively, as well as the dynamite portrayal of Derham House’s eponymous Hannah Montana by Jonathan Vais (Year 11), who was deservingly awarded best actor.

The younger members of each House were also undeniably brilliant. Steven House’s Atticus Brennan (Year 9) with his uncanny impression of Scooby Doo, Clifford House’s lead Bach Tran (Year 10), and Hector Lee See (Year 9) of Schofield House, all performed sensationally alongside their greying Year 11 counterparts. Very special thanks to our adjudicator Ms Lyndy Clarke, President of Drama Victoria, Mr Andrew Stocker (Head of Drama), Mr Mark Wager (Prop Facilitator), Mrs Jennifer Bennie (Wardrobe Supervisor), Mrs Jessica Johnson (Music and Drama Productions Coordinator), as well as to the exceptional casts and crews for their efforts in this year’s altogether sublime House Drama Competition. William Jenkin Captain of Drama 2024

“Immense congratulations are due to every House, all of whom worked tirelessly and performed exceptionally well.”

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

From the Music School Towards the end of Term 3, the Camberwell Grammar Music School and the Music Academy put on two highlight performances from this year’s musical calendar, the Winter Concert and the Elva Allan Memorial Concert.

The Winter Concert There is simply so much music at Camberwell Grammar that it’s increasingly difficult to fit it all into one concert. The strength, breadth, and depth of our program all seem to grow each year, and I am in awe of the students, staff, and parents who make it all happen every week for lessons, rehearsals, and practice that create big events like our Winter Concert at the end of Term 3.

simply good for us as humans. It is hard-wired into our brains, which rewards us endlessly every time we gather and make music together. And I hope that our audiences, for both parts of the concert, were able to see and hear at least a little bit of the joy that the students, staff, and I feel when performing on stage. Congratulations all on a magnificent evening of music-making.

The size and quality of our bands and orchestras are a testament to the intrinsic motivation that drives us all to participate in music. Making music in a group, whether at an elite instrumental level or just getting together and singing is

Mr Ben Bishop Head of Music

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

The Elva Allan Memorial Concert This Concert is a showcase of Camberwell Grammar’s chamber music program, which is built around the talents of our Music Scholars. Mrs Elva Allan taught strings at the School from 1968 to 1988. Beginning with a small number of students, she oversaw the introduction of classes that became the foundation of the string program and subsequent orchestras. Following her passing in 1990, Friends of Performing Arts established the Strings Award in her name. The award is open to players of orchestral string instruments: students of Violin, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass in Years 6 to 11 who have gained a degree of proficiency. This year’s recipient of the Elva Allan Award was violinist Joseph Ni (Year 9) who gave an elegant rendition of Veracini’s Largo from his E minor Sonata. This year’s Elva Allan Memorial Concert was a brilliant showcase of the lively culture of Chamber Music at our school. The evening opened with Schubert’s much-loved Trout Quintet featuring pianist Richard Liu (Year 12) and was followed by Gershwin’s Saxophone Quartet, brilliantly led by Tiger Diao (Year 12). There were two suitably dramatic piano trio performances of works by Mendelssohn and Dvorak, plus Rossini’s playfully animated duo for cello and double bass. 38

There was an eloquent performance of Amy Beach’s rarely heard Theme and Variations for Flute and Quartet, featuring Year 12 musicians Charlie Campbell-Cowan and James Alexandrakis. It was a treat to hear Britten’s tempestuous Phantasy Quartet for Oboe and Strings as was Poulenc’s charming trio for Horn, Trombone, and Trumpet. Another highlight included Carl Nielsen’s evocative Wind Quintet, featuring clarinettist Thomas Wong (Year 12). The evening concluded with Dvorak’s G major string quintet with an ensemble comprising four, valued Year 12 musicians, Steven Wang, Michael Cheung, Ray He, and James Kerferd, who have played Chamber Music together at school for many years. We are grateful to these Class of 2023 musicians for their generosity of spirit and their enormous contribution to life at Camberwell Grammar. Ms Rachel Atkinson Head of Music Academy

“This Concert is a showcase of Camberwell Grammar’s chamber music program, which is built around the talents of our Music Scholars.”

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Central Australia Tour

It was a very early start for the group of 27 students and four staff members attending the Central Australia Tour in the September holidays. At 4.30am, some were a little bleary-eyed, others still in their pyjamas but there was definite excitement as we boarded the plane, for we were leaving behind the dreary Melbourne weather and heading up to the dry and sunny landscapes of Central Australia. Within an hour of arriving at Alice Springs, we were unloading tents, selecting sites, and setting up camp. It certainly was dry and it was hot! An afternoon trip out to Simpson’s Gap provided shade, calm, and quiet. And it marked our entry into an ancient landscape of red earth, dry river beds, and searing rock faces. Rex, the reptile expert, offered those of us brave enough, close encounters with his reptilian friends. And, while Children’s Ground educators offered us lessons in Arrente, children learning on-country introduced us to painting with ochre, Central Desert hairstyling trends, and slow-cooked kangaroo tail! 40

Our time in Alice Springs or Mparntwe was brief and we were suddenly on our way to Watarrka (Kings Canyon). The landscape astonished all of us. Its lunar-like appearance was mesmerizing and its expanse inspiring. As we moved down towards the Garden of Eden, the beauty of the place silenced us and we sat together in wonder and awe. Life back at camp was comparatively rowdy. Games of cards and dice and nightly quizzes fuelled healthy competition whilst newborn camels and starry skies entertained us with sites so different from home. Our visit to the Wanmarra community had us battling the weeds and reintroducing indigenous plants to the community farm. These days were hot, dusty, and tiring. However, our collective aim to help Peter, Natasha, and his family work towards their goal of living sustainably on their land sustained us. During their cultural tour, they generously shared with us their knowledge of Arrente bush tucker, their tools, customs, and ways of living.

“Children learning on-country introduced us to painting with ochre, Central Desert hairstyling trends, and slow-cooked kangaroo tail!”

Once again, we were back on the bus and off to Uluru and Kata Tjuta. The competition to be the first to see the rock was our bus driver, Sam’s, trick; Mt Connor fooled most of us. Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta were stunning in comparison and our walks around both areas revealed more beauty than we had hoped for. For many, Uluru had been the place most anticipated. It didn’t disappoint.

The 2023 tour of Central Australia was a great adventure and a huge success. And that is in no small part due to the fabulous group of Year 8, 9, and 10 students who attended. The staff would like to thank them all. Ms Stephanie Bohni Coordinator Indigenous Program

Night-life at Yulura had footy enthusiasts watching the Melbourne vs Carlton final on a staff phone and then, on our one and only laptop. But for most, we were no longer missing the screens we had left behind in Melbourne. Some of that red dust had settled in us, the early mornings became a joy and the easy banter, chatter and laughter revealed how much we enjoyed each other’s company.

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Sport

Fostering Care and Mutual Respect: The Student-Coach Dynamic in School Sports Mr Nathan Bower, Senior Head of Sport - Strategy and Programs, discusses the important relationship between students and their coaches in the school setting, and how the values and lessons learnt from participating in school sport can add immeasurable value to life well beyond the school gates.

Most of us can name the special coaches that have come into our lives at certain points. Something ‘clicks’ within. Self‑motivation occurs, confidence grows and clarity is experienced, often with positive personal and team results. School sport has always been more than physical fitness. School sport is a vehicle to shape character, discipline, and teamwork among students. At the heart of our thriving Camberwell Grammar sports program, lies the coach-student relationship – a connection that transcends the game and holds immense value for both students and coaches. This dynamic rapport fosters an atmosphere of care and mutual respect, bringing about profound benefits for everyone involved. Camberwell Grammar’s Firsts XVIII Football Coach, Mr Rayden Tallis, is clear when he talks of his motivation for involvement in the program: ‘After five seasons as Coach, I’ve loved the ups and down of competition. I love the journey I get to experience with some amazing students. For me, the real measure of success of any program is the trust and confidence I get to develop with those intent on improving our program each year. The wins become a nice reward for effort, but the true value lies in the life lessons generated through working collaboratively on a common purpose.’ At Camberwell Grammar, aspects of the student-coach relationship are more than criteria for sporting performance, they are the cornerstones of personal and professional development for any individual’s purpose. The following ten pillars highlight the value that this special relationship between coach and student has in shaping crucial life skills: 42

Skill Development The coach-student relationship offers a nurturing environment for skill development. Coaches bring their experience and expertise to guide students in mastering techniques and strategies. They provide personalised attention, constructive feedback, and words of encouragement, allowing students to grow and refine their abilities.

Mentorship Coaches, often seen as mentors, exemplify qualities like empathy, understanding, and patience. Through genuine care, they can become role models for students, extending mentorship beyond sports to help navigate life’s challenges. This mentorship instills positive values and character traits, setting a foundation for well-rounded individuals with a holistic mindset.

Emotional Support Participating in school sports is an emotional journey marked by triumphs and trials. Acting as pillars of support, coaches stand by their students during victory and defeat. They teach resilience, self-confidence, and a positive outlook, helping students manage their emotions and carry these skills into various aspects of life.

School sport, when infused with care and respect, becomes an extension of ‘The Camberwell Way’ – a tangible example of effort, attitude, and belief that compliments the holistic development of every Camberwell Grammar student now and into the future.

Fostering Teamwork

Creating a Sense of Belonging

The essence of teamwork is deeply ingrained in school sports, and coaches highlight this aspect. They emphasise understanding and collaboration, encouraging students to complement the strengths of others with their own. This teamwork, inspired by the coach-student relationship, forms the foundation of cooperation and leadership.

Participation in school sports often provides a sense of belonging and identity. School sporting teams can become a family within a school environment among students, cultivating a strong team spirit. This sense of belonging fuels motivation, as students feel a deep connection with their team and coach through an understanding that any great team is a sum of all the parts.

Health Promotion

Conflict Resolution and Communication

Coaches actively promote physical fitness and overall health, showcasing genuine concern for their students’ wellbeing. They design training programs, advocate the importance of warm-ups, and educate students about balanced diets. This care for their health instills habits that students carry into adulthood, fostering a lifetime of wellness.

Coaches navigate effective communication and conflictresolution strategies with students. These crucial skills, honed through the coach-student relationship, extend beyond the playing field into personal relationships and professional life.

Goal Setting In the realm of sports, setting and achieving goals is paramount. Coaches help students set achievable goals and motivate them to reach those milestones. This experience of setting and achieving goals is a life skill that can be applied to anything from education to career development to project management to personal hobbies.

Time Management and Discipline Camberwell Grammar life is busy. Balancing academics, sports, music, and other commitments requires adept time management and discipline. Coaches emphasise prioritisation and organisation, ensuring students navigate their responsibilities with grace, efficiency, and respect.

Lifelong Friendships (Nurturing Bonds Beyond the Game) The bonds formed between coaches and students often endure beyond school. Students, feeling the care and respect from their coaches, develop enduring friendships that last a lifetime. These connections become invaluable, offering guidance and support long after the students have left the school grounds. The coach-student relationship in school sports is a source of immeasurable benefits, rooted in care and mutual respect. Coaches nurture students not only as athletes but as individuals, fostering growth and character development. This relationship cultivates a foundation of empathy, understanding, and kindness, shaping students into compassionate and well-rounded individuals, ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that life presents.

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Alumni News

Congratulations to Sunil Vohra (1988) on his appointment to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Motorsport Australia. Sunhil is a long-time Motorsport competitor and enthusiast, describing the sport as his ‘lifelong passion.’ He is a Motorsport Australia licence holder and a current racer – most recently competing at state level in his Porsche 997.2 Cup car. Sunhil will combine his love of Motorsport with 15 years of leadership experience with ASX and NFP organisations both in Australia and the UK.

Congratulations to Finegan Sampson (2018) who was nominated for the Byron Bay Film Festival’s 2023 Young Australian Filmmaker of the Year for writing and directing Teach Me How to Cry.

Congratulations to the OCGA Team who won the Stuart Webster Shield Open Day Hockey match in October, defeating the Camberwell Grammar First Hockey Team. The OCGA Team consisted of alumni from 1996 – 2022. 44

Rory Wheelhouse, James Bush, Marc Dalla Riva, and Alexander Guorgi (all 2021) celebrated Alexander having passed the requirements for his Private Pilot’s Licence.

In August, past Director of Music at Camberwell Grammar, Mr Trevor Henley, conducted the highly successful and much-admired Melbourne season of The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Victoria’s production of The Pirates of Penzance, at The Alexander Theatre at Monash University. Ten other members of the OCGA were also involved in the production, including Lead Tenor Patrick Hill (2003) and members of the Orchestra – Geoffrey Gong (2020), Edward Wu (2019), Matthew Wu (2020), Nicholas Wong (2016), Sam Parmenter (2021), Sean Cutter (2015), Harrison McEwan 2018, Pranav Roy (2015), and Andrew Fong (2012) In 1965, Camberwell Grammar performed the same show where the chorus was formed of students in Years 7 and 8, conducted and directed by Mr John Mallinson in his second year as Director of Music at Camberwell Grammar, and the role of Isabelle was played by a young Trevor Henley.

Winners of the Best Melbourne Documentary Award Congratulations to Director Cameron Trafford (2010), his Co-Director, Henry Gosper, and alumni Trent Borrow (2012) and Andrew Richards (2010) and their company Good Grief Productions on winning the Best Melbourne Documentary Award at the 2023 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. Their compelling documentary, Water For Birds, explores the societal impact and community intervention to rife sexual abuse and humanitarian issues in northern India. Developed over five years, the Hindi language exposé highlights the inspiring work of non-government organisation Guria and its alternative education centre in the red-light district of Varanasi.

At the start of Term 4, alumni fathers with sons in Year 12, along with the Head of Community and Development, Ryan Whitehead (1994), and President of the Old Camberwell Grammarians’ Association, Nick Schildberger (1997) attended the Year 12 Leavers’ Assembly. The alumni fathers presented the Year 12 cohort with OCGA cufflinks to mark their next chapter with Camberwell Grammar as members of the OCGA.

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Alumni Profile To celebrate the festive season, we hope you enjoy our alumni pairing of cheese and wine creators.

Matthew Steele (1999) Cheesemonger, Cornelius Cheesemongers My time at Camberwell Grammar imbued a lifetime love of literature, storytelling, and language. Studying The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in Year 9, under the tutelage of Headmaster Colin Black, set the scene, and working in the BOH crew on the School’s production of My Fair Lady ignited a love of musicals. Camberwell Grammar made me a lifetime student, always studying and always keen to learn. After school, I went on to study hospitality at William Anglis, pursuing a career in gaming and wagering at pubs and clubs across Melbourne into my 20s. Unsatisfied, in 2004 I went back to studies and gained an advanced diploma in Marketing from RMIT. It was during this time, hopping off the train at Canterbury Station after TAFE that I started my love affair with cheese. La Bergerie, a small cheese shop, became part of an almost daily ritual, buying small and delicious morsels of cheese from around the world. I spent some time travelling Europe after graduating from RMIT, and my time in Switzerland opened my eyes to the world of cheesemaking and the many styles and varieties. It wasn’t until

Michael Aylward (1987) Winemaker, Ocean Eight Winery I wasn’t the brightest student at Camberwell Grammar, but I would say I gave everything a shot and discovered my strengths and flaws throughout Secondary School. I loved Science and Sport and found a passion for Maths much too late but found it regardless. I was terrified of public speaking and was the kid at the back of the class not wanting to stand out. My grades from Camberwell Grammar afforded me the opportunity to study Science at The University of Melbourne (just scraped in with my grades) where I focused on Cell Biology, Genetics, and Evolution which, thinking back, was an absolute privilege. I highly recommend it! To earn money during my university days, I would head down to the Mornington Peninsula and work in a vineyard my family was establishing at the time. There was a team of six to eight of us and they were passionate about wine and the wine industry. The job was mainly labouring, but the enthusiasm of this group hooked me into wine. The key was good people, good mentors, a good work ethic, and building something together. We worked hard for four years planting the vineyard, building the Winery, making the wines, and then hitting the market to build the brand and sales networks. It gave me an incredible overview of business from the ground up. There were great 46

a train delay in Bordeaux later in the trip, that I discovered the cheese that would change my world. A simple slice of Roquefort, a raw, ewe milk blue from South Western France, paired with a little slice of green apple was a revelation, I was hooked. My career progression toward cheesemonger began that day. On my return to Australia, I discovered La Bergerie was for sale, the business was operating, covering costs but not making a profit. So, along with a partner, we bought the cheese shop. I ran the counter, they ran the cafe we installed to build the business. After four years the shop was thriving but the partnership was dissolving. I took the name rights of the business and started Cornelius Cheesemongers as an online cheese shop, one of the first in Australia. Our little shop now has a retail outlet in the warehouse. My wife Gab and I are lucky enough to travel to speak to the world’s finest cheesemakers every year and, through our relationships, we import interesting, different, and delicious cheeses sold directly to the public. In 2023, we visited Slow Cheese, the world’s largest raw milk cheese festival held in Bra in the Piemonte Region of Italy. We’ve renewed friendships and contacts from the pre-Covid days, made new contacts, and my lifelong study continues. Next year is all about bringing new varieties of cheese to Australia for the first time as well as their stories and history, and I’m really excited about what the near future holds.

successes with rave reviews on the wines and the wines were subsequently listed in many of the best restaurants in Australia. Then there were struggles of chasing bad debtors and the competitive nature of the industry. In 2004 my family sold this vineyard, Kooyong Winery, which shocked me at the time, however, looking back, was my biggest opportunity. With the knowledge gained from developing Kooyong, my family started Ocean Eight. I travelled extensively and learnt as much as I could from other boutique wine producers. I have a huge respect for people starting up and running businesses. They can give you so much motivation for your own efforts and hopefully vice versa. Through travelling, tasting, and learning from great wine producers, we learnt how to craft what is now regarded as one of the best Pinot Gris’ in Australia and have pioneered a new wave of Australian Chardonnay that is turning heads across the globe. At the time, both varietal choices seemed risky, but we persevered and made a mark. Today, we work collaboratively with other local wineries which I see as one of the biggest strengths of the Mornington Peninsula. It has helped create a great community for our businesses and families alike and spread the load to build awareness of our wines. I now enjoy public speaking and showing our great wines to audiences in many different markets around the world. While I did not choose this career path at first, I did grab my opportunities when presented and made the most of them. If anyone needs inspiration, I recommend reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

From the Archives

Christmas is an important part of our social calendar, and Camberwell Grammar has always shared the sentiments of the festive season even though the academic year concludes in early December. Despite this terminus, evidence of a consciousness of the Christmas message can be found from the foundation of the School in 1886, and related activities occurring throughout the school year. Grammarian musicians and performers have continually marked the forthcoming occasion of Christmas, the final Assembly of the school year often being designated as the ‘Christmas Assembly’ from 1890 onwards. In the ANZAC year of 1915, Headmaster Alfred Hall, aware that this period had been an extremely stressful year for the school community owing to the tragic Gallipoli campaign, transformed the closing Assembly into a more extensive acknowledgment of the Christmas message. This was an attempt to console the families of the three Grammarians who had died on the peninsula since April – of the twenty-eight Grammarians who served there, a further eight would be killed on the Western Front before the end of the war, so the following school Christmases of 1916-18 were equally grim. However, it was in the second post-war period from 1945 that more extensive Christmas musical performances became a regular uplifting part of the school calendar, the performance of seasonal carols making their first appearance in late 1960 when the School’s Madrigal Group (established in 1951) performed Christmas carols at the Evergreen Club in Balwyn. This, it was reported, ‘brought delight to over two hundred elderly folk’. End-of-year school festivities soon constituted the regular performance of carols at St Mark’s, the church which continued to function as the School chapel until the 1980s. The inaugural Carol Service was held at St Mark’s in December 1965, an event that would become an annual chapter in the life of the School – only a handful of years prior to the mid-1970s missed such a service. The Carol Service continues to mark the end of Camberwell Grammar’s musical year. The history of performing arts at the School indicates that consciousness of the Christmas period has been evident in the school musical and dramatic community over the last six decades. August 1967 saw the production of Amahl and the Night Visitors, a musical drama inspired by the Christmas story, this Tony Brown-John Mallinson production being rated as ‘ideal theatre with its greater use of symbolism, demanding a wider range of imagination by the audience’. August 1970 witnessed the presentation of Heinrich Schutz’s The Christmas Story from the seventeenth century. This performance required a great deal of research on the methods of orchestral placement and choral layout suitable to the period of composition, itself an indication of the professionalism, the depth of quality, and the pursuit of perfection in the Camberwell Grammar Music School. The Christmas Story was performed (orchestra and choir) by boys only – ‘no professionals’, as the Grammarian boldly reminded parents. Staff members provided some of the voices.

Camberwell Grammar and Korowa Choir – The Messiah at the Camberwell Civic Centre, July 1982 (P2787)

The Senior Orchestra followed with a concert in Adelaide in September 1973 featuring the renowned Corelli Christmas Concerto, a work repeated in the second term of 1981, but no single work has given a better expression of the Christmas period than Handel’s The Messiah. This piece has been a memorable feature of Camberwell concerts since 1955, when a new ‘Musical Society’ under Norman Stringer innovatively blended membership of staff and students in performing excerpts from Handel’s magnum opus. The whole work would not be performed until September 1968 under the Director of Music Mallinson in collaboration with Korowa Anglican Girls’ School. It was a triumph, reviewers noting ‘the beauty and high standing of the singing’. A recording of the evening was made available and is preserved in the School Archives. The Messiah was repeated in Term 3 1973, with the accompanying orchestra featuring many players from outside of the School as well as ‘a few of the better players of the Senior Orchestra’. Another Korowa-Camberwell Grammar ‘Choral Concert’ of this irrepressible oratorio followed in July 1982 at the Camberwell Civic Centre, the piece having become something of a signature tune for Camberwell Grammar, being performed in part at many a subsequent end-of-year concert up to the present time. Aside from these more serious notices of Christmas, Camberwell Grammar also invites Santa Claus himself to Junior School Christmas parties in the final term and he has regularly set aside his busy schedule in order to attend, perhaps conscious of the neighbourly roots of ‘Norge’ (i.e. ‘Norway’) to his North Pole abode. Meanwhile, Camberwell Grammar families have been able to relish their enjoyment of 25 December through the consumption of the School’s renowned Christmas puddings, thanks to the treasured efforts of the Auxiliary – the finely school-crested pottery containers have also continued to grace kitchens in the following months. In good times, and in periods that are more challenging, Grammarians have always found solace in the joys of Christmas. Dr David Bird School Historian and Archivist Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Community Events

Parent Events OPEN DAY – SATURDAY 7 OCTOBER

It was wonderful to see our school grounds buzzing with activity for Open Day in Term 4. Open Day is a chance for visitors to see our school community in action, meet our students, and experience a wide array of activities, sports, and stalls on offer throughout the day. A big thank you to our wonderful Friends of Groups, parent volunteers, students, and staff for making this such a memorable event. 48

Staff Events FAREWELL COCKTAIL PARTY – THURSDAY 16 NOVEMBER

Current and past staff gathered for an evening to celebrate the legacies of long-serving members of staff Mr John Allen, Dr John Tuckfield, and Mr Paul Double. Headmaster Dr Hicks, Mr Julian Grigg, and Dr Tebb Kusserow addressed those gathered and paid tribute to the guests of honour. Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

OCGA Events 40 YEAR REUNION – FRIDAY 27 OCTOBER

The Class of 1983 gathered at the School for their 40 Year Reunion. 50

WA NETWORK FUNCTION – THURSDAY 2 NOVEMBER

Alumni and past staff living and working in Western Australia gathered for the WA Network Function in November. The event was hosted by Mr William Robinson (2003) at Wotton + Kearney Lawyers. Dr Paul Hicks (Headmaster), Mrs Susan Hicks, and Mr Ryan Whitehead (1994), Head of Community and Development, attended. SA NETWORK FUNCTION – FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER

Alumni and past staff living and working in South Australia gathered for the SA Network Function at Icarus Wine Bar. 60 YEAR LUNCHEON – WEDNESDAY 15 NOVEMBER

Alumni and staff gathered for the 60 Year Luncheon at the School. Headmaster Dr Paul Hicks and Mr Ryan Whitehead (1994), Head of Community and Development, attended. Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

Obituaries

DAVID BOATFIELD (1952) 15 October 1934 – 30 August 2023 Father to Greg (1981). Brother of Andrew (1969) and Christopher (1971). PETER ALAN MOORE (1944) 4 October 1926 – 4 September 2023 GRAEME BRUCE PARSONS (1966) 27 July 1949 – 21 August 2023 DR JOHN OASTLER WARD (1957) 11 August 1940 – 29 April 2023 John was Dux of the School before moving on to the University of Melbourne, and then Toronto to complete his Ph.D. He then taught and researched Medieval History at the University of Sydney for 36 years until his retirement in 2003. A prolific and imaginative historian, John authored, edited, and co-edited several books and dozens of articles on the reception of classical rhetoric in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. John was one of the world’s foremost historians of the rhetorical tradition, alive to its transformations and continuities across Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and Renaissance. During some of this time he was also alderman, councillor, and ultimately Mayor and CEO of Ashfield Municipality, Sydney (now amalgamated into the Inner West Council), and this activity took up a lot of his spare time from 1978 to 1994. He emphasised heritage and respect towards the historic parts of his municipality and for a long time he was associated with the Ashfield and District Historical Society (of which he is a life member). An incessant global traveller, a defender of left-wing politics, a lover of steam trains and opera, and a perennial bibliophile, John was inexhaustibly curious about the world. John was inducted into the OCGA Gallery of Achievement in 2021.

All Souls Chapel Star Trails by Jason Li (Year 11) A long exposure photograph, which captures the rotation of the earth portrayed with the star trails. The glowing stained-glass window of the chapel signifies the spirit and the radiance of the School community.

Spectemur | Issue 4 – 2023

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