WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING

Revisiting her former Perth College home

We were delighted to have Old Girl Jacqueline (Johnson) Todaro (1951) visit us in August at Perth College in our 120th year. Mrs Todaro, who lived with her family in a house across the road from the School (now our Community Development Office), started at Perth College in 1938, before her fifth birthday, and left in 1950 to work in what is now known as Landgate. We found Mrs Todaro's brick in the Chapel Quad and paid a visit to the Chapel.

Sisters’ emblem emerges in the East

Old Girl Evi (Wise) Ferrier (1960) reminded us again that the positive impact of the work of the Community of the Sisters of the Church was felt around the globe – including in Melbourne, where her grandson Asterix, (Year 6) attends St Michael’s Grammar in Chapel Street, St Kilda. Evi, an artist specialising in mosaic, says she was struck by the fact the St Michael’s School emblem was exactly the same as that of her school Perth College on the other side of the country and from decades earlier! The only difference is that St Michael’s which also started its life as a school for girls is the only one in Australia that is now coeducational.

Sharing wit and wisdom: Acacia Daken (2011)

Old Girl Acacia Daken (2011) who played Lauren in the Black Swan Theatre Company’s The Glass Menagerie met this year’s Perth College Drama Captains Sophie (Year 12) and Cara (Year 12) after a recent performance. Sophie and Cara were thrilled to take part in the post-performance Q&A session and to present Acacia with flowers!

The ordination of Reverend Joanna Colgan (1994)

Reverend Joanna, currently Perth College Assistant Chaplain, was ordained at St George's Cathedral on Sunday 10 July by Perth’s Archbishop, the Most Reverend Kay Goldsworthy AO, one of the first 10 women in Australia to be ordained an Anglican Priest 30 years ago. Congratulations Reverend Joanna!

Following In Their Footsteps

Following in their Footsteps assemblies celebrate the heritage and strength of the Perth College OldGirls’ Association (OGA) with current students. It’s an opportunity for the Perth College community to be inspired by those who have gone before them, and to forge stronger ties. Last year our guest speaker was Dr Betsy (House) Buchanan (1965). Betsy had recently been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to the community, particularly the Noongar community. In 1982 she was Perth College Old Girl of the Year and, at the time, an article in the Myalla referred to her commitment to the poor and disadvantaged … work she continues today. Betsy is a tireless advocate for the Noongar people and sat down for a very honest interview with Mignon (Henne) Stewart (1988) that features in this issue's Boarders’ Bush Telegraph segment. Dr Buchanan is third from the left in the group photograph of the Old Girls taken on the day.

Old Girl returns as guest judge for The Voice House Arts Day

Old Girl Blues/Roots singer and composer Siobhan Cotchin (2017) continues the OGA tradition of encouraging current students. Siobhan returned to Perth College for House Arts Day in June as a performer and guest Voice judge. Siobhan, who was joined on the judging panel by Tyler Jones, Jane Artelaris and musical theatre star Elaina O’Connor, had just been nominated for the WAM Blues/Roots and Country Song of the Year for Highway Song.

Judith Tuckey awarded OAM in Queen's Birthday Honours

Perth College Old Girls offer our sincere congratulations to Judith (McCann) Tuckey (1947) on her OAM Award for Services to the Mandurah Community in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours List. We are thrilled for Judith and her PC community, which includes many proud Old Girls who take delight in their peers’ achievements and hard work. Judith received the award in recognition of her contributions in many sectors, from kindergarten to aged care, health and sport … also her long history of volunteering within her community over many years. Her efforts were also recognised recently by the City of Mandurah Mayor Rhys Williams at an award ceremony attended by Judith, her daughter Anthea (Tuckey) Richens (1973) and other Perth College Old Girls Jill (Langford) Green (1958) and Perth College Council member Dr Jane Scott (1975). Judith reminisced about Mandurah when it was just a small village with a population of 2,000 in the early 1960s. Her sister Pamela (McCann) Whyte (1942) (dec.) also had two daughters who attended Perth College, Jennie Whyte (1969) and Susan Whyte (1972).

ANTHEA (TUCKEY) RICHENS, JILL (LANGFORD) GREEN (1958), JUDITH (MCCANN) TUCKEY (1947) AND DR JANE SCOTT (1975).

We are grateful for Judith’s loyalty to our School community via the Old Girls Association, which treasures your ongoing involvement. Perth College this year celebrates its 120th year and is proud to count Judith as one of the many remarkable women who have passed through the school gates and gone on to admirably demonstrate Capable, Courageous, Caring Perth College values.

Birthday visit from the east

We were delighted to welcome Old Girl and Bursary Scholarship recipient Karen (Pascoe) Howden (1976) back for a visit to show her around the school, through the Chapel and to see her name on the board at Myalla House. Karen was visiting Perth to celebrate the 80th birthday of her mother Eloise (Malloy) Wheatly (1955). It was a pleasure to welcome them to Myalla House, give them a tour and show them Karen’s name on the board. Karen was a recipient of the Old Girl and Bursary Scholarship in 1972. Neither of them had seen the board!

Robotham sisters feature in Perth College 120-year video

The Robotham sisters, Annetta Robotham (1962), Pauline (Robotham) Uhe (1965) and Felicity (Robotham) Bailey (1967) visited Perth College to share their memories on a video being made to celebrate 120 years of Perth College. The Robotham sisters and their children and nieces have also attended Perth College, strengthening the Perth College- Robotham bond. A fourth sister, Carol, is deceased. Annetta has worn several Perth College hats. She’s been a Perth College employee, a Perth College Council member, a generous donor and plays an active role as an Old Girl, along with her sisters. Such is their contribution that the Robotham Room at Myalla House has been named after this terrific trio!

Congratulations to Swan River Rowing Club and PC Old Girl Rebecca Bolster (2019)

PC Old Girl Rebecca Bolster (2019) (@beccy.bolster), representing WA via the Swan River Rowing Club, was in the Australian Under 21 Women’s Quad Scull (with Madeline Vagg, NSW, ACT, Tasmania), Livia Rosaia (Victoria) and Danica Free (Queensland), winning all their races in the three day Trans-Tasman Regatta in Canberra in mid-June against New Zealand. The Australians won the Rusty Robertson trophy, in memory of the late famed coach of Australian and New Zealand rowing Rusty Robertson, who died in 1990. Congratulations Beccy!

Grace Pirie (2015) makes the team

Netball Australia’s Marie Little Shield returns after a two-year corona virus induced hiatus with Perth College Old Girl Grace Pirie (2015) winning a spot on the Western Australian team.

The Marie Little Shield netball competition gives female athletes with an intellectual disability the chance to represent their State. Netball Australia’s Adam Richardson described the Marie Little Shield as one of the “most joyful events in the Netball Australia competition calendar” because it reinforces that anyone, whatever their background or ability, is welcome and can reach their full potential. The 2022 event will be held in late October at Netball Central at Olympic Park in Sydney. Congratulations Grace on making the team! We wish you a wonderful tournament.

Home Away From Home goes home to Perth College

Congratulations to Jenny Do (2021) who has had her threepart Home Away From Home artwork selected as the Principal’s Acquisition to join the Perth College Art collection. Jenny’s Home Away From Home was selected for Pulse Perspectives, a prestigious exhibition of WA’s talented young artists that was open for several months before closing on 24 July. The work captures a childhood experience of feeling abandoned by hardworking migrant parents who sacrificed time with their children for time at the jobs necessary to give their children a better life.

A portrait of justice

Melissa Clements (2016) has been commissioned by the Supreme Court of WA to paint the official portrait of the Honourable Chief Justice Peter Quinlan (above). Her work as a portrait artist echoes the traditional work of old masters, merging conventional methods with contemporary techniques to discuss modern narratives. Melissa has been a semi-finalist in the Lester Prize three times and hosted her first solo exhibition We Prepare a Face in 2020.

In 2018 Melissa completed an art residency at the New York Academy of Art and has attended summer school programs at the National Art School in Sydney. She is currently completing Honours research in Art History at the UWA. Melissa says painting the official portrait of Chief Justice Quinlan “is going to be the priority of my studio practice ... and I am really looking forward to getting behind the canvas and bringing this vision to life. I have so much gratitude to the Supreme Court and the Honourable Chief Justice for entrusting me with this responsibility … being given a job of this magnitude at this stage in my career is enormous. A huge thank you as well to the team at @thelesterprize for making this happen. I can’t wait to share the final outcome with you all.”

Junior School Drawing Competition for OGA 110 Year celebrations

Old Girls Association President Stephanie (Jennings) Fullarton (1979) attended the Junior School Assembly to farewell former Perth College Vice Principal Lynda Giglia at the end of Term Two. Stephanie was there to talk to the Junior School students about the Old Girls Association and its 110-year anniversary next year. The OGA held a drawing competition for Junior School students and the winners received their acknowledgement from Stephanie at that assembly. Those artworks will remain under wraps until next year!

Bringing characters to life in pictures

The drawings of Anne Barnetson (2002), an illustrator and bookseller, offered a window in the Claremont serial killer trial. Anne spent time in WA’s Supreme Court sketching characters central to the case.

She spoke to The West Australian’s Simon Collins about the work she did and the challenges and rewards. An excerpt from the piece, published on 31 March 2022, says: Geraldton born and raised, the illustrator and bookshop staffer was employed as a sketch artist during the Claremont serial killer trial. While it was “pretty cool” to see her quick portraits of Bradley Robert Edwards splashed on the front page of The West Australian, Ms Barnetson found the experience “intense”.

She also told reporter Simon Collins that when she entered a large drawing into the Year 12 Perspectives exhibition at the Art Gallery of WA in 2002, she had no idea she would be putting those skills to use in the courtroom less than 20 years later. She expressed unstinting gratitude to her Perth College Art teacher Janet Hummerston who, she says, has provided long-term inspiration. Anne does portraits, still-life painting, comics as well as some lettering and signwriting. She was a finalist in the 2006 Moran Portrait Prize, and her work regularly features in the news, including on Network Ten and in The West Australian newspaper. She lists her interests as reading, single malt scotch and true crime. But her dream is still to win the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.

Sustainable fashion

It’s true that not every Perth College Old Girl finds only happy memories of their school days. One old girl, Louise Boase (2019), candidly reflects that she had a rough trot, particularly in her last year of school. She says, despite feeling there was a distinct possibility that she might face the prospect of expulsion, after a conversion with Principal Helen Aguiar and other “very patient” Perth College teaching staff, she was able to finish her exams and graduate. However, things turned around for Louise. She went to university, got to study fashion, and earlier this year she became a semi-finalist in the Redress Design Award, the largest sustainable fashion competition in the world. In the end, she did not make the final nine, but was excited about being in the race to potentially become a finalist, as finalists were able to create their collections and showcase them to industry specialists in Hong Kong.