Torch Winter 2024

TOR Carey Community News

Volume 34 | Issue 1 | Winter 2024 Our journey to Net Zero: Carey’s commitment to sustainability. Story on page 8.

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Torch Volume 34, Issue 1, Winter 2024 Publisher Carey Baptist Grammar School 349 Barkers Road, Kew Victoria 3101 Australia 03 9816 1222 Editor Kelly Southworth Graphic Design Kelly Southworth and Felix Lam Cover Photography Fiona Sexton Alumni Kaushini Fernando Alumni and Community Manager ocga@carey.com.au Inquiries communityengagement@carey. com.au

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Torch was created, and we honour their continuing connection to land, sea and community.

We respect their Elders past and present and recognise the injustices endured by the First Nations peoples of this country.

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Contents

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From the Principal

OUR COMMUNITY

ALUMNI NEWS

24 The pursuit of happiness

36 Carrying forward Amber’s White

FEATURES 4

How Suzanne Neate turned grief into hope with The Aftershock

8

Carey’s journey to Net Zero: a commitment to sustainability

24

Light

36

10 From Carey to Cambodia: Hannah McNicol’s pursuit of global equality

12 Understanding true friendship in Robinson River

12

26 Friends of Carey Music: jazzing up the performing arts

27 The JSK’s 900-person picnic takes over Cluny Green

28 Where sport meets advocacy: the JMB Round

29 Want to know more about the early days of Carey?

step of innovation

16 Global citizens: how an immersive learning program can change the world

kicking goals for 70 years!

40 Where are they now?

43 Building a meaningful network with the OCGA

44 Reunions and events 46 Announcements

30 Who was Henry Meeks?

14 Embracing change is the first

38 The Old Carey Football Club:

48 Calendar

32 Donations to the Archive 34 Best friends for life

34

18 Celebrating the legacy of Carey rowing

20 Humans of Carey

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From the Principal

New Metrics: advancing

education at Carey Jonathan Walter Principal

In 2024, Carey moves into its fourth year of our groundbreaking collaboration with the University of Melbourne’s assessment centre, Melbourne Metrics, in the New Metrics project. This initiative unites 40 innovative schools nationwide with the University’s assessment centre to redefine how we evaluate and understand student capabilities.

The core objective of the New Metrics project is to develop new and robust assessments of complex competencies – which are listed and explained on the next page – similar to the Attributes of a Positive Learner Carey developed with all school staff in 2013. While the Positive Learner Attributes formed an informal learning model that internally measured student development across nine attributes, the new complex competency assessments will contribute to an official learner profile that students, educators and tertiary institutions can access to understand, holistically, each individual’s strengths, abilities, motivations and potential contributions to the community both during and after their time at school.

Central to this initiative are the nextgeneration assessments that provide insights into students’ ability to act ethically, engage as active citizens, exercise agency in their learning, collaborate effectively, communicate clearly and develop high-quality thinking skills.

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Importantly, these competencies do not replace traditional forms of academic learning. Rather, they provide a set of transferable skills that will enhance students’ abilities to achieve success within and beyond school.

ATAR+ Through the New Metrics project, and with the new learner profiles, we aim to achieve what we call ATAR+. While the ATAR is a valuable academic measure and remains an important part of a student’s schooling, it does not fully capture the breadth and depth of our students’ skills and strengths. It is a high-stakes testing system that places undue stress on many students and often fails to capture their diverse capabilities.

Universities are also signalling a shift towards considering students’ broader skillsets and personal attributes for successful course placements. The learner profile offers detailed insights, enriching the traditional ATAR-based selection process.

The ATAR remains crucial, but alongside this, we recognise the global trend towards holistic measures to better match students with suitable pathways post-school. ATAR+ and the learner profile developed through this project will provide a more nuanced understanding of our students, aiding in their choices beyond Carey.

A long-term project with an immediate impact Leading this transformative project is Professor Sandra Milligan from the University of Melbourne, who supported all our staff with a professional learning day in Term 2 this year to deepen their understanding of this innovative assessment framework.

At Carey, the project is being led by Deputy Principal Kate Croft and Lead of the Research and Innovation Team, Rebecca Swain. It is an ongoing action research project which will continue for several years to ensure our students have the best possible experience with ATAR+ into the future. We will refine these new assessments in collaboration with universities and workplaces to ensure they align with the evolving needs of our students beyond school.

Carey is at the forefront of this educational shift, empowering our students to graduate with a profound sense of self and a confident understanding of their capabilities.

As we look ahead, we are excited about the continued evolution of this project and its positive impact on our students’ futures.

The ATAR remains crucial, but alongside this, we recognise the global trend towards not just ranking students but finding holistic measures to better match them with suitable pathways post-school.

the complex competencies Acting Ethically

Acting in a way that is guided by moral principles (what we ought to do) in any situation

Active Citizenship

Contributing to the wellbeing of a community

Agency in Learning

Knowing what to learn, how to learn it and who to learn it from

Communication

The ability to transmit, receive and interpret information, ideas, arguments, feelings and beliefs to support the purposes of the individual or group

Collaboration

Working with others to achieve a common goal

Quality Thinking

Thinking things through to achieve better outcomes for yourself or your group

Personal Development

The ability to live by the attitudes and behaviours that your communities value

A complex competency is: • teachable, learnable, observable, assessable • learned in the context of developing expertise in particular domains • developed inside and outside formal education • transferable across contexts, that is, competencies learned in context of one domain or place can be transferred to another.

(The University of Melbourne, 2024) From 2025, these complex competencies will be integrated into the curriculum for all Carey students, and will replace the Attributes of a Positive Learner (Reflection, Imagination, Curiosity, Communication, Collaboration, Connectedness, Knowledge, Courage and Resilience) as our way of measuring student personal development beyond the academic. The attributes have served us well in the past, but adopting these competencies brings us in line with evidence-based best practice to encourage our students to thrive.

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Feature

How Suzanne Neate turned grief into hope with

The Aftershock Zara Woodrup and Luke Vallely 2024 School Captains

Suzanne Neate (2008) is the founder of The Aftershock, a foundation aimed at finding solutions for lesser-known high-mortality-rate cancers and increasing the quality of life for those diagnosed. Following the devastating loss of her mother to medullary cancer of the thyroid in 2016, Suzanne began her mission to make a change.

Luke: While you were at Carey, what

that I could apply in the workforce as

were your ambitions for uni?

well. Leadership skills are something

Suzanne: I chopped and changed a bit.

you apply in life no matter what you

After graduating from Carey, Suzanne went on to obtain a double Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing and Management at Monash University and now works as Senior Go-toMarket Manager at REA group, but she hopes to be able to focus on The Aftershock full-time in the future.

big wide world out there and you don’t

We had the privilege of interviewing Suzanne about her time at Carey and her role in The Aftershock, gaining a deeper understanding of leadership, resilience and the power of community.

I wanted to do law for a while, but it wasn’t until we went to university open days that I was exposed to how many options there are. I remember Monash’s slogan, ’The world awaits you’ – you realise that, after Carey, there is this know how big it is until you step into it, which is really exciting.

Zara: Do you feel like your current role reflects what you wanted to do originally?

S: I think all the skills that I’ve learnt along the way in school and uni I apply day to day, but my actual title definitely wasn’t what I envisaged when I was in Year 12. But I think that’s a good thing.

Z: You were Volleyball Captain and Cartwright House Vice-captain in Year 12 – I’m in Cartwright too. Have you found that you’ve applied those leadership skills after you graduated?

S: There was so much opportunity for leadership at Carey and there’s a lot of ingrained skills and techniques that Carey really embedded in me

do. You don’t realise it when you’re in school but you use those skills every day, whether it’s taking a lead on something in a friendship group or once you go into full-time work, where leadership’s a massive thing. Something we talk about at my work is leading without a title. I manage a team and even if they don’t have a leadership position, I really try and embed that concept because it can really elevate the team and the way you approach work.

L: If you were to go back to Year 12, what would you tell yourself?

S: Take advantage of the opportunities.

You’re really privileged to go to a school like Carey, and there’s so many opportunities, whether it’s learning a language, learning an instrument or going on different trips. I always loved the school camps, especially taking a leadership role on the Year 8 Hattah camp when I was in Year 11. These opportunities exist post-high school, but they’re different and not as easily accessible as they were when you were at Carey.

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Suzanne: If you really harness how you feel, you can use it as a motivator.

Allowing yourself to feel what you feel, talking about it and knowing it’s okay is really important. Don’t push it aside.

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Feature

Z: What is your current work with The

platform to launch us from. I got advice

even close to a cure for some of these

Aftershock like?

from fellow Carey alum and Director

cancers, and not even an effective

S: The Aftershock is a real grief outlet

of Oncology at the Alfred Hospital,

treatment for others. I decided to

Dr Mark Shackelton (1985), who told

target the root cause, which can only be

me not to underestimate the power

solved by putting money into research.

of seed funding. If The Aftershock

Z: What are the cancers that you’re

for me, so I really prioritise it. I hope that it becomes my full-time work eventually.

I didn’t have not-for-profit ambitions when I was at school. I’ve supported charities along the way, but I’d never pictured founding one myself. I do get asked a lot how I find time for full-time

commits to raising $100,000, that can be matched by other bodies and it just grows, because people prefer to get on board once a certain amount has been

supporting and what was the process in choosing these specific ones?

S: Once I figured out I wanted to start The Aftershock, I found a list of 16

work and doing The Aftershock too,

committed.

but I think everyone has the time, it’s

L: When you were thinking about how

just how you prioritise it and what’s

you could make an impact, where did

important to you – it could be playing

you start?

a sport, bingeing a TV show, going out

S: I initially wanted to support

thyroid cancer project through Mark

elephants! Mum loved elephants.

who put me in touch with Associate

However, I realised that they’re not

Professor James Lee, who’s research

native to Australia and it might not

was focussed on thyroid cancer. The

really resonate with people. And then

following year, I met with the Director of

I thought about how Mum used to

Neurology and Radiology at the Alfred

L: When I was researching The

volunteer to keep other cancer patients

and their team pitched a project on a

Aftershock, I realised the importance

company, but on reflection, not having

brain cancer, glioblastoma, which has

of seed funding as the initial capital to

been through what she had been

really horrific outcomes and kills more

start an organisation. How did that

through meant I couldn’t have the

people under 40 in Australia than any

work for you?

same impact in that way. I realised that

other cancer, so we began supporting

S: I’m inspired by the not-for-profit work

the problem is people being there to

them as well. And then I met the

begin with, and the reason Mum went

Director of Surgery at the Alfred who

through that was because there isn’t

put forward oesophageal cancer, which

enough research and there’s nothing

multiple people who have been involved

with friends, whatever it might be, you find that balance in what’s important to you. Mine just happens to be The Aftershock, and I love it, so it doesn’t feel like work.

of people like Glen McGrath and Carrie Bickmore, but going into The Aftershock I knew I didn’t have that kind of media

high-mortality-rate cancers – the ones that are most frequently diagnosed but have the poorest survival outcome. We started by supporting research into a

in The Aftershock had been affected by.

I wanted to hit pause there and focus on financially supporting those three and still raising awareness of the others, because we want to inject funding effectively. Rather than distribute a smaller amount across 10 cancers, we’re pledging more funding to kickstart fewer research projects and get them off the ground. Being able to support every cancer we speak about would be the absolute goal.

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Suzanne: The reason Mum went through that was because there isn’t enough research and there’s nothing even close to a cure for some of these cancers ... I decided to target the root cause, which can only be solved by putting money into research.

Suzanne in February addressing Teresa’s Trotters, a community that comes together for an annual walk to honour Suzanne’s mum’s memory and raise funds and awareness for The Aftershock’s mission.

L: What advice were you given to help

just this beast that if it wants to ruin

S: Every cancer organisation’s ultimate

cope with losing your mum?

your day it will, if it wants to ruin your

goal is finding a cure, but in the

S: Resilience and mental health is a very

life, it will. And that’s a hard reality to

meantime, our goal is to increase the

face. But I think as a supporter, it’s just

five-year survival rate of the cancers

about being there for someone. Actions

we focus on, because at the moment,

speak louder than words. And go easy

they have very limited funding, so the

on yourself: don’t get upset that you

outcomes for patients are really tough.

powerful emotions that absolutely can

can’t solve everything for the person.

Mark told me that when he was an

take people down a destructive path,

L: What are you most proud of to date?

upcoming researcher, HIV AIDS was

but they can also be really constructive.

S: When I started, people would tell me

different space compared to what it was when I was going through school.

A lot of people encourage you to get past the anger and grief, but they’re

If you really harness how you feel, you can use it as a motivator. Allowing yourself to feel what you feel, talking about it and knowing it’s okay is really important. Don’t push it aside.

that as I’m grieving, it’s okay if I don’t want to do this in a few more years, but really sticking to it and being driven enough to maintain it and grow it steadily, raising in excess of $100,000

L: From your experience, what would

every year is something I’m really proud

your advice be to someone who

of. It’s been hard, but it’s been extremely

wanted to help a friend who has been

rewarding.

diagnosed or has had a family member

Z: What’s your goal for The Aftershock?

diagnosed with cancer?

a death sentence for a lot of people.

And suddenly there’s huge platforms, celebrities get involved and a lot of money comes in, all of which is supplied to research, and it’s a liveable disease now. That’s where we want to get to, where for patients like my mum, it’s something you can actually live with and have a quality of life as well. But it’ll only happen with the right amount of funding to support the research.

S: Understand that you can’t fix it. I think a lot of people wanted to just solve it or make me feel better but, as a supporter, you’ve just got to understand

If you want to learn more about The Aftershock, go to theaftershock.org

that it’s out of your control. Cancer it’s Torch | 7

Project Net Zero

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Feature

Carey’s journey to Net Zero: a commitment to sustainability Michelle McIntosh Project Manager

Carey is embarking on an exciting journey towards achieving Net Zero emissions. This ambitious goal underscores our dedication to our strategic priority Sustainable Futures, as detailed in our Strategic Direction from 2023 Onwards, which can be accessed on our website.

Following a thorough review of the 2022 Sustainability Baseline Report in February 2024, the Carey Board wholeheartedly endorsed the Baseline Report and the development of a Sustainability Plan. This project reflects our commitment to driving positive change and reducing our carbon footprint.

In collaboration with environmental education centre CERES, we developed the 2022 Sustainability Baseline Report for Carey, which serves as a cornerstone for summarising environmental data and laying the groundwork for future improvements.

The report outlines key initiatives, including the development of a detailed Sustainability Plan aimed at achieving Net Zero emissions. This plan will outline specific actions to reduce emissions from energy, transport and waste, as well as strategies to conserve water, increase recycling and enhance biodiversity. Moreover, the plan will encompass sustainable

Carey’s commitment to achieving Net Zero underscores our dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship. By setting ambitious goals and implementing comprehensive plans, Carey is paving the way for a more sustainable future. operations, educational programs and community engagement, ensuring that sustainability is deeply ingrained in all aspects of Carey’s operations and culture.

The Sustainability Plan will serve as a roadmap for actions over the next three years, supported by quarterly monitoring and reporting, starting from 2025. This robust monitoring process will ensure that our carbon emissions are regularly and consistently measured, enabling timely reporting on yearly targets and adjustments to be made as needed. Carey’s commitment to achieving Net Zero underscores our dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship. By setting ambitious goals and implementing comprehensive plans, Carey is paving the way for a more sustainable future.

As we embark on this transformative journey towards sustainability, we extend an invitation to the Carey community, including students, staff, parents and alumni, as well as our wider community, to join us. We

recognise that achieving Net Zero is not merely a goal, but a continuous process that requires collective effort and collaboration from everyone involved. By fostering a sense of shared responsibility and inclusivity, we aim to create a culture of sustainability that permeates all of our operations and interactions. This journey is not just about reducing carbon emissions; it is about instilling a mindset of environmental stewardship and respect for our planet’s finite resources.

Carey believes that through collaborative efforts and innovative solutions, we can make meaningful strides towards creating a more sustainable world for future generations. By embracing sustainability as a core value, Carey seeks to inspire others to do the same, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond our own community. It is through this collective commitment and action that we believe we can achieve our sustainability goals and pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.

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Feature

From Carey to Cambodia: Hannah McNicol’s pursuit of global equity Kelly Southworth Editor

Compared with much of the rest of the world, Australia is more advanced when it comes to gender equity, equal opportunity and supporting women’s participation in the workforce.

However, as we heard from our guest speaker this International Women’s Day, ‘If women’s workforce participation in Australia matched men’s, Australia’s GDP would increase by $30.7 billion, or 8.7%, to $353 billion, by 2050.’ – now imagine how impactful this could be in a lowincome country where women don’t have the same rights and employment opportunities as they do in Australia.

But our guest speaker, Hannah McNicol (2014), isn’t a fan of leveraging these statistics to make the case for women’s economic empowerment.

‘I really dislike the argument that the reason we should empower women is instrumental,’ she says. ‘We should do it because of an inherent commitment to equality. Everyone should have access to the same rights and opportunities, but unfortunately, sometimes, money is the only thing that speaks.’

H

annah was the obvious choice of speaker for this year’s International Women’s Day theme, ‘Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress.’ It reflects one of Hannah’s main passions: women’s economic empowerment in developing nations.

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Hannah: The people who have the wealth, resources and connections are the ones who have to care because we have access to the change making. It’s how we leverage these privileges that is the important part.

This year, Hannah is finishing up her PhD research. She’s a Cookson Scholar, working with both the University of Melbourne and the University of Manchester. She also works as the Research and Communications Lead at the Australian International Development Network (AIDN). A lot of what she does involves amplifying the voices of people currently in need of, or receiving, international aid, in addition to the local leaders in developing countries who are at the forefront of innovative change and impact. Her work at AIDN also involves connecting Australian funders to non-government organisations (NGOs) on the ground, including recent trips to Rwanda and Uganda, and Cambodia later this year.

Hannah (second from right) celebrating Khmer New Year in Cambodia in 2023.

Hannah’s passion for women’s empowerment and international development began at an early age.

‘I was fortunate to go on some family trips in the Asia Pacific growing up that opened my eyes to the inequality and poverty that continues not far from Australia’s borders. My primary school also had a strong ethos of charity work and looking after your neighbour, which made me see that exclusion or lack of opportunities can also happen here.’

Hannah came to Carey in Year 11 and was able to pursue her passion through the International Baccalaureate Diploma, which has a Community Action and Service component and a strong sense of community outreach across the School.

After leaving Carey, Hannah undertook a Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics at the University of Oxford, where she focussed on women’s history, gender history and histories of empire, in addition to political theory, equality and justice. In 2020, she completed a Master of International Development at the University of Melbourne, specialising in Gender Theory and Development.

‘My first official job out of my Masters was with the Australian Red Cross,’ Hannah says. ‘I was working on a financial program for asylum seekers and refugees in Australia.

‘I then moved to Good Return, an Australian not-for-profit working across the Asia Pacific region to enable women and their families to access opportunity and build financial security.

Their focus is providing responsible finance to local entrepreneurs, education and business training to women and other excluded groups.’

Since starting her PhD, Hannah’s research and career focus has moved into a different aspect of international development. Her research looks into the implications and impact of China’s overseas aid and investment under the Belt and Road Initiative, particularly in Cambodia’s Special Economic Zones, while maintaining an interest in local community and female-dominated industries.

In 2023, Hannah lived in Cambodia for seven months collecting data for her doctoral research and working in the Phnom Penh office of Good Return.

Working in international development can be confronting as there’s always a few culture shocks and the appropriateness of foreigners working in aid in other countries is increasingly questioned. However, Hannah says she feels that it is still the responsibility of those with privilege to be the ones to make meaningful change.

‘The people who have the wealth, resources and connections are the ones who have to care because we have access to the change making,’ she says.

‘It’s how we leverage these privileges that is the important part.’

International development is a complex topic and spans across many aspects of human rights, including disaster aid, education and women’s empowerment. Hannah defines it as, ‘The distribution of capital from high-income countries or Global North countries to low-income countries in a way that is sustainable, locally led and addresses power imbalances.’

As Hannah explains, international development should not be driven by powerful or high-income countries, organisations or people deciding what is best for less developed economies, and it should always complement domestic policies or local leadership.

‘International development should operate under the ethos that those who are closest to the issue are always

the ones who have the best solutions,’ she says. ‘The mark of any good international development program is that it is led by local leaders, has a rigorous monitoring and evaluation framework, and is set up so that the model can both continue and be scaled when the foreign NGO, donor or individual leaves.’

She explains that across the sector are so many people working in so many different ways who are all doing great things. Whether they’re in a corporate office in Melbourne nurturing philanthropic partnerships or rolling up their sleeves to work on a program in a community, different perspectives on international development all help to achieve the same goal.

‘It’s a fantastic sector full of interesting people,’ Hannah says. ‘It’s so complex, awkward and has so many tensions. It also consistently makes you question your own world view and biases, but that’s what makes it a challenging and important place to work.’

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Feature

Understanding true friendship in Robinson River Michael Nelson Head of First Nations Partnerships

For many years, Carey students have been travelling to the Robinson River community on Garawa Country in the Northern Territory to connect with the staff and students of the Robinson River School, a small remote school just south of the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Over 300 staff and students have been a part of the journey and, over the years, we have watched Robinson River and Carey students grow into adults and take a piece of the experience and connection into their lives beyond school. Along the journey, we have also had Carey staff living in Robinson River for extended periods, working with the school and supporting students to come to Melbourne for further educational opportunities.

The Robinson River experience offers a unique opportunity for students from different walks of life to come together, fostering understanding and appreciation. In 2023, as in previous years, the ‘Carey Mob’ reflected powerfully that the transformative trip to the Robinson River community emphasised the significance of forging connections and deepening our understanding of First Nations cultures, ways of seeing our world and sense of joy in family and Country.

Our students build strong, lifelong friendships on this trip; one student explained that one of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.

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Some of the Robinson River School alumni came to reconnect while Michael Nelson (left) visited with the Carey student group.

The trust, excitement and ongoing connection that has been forged over many years is a pillar of the program.

After three years of not being able to be in community due to COVID-19, it was beautiful to watch the warmth of the welcome we received. It was clear that both the Carey and Robinson River communities had missed each other.

We were greeted with enthusiasm and great excitement, immediately sharing stories of past trips that spanned generations of students through the Robinson River School. We spent time around the fire discussing the excitement of being back in community and the deep connection they maintained with their school and land.

A key aspect of the impact for the Robinson River School is the

encouragement and belief in the impact of education and supporting the school to help build learning pathways for the Robinson River students. Our kids model a sense of joy for learning through playing, listening, sharing and laughing with the students, making school fun and meaningful, helping to show the power of education in building a sense of self and success.

But, despite our impact, it becomes clear very quickly that we learn more from the Rob Mob and their community than they do from us. The connections our students build certainly allows them to put into perspective how lucky they are and their responsibility to be advocates and allies for First Nations Australians. We learn there is room for improvement in our society and

Just as it is impossible to fully wash the red dust from clothes on our return to Melbourne, it is also impossible to completely return to being the same people when the trip concludes.

how we treat each other, our elders and the planet, and how we see each other, build trust and could slow down and listen a little more. It is always illuminating to see how, in a community like Robinson River, the focus is on relationships, family and Country and not the materialistic objects that are so valued in our lifestyles.

Visiting Robinson River as a culmination of the Year 9 Indigenous Studies subject is a powerful opportunity for personal growth, cultural understanding and cultivating a sense of being part of something much bigger. Many students who have been part of the experience go on to study Indigenous Studies and related subjects at university, volunteer in remote communities, support Melbourne-based First Nations programs and strengthen their commitment to social outreach

in their life beyond Carey. The stories told, lived and shared help bridge the gap between different worlds and foster a deeper understanding of the diverse tapestry that is humanity.

The experience is filled with respect, reciprocity and a commitment to preserving and celebrating the richness of First Nations cultures and what it means to be Australian.

Just as it is impossible to fully wash the red dust from clothes on our return to Melbourne, it is also impossible to completely return to being the same people when the trip concludes. The connection with the Rob Mob and the remote experience helps to awaken a deeper insight. Country has many stories to tell, messages to understand and lessons to learn. To hear them, the students work hard to be quiet in mind, body and spirit: the learning doesn’t need to be yelled, it simply needs to

be felt. On Garawa land, amongst the squeals of games, joy, fun and learning, there are also quiet whispers, reflections that can be heard a little clearer as the earth breathes more easily and turns a little slower.

It seems that being on Country, using a First Nations pedagogy and focussing on outreach helps our students be calmer, more attentive and more confident. The Robinson River program is one of many experiences throughout the Carey journey that helps our students grow into people who see kindness, connection and respect as the key to making a difference in the world. The red dust that still lingers is a constant reminder of the pride we have that we live in a country with people who have been continuously connected to the land for at least 60,000 years – and we still have so much to learn from this wisdom.

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Feature

Embracing change is the first step of innovation Peter Robson Deputy Principal

On a visit to Phillip Island recently, my travelling group reflected on our past Island experiences, particularly the intrigue of the penguin parade. Our wonderment led us to the question: ‘What inspires that first penguin to make that twilight dash across the sands?’ In all areas of life there is that one brave individual who challenges convention, who dares to make that dash, taking their future into their own hands as they forge a new path.

In education, it can sometimes be hard to break away from the ‘colony’ and be the first to march forward toward new horizons and, often, it is not without some risk. Some would suggest that classrooms have not changed in the past century – students in rows, working in silence, regurgitating information from a class text, teacher directed – but this image is no longer a familiar one in the Carey landscape.

Carey Zero: innovation in action Our courage to embrace change defines us as a forward-looking school and a leader in the education landscape. This was evident this term with the first of the Year 10 Zero classes on their Zero Journey, exploring the Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef that sit nestled next to the Carey Mission Beach campus. The Zero Journey is a component of Carey Zero, a new year-long immersive subject for Year 10 students.

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This program demands a disconnect from technology, replaced instead by connections with the local communities our students engage throughout their 21-day experience. Unique to Carey, the program is a dynamic journey moving between different communities.

Students are given time to build relationships with not only their Year 10 mentor group, but also ecologists from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, marine biologists from James Cook University on Orpheus Island, and First Nations Peoples during their time at Mungalla Station and Palm Island.

They are bonds that leave lasting impressions.

The strength of the Carey Zero program is in the explicit crafting of key relationships that enable a healthy transition into Senior School. The newly created Year 10 subject Zero at Kew sees each student’s mentor teaching them throughout the year in the classroom and also travelling with them during the student’s time on Country. It is a heightened focus on individual wellbeing with an emphasis on the development of life skills at all levels. The classroom teacher is well-placed to provide much of the instruction in wellbeing.

2023 School Captain Charlie Connell-Tobin painted a portrait of Uncle Jacob from Mungalla Station as part of his Year 12 Art folio after being part of the pilot group for the Zero Journey in 2022. The portrait honours the inspiration our students found in the community leaders and now hangs in Principal Jonathan Walter’s office.

At Carey, we are immensely proud of our work in student wellbeing and will continue our endeavour to remain a leader in this space.

Feature

Corridor Cultures: a new approach to student wellbeing Individual wellbeing continues to be a critical piece in the education jigsaw.

All schools must now present consent education from Prep to Year 12 as part of the State Government’s Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships program, which includes eight modules focussing on social and emotional skills.

To help us further our student wellbeing strategy, Carey is one of three schools to partner with the University of Sydney on the Corridor Cultures research, looking at school cultures of gender and sexuality. Carey has been working closely with project lead, Dr Victoria Rawlings, Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow at the university, whose focus is on gender, sexuality, youth and social structures. The project aims to improve inclusivity and the student experience through proactive measures.

In 2023, almost 1000 Carey students completed a survey to demonstrate their social experiences at school. This was the commencement of a threeyear research project, with five teachers and four students, in collaboration

with Dr Rawlings, isolating key theme areas with recommendations referred to the School’s Leadership Team. These included understanding and responding to derogatory language, addressing the pressures of gender norms, schooland teacher-led initiatives to positively impact student experiences, and the need for targeted programs and more safe spaces for our students.

Importantly, the research uncovered many areas where Carey is already doing well. This includes the School’s current efforts to support and provide safe spaces for students; consistent encouragement for parents to participate in Carey Community Forum sessions to learn about student wellbeing; and the targeted work of the library and Student Wellbeing staff.

Based on the findings, we have already implemented Man Cave and Big Sister programs that provide safe spaces for the emotional development of our young people. We are also aware of the need to assist staff and parents

in this area, and are pleased to have Katrina Marson, a criminal lawyer who was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to research the implementation of relationship and sexuality education, presenting at Carey in August this year.

Katrina, now part of an Australian Government initiative to build content for students, will run forums for parents and staff. Her work with Carey in August will help establish a shared response to these issues for our community.

We are grateful for the input of the Corridor Cultures research team, the Student Wellbeing team and all students and staff who have engaged this process. At Carey, we are immensely proud of our work in student wellbeing and continue our endeavour to remain a leader in this space. Like the first penguins to venture out of the dark waters, we will innovate and explore new possibilities to continue to do the best for our students.

Torch | 15

Feature

Global citizens: how an immersive learning program can change the world Sally Nelson Head of Integrated and Immersive Learning

Global Citizen is an international action platform that was co-founded

by Carey alum (2001) and Carey Medallist (2005) Hugh Evans. Global Citizen is dedicated to ending extreme poverty with a community of action takers and impact makers who work together to create a world where everyone has an equal chance to thrive.

Run in parallel to Australia hosting the ASEAN leaders in Melbourne to discuss the future of the region, the Global Citizen NOW: Youth Summit convened diverse voices, from world leaders to grassroots activists. The summit amplified the voices of the AsiaPacific’s brightest young minds who are already driving action to address humanity’s most pressing issues.

Carey was fortunate to be invited to attend and we were proud to send Middle School Captains, Hazel and Henry, to represent the School alongside Principal, Jonathan Walter; Head of First Nations Partnerships, Michael Nelson; Head of Integrated and Immersive Learning, Sally Nelson; and Deputy Head of Middle School – Student Wellbeing, Harry Dendle.

They heard from Global Citizen’s Ambassadors songwriter Charlie Puth; the 27th Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard; President of the World 16 | Torch

The Middle School Immersive Learning and Outdoor Education Programs encourage students to learn from the past, act in the present and make a difference in the future.

Bank, Ajay Banga – and other well renowned leaders such as the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson; Prime Minister of Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmão; and eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, to name a few.

Hazel was particularly excited to meet like-minded young people who are working toward creating positive change in the world and was inspired by the presenters. ‘I look forward to collaborating with other Carey students to see how we can make a positive impact at school and in our communities,’ she says.

The summit addressed some confronting and pressing global issues, including environmental sustainability and its critical role in ending extreme poverty. ‘It was an excellent opportunity to learn about the state of our climate, how it’s affecting us all and the future generations to come, and how we must take action now rather than later,’ Henry says. ‘Together we can make great changes.’

W

hen Hugh Evans was 13 and at Carey, a guest speaker from World Vision inspired him by highlighting that everyone has the potential to positively impact global issues. It was this moment that started his journey towards co-founding the Oaktree Foundation and, later, Global Citizen.

While we don’t expect all of our students to go on to dedicate their lives to social outreach, we do endeavour to impart on them a communitymindedness and an understanding of human rights that stays with them beyond school. Opportunities like the presentation Hugh heard at school and the Global Citizen event that Hazel and Henry attended form a part of this, as does an experiential learning program in Middle School that challenges students to explore the world beyond their immediate environment, recognise and appreciate diverse perspectives thoughtfully and respectfully, develop various ways to communicate ideas, and be prepared to take responsible action.

Carey at the Global Citizen NOW Youth Summit (L–R): Principal, Jonathan Walter; Middle School Captains Henry and Hazel; Head of Integrated and Immersive Learning, Sally Nelson; Head of First Nations Partnerships, Michael Nelson; and Deputy Head of Middle School Student Wellbeing, Harry Dendle.

The goal of the Middle School Immersive Learning and Outdoor Education Program has always been to develop global citizens, encouraging our students to understand the world and their place in it. The Global Citizen youth summit reflects this goal, and has influenced some ideas on how we can continue to develop this program.

The Immersive Learning program is delivered in nine separate units across the three years of Middle School (see below), and offers an environment that fosters creative and critical thinking, encouraging students to become positive change makers in a

rapidly evolving and interconnected world. Through carefully designed impact experiences, students connect with real-world situations, engaging in meaningful and experimental learning. This approach promotes deep, transformative thinking, helping students develop a strong sense of self and an understanding of others, with a vision for making a positive impact.

The Middle School Immersive Learning and Outdoor Education Programs

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Social Enterprise Program

Human Rights Convention

Civics and Citizenship

Environment Program

Rural Experience

C Change City Challenge

Outdoor Education at Camp Toonallook

Outdoor Education at Hattah

Outdoor Education at Wabonga

The Middle School Immersive Learning and Outdoor Education Program

encourage students to learn from the past, act in the present and make a difference in the future.

Immersive learning programs are designed to help students realise that their actions, whether large or small, can make a difference. Hugh believes that ‘there is no limit to what people can achieve if they are willing to make themselves uncomfortable’.

The immersive learning programs encourage students to step out of their comfort zones and become positive agents of change.

Carey is looking forward to future collaborations with Hugh Evans and Global Citizen, as they recognise that it’s young people who are driving positive change through decisive action and advocacy. Similarly, the immersive experiences at Carey enable students to develop the competencies needed to take action, have a voice and create positive change.

Torch | 17

Feature

Celebrating the legacy of Carey rowing Dick Bartlett Staff Member in Charge of Rowing

It has been 66 years since Carey joined the APS Boys Rowing ranks and 43 since we brought the Carey girls into the program too. That’s cumulatively over 100 years of rowing: a significant number given we celebrated 100 years of Carey in 2023. We can no longer say we are a new school to the party.

In that time, Carey has won five APS Heads of the River and thousands of students have had the experience of rowing at the School, with some going on to even higher levels as State, National and International champions.

Head of Sport and Activities, Paul Jepson, at the christening of the boat named in his honour.

The Old Gold vs Carey First VIII

The Carey Boys and Girls First VIII Rowing crews battled it out against the Carey alumni Old Gold Mens and Womens crews!

The culture of rowing is unique, and the connections formed between people in a boat is incomparable. In the late 1990s, to help maintain that culture and close connection for our graduates and to foster a link between current rowers and alumni, the Old Gold Club was formed. An annual function was held that included a race between the alumni and the two First Carey crews in a competition that gave a lot of joy and brought back memories for our former rowers and was an avenue for current rowers to continue in the sport after graduating.

held at the Yarra Yarra Boathouse with over 60 attendees. Thanks must go to James Cunningham (1993), Simon Pratt (1994) and Olivia Carter (1995) who put the event together with the support of the OCGA and its President, Sam Ponsford (2017).

It took a long hiatus after the 90s era but, in 2023, a small function for the alumni re-commenced – as did the exciting Carey alumni vs current student race. In 2024 the momentum continued and a cocktail party was

Rowing has always forged a great connection between the students involved and it was clear to see this continues post-school from those who

(read more on the opposite page), and

attended the function. The Old Gold

Carey sport for nearly 20 years.

18 | Torch

The races filled the banks of the Yarra. In the girls race, our current First VIII crew took the honours. In the boys race, the First VIII took on both an Under 25 and Over 25 crew and the School won again.

Club aims to build the event in the coming years and planning has already commenced for next year’s event to be held next March. We look forward to this tradition continuing and strengthening.

The annual boat christening Included in the function was the naming of four boats recognising alumni who have all made great contributions to the sport of rowing the naming of a fifth boat for our Head of Sport and Activities, Paul Jepson, who has been the biggest advocate of

Lucy Jepson (2014) Lucy rowed for Carey for four years while also competing in netball, athletics and diving. A true legend of Carey sport, Lucy was Sport Captain, Athletics Captain and Captain of Boats in Year 12 and stroked for the First VIII. Lucy also went to Junior Trials and was selected to row in the Australian Junior Eight for the 2014 Junior World Championships in the Stroke seat.

Anthony Johnson (1982) In Year 12, Anthony ‘Jono’ Johnson was Moore House Captain and rowed in the 1982 Head of the River First crew in the six seat, narrowly missing victory.

Jono rowed for Mercantile from 1983 and began a superb rowing career winning National Championships and representing the country at U23 and Open levels. Jono won the 1984 Interstate Championships in the

Derek Mollison (1980) Derek stroked the 1980 Carey First VIII which finished sixth at the Head of the River. Post-school, he rowed for Mercantile. His peers describe him as a strong, uncompromising athlete and meticulous in his preparation: as a Lightweight rower, he could weigh no more than 72.5kg for competition.

Later in his career, he became a legend of Australian Lightweight rowing.

Michelle Yann (2007) Michelle rowed in the First VIII at Carey in 2006 and in 2007, when she was also Captain of Boats. She was a dedicated rower and leader at school.

It was clear she was destined for more, and in the following year she rowed in the Victorian Youth Eight at the Interstate Regatta and again in 2009.

She also rowed and achieved success in the Victorian Youth Cup Team.

Post-school, Lucy rowed for the University of Melbourne’s Boat Club and earned National Championships rowing in the U21s and U23s. In 2015, she joined the varsity program at the University of California, Los Angeles, rowing in the First crew for the 2018 and 2019 seasons while also receiving all academic honours in both years, once again proving that rowing doesn’t limit academic results.

Victorian Youth Eight and in 1986 and 1997 he was in the Australian U23 Trans-Tasman team. In 1988, Jono rowed in USA and UK, where he won the prestigious Ladies Plate at the Henley Royal Regatta. He rowed in Australian Senior teams in the 1989 and 1990 World Championships and, most recently, Jono won the 2024 C Grade State Championship at Mercs with Year 9 Carey student Tom Bergelin.

Derek represented Australia eight times at a senior level: in 1985, 1987, 1990 and 1991 in the Lightweight Eight; in 1988, 1992 and 1995 in the Lightweight Four; and in 1994 in the Lightweight Pair.

Derek also represented Australia twice at U23 level in 1983 and 1984, and represented Victoria in the Penrith Cup in 1992 when they came second and 1995 when they won.

In 2014, Michelle broke into the elite ranks, winning the National Championship in the Women’s Pair and the Women’s Eight, and rowing in the Australian Women’s Eight for the World Championships. Following her international career, Michelle competed at club, state and national level in surf boats for Lorne SLSC. Her crew went on to win the World Surf Boat Championship title in 2018.

Torch | 19

Humans of Carey

Ann Xiao Year 9 student

Ann with her brother, Max, who is in Year 2 this year at Carey.

The start of this year marked my third year at Carey Baptist Grammar School, as well as my third year in Melbourne. Everything has felt like a fresh start. Back in Year 6, I relocated from Shanghai to Melbourne and enrolled at Junior School Donvale.

I remember the first day I stepped into the sunshine coming through classroom windows: although warm, it couldn’t eliminate the tension in my heart. Having not attended an English language school before, everything I was faced with was strange and made me feel very anxious. I was afraid of not being able to adapt to this huge change. However, as I interacted with my classmates and teachers, I gradually eased. I found that I actually didn’t need to be so anxious because it seemed that everyone was looking forward to my arrival and showed me a lot of kindness. My classmates took the initiative to talk to me and my teachers constantly gave me

20 | Torch

encouragement and support. I quickly made great friends.

After spending a year at the Donvale campus, I transferred to the Kew campus for Middle School. I want to express my gratitude to my dear friends for their continuous support and assistance, which has helped me gradually integrate into this unfamiliar community and made me feel extremely happy.

My strengths and passions at school are in artistic endeavours: I love music, painting, photography, design and editing. So far, Carey has given me a variety of courses, such as Product Design and Technology: Fashion and Textiles, Art and Visual Communication Design, that are well suited to the pursuit of my hobbies.

The School organises so many activities and events throughout the year that have provided me with numerous memorable experiences. Although I am not involved in it, I always enjoy going to the musical performance and other music-related events. The students’ commitment and passion for the musical show a sense of their unity and progress. Additionally, Carey places great emphasis on physical education, hosting events like APS sport, Summer and Winter Sport Days and interschool swimming competitions, which have always been fun to participate in.

Though brief, my three years at Carey have been significant and filled with cherished memories. My time at the School will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Humans of Carey

Murray Pitman Parent of Year 2 student Emerson and ELC student Brodie

Growing up in a supportive household, I embarked on my career after completing school without a clear sense of direction. While financial independence often motivates young adults, I gradually realised that true fulfilment comes from enjoying what you do – especially since you’ll be dedicating yourself to it for decades.

When I was in my early 20s, my grandfather needed invasive medical intervention, leading me to discover my passion for the healthcare industry.

After careful consideration, I chose to pursue a career as a paramedic. As a mature-age student, I recognised the value of transferable skills and complemented my tertiary studies by working in aged care and nonurgent ambulance services during my paramedic training.

Not only am I thankful for the care provided to my family, which inspired my new vocation, this also led to a chance encounter during my second year at university where I met a remarkable woman who would later become my wife. Together, Helen and I are proud parents of our two beautiful children, Emerson and Brodie.

Before ultimately returning to Melbourne, my professional journey led us to various regional locations where medical facilities are scarce, and ambulance services play a critical role.

In the smaller communities we lived in, both Helen and I supported volunteer ambulance officers and local auxiliary fundraising efforts to ensure timely emergency care for our community.

Prehospital work defies the typical 9-to-5 routine. As a family, this lifestyle can sometimes strain relationships, necessitating tolerance, support and understanding.

Stepping outside my comfort zone, I applied for a role as a Flight Paramedic at Air Ambulance on their fixed-wing aircraft. Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t fully grasp the selection process, as it might have discouraged me. Working alongside inspiring intensive care paramedics, physicians and neonatal retrieval teams provided me with a unique systems view of healthcare delivery. Witnessing the operational impact of shared challenges across the sector, I began developing business cases to address ambulance service delivery gaps within my local area.

Transitioning from clinical practice, I pursued further postgraduate studies and participated in a management residency program. This experience enabled me to work with executive teams across regional and rural health services. It also provided me with the opportunity to shift from solving local-level problems to contributing to large-scale digital change and transformation projects in both public and private healthcare sectors, domestically and internationally.

O

ur experiences have significantly influenced our values and shaped our approach to creating an environment for Emerson and Brodie’s learning journeys. We intentionally sought a school community that fosters empathy, resilience and a strong commitment to making a positive impact. As parents, we take pride in the environment that Junior School Donvale has nurtured over the years, and we look forward to continuing to contribute to this and the Kew community during our time at Carey.

Torch | 21

Humans of Carey

Fenja Johnson Art and Product Design and Technology: Fashion and Textiles teacher

I started my journey as a teacher 12 years ago after feeling disenchanted with my first career in finance sales.

I love learning, building relationships and being creative, and realising this inspired me to become an English and Art teacher.

My love for exploring new skills and my keen sense of adventure led me to pursuing varied and enriching teaching experiences. I have taught English to girls from remote First Nations communities in an Aboriginal boarding school, Afghani and Iraqi teenage refugees, and teens with special needs.

I taught art and photography at a boys school, and, before joining Carey in 2020, I was deep in the education trenches, teaching GCSE and A-Level English to tough-as-nails London kids.

After several years of teaching English at Carey, I was asked if I’d be interested in teaching some Textiles classes in 2023. I jumped at the opportunity and threw myself into my new learning area with enthusiasm.

In addition to teaching Middle School Textiles, I developed a professional development course for other Textiles

22 | Torch

teachers on how to create a corset (pictured). Leading 18 other teachers through the process of creating a customised and highly technical garment in one day was a highlight of my year. I also presented at the end-of-year conference for the Design and Technology Teachers Association (DATTA), which was another great opportunity to connect with other teachers and share my knowledge and curriculum ideas.

Earlier this year, I was notified by the president of DATTA that I had won the New To Technologies Teaching Award for 2023. I am equally thrilled and humbled by the recognition of this award and want to thank the wonderful people who nominated me and those who supported me in my first year of teaching in this exciting and creative learning area.

I

only began learning to sew in 2018, a week before my first daughter was born. I had the bright idea of creating a baby quilt, but none of the skills required. I immersed myself in learning, voraciously absorbing tutorials on YouTube and staying up

late mastering my sewing machine. I managed to complete the quilt in time for my baby’s arrival; however, it was so poorly made that it didn’t last its first time in the washing machine!

Since that early failure, my journey into sewing has had a deep impact on my life. Once I learnt the horrifying truth about what our clothing actually costs and the appalling environmental and ethical issues of the fashion and textiles industry, I committed to creating a completely me-made wardrobe. I am determined to do my small part to reduce my impact on the earth and I aim to share my passion for sustainable, slow fashion with my students.

Sewing has grown to become so much more than a hobby and avenue for creative expression. I am deeply grateful for the privilege of being able to teach my passion and remain constantly inspired by design, textiles and sewing techniques. There is still so much for me to explore, learn and create. It is my hope that my students discover the joys of designing with textiles and feel satisfaction in what their own two hands are capable of creating.

Humans of Carey

Tom Ziebell Head of Carey Zero

From my later years in secondary school, I only wanted to head in one direction: Outdoor Education. I was lucky enough to grow up in South Gippsland, and spent my childhood exploring new environments and going on camping trips – whenever I had any spare time, I wanted to be outside. My love of the outdoors has only grown stronger as I’ve had the privilege of spending most of my adult life exploring and adventuring across the world.

While I always knew I loved nature, I developed a passion for Outdoor Ed at school. Like so many educators, I was fortunate to have a wonderful teacher who sparked both curiosity and excitement; he showed me that I could make a living from my passion and that there was a career path in Outdoor Ed. After finishing high school, I studied Outdoor Education in Bendigo. In 2011, after graduating from uni, I headed west and lived in Fremantle.

My intention was to stay only for a year, but after finding a job teaching

at St Hilda’s, I spent eight years there.

Needless to say, I loved it. Before- and after-school surfing sessions through the winter were a highlight.

environment, learn about the past and future of this country and have a zerosmartphone break from the busyness of life in Melbourne.

While I was in WA, I learnt a great deal about not only the outdoors, but also my style of teaching. I found that I naturally became more focussed on taking students into environments where they could put the skills they were learning in the classroom into action. To me, the cross-curricular links that Outdoor Ed offered seemed like a natural resource to dip into and in turn, I found it enriched the experience of staff and students alike. This was part of the inspiration for Carey Zero – to give students an environment to put their learning into action.

I met Katherine in 2020 when she started at Carey. We worked together on a few projects and discovered that we loved building things together. We got married in 2023 and welcomed our little boy, Darcy, who is now nine months old. We’re planning to send him to the Carey ELC in Term 4 – it’s all a pretty wonderful expression of community, especially for Katherine as a Carey alum.

I took on the role of Head of Carey Zero last year, after co-creating the program with a number of other staff members, senior leadership and students, as well as my wife, fellow Carey educator Katherine Cameron. The program involves a year-long Year 10 subject at school and a three-week journey to Far North Queensland to explore the

For now, we are loving the adventure of establishing the Carey Zero base in Mission Beach. Darcy is a hit with the groups of students who come through and we love being able to show him some of the remarkable natural wonders of his home country. Mission Beach is a far cry from South Gippsland, but we’re thrilled that he’ll grow up learning to love the outdoors and seeing older Carey kids do the same.

Torch | 23

2023 Carey Medallist

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The pursuit of appiness Kelly Southworth Editor

The Carey Medal Committee was thrilled to announce that Hugh van Cuylenburg (1998) is the recipient of the 2023 Carey Medal for his dedication to improving mental health outcomes in Australia through his organisation, the Resilience Project.

H

ugh graduated from Carey in 1998 as School Captain, already displaying leadership skills and a deep care for those around him. A lover of sport, in Year 12, Hugh represented Carey in both the First XI Cricket Team and the First XVIII Football Team.

In Hugh’s School Captain report for the 1998 Carey Chronicle, he capped off his reflection of the year with the following advice for his peers: ‘In leaving Carey I ask you to challenge the limits. Be ambitious in your goalsetting. When you leave, ponder what you will do to the world, not what the world will do to you. We are all at a high point in our lives at the moment.

Someone quite narrow minded once said that what goes up must come down. I challenge you to defy that.

The sky’s the limit. Keep rising up with courage and faith.’

Along with showcasing his trademark tongue-in-cheek sense of humour, Hugh’s words to his cohort were a hint to what he would go on to ‘do to the world’ – teach people to embrace the highs and the lows, but always strive to be the best version of himself.

24 | Torch

Hugh van Cuylenburg in Year 12, one of our 1998 School Captains.

Hugh at the launch of his first book, The Resilience Project, in 2019.

H

I

owever, what Hugh’s peers may not have gleaned from their School Captain’s inspiring messages and contagious smile, is that his family was enduring a challenge throughout their years at Carey that would shape his path of the rest of his life.

For many years, Hugh’s sister struggled with anorexia nervosa, a debilitating mental health condition and eating disorder, which Hugh, as a teenager, had little understanding of. What he could see clearly, though, was the way it affected his whole family.

‘I have a very strong memory of realising that my family wasn’t a happy family,’ Hugh told Torch in 2020.

‘I became fascinated with the question of what it is that makes people happy, because I had a very strong sense to do something to help my family to feel happy again.’

t wasn’t until a trip to India 10 years later that he found an answer.

Hugh travelled to a small village in the Himalayas to work as a volunteer teacher in an underprivileged school.

The people in the village had no access to running water or electricity, they didn’t have beds to sleep in and many families couldn’t afford to provide lunch for their children every day.

And yet, the people of this village were the happiest people he’d ever met.

Feeling as though he may have finally found his answer, Hugh realised that there were three practices people in the community had incorporated into every day: gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.

With everything Hugh had learnt, it became his mission to equip young people with the tools and strategies to support their mental health.

Hugh is committed to improving the lives of all Australians, and it has been a joy for us at Carey to follow his career and see his message spread.

It is estimated that, in Australia, one in five adults will experience mental ill-health each year, one in four adolescents and one in seven primary school-aged children have a mental illness, and 65% of adolescents do not seek help for mental illness.

These discoveries were the foundation of Hugh’s organisation dedicated to improving the mental health outcomes of Australians, the Resilience Project.

‘I was a teacher at the time and naturally focussed on adolescent mental health, but the project quickly became relevant to people of all ages and walks of life,’ Hugh says. ‘We now present to all sorts of organisations, still a lot of schools but also professional sports clubs and corporations and communities.’

The Resilience Project now employs 36 people, including six Carey alumni, and has delivered his message to upwards of one million Australians, through over 1000 schools and 500 workplaces and local and elite sporting organisations.

H

ugh has also written two books, The Resilience Project: Finding Happiness through Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness (2019) and Let Go: It’s time for us to let go of shame, expectation and our addiction to social media (2021). He is the co-host of The Imperfects, a podcast discussing mental health, vulnerability and imperfection, along with his brother Josh and his good friend and comedian Ryan Shelton. They have interviewed many notable guests, including Esther

Perel, Johann Hari, Tim Minchin, Taryn Brumfitt and Gary Barlow, among several others.

In 2021, Hugh became an ambassador for Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA), an organisation that supports the families of those experiencing eating disorders. It is a cause close to his heart, and Hugh hopes to encourage support for EDFA and raise awareness of their services for families.

Hugh is committed to improving the lives of all Australians, and it has been a joy for us at Carey to follow his career and see his message spread.

His selfless dedication to his family, his community and the mental wellbeing of Australian people makes Hugh van Cuylenburg a very worthy recipient of the Carey Medal for 2023.

Who will be the next Carey Medallist?

The Carey Medal Committee is always accepting nominations.

Any member of the Carey community is eligible – past or present students, staff or parents. Their achievements could be of a high profile or not, made in a short time or carried out over longer periods.

They could be starting out in their community service journey, or have years of service experience.

Visit carey.com.au/carey-medal for more information.

Torch | 25

Our community

Friends of Carey Music: ja ing up the performing arts

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Sally Pace Friends of Carey Music

For over 20 years, Friends of Carey Music (FOCM) has worked to support the music program across the whole school in a variety of ways. All FOCM committee members are volunteer parents who have children learning an instrument and participating in one of the many ensembles that Carey offers.

Furthering passionate students’ music education Funds raised by our popular annual Christmas Tree Sale pay for FOCM’s five music bursaries, which are awarded to promising music students to recognise and encourage their progress. In 2023, we introduced a new bursary, the Nick Mulder bursary, intended for students who show promise in jazz playing. This was created in recognition of Nick Mulder, former Head of Performing Arts at

Carey who sadly passed away in April this year. The bursary honours his exceptional work at the School and reflects his love of jazz.

Active fundraising to advance performing arts at Carey You’ve no doubt enjoyed an iconic FOCM choc-top from the snack bar at a Carey musical or play. These choc-tops and snacks, as well as being delicious, have funded the purchase of seven acoustic shields and a percussion perspex acoustic shield for use in the orchestra pit for musicals. These shields are buffers to protect young ears in the enclosed space of the pit, and we are pleased to be able to provide them.

By running the snack bars for the Senior, Middle and Donvale school musicals, and Senior and Middle School plays, FOCM in 2023 returned

The annual FOCM Christmas tree sale is another major fundraiser for the performing arts at Carey.

26 | Torch

around $8000 towards the costs of mounting these productions. Known across Melbourne for their professional production values and excellence, these shows have a hugely positive impact on the lives of the cast, musicians and crew involved in them. They are a highlight of the school year.

This May saw Carey’s bands return to Generations in Jazz in Mount Gambier for the first time since 2019.

The musicians looked great in their FOCM-funded Generations in Jazz hoodies: just another way that FOCM contributes to making music fun.

If your child takes one of the almost 700 weekly music lessons at school and you would like to support the great work of the Music Department, contact focm@carey.com.au for more information.

Carey music students were back in Mount Gambier for Generations in Jazz after a four-year break!

Our community

The JSK’s 00-person picnic takes over Cluny Green Kelly Bui Junior School Parents Association

The Twilight Picnic took place on the last Friday of Term 1 at Carey’s Junior School Kew on Cluny Green. With over 900 people in attendance, this exciting event provided an opportunity for our Junior School community to come together, connect and welcome new families.

Fun activities such as face painting, plate juggling, bubble making and a circus act were on offer. A sausage sizzle staffed by our volunteer parents and teachers offered tasty sausages, juice, water and everyone’s favourite – lollies. The weather was

spectacular with the sun beaming and a light breeze, setting the tone for the conversations and laughter of students, parents and teachers.

This event would not be possible without the tireless work of our volunteers. We sincerely thank everyone who assisted with each aspect of this event, from planning and organising entertainment to cooking the perfect sausages. Without their effort and valuable time, this event would not be possible. Events like these strengthen the ties of our Junior School Kew community.

Photos by Fiona Sexton Torch | 27

Our community

Where sport meets advocacy: the JMB Round Paul Jepson Head of Sport and Activities

Since its inception in 2007, Carey has had a long and proud association with the JMB Foundation. JMB stands for James Macready-Bryan, who was a talented Carey student who loved playing in the Carey First XI Cricket and First XVIII Football Teams. He was popular, cheeky and a loyal friend to so many during his school years and was enjoying playing sport and going to university after graduating from Carey in 2004.

However, on the eve of his 20th birthday, James was assaulted in a senseless act of violence and left totally and permanently disabled.

James’s mother, Robyn, a legendary Maths teacher at Carey for over 30 years, and father, Andrew, were living a parent’s nightmare – to have

their child permanently disabled with an incurable brain injury as their adult life is just beginning. With no financial compensation from the justice system, Robyn and Andrew were faced with the monumental task of finding ways to care for their son. From this unspeakable tragedy came the formation of the JMB Foundation, set up in February 2007 to provide financial support for care and rehabilitation, not only for James, but also for other young sufferers of an acquired brain injury.

The JMB Foundation has since teamed up with the Carey Sports department to hold an annual JMB Sports Round during the Winter APS season, where students wear orange laces and/or ribbons to show their support for the

James Macready-Bryan (left) with 2019 Carey First Boys Football Captains, Matt Rowell (middle) and Noah Anderson (right), holding the JMB cup in 2019.

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cause. Since 2008, the Carey Boys First XVIII Football Team play for the JMB Cup against Caulfield Grammar School, a match that James attends along with his parents, family and close friends.

Notwithstanding the important funds raised for the foundation, the JMB Round acts as a sage and powerful reminder that life is precious and, as in James’s case, can change in an instant. Our message for students each year is clear: look after your friends and, where possible, avoid and diffuse aggressive and confrontational behaviour in social situations.

We are proud to be a part of this important cause and thank the staff, students and wider Carey community for their ongoing support.

Every year in the APS Winter season, Carey students don orange laces or hair ribbons for the JMB Round, raising awareness for the JMB Foundation and acquired brain injury.

Archives

Want to know more about the early days of Carey?

Helen Wolff Archivist

To help mark a century of Carey, we launched digital archives portal and Carey history hub, Carey Collections.

Carey Collections is a unified online portal for curating and preserving the history of Carey. The site provides insights into the people, places and events that are significant to the Carey story and comprises photographs, films, documents, physical objects and much more.

To date, the site features over 5000 items with the oldest being an original letter from William Carey to his son written in India in 1826.

Carey Chronicle, May 1929.

Some other highlights of the collection include: • audio from the opening of our Bulleen Sports Complex in 1962 • footage of Carey’s very first Naming of the Boats ceremony in 1961 • concept drawings for the first girls’ uniform from 1978 • past issues of Chronicle and Torch.

By breathing new life into archival items that have lain dormant for years, Carey Collections allows our community to learn more about the evolution of our school.

Since the establishment of the Carey Archives in 1990, it has been a collaborative endeavour. It would be impossible to have access to the thousands of artefacts we have if it weren’t for past students, families and friends of the School donating their Carey items to the archives.

Carey News, April 1979.

Staff members Anna de Graaff and Marie Wright dressed as Carey schoolboys, circa 1976.

Similarly, Carey Collections allows you to contribute by commenting on artefacts to share your stories, tagging people you recognise and uploading your own Carey content. We strongly encourage you to not only browse through the site, but leave your mark on it too and continue to help us build a full picture of 101 years of Carey.

New items are continually being added to the site, so keep checking back at archives.carey.com.au

Carey 25-year celebration badge, 1948.

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Above, left: Henry Meeks in 1914.

Photo courtesy of the Public Record Office Victoria.

Above, top: The Senior Henry Meeks Gold Medal for 2024, which will be awarded to a Year 12 student at the Leavers Service in October.

Above, middle: The Henry Meeks Gold Medal awarded to K A Lyall in 1944.

Above, bottom: The Henry Meeks Gold Medal awarded to R G Webb in 1938.

Left: Luka Best (left) is the most recent recipient of the Senior Henry Meeks Award for Leadership, Scholarship and Co-curricular Activity, awarded by Principal Jonathan Walter (right).

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Archives

Who was Henry Meeks?

Helen Wolff Archivist

Awarded each year since 1924*, the Henry Meeks Gold Medal is regarded as one of the School’s highest honours. It was conceived along the lines of the Rhodes Scholarship, and initially awarded to the student who was judged to be the most outstanding in characteristics of leadership, scholarship and athletics.

Until prevented by age and infirmity, Mr Meeks was most regular in attendances at the committees upon which he served. His health failed for some time, and he died on Saturday 6 August 1922 at his residence, Villiers, in Goodall Street, Hawthorn. He had seen 61 years of active service at the Collins Street Baptist Church.

From 1986, the criterion of ‘athletics’ was replaced by ‘activities’, as more students showed skill in non-sporting pursuits. The award has become an opportunity to honour the hard work, character and diverse pursuits of Carey students, especially those who are a role model for their peers.

The School Council Minutes of 30 October 1924 contain President Dr W Moore’s announcement that Henry Meeks’s daughters had donated £70 to the School, the interest of which was to provide a gold medal every year, to be called the Henry Meeks Gold Medal in memory of their father. It was left to the President and Headmaster to decide the conditions of the award.

But who was Henry Meeks?

A

proprietor of Morris and Meeks, iron merchants, Henry Meeks joined the Collins Street Baptist Church in 1861 and was a Deacon from 1887 to 1922. For 20 years he was Chairman of the Home Mission Society and for some years Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Victorian Baptist Fund.

He was also one-time Chairman of the Theological College.

Meeks was regarded as a capable businessman, a good judge of character and always watchful of the interests of the Baptist Church.

In 1917, the Hardware Association, of which he had been a highly respected member, presented the Austin Hospital with an operating theatre and surgical laboratory which was called the Henry Meeks Pavilion in his honour.

The School Council Minutes of 20 November 1924 set out the conditions of the award of the Henry Meeks Gold Medal. Dr Moore reported having consulted with Headmaster H G Steele regarding the conditions of award. Mr Steele’s suggestions were: • the prize shall be called ”The Henry Meeks Gold Medal”; • the Medal shall be awarded for qualities of leadership, scholastic ability and devotion to studies, and athletic prowess combined with the spirit of true sportsmanship; • the medal shall not be given to the same boy twice; and • the awarding of the medal shall be in the hands of the Headmaster and staff.

Meeks was regarded as a capable businessman, a good judge of character and always watchful of the interests of the Baptist Church.

Reverend W H Holdsworth moved ‘that these qualities be accepted’, it was seconded by Rev. R Ings and carried.

T

oday, two awards bearing the Meeks name are made at Year 12 and Year 9 – the Senior and Junior Henry Meeks Award for Leadership, Scholarship and Co-Curricular Activity.

Henry Meeks medallists have often been School Captains. In 2023, the Junior Meeks Award was shared by both Middle School Captains, Mackenzie Bradshaw and Elliott Brownhill. The Senior Meeks Award recipient last year was Luka Best, an International Baccalaureate student, one of our 2023 School Community Captains and a member of the First XI Cricket Team and Senior School Debating Team.

Henry Meeks was a man of many passions, who was driven and believed in the power of community. It is fitting that the Henry Meeks Gold Medal has continued throughout 100 years to be a symbol of dedication, creativity and personal growth at Carey – Mr Meeks would have been proud of the achievements of every Carey student who has received this honour to date.

*Prior to 1924, this award was simply known as the Prize for Leadership, Scholarship and Athletics.

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Archives

Donations to the Archive December 2023 to May 2024

List of donors Mrs Val Evans First XI Cricket report, 1983.

Colour photographs highlighting Carey life in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Mr Simon Just Carey Chronicle, 1989.

70th Speech Night program, 1992.

Junior School assembly book (school songs, hymns, prayers and readings), 1981.

Mr Miles Maxwell Orchestral score for Senior School musical Sherwood (1994).

Mrs Heather Oldfield Issues of the student newspaper The Broadcaster, that belonged to donor’s late husband, John Oldfield, Vol. 1, no. 1 (15 July 1955) to Vol. 1, no. 21 (December 1955).

Top: Girls First XI Cricket Team, 1992.

Photograph donated by Rev. Ivan Poole and Mrs Jeannie Poole.

Right: Open High Jump Medal awarded to Norman John Wilcox, 1937. Donated by Mr Andrew Wilcox.

Two black and white photos of John Oldfield seated at typewriter, 1955.

Prefect badge, 1960.

OCGA badge, circa 1960s.

Mrs Marion Piper Michael Dutton Memorial Trophies for Football Umpiring awarded to donor’s son, Matthew Piper, 2004, 2007, 2008.

Photograph of Graham Yallop with parents, circa 1980.

Photograph of academic staff, 1995.

Photograph of VWCA Victorian Schoolgirl Champions, 1991.

75th Diamond Jubilee Speech Night program, 1997.

Rev. Ivan Poole and Mrs Jeannie Poole

Photo of academic staff, 1995.

Photograph of Old Carey Cricket Club

Under the Southern Cross program, 1994.

his training and operations against Japan

Premiers B Grade, 1958–59.

Copy this down, you: an appreciation of

by Arthur Sandell, 2001.

Photograph of Girls First XI Cricket

Bill ‘Squizzy’ Taylor, compiled by Peter

Menu for Dr Ross Millikan’s farewell

undefeated team, 1994.

Mitchell, 1997.

dinner, 2001.

Photograph of First XI Cricket New

The years unfold: a history of the OCGA by

Annual Leavers Service order of

Zealand Tour team, 1992.

David Morgan, 2010.

service, 1997.

Photograph of Old Carey Cricket Club

Urangeline: voices of Carey, 1923–1997 by

First XI Cricket Team New Zealand Tour

Premiers Senior Grade Turf, 1979–80.

Michael Small, 1997.

brochures for 1992, 1995.

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Dicing with death: an airman’s account of

Carey Chronicle, 1975.

Carey Roll of Honour, 1939–1945 by Gavan Burn, 2001.

Commencement Service programs for 1995, 1996, 1997.

Signed program of school play The Happiest Days of Your Life, 15 August 1955.

Old Carey Cricket Club patch, circa 1980.

Old Carey Cricket Club ESCA C Grade Premiers medal, 1957–58.

OCGA annual dinner program signed

by Australian Test cricketer Ricky Ponting, 1996.

Old Carey Cricket Club bowling average trophy awarded to Ivan Poole 1957–58.

Donor’s blazer pocket embroidered with ’Prefect’, ‘1st XVIII’ (football), ‘1st XI’ (cricket) and ‘Athletics’, 1955.

Various school badges including donor’s prefect badge, 1955.

High jump medals, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937.

Donor’s prefects’ declaration, 1955.

Chromium-plated cigarette case with

Open Athletics Champ runner-up trophy

Carey enamel logo, circa 1950s.

awarded to donor, 1955.

Under 13 Runner Up Athletics Comp

Old Carey magazine (Vol. 27, July 1980).

medal, 1934.

Mr Ray Reed

Carey teacup and saucer set, circa 1950s.

Pair of Jenkin leather football boots, 1958.

Carey cufflinks, circa 1950s.

Top left: Mr D R Brown at the opening of the Farrer House playground, 1980s.

Photograph donated by Mrs Val Evans.

Top right: John Oldfield (1959), editor of student newspaper The Broadcaster, 1955. Photograph donated by Mrs Heather Oldfield.

Above: Jenkin leather football boots, 1958. Donated by Mr Ray Reed (1949).

Mr Andrew Wilcox Various items belonging to the donor’s late father, Mr Norman John Wilcox.

Carey Chronicles, 1928–46.

Blazer pocket emblazoned with colours and symbols ‘XVIII’ (football), ‘Athletics’,

Click here to explore the photographs and documents listed here and more on our digital archives, Carey Collections.

If you have any special Carey items that you would like to donate, contact our Archivist, Helen Wolff, on 03 9816 1331.

‘Tennis’ and ‘XI’ (cricket).

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Advancement

Best friends for life Rebekah Trachsel

Head of Advancement

The lives of best friends and 2018 Carey graduates Sarah Pe and Moosay Paw have been intertwined since before they were born.

Both young women are Karen, an ethnic minority in Myanmar, which has faced ongoing persecution from the Burmese military for nearly as long as Carey has existed.

Seeking safety and security, Sarah’s parents, Juni and Jordan, immigrated to Australia in the early 2000s from the Mae La Refugee Camp on the Thai-

Burma border. Soon after arrival to Melbourne, Jordan started a support group for Karen refugees with former Carey Chaplain Rev. Gerry Riviere at the Croydon Hills Baptist Church. It was through this work that Juni and Jordan sponsored Moosay and her family to also immigrate to Australia.

‘I was born in the refugee camp and that was all I knew until I was five when we came to Australia,’ Moosay says. ‘It was hard, I didn’t know any English, but I made friends pretty quickly.’

‘Moosay and I have been best friends since we were five years old,’ Sarah says. ‘We met in church and we’ve been inseparable since.’

The two girls commenced their secondary education at local schools; however, their parents felt the educational rigour and opportunities weren’t a match for their potential.

Both families came to Australia in search of a better life, and wanted to ensure their daughters had every chance afforded to them.

From Myanmar to Melbourne: Sarah and Moosay’s journeys

Sarah and Moosay’s families are from Myanmar and lived in a refugee camp on the Thai-Burmese border before moving to Australia.

Sarah’s parents, Jordan and Juni, immigrated to Australia on a humanitarian visa, and four years later sponsored Moosay’s family to come over too.

Sarah and Moosay became best friends Sarah’s dad, Jordan (left), in 1999 in the refugee camp.

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Moosay at four days old with her parents in the refugee camp.

as soon as they met in church, and both went to primary school in Melbourne without knowing any English.

Advancement

Because of generous Carey community members, Carey has a dedicated fund for students with exceptional potential but without the financial means to attend. The Access and Equity Scholarship program has meant that nearly a dozen students in the last decade have received a life-changing Carey education that otherwise would not have been possible.

As recipients of this scholarship, Sarah and Moosay commenced their studies at Carey in Year 10, both completing the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) and going on to receive bachelor’s degrees.

‘My English Literature teacher, Mrs McCafferty, was one of my biggest supporters at school, and it was her and other teachers like her who helped me realise that I would be suited to

nursing,’ Sarah says. ‘I never realised that I had the personality for it. I am kind and good with people and that’s exactly what you need to be a nurse.

‘After graduating from Carey, I went on to do nursing at ACU. I applied for a graduate position at St Vincent’s Hospital and was offered a full-time job as a paediatric nurse, which I love.’ ’The scholarship opened opportunities for me to experience things that I don’t think I would have otherwise,’ Moosay says, ‘I did the IB which was really

hard, but Ms Petithory set up space in her office for me to study and helped me manage my classes, which was so helpful. So many of my Carey teachers spent time after school helping me – I’m especially grateful to Mr Black.

‘I just graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Science, and I’m hopefully going to do a Master’s degree in sonography next year.’

Stay tuned in coming years as we update you on Sarah and Moosay’s achievements!

Help more families like Moosay’s and Sarah’s access a Carey education The Carey community’s generous donations over the years have made the Access and Equity Scholarship program a reality. We hope this year you’ll join the wonderful alumni, parents and staff who are supporting this life-changing program.

Give today! giving.carey.com.au

With the help of Rev. Gerry Riviere, Moosay and Sarah both received an Access and Equity Scholarship and came to Carey in Year 10.

Moosay and Sarah are still best friends to this day!

Sarah graduated from Australian Catholic University (ACU) and works as a paediatric nurse at St Vincent’s Hospital, and Moosay graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Science this year!

Moosay and Sarah in costume for the Carey production of The Drowsy Chaperone.

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From the OCGA

Carrying forward

Amber’s White Light Sam Ponsford (2017) President of the Old Carey Grammarians Association

In 2022, our community was rocked by the tragic passing of Amber Wraith (2020). We have been truly inspired by the Wraith family, who established Amber’s White Light (AWL) in honour of their beloved daughter and sister.

AWL was created to provide hope for teenagers and young people living with complex mental health issues. Their mission is to ensure that mental health assessment, diagnosis and treatment for young people is dramatically improved so that painful and preventable suffering can be avoided. AWL supports and funds research, partners with organisations that improve youth mental health and advocates for the implementation of best practice research in hospitals and health services.

Through our Social Impact Grant program, the Old Carey Grammarians Association (OCGA) provided over $9000 in grant funding to support the Wraith family to kickstart their charitable work. We’ve also worked to raise awareness and funds for this important cause at the following recent OCGA events.

Ed Simpson (2020) Secretary of the Old Carey Grammarians Association

OCGA Golf Day After a few years’ break, in 2024 we brought back the OCGA Golf Day and included a fundraising component to support AWL. The day was an incredible success, with Old Carey Grammarians, ranging in age from 18 to over 80, enjoying a day of fun, fellowship, banter and, most importantly, golf!

Green Acres Golf Club hosted the day which included a Stableford, a nearest-the-pin and a longest drive competition. However, the highlight of the day was Carey legend Graham ‘Smokey’ Dawson AM (1964) hosting the post-golf presentation over a splendid meal, where notable performances were recognised.

Congratulations to Luke Simpson (1992) who won the day and was awarded the Peter Stewart Cup. Another highlight was an auction of various items to raise important funds for Amber’s White Light. We were thrilled that the event raised over $10,000 to support the incredible work of AWL.

Run the Tan Run the Tan is a charity fun run, raising funds and awareness for mental health charities. This year, a passionate team of over 80 members of the Carey

36 | Torch

community, including alumni, students, staff, parents, Carey Board Members and OCGA Council Members, ran or walked a lap of the Royal Botanical Gardens (the Tan), in support of AWL. There was an inspiring sea of white as our community supported this cause, proudly wearing their AWL t-shirts, funded by the OCGA. It was a wonderful day where members of our community came together for a morning run or stroll in a beautiful natural environment, alongside friends old and new. The team raised over $36,000, which was a fantastic result.

Funds raised through these OCGA activities have gone towards supporting a research project run

by Professor Jayashri Kulkarni from the HER Centre and Monash Health.

Professor Kulkarni is developing a groundbreaking Diagnostic Toolkit for Psychosis, named Amber’s Alert, which involves four evidence-based medicine techniques including an EEG and a blood test.

Something that makes the Carey community so special is the way we find the hope in heartbreak and support important causes dear to our hearts. It has been truly inspiring to see our community rally behind this cause, ensuring that Amber’s White Light shines brightly on.

Something that makes the Carey community so special is the way we find the hope in heartbreak and support important causes dear to our hearts.

Above: The Wraith family and friends were joined at Run the Tan 2024 by 80 members of the Carey community to raise funds and awareness for Amber’s White Light.

Left: The OCGA Golf Day was a hit with Carey community members of all ages, and raised over $10,000 for Amber’s White Light.

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OCGA Club in Focus

The Old Carey Football Club: kicking goals for 70 years!

Sam Hassett (2000) Secretary of the Old Carey Grammarians Football Club

In 1951, a group of Old Carey Grammarians, led by David Yuille (1946), made an application to field an Old Carey football team. At the time, it failed because no oval was available, but three years later the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) secretary approached Arnold Wilcox (1942, then-OCGA Secretary) making the same request. The VAFA provided a ground at Yarra Bend, which Old Carey shared with rival club Old Trinity. The first game in 1954 was against Preston in E section – Preston defeated Old Carey, 14-13-97 to 9-12-66.

Since 1962, the club has been fortunate to call the Carey Sports Complex at Bulleen home, and this year we enter our 70th year, fuelled by recent success, with confidence and optimism.

2023 season report The club invested significant time and resources into re-establishing a women’s program (pictured above).

Recruiting players right up until the last minute, we fielded a team of 20 for Round 1, ranging from very experienced to rookies. We got absolutely trounced and didn’t score one single point!

Undeterred, the group returned seven days later and won their first game.

Over the season, the determined team kept improving and built a strong wave of momentum, which eventually took 38 | Torch

them to the Grand Final! Sadly, they narrowly lost; however, for a team that didn’t even score a single point in its first match, making the Grand Final was a huge victory!

Our broad ambition is to be the club of choice for Carey alumni. We had 52 women pull on the jumper this year and we hope this number continues to rise.

The group returned to training much earlier this year and are prepared for what lies ahead in their second season.

Experienced coach Aaron Bailey was chosen to head the men’s program in 2023 – he patiently set about building relationships with our existing list and then setting course to round up Carey alumni playing for other clubs.

It would take until Round 4 to feel success, but once we did, more wins followed. After a successful 2023

We approached the 2024 season in a great position, primed for future success.

season, focussed on re-building and reconnecting, we approached the 2024 season in a great position, primed for future success.

Our Under-19s Men’s team (pictured opposite page, top and far right) had a sensational season. They diligently collected wins and their sense of unity and belief was truly palpable. They navigated the finals series the hard way and, in doing so, were the most match-hardened team when it came to facing off for the Premiership Cup. The talented side defeated Old Haileybury in the Grand Final, which capped off a wonderful season of growth, success and camaraderie.

Acknowledging our Club Legends

their Division 3 Men’s Reserves Grand Final Best on Ground Medal after him.

We are rarely afforded fitting opportunities to pay thanks to those who have taken on custodial roles in times of hardship for the club or showed their enduring support over a long period. In 2023, those planets aligned and we seized upon opportunities to recognise individuals who have selflessly given their time, passion, energy and love to the club over many decades.

OCGA Companion Val Evans (pictured above left) was instrumental in the survival of the club in the 1980s and served with distinction for many years as a devoted Secretary. She remains a huge supporter of the club, particularly our 2023 Women’s Team, who she shared some words of wisdom with at half time during their Grand Final. Val’s legacy was recognised with the Premier B Women’s Reserves Premiership Cup being named after her.

John Hands (1977) received a VAFA Certificate of Merit for his unrelenting dedication to the club since he first joined 46 years ago. John is the eighth Old Carey Football Club member to be awarded this prestigious honour in the club’s 70-year history.

OCGA Honoured Life Member Ian England (1968) has contributed significantly to our club as a player, umpire and coach in over 700 games. In recognition of his service, VAFA named

Max Evans, Val’s beloved late husband and a patriarch of the club across many decades, was also recognised and had his name attributed to the Division 3 Men’s Reserves Premiership Cup.

What lies ahead This summer was full of optimism – we have stability in the playing list, the coaching staff and the committee. Our 70th birthday will be one to remember!

In 2024, we harbour ambitions to sustain five teams – four men’s and one women’s – although we will need a further influx of players and supporters and the financial means to support this undertaking.

We have tremendous supporters and backers but we do require more.

We are an established supportive environment where people can explore ambitions, build skills, develop lifelong friendships and find community. If you wish to join our welcoming, inclusive club, please reach out! Visit us at ocga.com.au/#ocgfc(afl) or on Facebook or Instagram.

We thank the OCGA for championing our many needs. We share their deep passion and ambition in seeking to connect Carey alumni in a meaningful way and provide them opportunities to develop new skills, forge new connections and remain part of a community throughout their lives.

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Where are they now?

Walter Magilton (1951) I was always drawing, painting and making things as a kid, and it was actually Llew Evans (1931 and past staff) who saw the artist in me. This was before Carey though – he was a young teacher at the tiny bush school I went to in rural Victoria, where he took a shine to me. He introduced me to proper artists’ materials, with real watercolour paper, purpose-made brushes and tubes of high-quality paint – a far cry from the kids’ painting sets I’d been using up until that point.

My brother and I came to Carey for two years as boarders, which was all our parents could afford at the time.

They were dairy farmers, and when I went back home after Year 10, I started working on the farm too. I loved working with the horses and being in nature, but it was the landscapes I was

When not creating art, I’m spending time with my wife and my kids, and I’m a member of the MG Car Club, a fellowship member of the Victorian Honour Society and a life member of the Australian Guild of Realist Artists.

I’m still connected to my friends from Carey, too – I especially enjoy the Old Carey Golf Lunch, which we do regularly.

able to paint that brought me the most joy during that time.

My dad saw that my heart wasn’t in farming and encouraged me to pursue art. I applied for Teachers’ College to do an art and craft course, and it was amazing. I taught art for 27 years and was a Senior Master for 10. I loved it.

My main passion right now is my art school for adults in Warrandyte, Stony Creek Studio, and of course, I make art whenever I can. I have an exhibition coming up which opens on 25 July at the Montsalvat Long Gallery in Eltham.

It’s called A Life’s Journey: 90 Years of Age, 80 Years of Art. It features 42 of my artworks from throughout my life and career. The intention is to illustrate my journey through sculpture, painting and more, and I invite everyone from the Carey community to come along.

Katie Hooper (1987) Throughout my family, school and community life I was lucky to have been exposed to and develop a strong social conscience. Since graduating from Carey in 1987, I knew I wanted to work in community services, so although I studied a Bachelor of Science straight from school, I went on to undertake a Bachelor of Social Work. Throughout my undergraduate studies, through the Royal Children’s Hospital, I worked with Canteen and Challenge supporting children and young people experiencing cancer, as well as other youth development work.

The varied opportunities I had at Carey gave me the confidence, skills and resilience to work in Family Services. I worked in Child Protection, managed foster and residential care services for MacKillop Family Services, engaged with young people in Youth Justice with 40 | Torch

of nights and others for over 10 years. I met two beautiful brothers when they were six years and 18 months old and still see them regularly now at 31 and 26 – one now has a little girl who calls me Nanny. Providing a safe place to call home, a nurturing environment and new opportunities – whether that’s catching a train, kicking the football or travelling – allows them to build independence, confidence and resilience.

Whitelion and undertook CEO roles with state-wide and national advocacy in foster care and youth homelessness.

I have seen that when we invest in and give opportunities to young people, they thrive and achieve terrific outcomes.

I was also a foster carer for over 20 years. We cared for infants, children and young people, some for a couple

It is terrific to reconnect with Carey through the OCGA and its Social Impact sub-committee. I have enjoyed working with other alumni to establish four grant rounds for 2024, with a focus on start-up not-for-profit initiatives close to the Carey community. Seeing the achievements of 2023 recipients, AWL and Education Chances, has been great and we look forward to future social impact investments.

Where are they now?

Major Megan McDermott (2004) commit to the Army full-time. However, I didn’t see myself doing it as a Signaller. I began researching pathways to wear the camouflage uniform in a more creative capacity. I discovered the option to serve in a specialist role as a Military Public Affairs Officer, which saw me return to study to complete a Master of Global Media Communication at the University of Melbourne and seek valuable industry experience at Honda Australia (Automotive) as a digital marketing and brand communications specialist.

Megan in Kabul, Afghanistan, 2017.

Living just down the road from Carey meant I was often late for school, much to the frustration of my Gadsden House mentors. This was not because I didn’t enjoy my Senior School years, though – I was fortunate to make a core group of friends I still keep in touch with today, and I have fond memories of Carey’s co-curricular program, spending hours in the art room, rafting the Snowy River and competing in the Interschool Snowsports Championships.

After graduating in 2004, I took a gap year and worked as a snowboard instructor at Mt Buller and in Canada before returning to Australia to study a Bachelor of Design (Multimedia) at Swinburne University of Technology. I also enlisted part-time in the Australian Army’s Royal Australian Corps of Signals as an Information Systems Technician (AKA computer tech).

My military journey took an unexpected turn during Operation VIC FIRE ASSIST in 2009 when I was deployed to provide telecommunications support to the fire-ravaged community of King Lake.

This exposure to humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations and witnessing the community surge to support one another inspired me to

I also completed the Army Reserve General Service Officer course to develop my leadership skills and, in 2015, transferred to the role of Public Affairs Officer posted to the 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit in Canberra. The unit plays a vital role in supporting Government and Defence strategic communications by maintaining the Australian Defence Force’s only tri-service deployable newsgathering capability.

Since then, my career has been a whirlwind of diverse experiences taking me all over the world. No two days in uniform are the same. Tasks range from planning and implementing strategic and tactical communication strategies and information operations campaigns, to conducting media training and providing crisis communication support and specialist advice to commanders. In addition to spending months in the Australian outback covering warfighting activities, memorable experiences have included leading a Military Camera Team in Fiji after Tropical Cyclone Winston, partnering with emergency services at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, facilitating civilian media embed programs in Afghanistan, and supporting Anzac Day centenary activities in France and Belgium. My Middle East deployment earned me the Conspicuous Service Medal, a

Since then, my career has been a whirlwind of diverse experiences taking me all over the world. No two days in uniform are the same. testament to my brilliant team and supportive leadership at the time. More recently, my role at Headquarters 2nd (Australian) Division in Sydney involved leading the Military Public Affairs effort in response to devastating flooding events across Australia.

This year, I have returned to work following maternity leave to commence my new role as Officer Commanding 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit, completing a full circle by leading the unit where I first started as a junior Public Affairs Officer nine years ago.

My husband, Jack, and I are parents to two wonderful young boys, Lachlan and Charlie, and army life keeps our family on the move. Despite the constant change, I make it a priority to return to Melbourne a couple of times a year to visit family and the friends I made back in Year 7 at Carey. It’s hard to believe we graduated 20 years ago this year!

Megan at the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery on France for Remembrance Day, 2018.

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Where are they now?

Kenneth McNaughton (1957) Inspired by Chemistry and Physics teacher Robert Wilkinson, I completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemistry) at the University of Melbourne. In 1964, I was the first person to graduate from the Engineering School at Monash University, being awarded a Master of Engineering Science (Chemistry).

After completing a Leverhulme Studentship studying biochemical engineering at University College London, I moved to USA, where I met my wife and had two children, and founded a communications network with 35 radio stations around the US. I also launched my own telephone talk show on WXLO-FM called From Head to Heart and won five broadcast awards, including three from the Council of Churches of the City of New York. More than a hundred tapes of

Today, flagship publication for the American Institute of Physics. This led me to launch and run The Industrial Physicist magazine for 10 years.

When I retired at 64, I began producing narrative non-fiction illustrated personal essays. There are 71 with my byline on Clan Macnachtan Association Worldwide, and others on various websites and in publications. I also love hiking, dancing, music, photography, corresponding and collaborating – as noted in Marquis’s Who’s Who in America. this show are openly held by the Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia.

Later, I took a job as an editor of Chemical Engineering magazine with the McGraw-Hill Publications Company in New York City. After 10 years, I was hired as managing editor of Physics

At Carey, I did not star in school plays, but later as a member of SAG-AFTRA from 2005 to 2018, I worked 127 days on 77 productions – 34 for television, 24 major motion pictures, 12 industrials, eight low budget and one print job – in lead roles, principal roles, as a driver, photo double, stand-in and extra.

Rev. Martin Suter (1956) I still remember a lot from Carey: Year 1 at the corner of Wrixon St, and being read to by Mrs White in Year 7.

I remember being captivated by a display of General Motors’ ’Preview On Progress’, a mesmerising sight of a microwave oven and the shattering of glass when exposed to excess volume of its resonant frequency.

As the first child of migrants, cricket and football weren’t for me, but I liked flat races, wrestling, gymnastics, the choir with Bill Taylor and the Crusaders with John Sykes. An exemplary school chaplain and pastor from Canterbury Baptist greatly inspired me, too.

After Year 11, I attended Longerenong Agricultural College, where I was a chorister, prefect and Captain of Rifles. I then taught Maths and Science at Warracknabeal High School for 42 | Torch

preacher. I went on a mission to New Guinea and studied at Bible College in Brisbane, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Divinity.

11 years, where I introduced Agriculture programs and nurtured choirs and sports teams. During this time, I also built a family home at 38 Gardiner St for my wife and four children.

I then established the company Wimmera Fibreglass while also working as a church secretary, organist and

We later moved to Mandurah, where I have lived now for 44 years. As well as raising a family, I undertook pastoral endeavours and community leadership, including serving as fraternal president, co-ordinating schools’ scripture programs, working in local radio and participating in the Red Cross’s Murray Marathon. I continued with university and earnt a Master of Education.

Despite facing personal challenges, including the loss of my wife, I continued my service to others through missions to Pakistan, Myanmar and Zambia. I have written a few books which are available online, including my most recent, Cops & Folks.

Reunions and events

Building a meaningful network with the OCGA Amanda Rayner (2008) Chair of the Old Carey Grammarians Association Careers and Networking Committee

The OCGA hosted its inaugural Networking Night last year, an event that encourages Carey alumni to reconnect with familiar faces and build new relationships.

The George on Collins in Melbourne’s CBD was abuzz with interesting and meaningful conversation, and many connections were formed or re-established throughout the night.

Organised by the OCGA’s recently formed Careers and Networking Committee, the night was a huge success with over 130 alumni in attendance, ranging from 2022 graduates to alumni from the 1950s!

W

e were exceptionally fortunate to have Hugh van Cuylenburg (1998, pictured) as our guest speaker for the evening. Hugh is the founder of the Resilience Project, the host of the charttopping podcast The Imperfects and a best-selling author. He spoke about the importance of being authentic when networking and how this can help to build and foster genuine connections.

Hugh shared his own experiences of networking and the mistakes he made along the way when trying to be perfect. He highlighted how vulnerability and honesty can ultimately help us to form and build meaningful connections, which in turn can lead to more opportunities to gain advice and support from our community.

Hugh is a testament to the incredible talent within the OCGA alumni community and his inspiring speech set the tone for the evening.

T

he event would not have been possible without our sponsors, OSHClub and Kay & Burton. Both sponsors have strong ties to the Old Carey community, and their generosity has played a crucial role in helping to strengthen our alumni network.

OSHClub has run before- and afterschool care programs for many years at Carey, and Kay & Burton has assisted many families in the Old Carey community with their real estate needs and been a passionate supporter of our Old Carey clubs for many years. We heard from OSHClub CEO, Melinda Crole (1986), and Kay & Burton leaders Scott Patterson (1987) and Sam Wilkinson (1997), who partook in an interesting forum where they shared insights from their respective industries.

T

his Networking Night was the first of several initiatives spearheaded by our OCGA Careers and Networking Committee. The committee is working hard to bring a range of events and programs to the Carey alumni community to support them in advancing their professional careers, forging strong professional networks and building lasting connections with other alumni. We consider these connections to hold immense potential for personal and professional growth and we are already looking forward to our next event.

We are always looking for new people to join our committee.

If you’re interested, complete this expression of interest form.

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Reunions and events

Founders Day Luncheon

OCGA Honoured Life Members (L–R): Sally Richards (1980), David K Hobson (1971), Heather Hebbard (1980), David Morgan OAM (1961), Bruce Murray OAM (1960), John West (1955), Ian Woolf (1971), Richard Wilcox (1961), Alan Bond (1963).

L–R: Sienna Shepard (2023), Luka Best (2023).

L–R: Carey Medallists Hugh van Cuylenburg (1998) and Bruce Murray OAM (1960).

Anzac Day Luncheon

L–R: Major Christopher Wishart (2011).

L–R: Noel Smith, Graham (Smokey) Dawson AM (1964), Heather Hebbard (1980).

Business and Finance Networking Night

L–R: Sienna Shepard (2023), Sam Ponsford (2017), Jessica Darmos (2018), Nicholas Tonkes (1998), Lisa Woolf (1995), Joshua Drake (2023).

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L–R: Cynthia Zhong (2023), Jamie Shepherd (2023), Toby Betschel (2023).

Reunions and events

1984 40-year reunion

L–R: Class of 1984 reunion attendees.

L–R: Tim Jensz, Scott Coleman, Andy Hore.

L–R: Trina Pitcher, Simon Way, Victor Ding.

Young Alumni Night

L–R: Eva Mossman (2023), Katie Evans (2020), Lindsay Simpson (2020), Jonathan Kierce (2020).

L–R: Virginia Rudd (2023), Sophie Papillo (2023), Phoebe Verwoert (2023).

L–R: Sarah Jensz (2020), Eloise Klein (2020), Ben Stambe (2022).

L–R: Luka Best (2023), Indi Kluge (2023), Ava Law (2023), Sarah Adcock (2023), Ben Oppy (2023).

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Reunions and events, Announcements

Senior School Musical Alumni and Past Parents Night

In memory We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the following people: John Cook (1962) on 9 April 2023

Tom Keeble (1960) on 2 February 2024

Dr Peter Hearne (1954) on 14 April 2024

Ken Morrison (1948) on 17 November 2023

Nicholas Mulder (Past staff) on 9 March 2024

Ian David Endersby (1958) on 19 April 2024

David Risby (1973) on 10 January 2024

Rev. Alfred (Fred) Webber (Past staff) on 12 April 2024

Stuart Handley (Past staff) on 17 May 2024

Oliver Lucas Davy

Kainoa (Kai) Russell Curwood-Adams

1 May 2023. A son for Joel (2003) and Jacqui Davy, and a brother for Lachie and Abbie.

3 August 2023. A son for Laura Adams (2013) and Tim Curwood (2013).

Welcome to the Carey community!

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Announcements

Poppy Rose Evans

Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brownlow

Piper Thi McGowan

9 August 2023. A daughter for James (2009) and Isabella Evans.

18 August 2023. A daughter for Mary (Uccellini, 2009) and Matthew Brownlow.

4 November 2023. A daughter for Jane Doan (2008) and Tom McGowan.

William James Stewart-Holmes

Minduluyi Gadsden Bird

Zara Narelle Cacic

6 September 2023. A son for Ingrid (2006) and Alistair (2001) StewartHolmes and a brother for Jack.

20 September 2023. A daughter for Steph Gadsden (2002) and Nathan Bird and a sister for Djali.

13 November 2023. A daughter for Tash (Nicholas, 2006) and Ivan Cacic and a sister for Xavier and Noah.

August Woods Anderson

Lochie Julia Tomlinson

Bruce Gabriel Tan Kam

12 February 2024. A son for Jess Woods (2011) and Nick Anderson (2011).

20 February 2024. A daughter for Cassie (2011) and Adam Tomlinson.

8 March 2024. A son for Dr Jeff Kam (2008) and Dr Hannah Tan.

Are you expecting a future Carey Grammarian?

Carey receives a high volume of applications for enrolment. We encourage you to apply for your child as early as possible after birth. For more information about enrolment, and to apply online, go to www.carey.com.au

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Announcements

Alumni Calendar 2024 2 August

2019 5-year reunion

21 August

Alumni Networking Night

11 October

OCGA Annual Lunch

17 October

Year 12 Breakfast

25 October

2014 10-year reunion

1 November

2004 20-year reunion

10 November

Community Memorial Service

15 November

OCGA Golf Day

Please refer to the OCGA website at ocga.com.au for more events and the most up-to-date details relating to a particular scheduled event.

Contacts Senior School seniorschooloffice@carey.com.au

Principal Jonathan Walter principal@carey.com.au

Middle School middle@carey.com.au

Community Engagement communityengagement@carey.com.au

Junior School Kew jskew@carey.com.au

Archives archives@carey.com.au

Junior School Donvale donvale@carey.com.au

Advancement advancement@carey.com.au

Carey Sports Complex – Bulleen bulleen@carey.com.au

Admissions admissions@carey.com.au

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Carey Kew ELC, Junior, Middle and Senior Schools 349 Barkers Road Kew Victoria 3101 Australia Telephone: +61 3 9816 1222

Carey Donvale ELC and Junior School 9 Era Court Donvale Victoria 3111 Australia Telephone: +61 3 8877 8500

Connect with Carey Website:

carey.com.au

Intranet:

careylink.com.au

Facebook:

@CareyBaptist

Instagram: @CareyGrammar

Connect with the OCGA Website:

ocga.com.au

Email:

ocga@carey.com.au

Facebook:

@OldCarey

LinkedIn:

CareyGrammar

Instagram: @oldcareygrammarians

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