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Erratum
We included a story about Edwin Currie (OM 1881) in the April 2025 edition of Grammar News.
In this article we wrote that his engraved silver trowel was recently gifted back to the School by his great-grandsons –Alan Street (OM 1973) and Philip Street (OM 1973). However, we omitted to include the name of another great-grandson, Geoffrey Street (OM 1971), who should have also been included in this list.
We apologise for this unintentional omission.
Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this publication. We apologise should any errors remain.
First Nations readers are advised that this magazine contains images and names of deceased persons.
Melbourne Grammar School respects the privacy of its community members and is bound by the National Privacy Principles under the Commonwealth Privacy Act. For a copy of the School’s Privacy Policy, please visit the School’s website or contact the School.
Grammar News
On the cover
Melbourne Grammar School’s Camp Dowd is located on the Banksia Peninsula with direct frontage onto the Gippsland Lakes.
This year marks 25 years since the opening of this outstanding outdoor education facility.
The cover image captures a group of Year 6 students travelling across Lake Victoria from Camp Dowd to a remote boat-access only campsite on Bunga Arm and 90 Mile Beach. There they’ll spend one night sleeping in tents on the beach as part of their five-day program based out of Camp Dowd.
The journey offers rich environmental learning experiences. Along the way, students are introduced to aspects of the unique ecosystem of the Lakes, including environmental threats to the Burrunan dolphin – an endangered species found only in this region and one other location in Victoria. Spotting these dolphins along with, for example, swans, sea eagles, pelicans, koalas, and gannets often adds an element of wonder to the trip.
Pictured (from left to right) are Melbourne Grammar School Outdoor Educator David Offerman with students William Hansen, Albie Callaghan, Tommy McGirr, Reggie Plowman, Elsie Chen, and Olivia Balakumar.
You can read more about Camp Dowd on pages 26 and 27.
Edition 151, July 2025
04 From the Chair of Council
05 From the Headmaster
35 The Old Melburnians
39 Obituaries
40 Featured artwork
ARTICLES
14 2025 King's Birthday Honours
30 A remarkable day of giving for Melbourne Grammar School
31 “It’s your turn now”: A daughter’s gift
32 Welcoming our new First Nations program leader
33 “It’s not about legacy, it’s about possibility.”
34 The oasis of silence
36 The Old Melburnian blazer: A symbol of belonging
37 Past and upcoming 2025 Old Melburnian events
Service beyond the spotlight
A ride revolution comes to Thursday Island
A Vietnam veteran reconnects with his past
The fearless matron beloved by students and soldiers
15 Service with purpose at Wadhurst
Additional articles are available at news.mgs.vic.edu.au
• A community campaigner fuelled by faith
• How ‘The Wizard’ shaped Australian sporting history
A place of permeable boundaries
A meaningful ‘rite of passage’
A journey into the past
A tradition of respect and honour
Tokyo tour offers a new perspective on rugby
A new lens on classroom practice
Published in 2023, Towards 2030 outlines Melbourne Grammar School’s strategic intentions. It explains that our School essentially exists to educate young people about how to think, learn and reflect, so they may go on to lead meaningful lives in the service of humanity. Also provided is a clear set of School values which provides a framework for students and other members of the School community to abide by as we continually work toward this goal.
Towards 2030 articulates the four value areas we strive toward: learning and wellbeing, courage and integrity, respect and compassion, and service and contribution. To define these four areas, we consulted extensively across the School community, drawing on the expertise of the School executive, past and current parents, and many Old Melburnians. By including these various perspectives, we were able to preserve the qualities that have shaped our School’s culture across its history, and build on the best of this culture while also responding to the expectations and challenges inherent in today’s society.
The influence of our School values
Personally, I see our values as the boundaries within which each of us across the School community should conduct ourselves. For students, the value of “courage and integrity”, for example, means we expect they will act ethically, accept responsibility, and face adversity with intelligence and resolve. We ask them to draw on their courage and integrity on the sporting field, in their pursuit of excellence in the classroom, or at the most strenuous point of a Beyond the Gates expedition. No matter what the challenge is, our values clearly articulate how we want our students to act as they face it.
The area of “respect and compassion” provides another example of the way our School’s values guide our actions and behaviours. In the past, we may have used a word like “tolerance” to express this idea. Today, we have a deeper understanding of what it means to recognise and include difference, the need to truly know ourselves, and the importance of respecting others. Respect and compassion influence every aspect of our students’ behaviour from the way they build positive relationships with others to the way they welcome visitors and new students to our School. These values also influence the actions we collectively take to protect the natural environment on campus and elsewhere.
Of course, articulating our values is only the first step toward embedding them. Even with a clear understanding of our values, it is still crucial for those in leadership positions at the School to demonstrate values-driven qualities and actions. Our commitment as leaders influences everyone around us, from teachers and students to parents and professional staff.
Added to this, our values also have a role to play in the wider world. The values displayed across our community go on to influence the culture around us – a process we can see clearly when we look at the many positive impacts our Old Melburnians have had, and continue to have, across the globe.
With strong values in place to guide their thinking and behaviour, our students will go on to become members of society who are able to respectfully discuss, debate, revise their own opinions, and thoughtfully engage with the opinions of others.
We are educators, but our task does not end with the transfer of facts. We must provide students with a scaffold by which they can develop their own understanding of the world, and the ability to participate in that world in an effective, positive way.
Guided by our values, Melbourne Grammar students will have the confidence to ask questions, the intelligence to see where they need more information, and the principles to help them decide which actions will most contribute to the greater good.
Andrew Michelmore AO Chair of Council
Andrew Michelmore AO
More than a number
In the various league tables published by the media, our 2024 VCE results placed us in the top ten independent schools across the State. This was a tremendous result and one well worth celebrating. Three students achieved perfect ATARs of 99.95, 14% of our students were ranked in the top 1% of the State, and 55% were in the top 10%.
These statistics are certainly impressive. But what is also notable are the people behind the numbers. Our 2024 VCE results are a reflection of a broader community effort: the many parents who made sacrifices to give their children the best educational opportunities they could, teachers who went above and beyond to support student learning and growth, and our professional staff who contributed behind the scenes across a myriad of roles.
Then, of course, there are our students. Most of them worked with great determination, unashamedly pursuing excellence and setting themselves up for success in life beyond school.
Irrespective of their result, there are many stories of courage, strength and personal achievement across the 2024 Year 12 cohort. They all experienced disrupted learning during the COVID years, some navigated complex family or personal circumstances, and others battled illnesses, learning difficulties or exam anxiety.
Many of them worked in close partnership with the School and their own families to overcome the hurdles they were facing to achieve their personal best. Their achievements are not defined by a number but by their growth, effort, and resilience.
But why be content with being placed in the top ten schools some might ask. Why not aim even higher? Why not strive for a place in the top five – or to become the number one school in the State? That is indeed an option. We could strip back our broader educational offering and focus solely on test performance. We could redesign our teaching to become almost exclusively about exam preparation.
We could abandon our participation in APS sport, close our music and performing arts programs, cancel outdoor education, and cease student participation in clubs, societies, trips and exchanges. We could tell our students that community service no longer matters, because it doesn’t contribute to ATAR results. We could even ask students who are struggling to leave before Year 12, to keep our numbers high.
But none of this aligns with the Melbourne Grammar School we know and value.
To suggest such a path is to misunderstand our core goal. While the pursuit of excellence is central to the School’s mission, we believe deeply in a balanced education, one that places holistic development at the centre of everything we do. It is this balance that builds the foundation for a life of purpose, fulfilment and contribution beyond school.
A holistic education builds gratitude – to appreciate that we live in a country where good schooling is accessible, and to recognise that the opportunities offered at Melbourne Grammar are rare and valuable.
It also enables perspective. Academic excellence will always be a cornerstone of a Melbourne Grammar education. Almost all our students complete Year 12, and 98% pursue tertiary study. But the co-curricular program and the dayto-day business of the School plays an equally vital role, helping students build perseverance, teamwork, and confidence through sport, drama, music, outdoor education and service. These experiences teach humility in defeat, strength in adversity, and the joy of shared success.
Classroom discussions, formal debates and everyday conversations open students to new ideas and ways of thinking, and stepping outside the School gates on excursions, international trips and expeditions challenge students to reflect on views and cultures other than their own.
Finally, it reminds us of the importance of the whole person. Our students grow through collaboration, physical effort, leadership and creativity, qualities forged far beyond the exam room.
The ATAR is one important aspect of a Melbourne Grammar education. But it is far from the only one.
Philip Grutzner Headmaster
Philip Grutzner
Service
beyond the spotlight
Throughout Melbourne’s Diamond Creek, residents still share stories about beloved general practitioner Dr Donald Cordner (OM 1939), who touched countless lives during almost 50 years of practice.
What his patients may not realise is that Cordner’s dedication led him to give up his stellar career with the Melbourne Football Club, and that his commitment to serving others extended well beyond the boundaries of his bushland suburb.
A MOMENT OF CHOICE
Cordner was a keen sportsman from his earliest days at Melbourne Grammar School, earning colours in cricket, athletics, and football. According to his U15 football team report: “The most consistently good player throughout the season was D. Cordner, who was always invaluable in the ruck.”
This love of football continued during Cordner’s time as a medical student at the University of Melbourne, playing for the University team from 1940. In 1941, he played his first VFL game for Melbourne FC – the second being the following week in the winning grand final team – and going on to win best and fairest in 1943.
Three years later in 1946, while completing his residency at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and commencing work as a general practitioner in Diamond Creek, Cordner made history as the first (and only) amateur player to be awarded the Brownlow Medal – an achievement that challenged his humble nature.
He didn’t just do these things out of duty – he had a strong sense of what was right, and what should be done.
Chris Cordner (OM 1967)
Cordner took on the captaincy of Melbourne FC in 1948, leading the team to the VFL premiership in that year. He did not relish being in the spotlight because of his football.
“Dad was, in my view unnecessarily, a bit uncomfortable with the plaudits his football earned him,” explains son Stephen Cordner (OM 1970). “He felt his winning the Brownlow, in particular, attracted much more attention and praise than the thing deserved.”
After just two years as Captain of Melbourne FC, Cordner chose to step down from the role, and then away from playing a year later. While he may have had a natural talent for the sport, his passion was medicine, and the needs of his community called.
COMPASSION COMBINED WITH A “GET IT DONE” ATTITUDE
More than a decade after Cordner’s death in 2009, Diamond Creek residents still remembered how his care – sometimes provided entirely for free – changed lives.
“Once, Dad was visiting a new single mother whose power had been cut off,” says son Chris Cordner (OM 1967). “It was a matter of course for him to drive 12 miles to Heidelberg to have the power reconnected and to pay for her next two months of electricity.
“Then there was the day he played the First Semi-Final against Geelong FC, which he did on almost no sleep, having spent the early hours fulfilling his promise to be there when a nervous mother gave birth to her second child. He ran into the change rooms just as the team was running onto the ground.” This was the day he realised he had to give up football.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY BEYOND HIS MEDICAL CAREER
Cordner’s responsibility to others continued to shine through during his membership with the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) Committee, which he continued for more than 28 years including seven years as President.
As a new member in the mid-1960s, Cordner made the suggestion that members’ wives be invited to the traditionally all-male Christmas dinner. “He was met with a stunned silence, but eventually he got it to happen,” says Chris.
“He didn’t just do these things out of duty – he had a strong sense of what was right, and what should be done.” This same sense led him to lead the introduction of womens’ admission to MCC membership through the Committee.
Cordner’s service to his community also included direct support of Melbourne Grammar through almost 20 years as a crucial member of the School Council, with five as Chair. In 1996, he co-founded (with Free Strickland AM OBE KStJ (OM 1937)), and became one of the first members of, the Witherby Tower Society, cementing his already significant contribution to the ongoing life of the School.
Above all, Cordner’s children remember him as a devoted and loving father. “I remember him coming to my hockey matches when I hardly touched the ball, and he always made me feel like I was an important part of the team,” says daughter Jenny MacNeil. “He was truly dedicated to his community, but his family was always his highest priority.”
Central to this, his children agree, was his wife Moyle, their mother, who was a completely equal member of an extraordinary partnership with her husband lasting more than 60 years. As Cordner himself often said, her wise, loving and soundly-practical support was crucial in everything he did.
Donald Cordner - a snapshot
Professional life and leadership
• General practitioner in Diamond Creek for 46 years (1946–1992)
• Member of Melbourne Grammar School Council (1973–1989)
• Chair of Melbourne Grammar School Council (1984–1989)
• With Free Strickland, first Patron of Witherby Tower Society (1996)
• Member of Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) Committee (1964–1992)
• President of Melbourne Cricket Club (1985–1992)
Football history
• Played 166 VFL games for Melbourne FC (1941–1950) as an amateur, 144 in a row (1942–1950)
• Won two VFL premierships (1941, 1948)
• Only amateur to ever win the Brownlow Medal (1946)
• Captain of Melbourne FC (1948–1949)
Community recognition
• Cordner-Eggleston Cup named in his honour (1989)
• Cordner Physical Education Centre at Grimwade House named in his honour (1991)
• Awarded Victorian of the Year (1993)
• Cordner Entrance to the Members’ Stand of the MCG named in his honour (1993)
Portrait of Donald Cordner painted by Brian Dunlop, 1992. Melbourne Cricket Club Museum Collection, M13392.
A ride revolution comes to Thursday Island
On a map, Thursday Island (Waibene) in the Torres Strait (Zenadth Kes) looks like the kind of place you could stroll around in an afternoon. Located 40 km from far northern Australia, it is just 3.5 km2 But getting around on foot isn’t always practical – especially when you’re juggling grocery shopping or school drop-offs in the island heat and with young children in tow.
For some years, walking, private cars and taxis have been the go-to modes of transport for many caregivers. That is, until Sarah Tedder (née Pulling, OM 2007) arrived with her young family in 2023 and saw an opportunity to reimagine mobility on the island – one bicycle at a time.
“I was surprised by the situation I saw,” Sarah recalls. “Parents would be queuing up outside the supermarket with kids and bags, waiting to pay for a taxi home.
“Even private vehicles are expensive to run on the Island. Walking can be slow and tiresome, but bikes – even though the island has bike lanes and wide, safe roads – were uncommon, especially for adults.”
Rather than jumping straight to a solution to the problem she saw, Sarah listened. “I wanted to work out what the underlying issues were, so I set up a conversation stand outside the supermarket to learn from the community,” Sarah explains.
“Some people were interested in bike riding, but their experience with bikes was not great. Freight costs meant that bringing up a suitable bike from the mainland was costly. The only other option was buying a cheaply made product from a large Australian retailer and having it rust very quickly, or break in a way that made repairs impossible.”
Then Sarah came up with a clever community-focused initiative – Mobilise TI, and change began.
LOOKING AT NEW WAYS TO SOLVE OLD PROBLEMS
I wanted to expand the transport options people have on Thursday Island,” says Sarah. “Mobilise TI’s aim is to cultivate a bicycle ecosystem that gives more people mobility and freedom.”
Under Sarah’s leadership, the “Torres Strait Ride Revolution” drew on crowdfunding, local support and philanthropic donations to fill an entire shipping container on the mainland with quality bikes for the community.
“We bought 50 adult bikes, 50 kids’ bikes, 2 cargo bikes, 30 baby seats, 38 rear racks, and 50 baskets,” Sarah explains. “I was stubborn about funding the accessories, because without them, the bikes wouldn’t have been a viable alternative for families and enable everyone to carry what they need.”
were allocated to their new owners through a needs-based application process, making sure they reached the people who would benefit most. “It’s not about forcing anyone to ride,” Sarah says. “It’s about giving them the freedom to choose.”
THE JOURNEY AHEAD FOR THURSDAY ISLAND
Having successfully delivered the bikes to the community, Sarah is now focusing on the question of maintenance in an environment where saltwater and rust are ongoing challenges and there is no dedicated bike repair service.
“We’ve reused the shipping container that transported the bikes and will turn it into our ‘bike hospital,’ where people can come to learn how to do basic maintenance themselves,” Sarah says. “In the near future and with further support, we hope to fund a local resident to receive intensive training in bike maintenance and repair. This would not only create a livelihood for that person, but also ensure all bikes brought to the island can be looked after over the long term.”
Sarah Tedder (OM 2007)
Sarah is also running her own bike skills course, beginning with basics like steering and braking, to make sure riders feel capable and confident. “We need to support new riders so they are more likely to ride, and can then inspire others in the community,” she says.
Through her initial conversations, Sarah also discovered that some locals considered bike riding an embarrassing activity for adults to engage in. “We’re really indebted to the mayor of the Torres Shire Council, Elsie Seriat OAM, who has been instrumental in starting to shift this attitude,” Sarah says.
“She became our ambassador, and now joins us for our bike-to-school bus, where we collect children and adults from around the island, and ride to school together. Elsie has helped us show people that bikes are functional for adults too, rather than being just for kids or recreation.”
“What I dream of is a bike ecosystem, not just on Thursday Island, but throughout the Torres Strait,” Sarah adds.
“Through initiatives like this, my hope is that bikes become a reliable and accessible transport option in the region, that not only liberate people from the fluctuating price of fuel and fares, but also contribute to achieving the Closing the Gap objectives and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“We want to mobilise whole families and communities, and this project is just the beginning of a mission to make that happen.”
To find out more about Sarah Tedder’s work, Mobilise TI, and how you can help, visit linktr.ee/mobiliseti
A Vietnam veteran reconnects with his past
In his final year at Melbourne Grammar School, David Weigall (OM 1962) could not have known that six years later, he would be deployed to the jungles of Vietnam. Today, his 1968-69 tour of duty remains etched in his memory.
CONTINUING A FAMILY HISTORY OF SERVICE
During the Vietnam War, Australian men could be called to serve in the armed forces from just 20 years of age if their birthday came up in the conscription ballot. While many people opposed conscription, David says he saw service as a necessary act, albeit one that involved personal sacrifice.
“I was the only child still living at home with my widowed mother,” David explains. “It was a huge shock to her that I had to leave home, join the Army, and probably be sent to war. But I grew up in a family where service to my country was expected – my grandfather and father had both served during WWI and WWII.”
A tank driver, and part of the first Australian tank squadron sent to Vietnam, David was immediately involved in operations against North Vietnamese forces. “Our 24 tank squadron saw heavy action against the enemy on a regular basis,” he explains. “There were certain moments when we were terribly afraid for our lives, but all that mattered was working in unison with your crew.”
David’s squadron, C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, ultimately received a Citation for Gallantry for their involvement in the Battle of Coral – Balmoral.
THE SHOCK OF RETURNING HOME
After a year of active combat, tent living, and just one week’s Rest in Country stay at relatively safe Vung Tau, and another week’s Rest and Recreation in Hong Kong, David’s return to Australia – where the war was increasingly unpopular –came with new challenges.
“I wasn’t even sure of when I would be sent home,” David explains. “One day, unexpectedly, mid-operation, I was flown back to our Nui Dat base by helicopter, then transferred to the ‘Wallaby Flight’. I’d only had contact with home via letters for my whole deployment. All of a sudden, within 36 hours, I was sitting having dinner with my mother. There was no such thing as a debrief. It was quite surreal.”
It would be 22 years before David felt comfortable attending his first ANZAC Day service. “I learned not to mention I’d been in Vietnam unless someone asked, because it was a taboo subject with many people,” he explains. “In the early years after the war, those who did march on ANZAC Day could face criticism from the crowds, and many felt alienated and rejected on their return home.”
At his first ANZAC Day Dawn Service, David recognised a number of old Army friends, exchanged details, and reconnected. “At that first service, a man I barely recognised ran up to hug me, and although I don’t really remember the incident, he recounted that I’d driven my tank to sit between his stranded tank and the enemy bunker,” David says. “I’ve marched or attended most years since then, and I always find it both moving and enjoyable.”
“I’m now a member of the Box Hill RSL, which has attracted a number of friends from my old tank squadron,” he adds. “We don’t dwell on the past, but there is great camaraderie going back over 50 years.”
David is now a retired architect and with his wife, Prue, has four children and ten grandchildren.
ONGOING FAMILY CONNECTIONS TO THE SCHOOL
David’s family has a history of service to Melbourne Grammar School that spans generations. His great grandfather, Theyre Weigall, was the 18th member of our School Council, serving from 1872 to 1889.
His grandfather, Gerald Weigall (OM 1887), held the role of President of the Old Melburnians from 1934 to 1936 and his great uncle Theyre a’ Beckett Weigall KC (OM 1875) was President of the Old Melburnians from 1910 to 1911 and member of School Council from 1914 until 1920.
Gerald, Theyre and their brother William Weigall (OM 1888) donated a sizeable sum to the School in memory of their mother in 1924 to establish a set of prizes in her name. Today, Marian Weigall Studies Prizes are awarded annually to the top ten academic achievers in Years 7 and 8 at Wadhurst.
Continuing this family connection with the School, it is intended that David will read the Ode at the ANZAC Day Service at Melbourne Grammar School in 2026.
The fearless matron beloved by students and soldiers
Walking past The Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall today, students may not realise that a significant item marking our history is buried beneath the building’s foundation stone.
Safe in a metal box is a never-circulated sovereign coin that once belonged to former School Matron Mary McKenzie Finlay (1870–1923). The coin was Sister Finlay’s talisman during her WWI service, which saw her establish a field hospital in France, and return to Australia with the Royal Red Cross medal.
Keep that not only as a talisman but to be used in case you ever are really in want of money.
I trust you will bring it back to me when you return.
Reginald William Ernest Wilmot (OM
1888)
EGYPT, FRANCE, AND AUSTRALIA’S FLORENCE NIGHTINGALES
One of twelve children, Sister Finlay came to Melbourne in 1890, aged 20, and began nursing training at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in her mid-20s. Having gained her matron’s certificate of technical fitness in 1907, she took up the role of Matron at Melbourne Grammar the next year, and served until the outbreak of WWI.
Granted leave from her position at the School, Sister Finlay was one of the first women to enlist in the Australian Army Nursing Service, and one of the first six Victorian nurses to be deployed overseas. Describing Sister Finlay and her companions as “Florence Nightingales from Australia,” The Herald quotes one nurse as saying: “We want no privileges. We will go out in the soldierly spirit. What is good enough for the troops is good enough for us.”
Before Sister Finlay left Melbourne, Reginald William Ernest Wilmot (OM 1888), then Honorary Secretary of The Old Melburnians Society, presented her with a newly minted sovereign coin. “Keep that not only as a talisman but to be used in case you ever are really in want of money,” Mr Wilmot told Sister Finlay. “I trust you will bring it back to me when you return."
Sister Finlay served two years in Egypt and became matron-in-charge of the Ras-el-Tin Convalescent Home in Alexandria before being stationed in Rouen, France. There, she established and led a large military hospital despite “primitive” conditions and shortages of essentials such as water and stoves.
In recognition of her commitment in Rouen, Sister Finlay was awarded the Royal Red Cross (first class), which commemorates exceptional service in military nursing. This medal was first presented to Florence Nightingale herself. “The Royal Red Cross is the highest honour available to an army service nurse,” explained The Herald “In point of distinction it ranks with the Victoria Cross.”
“[The Rouen hospital] is staffed principally by Victorian nurses,” added The Weekly Times. “Probably the distinction has been conferred upon [Sister Finlay] because of the capable manner in which she has taken charge of affairs at this centre.”
Finlay Place, a street in Gowrie, Canberra, is named in her honour. (All of the suburb’s streets are named after members of the Australian Defence Force who have been awarded decorations.) Fittingly, Finlay Place is currently home to the South Canberra Veterans Shed which supports veterans, First Responders and their families.
RETURNING HOME TO CONTINUE SERVICE
Sister Finlay returned to Australia in 1919, when she again took up the role of Matron at Melbourne Grammar. Having kept the sovereign coin secreted in her clothing throughout her WWI service, she initially asked to donate it to the War Memorial Hall building fund, the campaign for which was underway at the time.
Instead, Wilmot elected to donate an equivalent amount in her honour, and such was the significance of her standing in the Melbourne Grammar community, the coin itself remains beneath the Hall’s foundation stone. Buried on Armistice Day, 1927, it rests alongside the book War Services of Old Melburnians, 1914 –1918, official documents from the day, and a copy of the School’s prospectus.
Sister Finlay became seriously ill with what is believed to be breast cancer in 1922 and died in 1923, age 53. Commemorating her life, The Melburnian wrote:
“The position of Matron in a Public School is what the holder makes it, and Miss Finlay made the fullest use of her opportunities to do good.
In spite of ill-health and her arduous duties, she found time to make real friends of the boys who passed through the House, and to bring the influence of her personality to help the boys through their difficulties. She was a woman who sacrificed herself and her own inclinations to her work, and gave herself entirely to the service of others.
Many an Old Boy will regret the loss of a friend and a wise counsellor.”
Sister Finlay is buried at St Kilda cemetery. Her headstone reads: “A life of service.”
2025 KING’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS
Melbourne Grammar School congratulates all members of our community recognised through the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours. These include:
OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AO)
Mr Christopher Tudor AO (OM 1969) For distinguished service to secondary education, to the independent schooling sector, and to people with disability and their carers.
MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM)
Ms Greta Bradman AM (Current Parent)
For significant service to the performing arts in a range of roles, and to psychology.
Mr Andrew Dwyer AM (OM 1976) For significant service to the tourism industry in Victoria, and to the community.
Mrs Linda Thompson AM (Past Parent) For significant service to the performing arts, particularly to opera.
Professor David Wiesenfeld AM (Past Parent)
For significant service to medicine as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (OAM)
Mr Simon Marks OAM (OM 1972) For service to youth.
Mr Barry Solomon OAM (OM 1946) For service to the communities of Geelong.
Additional Old Melburnians who have dedicated their lives to providing service to their community include:
Sir Norman Brookes (OM 1895)
Mr Igor Zambelli OAM (Past Parent) For service to engineering.
But his legacy extends well beyond
Sir Norman was President of the Lawn Tennis Association of Victoria from 1925 until 1937, and it was largely due to his enterprise that the Kooyong stadium was developed as a venue for major tennis tournaments commencing
He was also President of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia (LTAA) for 29 years from 1926, and was instrumental in shaping the game across the country and building Australia’s sporting reputation overseas, thereby earning the informal title “the father
Shocked by the appalling living conditions in parts of Melbourne, he launched the Brotherhood with a single weekly donation of ten shillings. It didn’t take long before more than 100 people were being housed in safe, clean accommodation.
Fearless in voicing unpopular opinions, Father Tucker used the media to shine a light on injustice –even when it ruffled feathers among politicians, church leaders, or the public. His bold advocacy set a powerful example of faith in action.
Today, his legacy endures through the Brotherhood’s ongoing work in employment, disability, and aged care – still driven by his vision of dignity for all.
You will find extended stories about Sir Norman and Father Tucker here: mgs.vic.edu.au/meet-our-alumni struggled through the darkest days of the Depression.
Service with purpose at Wadhurst
Service and contribution shape both individual lives and the broader community. It sits very much at the heart of Melbourne Grammar School’s ethos, as well as the Anglican tradition.
By providing our students with the opportunity for meaningful service, we want to inspire them to pursue a ‘good’ life – that is, a life fulfilled by meaning, purpose and achievement. In doing so, we hope to support the creation of an empowering and inclusive community, and a kinder world.
At Wadhurst, at a time when students are navigating significant personal and social development, service becomes a vehicle for reflection and growth, helping students to better understand who they are, and where they belong. They learn that even the smallest of actions can have a big impact, and that values like empathy, respect and kindness must be lived every day.
Importantly, many service activities for this group directly relate to what they are studying, doing or talking about in their classrooms, enabling students to better appreciate the relevance and impact of their actions.
Commonly student-led, initiatives undertaken this year include preparing food for those in need and running a drive to collect good quality runners which were no longer needed for distribution to First Nations teenagers on Tiwi Island.
At Wadhurst, International Women’s Day has, for many years, been seen as an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements and to reflect on how we can all help create a fairer world for everyone. Students are also asked to look for steps they can reasonably undertake in support of that intent.
This year Wilhelm House took on the task of devising and organising a plan by which all Wadhurst students could support women in a way that made sense to them. The student leaders recognised that they could make a real contribution by supporting a charity which distributes period and incontinence products to organisations that support women and girls experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or doing it tough.
And so, a collection drive for period and incontinence products was held.
Led by Hank Ren, Wilhelm House Captain, House members worked as a team to encourage as many Wadhurst students to donate as many period and incontinence products as they could.
“I think service helps develop your sense of community and responsibility for those around you,” says Hank. “Everyone has the capacity to take action and have a lasting impact on future generations.”
Hank Ren, Wilhelm House Captain
A meaningful ‘rite of passage’
Here, Year 11 student, George Stirling, looks back at his 2024 Beyond the Gates experience
Young people often hear the phrase ‘rite of passage’ thrown around. Most people assume that this simply refers to a moment of forced independence: a first bicycle ride alone, getting one’s L plates, or backpacking around Europe in a gap year. For those of us at Melbourne Grammar, however, one of the main rites of passage is the three-week adventure known as Beyond the Gates (BTG) which occurs in Year 10.
For something to be considered a rite of passage, French anthropologist Arnold van Gennep remarks that the experience must involve three distinct stages. The first is the journey into a “liminal zone”, a space away from normal social rules and relationships. The second is initiation into new knowledge in that liminal zone, including overcoming challenges posed by the strange environment. And the third is re-emersion back into society with new insights and status garnered from the experience.
From the moment we passed through the Reverend’s smoke and incense at our farewell ceremony, our rite of passage commenced. As I boarded that bus, with a crisp new shirt and still clean boots, I could not help but wonder if I would return transformed by my experience and, crucially, whether the lessons of the rite of passage would remain with me as I slunk back into my daily habitudes.
MOVING THROUGH THE STAGES
Beyond the Gates was different in 2024. An update from the old program saw BTG shift from a Mount Kosciusko expedition to four separate locations across three states and territories from which we could choose.
My group’s destination was the bush just south of Canberra, overrun with huge eucalypt trees and copperhead snakes. In the days before the trip, I was unambiguously nervous. Eight pairs of underwear for three weeks of camping was incomprehensible! Fitting everything into a backpack for those three weeks was just as baffling.
of BTG thinking about comforts back in Melbourne or challenges lying ahead, do not utilise the time away to its fullest. By staying present in the moment, I was able to cherish every moment.
The time when I felt that I had truly ‘transitioned’ into my new daily routine was during the solo. The solo is two nights away from the rest of the group with limited food and only a tarpaulin for cover. A liminal zone, indeed. Solo was difficult but it helped our group develop the perseverance to see the camp through. Even through days of unrelenting rain, snakes jumping about the grasslands and a sunrise wakeup, we never grumbled. We found ways to overcome these inevitable difficulties by playing card games or cooking Ramen noodles under the tarp, happily acclimatised to life among the bats and bull ants. I didn’t think twice about rolling and unrolling my sleeping mat each morning, and there was nothing I needed that couldn’t fit in my backpack.
BTG and our rite of passage finally concluded when our bus rolled into Bromby Street on Monday evening three weeks later. We were undoubtedly fitter and stronger than we had ever been, and so happy to see our families and a meal without freeze-dried hummus or chickpeas.
As we re-adjusted back into life at school and home, knowledge garnered from the experience remained. I remembered all the mantras that encouraged me to keep putting one foot in front of the other up every hill. I had learned to overcome abrupt changes in plan, to be more tolerant under stress, and to manage discomfort without so much complaint.
I now knew that there is nothing more peaceful than the silence before dawn, and that a laugh can cure anything.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of my return to Melbourne is that lessons I learned in the bush have continued to influence my daily routine.
Although I could not long abstain from the allurement of technology and social media, and I have not yet found an appropriate application of a bowline knot, I have found myself being more grateful for small aspects of daily life; walking around St Kilda with my family, being able to practise my violin, or hug my brother.
And while the resonance of this new status has dulled slightly since BTG, I cannot reflect on the things I once took for granted without remembering the three weeks I spent without them. Therefore, although it had been difficult, I had completed my rite of passage and learned more about myself along the way.
A journey into the past
During the 2025 Term I break, a group of 27 Year 10 and 11 students – some studying Latin and/or Classical Studies and others with an interest in those areas - set off on a two-week immersive journey into the Ancient Greek and Roman civilisations, visiting Athens, Rome and other historically significant Italian towns.
By exploring historical sites that offered a vivid window into the past, students gained insights into how these millennia-old cultures influenced the foundations of modern society, and deepened their appreciation for the enduring legacies of classical thought, architecture, politics, and art.
Here, Year 11 Classical Studies and Latin student, Arten Singer, describes his experience.
"MAN IS THE MEASURE OF ALL THINGS"
proclaimed the ancient Greek philosopher Protagoras. The ancient Athenians embraced this idea, believing that truth and value are all determined through the lens of human experience. They pursued personal and societal advancement, and excellence in all measures, as far as was humanly possible at the time. As we walked the streets of Athens, the signs of the ancient Greeks' immense capabilities and ambition were clear to us, even some 2,500 years later.
The Acropolis dominates the Athenian skyline, on which the Parthenon still sits in all its glory. A feat not only of art and engineering, but also of timelessness, the Parthenon was simply mesmerising – this structure we see in our books and screens came to life; and it was more splendid than anything we could have imagined.
Whether it was the Temple of Poseidon, poetically situated overlooking the sea; or Delphi, the site of the Oracle, nestled in the majesty of the Pindus Mountains, the ancient Greek ability to seamlessly intertwine the skill of the manmade with the beauty of nature was ever-present.
"WHAT DID THE ROMANS EVER DO FOR US?"
Herculaneum and Ostia Antica – all beautifully preserved Roman towns –gave us a glimpse into ancient Roman daily life.
As we explored these cities, we stumbled upon walls adorned with political slogans condemning rival candidates, surgical tools reminiscent of those used today; there were even ancient fast-food places in every street!
The buildings were constructed using a refined, Roman version of Greek concrete. After all, the Romans loved taking aspects of Greek design and improving it for themselves.
Throughout our time in Italy, it was evident the Romans set the benchmark when it came to spectacles. When visiting the Colosseum, it was clear to us how advanced Roman spectacles, and their implicit messaging, were, even rivalling what we have today! Hosting gladiatorial fights, having exotic animals pop out of the floor or even simulating naval battles, the Romans truly had the means to put on a show.
A tradition of respect and honour
At 5am on 25 April 2025, 80 Melbourne Grammar School students drawn from Years 9–12, 15 Senior School staff, and numerous parents gathered at Ross Gates before walking together to the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Shrine of Remembrance.
While Melbourne Grammar students have been attending the Service since 1934, a more formal arrangement commenced 15 years ago. This tradition has enabled the School community to honour Old Melburnians, former teachers, and family members who gave their lives in service to their country. This year, several students wore on their blazers the medals of their great-grandfathers and grandfathers, some of whom were Old Melburnians.
Here, Year 11 student Oscar Froomes reflects on what attending the Service means to him.
During the service we stood in solemn silence beneath the dim glow of the rising sun, wondering at the ANZACs’ unyielding resolve to defend something greater than themselves. Young men, not much older than me, giving up their youth, love, comfort and safety so that future generations might live with greater freedom and prosperity.
As the mournful cry of the Last Post drifts into the morning sky, we, the assembled, are united in reverence. In that moment, we are bound not only by shared silence but by a deep respect for the sacrifices made, and a quiet compassion for the families who bore the cost.
The ANZAC story is not just one of endurance in battle, but of dignity in suffering. We remember the cigarettes exchanged in No Man’s Land, the hands extended to retrieve a fallen friend, and the ceasefires honoured so the dead might lie in peace.
These were not just acts of mercy, but of intense humanity; reminders that even in the most brutal circumstances, compassion can endure. And so, each year, as the light breaks over the Shrine and the stories are retold, we do not simply remember, we carry forward their legacy, are shaped by their values, and are inspired to live by them.
THE ANZAC LEGACY
My reflection on the ANZAC legacy revealed something far deeper than mere historical reverence. I gained an insight into the moral fabric of human character when tested by extremity. The young men who fought at Gallipoli were not heroic because they were fearless, but because they chose to act in spite of fear, driven by loyalty, duty, and a profound sense of service to something beyond themselves. Their actions speak to a universal philosophical truth: that true virtue lies not in comfort, but in the courageous pursuit of what is right when the challenge is supreme.
In remembering them, we are reminded that gratitude alone is not enough; we are called to serve, in our own way, with integrity and courage.
In our contemporary world, we are rarely called to battle in the literal sense, but we are confronted daily with subtler, internal battlegrounds, moments that ask us to choose between ease and principle, popularity and authenticity, silence and truth.
The ANZAC legacy, then, is not just a story of war, it is a call to live with moral clarity, to cultivate resilience in the face of failure, and to hold fast to integrity even when the path is difficult. To honour the ANZACs is to exalt their values and show true virtue.
Oscar Froomes, Year 11
Tokyo tour offers a new perspective on rugby
During the 2025 Term I holidays, Years 7, 8 and 9 rugby players visited Japan, gaining invaluable lessons in rugby technique, teamwork, and sporting respect.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP OUR PLAYERS
While Japan may not be the first country we think of when it comes to rugby, the sport is highly popular there, and Japan’s national team has qualified to compete in the Rugby World Cup every year since its inception in 1987, one of only nine nations to do so.
“Japan’s League One professional rugby teams are usually connected to companies rather than places,” explains Teacher in Charge of Rugby Malcolm Bradshaw. “The sponsoring company provides financial support to the team, and many players – who are often drawn from other countries – work within the company itself.
“We were fortunate to spend some time with the Ricoh Black Rams and, on a tour of Ricoh, we heard that their company philosophy of wanting everyone to work together towards a common goal is mirrored in that rugby team. It was a good lesson for our students.”
In addition to watching professional games, the students also had opportunities to play other school teams.
“The tour was a fantastic opportunity to expand the number of matches our players participate in,” says Malcolm. “At the moment, if a student starts playing in Year 8, they may have only played 25 games before starting playing senior rugby teams. That extra experience can make all the difference to their confidence and their ability.”
‘QUICK RUGBY’ AND AN EMPHASIS ON RESPECT
For Nicholas Kuroda, the tour was an opportunity to reacquaint himself with the Japanese style of play after living there for several years in the past. “We saw how Japanese teams play ‘quick rugby’ – they have speed and fitness that can tire bigger players out,” Nicholas says. “Japanese teams also meet on the field before each game to wish each other good luck, which shows real respect towards fellow players.”
“Japan really lived up to my expectations,” says Year 7 player Henry Napier, who played rugby in the UK before recently moving to Australia. “It’s true that in Japan, rugby is a much quicker sport – they try to gain ground as fast as possible, rather than force a mistake from the opposition.”
For Year 9 student Felix Randall, the positivity among spectators was another aspect of Japan’s rugby culture that stood out. “There was no negativity from the crowd in any of the games we saw,” he says. “I think the game is played so much better when no team is being put down.”
The Japan tour showed students that rugby can be about far more than just the scoreboard. As Malcolm puts it: “Our players came home with not just improved skills, but a deeper understanding of what it means to play rugby well – and to play it with honour and respect.”
A new lens on classroom practice
Teaching can often be a solitary profession. While collaboration on curriculum and pedagogy does occur, teachers typically work independently in their own classrooms.
For the past three years, Melbourne Grammar School has been encouraging staff to step beyond their own familiar settings and visit others as part of the Cultures of Thinking program led by renowned educator and researcher Ron Ritchhart.
The program aims to provide teachers with new tools and understanding about how to create a culture in their classrooms that can foster deep learning and build understanding.
In addition to observing a wide variety of classes, participants attend tailored workshops presented by Ritchhart and then, over a six-month period, undertake an individual action research project which focus on an area of their choice.
English teacher, John Donaldson, was one of ten Melbourne Grammar staff members who took part in the program last year. Over three days, working in small diverse groups drawn from two other schools, he visited classrooms of different levels and disciplines across Melbourne Grammar, as well as those at coeducational and girls’ only schools.
“I found it to be incredibly helpful to visit classrooms, and to see what the teachers value in terms of learning practices and how that permeates throughout the room”, he says.
“Observing, for example, their style of teaching, the language they used, how long they allocated students to question and unpack an idea and even how they organised the furniture in their room was all useful.”
“In addition, the variety of perspectives within my group made our discussions after each visit to the classrooms at the various schools all the more insightful,” he says.
John’s project focused on engagement and empowerment in his classroom. “I wanted to be sure that my students were as interested in learning as I wanted them to be. In addition to undertaking my own academic research, I did further classroom observational visits where I focused on questions like: Is the work meaningful to students? Does it have a purposeful application? How are these students being empowered?”
John then translated his learning into change in his classroom. One shift he made was in his English classroom book discussions.
“I realised that a lot of the themes and topics we were discussing were being dictated by me. I changed the model so that students would come to the lesson with their own prompts to be discussed in a book chat circle. It really empowered them to choose the ideas that they perceived as worthy.”
“I was still able to guide them in terms of critical thinking and questioning and how they articulated their ideas, but the dynamic really shifted in the room. Of course, I don’t use this approach every lesson, but I am really pleased that it has worked so well.”
Deep diving into literature in Upper Primary
Melbourne Grammar School is a community of ideas, and we ask students to engage with new ways of thinking from their very first days in Prep. As our students progress, we investigate increasingly complex ideas, and this contributes to them developing intellectual independence, flexibility in their approach to learning, and creativity.
One of the ways we introduce complex ideas to our students at Grimwade House is through the literature immersion program we offer Upper Primary students. Across Years 3–6, we use “authentic” texts as the basis of this work – that is, those that are written with all readers in mind, not just for the classroom. These texts not only enrich students’ reading skills but also enable them to draw on new ideas from literature and transfer these ideas to their own thinking.
A LOGICAL, STRUCTURED APPROACH
Word recognition skills, such as decoding through phonics*, are foundational to reading development. These skills enable students to quickly and accurately identify written words, which in turn supports reading fluency and comprehension.
Alongside phonics, a strong grasp of etymology, grammar and punctuation forms the backbone of literacy. Building proficiency across these areas is a key focus of the Lower Primary curriculum, as it equips students with the tools they need to become confident, independent readers.
As students progress and their capacity for reading comprehension develops, in Upper Primary these early skills are increasingly woven together with higher order skills including vocabulary development, language structure, verbal reasoning and background knowledge of literature as a whole.
* Phonics is a technique used when students are learning to read. This approach focuses on connecting the letters and sounds that make up language.
We see that, when students have strong capabilities in reading comprehension, they are able to read for understanding, summarise what they have learned, and come to their own conclusions about how this new understanding might impact their own knowledge.
DEVELOPING HIGHER ORDER THINKING
Alongside reading skills, the study of literature also encourages critical, analytical thinking. We want students to ask: What has the author told us, and what do they mean? If a student encounters the phrase “frighteningly cold”, for example, they learn to infer that a character may be feeling fear as well as cold, and to see how specific words have an effect on the text as a whole.
In deciding which texts to focus on, we look carefully at writing quality to ensure we provide an exceptional model for students. Our teachers also work with literacy experts who ensure they can lead in-depth classroom conversations about each text.
Importantly, the study of literature is also connected to social and emotional development. By reading about life in the 1850s goldfields, for example, students deepen their understanding of societal issues, such as the unequal treatment of women and the Chinese population. In this way, literature helps students develop empathy and understanding as they come to see the world from unfamiliar perspectives.
In Upper Primary literacy, we are going well beyond the basics. Students are developing new ways of thinking and new strategies for approaching knowledge. As they move toward secondary school, Grimwade students have the experience they need to take on new, even more complex ideas with confidence and independence.
Seonaid Chio, Grimwade House Head of Teaching and Learning
You can read more about our approach to education at Grimwade House in our ‘What does your child need today?’ library available at mgs.vic.edu.au/grimwade-house
Twenty-five years of
We wanted to give students another way to gain that sense of confidence in themselves...
Wendy Dowd AM
Nestled in bushland on the Banksia Peninsula, and with direct frontage onto the Gippsland Lakes, Camp Dowd, Melbourne Grammar School’s 4.8 hectare campsite, offers students a multitude of opportunities to connect with and gain respect for the natural world.
Students are also encouraged to gain a new understanding of the richness and complexity of a human community that is different to their
ADVENTURES RIGHT FROM THE START
On the very day Camp Dowd was officially opened in April 2000, students were already using it as a base for paddling, sailing, camping and exploring.
A group of Year 10 students attended the Camp’s official opening. They camped on site, using it as a base to learn how to sea-kayak before setting off on a three-day, two-night seakayaking adventure. Members of Hone House also attended the event, sailing in during their six-day expedition across the Gippsland Lakes on 10 metre Catalina yachts.
And so set the agenda for Camp Dowd for the 25 years that have followed. Since then, thousands of Melbourne Grammar students – drawn from all campuses – have pitched tents, paddled
awe and wonder
In recent years, the Camp has evolved again. Trialled over the past few years, as part of an extended 10day onsite immersion program, Year 8 students now complete curriculumbased ‘classes’ in English, STEM and the Humanities that are integrated into the landscape around them.
The campsite also offers Year 6 students a base from which to commence their final year of primary school. In addition to canoeing, hiking, and participating in environmental and cultural sessions, over a five day stay, students are invited to reflect on what they want to achieve during the year in the peaceful and nurturing setting of the campsite.
A GIFT THAT CHANGED LIVES
None of these experiences would have been possible without the vision and generosity of Wendy Dowd AM and Carl Dowd AM (OM 1954) whose transformative gift enabled the School to purchase the property in the late 1990s. They subsequently made a second gift to fund the site’s kitchen refurbishment in 2012.
“Having confidence is one of the greatest building blocks for any child’s future,” says Wendy. “We wanted to give students another way to gain that sense of confidence in themselves beyond being the best scholar or sportsperson at the School.”
Wendy Dowd AM and Carl Dowd AM (OM 1954)
“We visited the site just last year and were really smitten with what we saw,” she adds. “There was a team of outdoor educators who were just mad about what they were doing, and this enthusiasm was clearly being transmitted to the students. We were amazed about how good it was.”
In an age of constant distraction and fast-paced change, this quiet pocket of land remains a place where young people are given the space to slow down, look outward, and think deeply. Camp Dowd will no doubt continue to be a place where challenge, discovery and reflection shape the learning journeys of
Liberal democracy in the balance
American political scientist Francis Fukuyama's oft-referenced End of History thesis, introduced in a 1989 essay that coincided with the last throes of the Cold War, argued that Western liberal democracy had triumphed as the final form of human government. His Whiggish interpretation declared that there was no viable alternative to liberal democracy, and yet, thirty-five years later, according to the Economist Intelligent Unit’s 2024 Democracy Index, globally fewer people live in a full, functioning democracy than at any time since the Index began in 2006.
A recently published ACARA* 2024 National Assessment Program Civics and Citizenship Report found that Australian school students’ civics understanding was also at its lowest level since records began. Alarmingly, this is occurring at a time when there has been a significant rise in both misinformation and disinformation, notably online, and an increasingly uncivil tenor is apparent in ever more polarised political discourse. It is therefore perhaps unsurprising that a recent report from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for the Future of Democracy found that it is among 18 to 34 year-olds that satisfaction with democracy is in sharpest decline.
This confluence of alarming trends should act as a clarion call to the critical role that education plays in producing informed and engaged citizens to act as a bulwark against democratic backsliding.
EDUCATION IS KEY TO BUILDING CIVIC LEADERSHIP
The idea that democratic resilience relies on educated citizens is not new; both Aristotle and 17th century English philosopher, John Locke, emphasised this point. John Dewey, the late American philosopher, believed that an informed electorate, nurtured through education, is vital for a thriving democracy.
Today, there is a patent need for young people to not only become politically literate, but just as crucially to develop the broad range of thinking skills required for civic leadership in the twenty first century. At Melbourne Grammar School we want our holistic education to produce independent, ethically reflective and informed citizens who see the value of civic service and can hold considered, nuanced opinions.
It is essential that students are equipped with an understanding of the machinations of political systems and the varying interests and perspectives of political actors, but equally that they appreciate the significance and evolution of democracy itself.
A liberal education should engender dynamic and flexible thinking and be unapologetically intellectual. Rich opportunities should be afforded in and out of the classroom to allow young people to engage with difference and complexity.
Students should think critically, ethically and globally. They should be taught how, not what, to think, so that they are comfortable in the grey, analysing a plurality of perspectives, and only then are they able to proffer substantiated opinions. But just as importantly, teachers must not shy away from contentious issues for fear of causing offence; for what message would that send to the next generation? Being comfortable with being uncomfortable should be a necessary tenet of any flourishing classroom.
Students must come to understand that the content of the historical source or literary text only be processed once its provenance and purpose have been established, an approach that enables them to better navigate the fragmented and largely unregulated online news ecosystem.
* Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
THE NEXT STEPS TOWARDS A LIBERAL EDUCATION
John Dewey wrote a century ago that “Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife.” Current trends provide a salient reminder of this. Indeed, earlier this year in passing a resolution on the relationship between democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, the United Nations Human Rights Council emphasised the important role for education in strengthening “democracy, good governance and the rule of law at all levels.”
Opening next year, Melbourne Grammar School’s Centre for Humanities will provide a world-class home for the teaching of a broad range of related subjects, thereby creating a central space where the respectful contest of ideas will be a daily norm. This underscores Melbourne Grammar’s continued commitment to the value of a liberal education at a time when it has never been so crucial.
Nick Young, Head of Humanities
About Nick Young
A Humanities teacher for almost 20 years, Nick Young commenced at Melbourne Grammar School as Head of Humanities in 2025. He joined us from Mazenod College where his roles had included Dean of Digital Pedagogy and Head of Humanities. Prior to this, Nick held senior positions including Head of History and Politics at several international schools.
Nick holds a bachelor’s degree in social and political sciences from the University of Cambridge and a postgraduate degree in education from the University of Oxford.
Melbourne Grammar School A remarkable day of givi n g for
What does it mean to create a truly shared future? On Thursday 15 May 2025, hundreds of parents, grandparents, Old Melburnians, staff and community members, both quietly and publicly helped answer that question in their support of Melbourne Grammar School’s first-ever Giving Day.
For 24 hours the goal was simple: to raise $1.25 million to help grow the School’s First Nations Scholarship fund.
The response was overwhelming. Over the course of the day, and the following week, 579 donors helped surpass the target, raising a total $1,305,966.
“Throughout the day, I had the privilege of witnessing an outpouring of goodwill from our community,” says Headmaster Philip Grutzner.
“Every gift, large and small, truly reflected the School’s values and carried with it a profound message of belief in the potential of our First Nations students, and the role Melbourne Grammar School plays in shaping the future.”
Since 2006, the School’s First Nations Program has become an indelible part of Melbourne Grammar’s ethos in creating extraordinary possibilities for talented and deserving young people.
Now in its twentieth year, more than 60 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have been able to access an exceptional education and chart success on their own terms, uplifting the communities they work and live in.
“Our First Nations Scholarship Program has so many rich, reciprocal benefits to our whole School, helping our students grow into confident and compassionate individuals,” says the Headmaster.
“These scholarships not only provide an exceptional education to students who might not otherwise have access to Melbourne Grammar – they also enrich the experience of all of our students by fostering deeper understanding, cultural connections, and new ways of thinking.”
Old Melburnians and students added their voices to the fundraising effort, and more than 30 volunteers worked on the day to make and receive calls for donations.
“I saw how support from all corners of our community lifted spirits –especially those of our students and our First Nations Program Manager, Shane Evans – who now stand with even greater confidence and assurance that they are genuinely valued and embraced,” says the Headmaster.
“This is what should be celebrated, and this is what we will continue to build upon.”
“It’s your turn now”: A daughter’s gift
At 8.41am on Friday 16 May, after a full 24 hours of concerted fundraising, Melbourne Grammar School had raised $1,230,000 – just $20,000 shy of its Giving Day goal.
Across the Wadhurst Oval, not even 100 metres away from the balloons, headsets, and countdown clock still ticking away in the Giving Day call centre, Melbourne Grammar’s Risk Manager, Justine Block, was thinking of her Dad.
Moments later a gift was received that secured the School’s Giving Day target. It was from Justine and the dedication read “On behalf of my recently deceased father, Gilbert Block (OM 1952).”
Her father, Gilbert, was a boarder at Melbourne Grammar and had treasured his education. He loved music, rowing, and mischief, and spoke often to Justine of the camaraderie and lifelong friendships formed during his years at the School.
“As I watched the team pushing toward the goal, and I realised how close we were, something in me said: ‘Do it now. For him,’” Justine says.
A long-time professional in education, Justine has always sought out meaningful ways to give back. In her time at Melbourne Grammar, she says finding meaning has been easy.
“Working here, you see firsthand how much care goes into everything this School does,” Justine said. “From scholarships to the way we speak about culture and values – it matters. It’s real.”
Thinking of the message her father might have left behind; the words came to her as clearly as if he’d spoken them himself.
“I think he’d say, ‘It’s your turn now –and here’s a little something to help you on your way.’”
Welcoming our new First Nations program leader
For Shane Evans, Melbourne Grammar’s new First Nations Program Manager, First Nations history is everyone’s history. “It’s important to embrace Australia’s history in its entirety,” he says. “The richness of our culture is everyone’s to share.”
Descended from the Gunditjmara, Keerray Woorroong, and Bundjalung peoples, Shane has worked extensively with First Nations youth in previous roles. He is nephew to Senior Songman Gunditjmara Bundjalung Elder Uncle Archie Roach AC and Auntie Ruby Hunter, a proud Ngarrindjeri woman, and he brings a wealth of cultural knowledge to the School. Shane is also currently Chair of the Archie Roach Foundation, which nurtures opportunities for First Nations artists across all creative platforms.
As Manager of our First Nations program, Shane says he hopes to empower all Melbourne Grammar students through an exchange of cultural knowledge.
HOW OUR FIRST NATIONS PROGRAM SUPPORTS STUDENTS
By means of scholarships, cultural events and other activities, and student pastoral support, Melbourne Grammar’s First Nations program helps ensure that our First Nations students feel a sense of belonging at the School, and fosters respect for and understanding of First Nations culture across all those in our School community.
“I see Melbourne Grammar making a concerted effort to support First Nations students in a way that is authentic and respectful,” Shane said. “In this role, I’m able to foster cultural connectedness and safety, and provide an Aboriginal Black lens when I report back to the First Nations Program Steering Committee. There’s still a lot of work to do, and we’re taking that very seriously, but I can already see how hungry all students are to have a deeper engagement with First Nations students and our culture.”
CREATING FUTURE AGENTS OF CHANGE
Shane emphasises that having a dedicated First Nations program enriches our School in many ways. “The legacy of this program stretches way back to Charles Melbourne Johnston (OM 1911) who became the first Aboriginal student to attend Melbourne Grammar in 1907,” he says. “Today, it’s a powerful reminder to have First Nations students being able to share their culture and stories with each other, support one another, and include the School community in a journey of reflection and cultural understanding.
“When our First Nations students I’ve worked with leave this School, I hope they’ll have a stronger connection with their own history, and a passion to keep moving forward,” Shane adds. “In the short time I’ve been here, I’ve been really impressed with the students, and I believe they’ll go on to become the agents of change and foster healing in this country.”
Shane was the driving force behind the 2025 Reconciliation Ceremony. Read more about this outstanding event at news.mgs.vic.edu.au
“It’s not about legacy, it’s about possibility.”
Dr Mark Roberts’ (OM 1994) appointment as Chair of the Witherby Tower Society Committee signals an exciting era for Melbourne Grammar School’s philanthropic community; one that is forward thinking, deeply personal and driven by values that transcend the classroom.
The son of Polish immigrants who came to Australia after WWII in search of a better life, their sacrifice and hard work was an ever-present north star in Mark’s life.
“Education was and is everything in my family,” he says, “not just as a way to find success, but as a way to contribute meaningfully to society.”
Now a senior executive in the corporate sector, Mark spent the early part of his career in public policy, working closely with two Australian Prime Ministers.
“What I’ve learned over my career is that prediction is hard,” he muses.
Mark’s passion for service has been shaped by years in government, where navigating complexity required humility, clarity, and courage.
“One of the best ways to lead is to serve others. I’ve embraced that ethos throughout my career, whether in politics, volunteering, or philanthropy.”
Reflecting on the role of education in both his and his daughter’s life, who is studying at Lauriston Girls School and where he also serves as a Foundation Board member, Mark felt he owed Melbourne Grammar School a debt that he is now in a position to repay.
“The School helped me become the person I am today,” he says. “Its emphasis on character and responsibility shaped how I try to live: giving back, paying it forward, and investing in others.”
But Mark’s decision to return to the School in his new capacity goes beyond his own personal and professional experience.
“I’ve been asked a few times by friends and fellow Old Melburnians why I got involved in the Witherby Tower Society, often with a bit of incredulousness, as though bequests aren’t something younger Old Melburnians should be thinking about,” he says.
His answer came during a recent event where he heard from Quentin Berto (OM 2024), a scholarship recipient who had just completed Year 12.
“Quentin said: ‘I hope that one day I will be a role model for other young people to believe in themselves and follow their dreams... Thinking back to why I made the decision to go to boarding school at Melbourne Grammar School, it was to provide opportunities for my siblings.’”
For Mark, Quentin’s words affirmed everything the Witherby Tower Society stands for. “Quentin’s scholarship didn’t just benefit him – it opened a pathway for those behind him. That’s the power of a bequest. It’s not just about legacy; it’s about possibility.”
Mark hopes more Old Melburnians will see a gift in their Will as a way to connect their own successes and life journey with the future of others. “Being part of the Witherby Tower Society is as much about shepherding the future of Melbourne Grammar School as it is about reflecting the values and accomplishments we hold dear.”
“Our donor community should be proud because it’s their support that allows the School to be more accessible and sustainable, even beyond their lifetime.”
The oasis of silence
When Year 11 student, Racer Adam, stepped up to the rostrum at the Ainger Peck Public Speaking Award competition, he stood in silence for a few moments before presenting his powerful speech both verbally and in Auslan (Australian sign language). This speech is presented below.
Silence isn’t a desert – an awkward and uncomfortable void needing to be filled –but rather a lush oasis, persevering in spite of an arid adversity, and a vessel of beauty. Only once you learn how to listen, may you begin to notice the sway of the persistent palms in the soft breeze, feel the rhythm of the sands pulsating beneath your feet, or perhaps even spot a vibrant butterfly fluttering to feed on the warm nectar of a nearby orchid basking in the sun’s glow.
Despite the truth of this enchanting world, such oases still often lie unnoticed and unappreciated isolated from the “normal” world.
I’ve lived my whole life with one foot firmly rooted in this world. As a child of deaf adults, or CODA for short, I never felt any different. Ever welcoming of my peers’ curiosities, I was always asked was “What’s it like to have parents who can’t hear you?”. Being the only norm that I had ever known, I would simply respond “what’s it like to have parents who can?”.
Despite my conviction that our worlds were the same, I would slowly feel myself become torn between the deaf and hearing worlds.
My native tongue is my hands, and so my mum loves to bring up the story that the first time I ever lost my temper as a young child, I screamed, and I screamed… in silence – in fierce, yet fluent sign language. At this new and unfamiliar conflict, my mum burst into tears, having never had felt prouder.
Yet, despite this, over time my hands began to feel like less of an expression of my culture, but rather a burden, shackling me to the bridge I had become between the deaf and hearing worlds; a slave to the compulsive responsibility I thought tested on my shoulders to include my own parents in a world which too often seemed to turn its back on them.
As I began to learn of the blatant discrimination and injustices faced by not only the deaf community but by my own family, I grew not just angry… but immensely disappointed. My mum’s equally hard-earned lawyership dismissed as worthless by the firms too lazy to organise interpreters. My Dad patronised and bullied in front of my five-year-old self at the football. And in the middle, me... looked down upon with the familiar eyes of pity that I had no intention of entertaining. It felt like no amount of success or hard work could ever be enough.
When my mum learned I would not be deaf, she sighed in relief. She sighed in relief even though she feared we might never truly connect on a cultural level. She sighed in relief even though she worried if I would ever even be able to learn Auslan. She sighed in relief, because at the bare minimum she knew she could take some confidence in knowing that I would never have to experience the same hardships she had her entire life... How tragic is that?
Butterflies are deaf too.
If only all of the world would be absorbed in the awe of Auslan in the same way that we find our gaze transfixed on the rhythmic fluttering of an elegant butterfly in the cool breeze. If only…
From the simple convenience of being able to talk across a bustling street to the deep and total cultural enrichment of engaging with a community through a different human sense entirely, being a CODA, is a gift, and Auslan is quite the superpower. How lucky am I to get to experience both the deaf and hearing worlds at simultaneously?
And so, perhaps I can be a guide to the luscious oasis of the deaf world; to the beauty of a world that lives in silence.
Racer Adam, Year 11
Articles of faith
On 30 May 2025, 250 Old Melburnians and special guests gathered for our 145th Annual Dinner and our 130th anniversary.
The night was mostly spent in convivial free conversation, but two important traditions were observed. There was an Address by the Headmaster and also by me as President. Instead of a guest speaker, we invited half a dozen Old Melburnians to briefly reflect on something significant to them that reflected something significant about us. Those reflections were both highly personal and relatable to Old Melburnians generally. There were great stories and I was struck by the fact that they were really about the person of today, who they are and how they came to be.
The Headmaster shared personal insights into why the School matters. He also received his Old Melburnians blazer! I spoke about how the Old Melburnians came to be, what I think we are and where that came from. The answer to that question may surprise you.
To my mind we have three articles of faith as Old Melburnians, each derived from a different early Headmaster who put their distinctive and indelible stamp on the School’s character and therefore our own.
The first (from Dr Bromby as a humanist) is the importance of the individual and individual responsibility.
The second (from Dr Morris as an educator) is our belief in the worth of our education at this great School.
The third (from Rev’d Sergeant as a muscular Christian) is our belief in the importance of character.
The importance of this is that it explains why and how we are connected within and across generations and will remain so as Old Melburnians. The diversity of experiences, interests and aptitudes among Old Melburnians is both natural and a great strength.
Martin Scott KC (OM 1980)
Our attention to our common ground (not our differences) is our greatest strength. We can all see it. It is instantly recognisable between us and it is noticed by others.
As I said at the Dinner, the greatest responsibility every President has is to preserve that legacy, both the fact of it and the manner of it. It is what each year’s Leavers should be told. I will repeat what I said to the 2024 Leavers about where our loyalties truly lie:
“Between us as Old Melburnians, what matters is personal integrity and mutual loyalty. However easy or hard the road ahead may prove to be, you can be certain of that.”
Martin Scott KC (OM 1980) President, The Old Melburnians
1. 1920s Old Melburnians Dinner, 2. 1969 Old Melburnians Dinner, 3. 2017 Old Melburnians Dinner
The Old Melburnian blazer: A symbol of belonging
In a fast-paced, ever-changing world, it is all too easy for tradition to fall by the wayside. Our recently redesigned Old Melburnian blazer is a visible way of confirming that the traditions of the School and the Old Melburnians continue, and to signal our connection to each other.
The blazer’s colours come directly from the Old Melburnian tie: Oxford blue with gold, red, and silver stripes, and the blazer’s original 1925 design was based on the tie’s distinctive striped pattern.
As early as 1937, The Melburnian advertised a version of the Old Melburnian blazer available to our London Branch, then tailored by army and cadet outfitters Wilkes Todhunter. Old Melburnian blazers are still worn by UK alumni today, and have been seen at events such as the annual Royal Henley Regatta.
After a plain navy blazer was introduced during post-war austerity, the striped design was revived by Alexander & Lawrence, the family business of Don Lawrence (OM 1940), in the 1950s. Douglas Tsoi (OM 2004) designed our current blazer, which is now made-to-order with cuts available for both men and women.
The blazer is already becoming popular across the Old Melburnian community as both a personal statement and a garment that can be passed down to younger family members. Expect to see it at our next Annual Dinner, the CordnerEggleston Cup, and the Head of the River, among other Old Melburnian gatherings.
The Old Melburnian blazer is a simple way to signify our common legacy – the shared values and enduring friendships that connect us across generations, and around the world.
Merchandise
Merchandise is available exclusively for Old Melburnians to purchase online, via QR code.
The range includes an Old Melburnian blazer, beanie, scarf, cap, and a choice of two styles of tie.
Blazer $375
Beanie $25
Scarf $30
Tie $20–$30
Cap $25
Prices include GST
Cordner-Eggleston Cup
Edwin Flack Park, Port Melbourne
Friday 25 July
Old Melburnian Exchange Mentoring
Program Launch
South Yarra campus
Monday 28 July
Community Speaker Series
South Yarra campus
Tuesday 12 August
Grimwade House ‘Harleston House 150th’ Twilight Tour
Wednesday 8 October
Mornington Peninsula Branch Lunch
Saturday 25 October
Community Speaker Series
Grimwade House
Tuesday 11 November
Sydney Branch Business Lunch
Thursday 13 November
Class of 2024 One Year Reunion
South Yarra campus
Friday 14 November
The Old Melburnians Annual General Meeting
South Yarra campus
Monday 17 November
Annual Bluestone Lunch
Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club
Friday 21 November Visit bit.ly/mgs-events for more information. Contact om@mgs.vic.edu.au to update your email address to ensure you receive your invitation. In 2026 we
Anniversary
Celebrat ing 130 years
The Old Melburnians Annual Dinner Friday 30 May 2025, Zinc, Federation Square
This year marks 130 years of the Old Melburnians Society –a partnership that has shaped Melbourne Grammar School since 1895. As benefactors, ambassadors, and custodians of a shared story, Old Melburnians have long stood beside the School, strengthening our foundations and embodying our values. The Annual Dinner in May was an occasion to celebrate the connection and the vital role our alumni continue to play in the life of the School.
OBITUARIES
The School has learnt of the following recent deaths in our community. We extend our sympathy to their families and friends.
Allan, A G (OM 1962)
Burston, J D (OM 1955)
Campton, J R (OM 1942)
Cohen, G A (OM 1950) (Died in 2022)
Ebsworth, C W (OM 2012)
Fordham, B E (OM 1947) (Died in 2024)
Foreman, P R (OM 1957)
Goodman, P S (OM 1944)
Holt, N M F (OM 1954)
Obituaries 2010 to present
Johnson, E D (OM 1959)
Johnson, I T (OM 1954)
Lee, P W (OM 1946)
Manning, G D’A (OM 1948)
Mathews, C R T (OM 1952)
Mitchell, R D (OM 1970)
Nurse, D S (OM 1947)
Ross, D Z (OM 1972)
Trinca, A T (OM 1941)
Watson, J D (OM 1954)
A full list of obituaries from 2010 is available at news.mgs.vic.edu.au
Do you have an obituary to report?
Please contact us if you are aware of a death in the Melbourne Grammar School community. mgs@mgs.vic.edu.au
FEATURED ARTWORK
Eyes of Curiosity
Jack Wilson, Year 12 (2025)
Watercolour and pencil on paper
56 cm x 76 cm
This artwork explores the raw and fragmented nature of childhood memory.
I chose watercolour as my medium because of its fluidity and unpredictability, which reflects the emotional spontaneity of being a child. The drips and unfinished areas are intentional, symbolising how memory and identity are still forming.
The painting depicts myself as a child – curious, vulnerable, and full of unspoken thoughts – revealing how early experiences remain partially remembered, but can also become distorted and evolve as you grow older.
