10223 yvg the link magazine oct17 aw (web)

ISSUE NO. 63 OCTOBER 2017

Ringwood, Victoria

A CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL IN THE ANGLICAN TRADITION – EARLY LEARNING TO YEAR 12

Contents From the Principal

1

Music @ YVG

2–3

Performing Arts – building a community

4–5

YVG History – Getting Started: Financing the new school

6–7

Yarra Foundation news

8 – 13

Yarra Old Grammarians news

14 – 15

Hearing Unit celebrating 45 years

16 – 17

Hearing Unit YOGs School reflections

18 – 19

Yarra Community Groups news

20 – 23

Yarra Old Grammarians – Football

24

Yarra Old Grammarians adventure story – Jaclyn Harris

25

Yarra Old Grammarians profile – Dean Watson

26 – 27

Past Staff profile – Jack Russell

28 – 29

Celebrations

30 – 31

Yarra Old Grammarians reunions

32 – 35

Help us reconnect

36 – 38

Vale

39

Calendar of Events

40

ISSUE NO. 63 OCTOBER 2017

Board Members Mrs Sarah Tipping

Chairman

FRONT COVER

Mr Richard Nicholas

Vice Chairman

Photography by Andy Brownbill

Mr Nicholas Brooke

EDITOR

Mr Michael Fung

Margaret Kimber +61 03 9262 7700 Margaret.kimber@yvg.vic.edu.au

Mr Andrew Hirst

DESIGN

Ms Laurice Temple

Tandem Design +61 03 9571 7253 www.tandemdesign.com.au

Mr Craig Watts

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Mr Hamish King Reverend Denise Nicholls

Mr Ilan Weill Dr Mark Merry

CEO/Principal

Ms Jane Macneil

Company Secretary

From the Principal Welcome to the October 2017 edition of the Link which is a celebration of the very busy life of our School.

You will note that the stories involve our students, teachers and staff, parents, friends, Foundation, Old Grammarians and benefactors who all combine to make up a very diverse and vibrant community.

This year has again seen considerable development around the campus with the near completion of the Indoor Swim Centre and the demolition of the old John Pascoe Library and Chapel in preparation for the construction of the new Research Centre and Chapel.

During the term I took Old Grammarians on their 30 and 40 year reunions on a tour of the school. Apart from being

amazed at the number and size of the new buildings they regularly lost their way as they attempted to orientate their memories with the current reality. Their school has certainly changed in a physical sense.

Since 2009 the following major projects have been either completed or are in the planning stages:

• The Early Learning Centre (ELC) • The Upper Primary Building • Foundation Hall • Renovation of the Middle School • The Sports Pavilion • The Senior School Courtyard • The Science and Mathematics Building

teaching and learning which goes on inside. Our students continue to show great enthusiasm in all that they do; their studies, community service, co-curricular and friendships and community building. All of these are important to the life of the School. There is a great quotation from Aristotle which appears in our Middle School which reads: “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all…”

• The Food Studies Centre • The Indoor Swim Centre (November 2017)

• Renovation of the George Wood Performing Arts Centre (2019).

We certainly subscribe to this view and the Link captures much of the excitement of the school year and I thank our students, staff, parents and friends for their many contributions to life at Yarra.

Of course the most important activity at the School is the

Dr Mark Merry Principal

• The Research Centre and Chapel (January 2019)

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Music @ YVG Yarra’s music program continues to improve each year, with some extraordinary talent emerging across the year levels.

This year’s Jazz in the Café was staged in Foundation Hall and once again it was a stunning success. Indeed, the Principal was moved to call it “the best Jazz in the Cafe ever”. From the swinging tunes of the Combo, the JITC debut of Project X as a full Big Band, to the infectious grooves of Zoned In to the Latin and swing from the Big Band, the capacity audience in Foundation Hall were tapping their toes all night. Arguably the highlight of the evening were our Jazz singers from Years 7–12 who sang with the All-Star Jazz Orchestra, which consisted of past students, staff, parents and senior current students. This was a pro-level band, and our student vocalists did a stunning job singing with such a wonderful big band. A couple of the many highlights on the night were the sensitive ballads performed by Ishra Ranatunge, singing Strange Fruit with the All Star Combo, and Brandon Appleby’s baritone saxophone solo on Duke Ellington’s In a

Sentimental Mood. Many thanks to the tireless volunteers of Yarra Music who set everything up. The work of Mr Nathaniel Poynter must also be acknowledged, as he prepared and directed the program for the evening, and its success was a testament to the quality and culture of the Jazz program he has built.

The Symphonic Showcase Concert held in August is a showcase of our premier instrumental ensembles: the Symphony Orchestra, the Symphonic Band and the Kreisler Strings. The winner of the Concerto Competition, Eliza Turner of Year 12, performed the famous aria Habanera from the opera Carmen with the orchestra at this concert.

The concert was staged in the round, reverse stage in the George Wood Performing Arts Centre, which gave audience members the rare opportunity to see and hear our senior ensembles up close and personal. The Symphonic Showcase is traditionally the highest standard instrumental concert of the year and featured magnificent performances of some wonderful music, including music by Copland, Beethoven, Bizet, Vivaldi, Whitacre and Reed.

Another musical highlight of the year is the annual Choral Concert.

This is a celebration of singing and all things choral at Yarra Valley Grammar. The concert offers a snapshot of the entire choral program, from our youngest choir in Grade 3 through to our largest choir, the Senior Voices. The performances from the Year 3 choir, Junior Performers and Junior Singers from the Junior School showed that the future of singing at our School is in good hands. Standout performances came from the four senior school soloists, Eve Norris of Year 11, Julia Doupe of Year 12, Piper Blake of Year 12 and co-Music Captain Blakely McLean Davies of Year 12. The performance of the Chamber Choir was a highlight, including a memorable rendition of O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridsen.

Mr Scott Templeton Director of Music

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Performing Arts – building a community The Senior School production of Godspell was performed four times (three evenings and a matinee) and played to appreciative and spellbound audiences. The positive feedback has been overwhelming and it is a wonderful sign for the Performing Arts when so many people take the time to acknowledge the work from an outstanding cast of senior students and the crew behind them.

The production of Godspell was a living example of building a community. At the beginning, it took bravery and trust from the students to audition for a show that most did not know and most were not overly excited by the title! From there the community began to grow as students across year levels built friendships and shared many experiences along the way. The students supported each other as many grappled with new skills and learnt that persistence

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and concentration pays off. The Rehearsal Camp further fostered goodwill as students and staff travelled to Melbourne to experience a demanding rehearsal schedule and to be inspired by the delights of live theatre when we attended the production of Kinky Boots.

During the holidays a dedicated group from within the Godspell cast, came in and carried over 500 pieces of scaffolding into the PAC so the building of the set could commence. When the cast returned, there was another challenge waiting for them; climbing up and down the scaffold and dancing at heights they have never done before.

Following a safety induction, the cast donned costumes and committed to a final set of dress rehearsals.

By Thursday afternoon, the community was complete; they knew what they had to do and they knew how to support each other and best of all, they loved what they were doing together.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The audience entered the PAC to a visual and auditory feast which began from the moment they entered and continued until they left. Special thanks to MOPs (Mothers of Past Students) Sue Maida for her amazing costuming skills and to Rosy Evett for her makeup mastery.

Post show is always difficult for cast and crew; everything is removed from the Theatre, you are no longer working together each week and the tiredness and the reality of the work you need to catch up on, hits you hard. But the joy of creating a community means you are forever part of that Godspell community and for the cast they know, wherever they are in the School and in the future, they have a community that will be there for them. Always.

Ms Jane Marshall Head of Drama/Director of Godspell

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YVG History – Getting Started

Financing the new school January 1964.

Land had been purchased for £52,750 and permission to build a school had been received.

Exciting? Yes! Paid for? No! Each of the ten first Council members put in £10 each which left £52,650 still to be found!

Fundraising was to give the Council its greatest concern in 1964 and this was to remain so for some years to come. The problem of money looms large in the minutes of the very first Council meeting and continued

to do so for many months to come. Council members did however have good contacts in financial circles. Bob Hughes’ contacts had been helpful in obtaining a small loan from the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society and, through Jim Hemphill, an overdraft facility had been established with the ANZ Bank. So a start was made.

It was decided to follow the lead of the recently opened Peninsular School to employ

a professional fundraising company to advise the School Council and to supervise the fundraising effort. Then, in the following months of 1964 lists of possible donors were drawn up so by July some 3,400 contacts were listed–and area meetings, each attended by a Council member, were organised. As well as this, all Council members were asked to supply a list of professional and business prospective donors.

Alan Carter, chairman of Council’s Fundraising Committee, reported that the campaign was progressing according to plan and that fundraising teams were being recruited in reasonable numbers.

The experience of Eric Dunshea was called upon. He had been president of Carey Grammar’s Council and now, despite indifferent health, became Campaign Chairman of our Fundraising Appeal, with Alan Carter as his deputy. Mr Russell Stokes MLA had consented to be president of the Appeal and

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it was hoped to raise £150,000 by the end of 1964. The door-knocking and asking that followed was demanding work and took much time from those involved. We owe a great deal to these men and also to the people who donated to them.

Still, the money and promises of money came in only slowly. As late as October donations and promises totalled a mere £46,433 and this was to come in over five years.

So it was necessary to borrow a further £300 just to meet the second instalment of what was now due to the professional fundraising company for their advice! It would have been very easy to become disheartened. A further loan was arranged with a consortium of life insurance associations but in March 1965 Mr Stokes resigned as president of the School Appeal Fund fearful that the Council was over committing itself and was destined to end up insolvent.

With only £85,500 raised, the fundraising could not end in

December as had been forecast but continued for another twelve months as a Follow-On Appeal with Dr Doug Lucas as chairman. The sum raised had grown to £92,000 in May and to £102,965 by December.

When classes commenced in February 1966 the sum was £103,983 and Dr Lucas reported that it was unlikely that this figure would grow very much higher. Council thanked him for his very considerable efforts.

As enrolments were a little lower than expected in 1966, money remained a problem throughout the next few years.

Happily however, enrolments for future years were quite strong and a waiting list was able to be formed for all year levels from 1970 onwards. So, by 1969 the School was able to report a balanced budget and to look forward to a promising future.

Levavi Oculos!

Mr John Close Archivist

Premises occupied by the First Building Appeal Committee Feb 1964 or six weeks the Committee operated from an office in the F premises of Mr Bill Patterson’s Ford dealership in Ringwood.

Mar – Dec 1964 y courtesy of Mr J S Lee, two rooms, rent-free, were occupied B upstairs at Lee Court, 87 Main Street, Croydon. (Today the ground floor is occupied by a Toyworld store). Mrs Betty Janice Scott commenced work as a stenographer at a salary of seventeen pounds per week and from 14 August Mrs Myrl Hoskin (later Mrs Myrl Rebboh) took over that position.

Dec 1964 – Jan 1965 Joan’s Hat Shop, Croydon (Exact location unknown).

Jan 1965 n office was rented in the building at the corner of Main and A Devon Streets, Croydon occupied by the pharmacists, D G Grey and Burns. Remarkably, today’s pharmacist, Mr Jim Burns, still owns and runs the business and he remembers Robin Clarke and John Pascoe well.

Mar 1965 he Appeal Office was moved two doors down Devon Street to the T premises of C W Stirling & Co. Croydon which is now occupied by Gordon’s Books. From September, Mrs Hoskin was joined there by the new Headmaster, Mr John Pascoe.

Dec 1965 he Headmaster and his secretary moved from Croydon into what T had been the site office for the builders of the new school and which was soon to become the Year 7B classroom.

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Yarra Foundation news

President’s report 2017 has been a busy time for the Yarra Foundation with many new Associate and Full members showing their support. Over half of current Yarra parents are members, supporting the Yarra Foundation through the voluntary term giving program, which is a wonderful result.

Earlier this year, one of those new Full members wrote to me and I thought it summed up how we all feel about our School. So I have reproduced it below, removing any names: Dear Mr Pratt, Thank you so much for your letter of congratulations extended to our daughter, on her significant achievements at Yarra Valley Grammar last year.

It has been a particular pleasure to watch her thrive at Yarra Valley Grammar. The School has proven to not only be a place of academic excellence, but also a

place where wonderful cultural, sporting and community events have contributed to the overall quality Yarra experience. Even though my daughter has now moved on to university studies, she will always consider herself to be a Yarra Girl at heart, and deeply values the foundations that have been laid during her secondary schooling years.

We are aware that great schools like Yarra Valley Grammar don’t just happen, and acknowledge that the quality of educational experiences offered by Yarra are significantly contributed to by the

Yarra Foundation. We salute you and your team for your time and tireless effort given for the purpose of enhancing the ongoing development of the School.

It is our pleasure to contribute to the 2017 Mid-Year Appeal for the Yarra Foundation. Please find enclosed a cheque as an acknowledgement of our ongoing support for the School and in appreciation of your effort.

We wish the Yarra Foundation all the best in its endeavours on behalf of the School.

As you can see, the above letter highlights why we are members of the Yarra Foundation and its importance for the School’s future.

Mr Gary Pratt Yarra Foundation President

How to become a Foundation member The aim of membership is to give everyone the opportunity to support The Foundation Building Fund at a level they are comfortable with and fully tax deductable donations at all levels are most welcome.

Associate membership begins at $100 and can easily be made each term with your school fees.

Already more than 50% of current families have joined!

Full Foundation membership begins at Bronze level, commencing at $1,000.

Please contact the Development Office 03 9262 7717 or email development@yvg.vic.edu.au if you wish to know how you can become involved.

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Creating a legacy…

Since its establishment in 1966, Yarra Valley Grammar owes much to the generosity of its many supporters for contributions in time, effort and money. These contributions are vital for the life of the School.

for the estate. Donors have the satisfaction of knowing that their bequest will support the Yarra Valley Grammar community in the way they intended, thus creating an enduring legacy.

Bequests are an option for those who would like to make a considerable impact to the School but feel that they do not have the financial means to do so during their lifetime. It provides the opportunity to make a much larger gift so philanthropic goals can be achieved, whilst also offering financial benefits

If you are considering leaving a bequest to the School in your Will, please contact the Development Office for more information.

New Foundation members Thank you to the following Yarra Valley Grammar Foundation members who have joined this year as part of our Voluntary Giving program and Mid-Year Appeal. Your support enables the Yarra Foundation to resource the School for its future success, while still providing immediate benefits for our current students and families.

Mr Michael and Mrs Sylvia Dwerryhouse

Mr Jun Ma and Ms Ying Li

Dr Anand and Dr Sumita Singh

Mr Chris and Mrs Kylie Fenelon

Mr Sorin and Mrs Carmen Marginean

Mr Sukhpal Singh and Ms Kiran Brar

Mr Gary Gao and Ms Iris Bao

Mr Stephen Marlow and Ms Cathy Hainslin

Mr Keir and Mrs Tracey Smith

Mr Neil Garfirth

Ms Ali Martin

Mr Xiuquan Song

Mr Ken and Mrs Lisa Burchett

Mr Dong An and Mrs Carrie Chen

Mr Vic and Mrs Viv Giannoccaro

Mr Ian and Mrs Anne McLeod

Mr Rongqiony Sun and Mrs Yiping Jin

Mr Rong Chen and Ms Lei Sun

Mr Pankaj and Mrs Gagan Arora

Mr Loris and Mrs Kelly Giorlando

Mr Walter McNally and Dr Jennifer Took

Mr Bin Sun and Mrs Jin Ma

Mr Ken Cheng and Ms Kelly Ding

Mr Rohan Atherton and Ms Meghan Butterfield

Mr Ben Gu and Dr Yunxia Yang

Mr Scott Meehan

Ms Millie Swann

Mr Linshan He and Mrs Melody Zeng

Mr Rachid Talakakine and Ms Jodie Waterhouse

Mr Michael and Mrs Rowena Digweed

Dr Atheel Badir and Dr Sunbula Shaheen

Mr Thushan Munasinghe and Ms Daminga Wimalarathne

Mr Kit Brooke

Mr David Hearn and Mrs Lily Zhang

Mr Andy and Mrs Anita Mutton

Mr Anthony and Mrs Stephanie Holman

Mr Fairu and Mrs Nicole Nasution

Mr Ryan Hood and Mrs Elena Sardi

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Mr Kimani Adil and Ms Hina Pasha-Adil Mr Peter and Dr Fiona Alderson Mr Manuel and Ms Carolyn Alonso

Mr Max Brooke Ms Samantha Brooke Mr Jason Brown and Mrs Renny Koerner-Brown Mr Manar Bushnaq and Mrs Wissam Al Azzeh Mr Craig and Mrs Lauren Butcher Mr David and Mrs Clare Chan Mr Weiqiang Chen and Mrs Chenfang Wu Mr Jason Chen and Ms Heang Srey Mr Qiulin and Mrs Xiufeng Chen Mr Yum Po Cheng and Ms Hongyi Qi Mr Yik Weng Cheong and Ms Grace Chee Mr Ricky Cheung and Ms Linda Huang Mr David and Mrs Melinda Coulson Mr Gideon Culican and Dr Alison Greenway Mr James and Mrs Louise Cuthbertson Mr Roland Dana and Mrs Divya Gupta Mr Stuart and Mrs Susan Dorrington

Mr Jayson and Mrs Lisa Tolley Mr Michael and Mrs Nicole Turner

BRONZE MEMBERS Mr Paul and Mrs Naomi Baulch Mr Andrew and Mrs Davia Brown

Mr Richard and Mrs Lisa Grounds Mr Todd and Mrs Sam Ireland

Ms Yope Vagenas

Mr Mark and Mrs Leanne Lewis

Dr Thach Nguyen and Dr Ly Tran

Mr Rory and Mrs Jane Wainer

Mr John Lu and Mrs Jessica Qiu

Mr Andrew and Mrs Jacqui Howey

Mr Wulin Ni and Mrs Yimei Gu

Mr David Wallis and Dr Anika Nihill

Mr Peter and Mrs Chitra Mazzei

Mr Zhen Hui Hua and Mrs Ping Li

Mr Marc Nicholls and Ms Marita Nlawlor

Mr Alex and Mrs Mavis Wan

Mr Peter Bromley and Ms Jane Olsen

Mr John and Dr Helen Jacobe

Mr Brett and Mrs Nicole O’Toole

Mr Weiyang Wang and Ms Heping Hu

Mr Jonathan and Mrs Sharon Perry

Ms Xili Jin Mr Anthony Jones and Mrs Megan Rothwell-Jones

Mr Mark Palmer and Mrs Sharron CzigledyPalmer

Mr Bruce and Mrs Janina White

Mr Matthew and Mrs Blaire Redgrove

Mr Shane Jones and Mrs Kristie Spencer-Jones

Mr Scott and Mrs Anne Palmer

Mr Mark Wohlers and Ms Victoria McNeil

Mr Trevor and Mrs Lisa Scott

Mr Rob and Mrs Jacinta Podolak

Mrs Aihua Wu

Mr Andrew and Mrs Lisa Keleher

Mr Peter and Mrs Paula Scott

Mr Frank Koot and Ms Esther Schouten

Mr Matt and Mrs Melanie Povey

Mr Michael Lee and Dr Nicole Goh

Mr Lou and Mrs Melissa Primavera

Mr Liang Li and Ms Ivy Cao

Mr Corey and Mrs Paula Raabe

Mr Robert Lin and Mrs Wendy Wong

Mr Darren and Mrs Ingrid Ross

Mr Jian Liu and Ms Jian Li

Ms Heather Saunders and Ms Jenny Patterson

Mr Qinwei Liu and Mrs Lifang Xu

Mr Malcolm and Mrs Amanda Schapel

Mr Jian Zhang and Mrs Felicia Zhou

Mr Marcus and Mrs Mary-Anne Lowe

Mr Damian and Mrs Jade Shoppee

Mr Min and Mrs Shuo Zhang

Mr George Lu and Ms Amber Liu

Dr Neil and Dr Aileen Shuey

Mr Con and Mrs Mandy Zoumboukos

Mr Yong Xu and Ms Kathy Liu Mr Ben Xue and Ms Sarah Xu Mr Zhuang Yan and Ms Yunqi Chen Mr Baolin Yang and Ms Jun Liang Mr James Yu and Mrs Jiang Wu Mr Le Yu and Ms Yu Peng

Mr Guy and Mrs Kylie Thomas Dr Ranil Uduwela and Dr Charitha Ranasinghe Dr Chris and Mrs Helen Webb Mr Brett and Mrs Robyn Wilson Mr David Yang and Ms Qing Li Mr Martyn and Mrs Kelly Young Mr Xinmin Zhao and Ms Maozhen Gong SILVER MEMBER Ms Amy Pitt

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Yarra Foundation news

Foundation member profile Diana Fayle and family

Introducing the Fayle family, who have been part of the Yarra community since 2008.

Diana please tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

Peter is a Laboratory Manager at the Angliss Hospital at Ferntree Gully. I am a Sales and Marketing Account Manager at Carrington Health in Box Hill, and also run my own home business. We have three children – James from the class of 2014 who is now 21, Emma is 17 and in Year 11 and Tom is almost 13 and in Year 7. We became part of the Yarra community in 2008 when James started at the School, and we love being involved in the various activities that Yarra offers.

How did you first learn about Yarra Foundation? What made you first join and contribute?

We attended several Foundation dinners which we enjoyed very much. We received information about the Foundation from a variety of sources and as we had other children coming through the School we thought it was important to be a part of it.

There were many reasons why we wanted our children to go to Yarra, not only for the excellent education they receive but also for the wonderful facilities and opportunities they have access to. The Foundation has been instrumental in providing many of these facilities that benefit our children and we want to give back to the Foundation and the School so that students in the future can continue to enjoy what our children do today.

With the demands of a busy family and work life many of us are time poor and yet being involved can be so rewarding.

Other than contributing to the Yarra Foundation I see you involved in many other aspects of Yarra life.

Although I work full time, I am involved with the Yarra P&F and am also one of the Year Level Reps for Years 7 and 11, and in the past have also helped out with the School fete and the second hand uniform shop.

I get a great deal of enjoyment from these activities and enjoy the involvement with the School community and other parents. I would encourage anyone who is thinking about finding out what the Yarra spirit is about to put their hand up and join in. It doesn’t take much time, everyone is welcome and it is very rewarding!

Thanks for your time and sharing your experiences Diana!

Mid-Year Appeal Yarra Foundation is delighted to announce a record year in 2017 for participation in the Mid-Year Appeal. A total of $34,700 was raised for: • I nnovative digital and traditional material for the new Research Centre • Hearing Unit scholarships • T he Yarra Foundation Building Fund which supports our innovative learning and teaching facilities.

We would like to thank our community for their generous support and participation.

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CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE: Mr Paul and Mrs Naomi Baulch Mr Nick Brooke Mr Kit Brooke Mr Max Brooke Ms Samantha Brooke Mr Rich and Mrs Rosie Brown Mr Ken and Mrs Lisa Burchett Mr John and Mrs Janet Calvert-Jones Mr Bryan Chau and Ms Sheila Lau Mr Quilin and Mrs Xiufeng Chen Mr Jason Chen and Ms Heang Srey Mr Ken Cheng and Ms Kelly Ding Mr Yum Po Cheng and Mrs Hongyi Qi Mr Ricky Cheung and Ms Linda Huang Mr Lemuel Dana and Mrs Angelina Tan-Dana

Mr Karl and Mrs Rachel Davis Mr Graydon and Mrs Danielle Dobson Mr Michael and Mrs Sylvia Dwerryhouse Mr Robert and Mrs Kerrie Dykstra Mr Andrew Fleming The Calvert-Jones Foundation Mr Ian and Mrs Jacqui Garbett Mr Steven and Mrs Sandra Gilbert Mr Richard and Mrs Lisa Grounds Mr Ben Gu and Dr Yunxia Yang Mr Ian and Mrs Julie Hall Mr Sam He and Ms Cathy Li Mr David Hearn and Mrs Lily Zhang Mr Anthony and Mrs Stephanie Holman Mr John and Mrs Lesley Hubbard

Mr Andrew and Mrs Margaret Lawrence Mr Chris and Mrs Jan Lawson Mr Liang Li and Ms Ivy Cao Mr Neville Lyngcoln Mr Sean and Mrs Johanna Maguire Mr Peter and Mrs Chitra Mazzei Mr Ian and Mrs Margaret McKellar Mr Scott Meehan Dr Mark and Mrs Manuela Merry Mr Andrew Molnar and Ms Samantha Dummett Mr Wulin Ni and Mrs Yimei Gu Mr Vas and Mrs Maria Niksic Mr Peter Bromley and Ms Jane Olsen Mr Scott and Mrs Anne Palmer Ms Amy Pitt Mr Michael Potthoff and Ms Vicki Brown

Mr Gary and Mrs Trisha Pratt Mr R Campbell Rivington Ms Jenny Rolleston Mr David Sandbach Mr Hiroki and Mrs Mihoko Sato Mr Malcolm and Mrs Amanda Schapel Mr Peter and Mrs Paula Scott Mr Andris and Mrs Carole Seja Mr Peter and Mrs Joan Selby Smith Mr John and Mrs Pam Sharwood Mr Henry Speagle Mr Brett and Mrs Robyn Wilson Mr George and Mrs Elizabeth Wood Mr Ben Xue and Ms Sarah Xu Mr Martyn and Mrs Kelly Young Mr Chun and Mrs Fan Zhang Plus Anonymous

Chef Experience On Thursday 4 May, our wonderfully equipped Food Tech Centre was turned into an Italian trattoria when The Yarra Foundation hosted its inaugural themed Chef Experience.

A fabulous atmosphere was created with the help of some Italian paraphernalia, mood lighting, some Italian music and a drop or two of Italian wine.

We were lucky enough to have two experienced chefs from local Warran Glen Garden Centre & Café; George Santalucia and Massimo Lunetta who taught thirty enthusiastic participants chef’s secret for the perfect mushroom and black truffle risotto followed by vanilla bean panna-cotta with berry coulis. Once cooked, the budding chefs were able to enjoy their expertly prepared dishes, washed down with a stunning Chianti wine.

The highlights of the evening, apart from the secrets learned and the delicious food, were Andrew Lawrence expertly keeping things moving along with his comedic repartee (who

knew?); and learning that Chris Lawson (Deputy PrincipalHead of Junior School) is, according to his wife, a dab-hand at cooking and it’s his idea of relaxation.

It was good to see parents, staff, Yarra Old Grammarians (YOGs) and past parents come together for an evening of fine Italian food, wine and excellent company. The Yarra Foundation would like to take this opportunity to thank Nick Katis of Warran Glen Garden Centre & Café for all his support.

And coming soon is the Winery Experience Sunday 29 October Coldstream Hills Winery The afternoon will commence with an introduction by winemaker, Andrew Fleming followed by a tour of the winery and a tasting in the barrel cellar.

Wine, accompanied with food platters will be served on the lawn overlooking the spectacular Amphitheatre Vineyard.

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Yarra Foundation news

The impact of giving For the first half of my life I took just about everything for granted, we can all be guilty of that. Within two months of arriving in Australia 30 years ago, I met a young man called Andrew White through my work, who befriended my husband and me and helped us to integrate into Australia.

He was a very impressive young man, and on meeting his parents not long after, I made comment of it. His mother told me how her twins Andrew and Clinton were very good tennis players, and that their high school had a wonderful sporting culture. This was the first time I heard the name Yarra Valley Grammar Anglican School, and they were so enthusiastic about this school that the name stuck.

Having been educated in Europe at a very old, albeit beautiful, traditional school, I took all the history of it for granted, never gave a thought to the Founder, even though I knew we had one as his name was on a statue in the gardens.

Listening to this family wax lyrical about this still new school set in beautiful surrounds with a great aspect looking out towards the hills, his sons Andrew and Clinton left in 1981. Andrew was Dux but I don’t think I had ever heard anyone talk about their school like that before or if I had, I hadn’t paid much attention.

Then came the day when we had to think about schools; I did my due diligence and checked out lots of schools, then I came to Yarra, which I had purposely left til last.

We had our 4 year old son with us when we first came and I was super impressed with their LOTE (Languages Other Than English) Department, and trying to be adult about these things, I felt sure I was asking all the right questions. But our four year old had other ideas, he was mesmerised by the Performing

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Arts Centre (PAC), which was also only four years old. It turns out Martin was imagining seeing the Wiggles and Don Spencer in there! Well, it was a done deal.

Little did I know at that time how much the PAC would come to mean to not only Martin but myself as well.

The George Wood PAC is many things to many people. Since it’s opening in 1991 it is where the Assemblies are held, Musical Concerts and Performances, Presentations and Award nights,

Information nights, Art shows, Devonshire Teas, Foundation dinners and Memorial Services.

It is hired out to other schools for a variety of shows and performances, but most of all and for what it best shows off, since 1991, it is where every School Production has been performed.

As a parent, I volunteered to help with the make-up for these productions as this was a real passion of mine. Since Martin left back in 2009, I feel very

privileged to have been able to continue to volunteer to help at every production since – I feel part of the Yarra family and so it felt only natural for me to stay involved. The productions to me, show the fabric of the Yarra Spirit, with many students, staff and parents working together, going above and beyond to produce shows of energy, creativity and passion; nurturing incredible talent.

When I reflect on this I cannot take for granted the vision of

those who came before us. They felt this was such an important and integral building the School had to have. The Yarra Foundation was formed specifically to fundraise to make the PAC a reality. I have bumped into Yarra Valley Grammar families all over the place and on the other side of the world, but the thing that always surprises me is, that people who don’t have a connection to the School have all heard or know of it by the George Wood Performing Art Centre.

I do not take the impact of giving for granted and I decided I would like to give back. By joining the committee of Yarra Foundation, I can play a small role in the future of Yarra. A future that I know shows vision, just like those that came before us.

The PAC is now 26 years old, the same age as my son Martin.

Mrs Rosy Evett Yarra Foundation

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Yarra Old Grammarians news

President’s report

us all to enjoy the benefits and pride of being a YOG.

We are having a great year and have begun introducing many new initiatives to our Yarra Old Grammarian events.

It has been great to see so many YOGs involved back at Yarra for these various events, whether it has been coming along to the School or helping us organise events and come up with some great ideas for new ones.

We have had a busy run already as we ran our first ever YOG Speed Careering event, which saw 30 YOGs returning to the School to provide valuable career insight to the Year 10 students ahead of their VCE subject selections. Shortly after that we were involved in the first Yarra Public Lecture, where Professor David Jamieson (YOG 1975) discussed the mind bending concepts of Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity: Light, Space and Time. This

event had over 100 students, staff and parents attend not only from Yarra but also from some of our neighbouring schools.

And another first for 2017 will be A Day at the Races. We are hosting this event at the Yarra Glen Racecourse on Cox Plate Day, Saturday 28 October, and inviting all of the Yarra community to come along and make this a fantastic day of country races fun. We already have almost 100 people from our community booked in and we hope to make this an annual event so come along with your Yarra friends and family to help us get it started! You can find out more information about this day at yvg.vic.edu.au/races.

We are looking forward to our annual YOG Year 12 Breakfast at the School on Friday 20 October in Foundation Hall to welcome the 2017 cohort into our YOG fold, with over 150 new graduates joining at the end of this year.

If you believe any of your fellow YOGs are missing out on our news and events throughout the year, please encourage them to update their details on the School website so we can stay in touch. Did you know that we have over 8,000 members? But unfortunately we are not in contact with them all – one of our primary goals is to reconnect with YOGs to enable

We always love to hear from you, whether you are interested in helping on the committee, offering work experience, volunteering to help at the RCH Good Friday Appeal, coming along to A Day at the Races, being featured in the Link, suggesting a new initiative or even running one yourself. All feedback is welcome, simply send it through to yog@yvg.vic. edu.au and let’s see what an amazing year we can build together.

I look forward to running into you at a YOG event sometime soon.

Mr Rod Penaluna President Yarra Old Grammarians

YOGs getting involved This year, Year 10 students from Yarra Valley Grammar had work experience adventures that spanned across cities throughout Australia, several involving YOGs. I was fortunate enough to be invited to an architecture firm at the heart of Melbourne.

Dressing in work attire and heading into the city each morning gave me a real experience of the hustle of a working life. The firm I went to

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for the week had designed structures from Eastland shopping centres to the breath-taking Doha International Airport. As soon I entered the firm I began to understand the atmosphere of a real-world working environment, and from

then, it was pen to paper.

Fortunately for me, my mentor for the week was Lauren Waddell (YOG 2010), People and Culture Coordinator at the Buchan Group.

Lauren showed me around the impressive firm, and then assigned me to a project of my own – the design and development of a yacht club nestled along the Docklands Boulevard. I began to calculate dimensions and brainstorm concepts to re-create the building starting from initial concepts right through to finished designs. Working hand-in-hand in an open-plan workspace filled with 100 architects, my imagination of the possibilities for design grew. It quickly became evident to me

that there are no limitations on design, but that is really only the beginning.

I came home from work experience excited and exhausted. But if there’s one thing I discovered, it’s that I really can design my future.

Dylan McCaffrey, Year 10

YOG Speed Careering On Friday 28 July the Yarra Old Grammarians held their first ever YOG Speed Careering event. This gave YOGs the opportunity to share their career journeys and some general career advice to small groups of Yarra Year 10 students.

There were approximately six students in each group, and the groups rotated every ten minutes. This informal and honest chat gave students the opportunity to ask about their journeys since Yarra and any specific questions about their industry or field of expertise.

The event was scheduled just before the students needed to make Year 11/12 subject choices and aimed to give them some real advice and assist with some of their decisions.

A very big thank you to our YOGs who generously donated their time and were able to participate on the day to provide their invaluable insight to the Yarra students:

Jonathon Adam (YOG 2006): Digital IT

Luke Gillies (YOG 1999): Retail, family business, franchises

Rod Penaluna (YOG 1990): Entrepreneurship, sales

Danielle Benson (YOG 1981): Photography (previously Chef)

Victoria Goddard (YOG 1981): Property development, entrepreneurship

Trent Roberts (YOG 1992): Writing

Christian Bird (YOG 2010): Corporate law Howard Brenchley (YOG 1971): Investment management Carrie Edwards-Britt (YOG 1999): Business and importing Grant Brooke (YOG 1974): Entrepreneurship Nick Buttner (YOG 2001): Law, energy, resources Nikki Carroll (YOG 1996): Law Kristen Collins (YOG 1992): International development, business management, leadership Richard Cooke (YOG 1980): Graphic design Samantha Dove (YOG 1991): Events management Dr Chris Fildes (YOG 1971): Medicine Andrew Gaythorpe (YOG 1982): Retail, supply chain, consultancy

Anil Gupta (YOG 1984): MRI, CT, business Quok Ho (YOG 2001): Engineering, land development and water resources Jeremy Irvine (YOG 1992): Politics, PR, industry association management Rachel Jones (YOG 2001): PR, politics Graham Kerr (YOG 1994): Banking David Kitchen (YOG 1998): Politics and government (previously RAAF) Paul Nixon (YOG 1994): IT Christopher Nugent (YOG 2001): Enterprise, government IT consulting Bent Otter (YOG 1999): Accountancy Stephanie Pannach (YOG 2002): Education

Andrew Selby (YOG 1994): Engineering, embedded systems, audio processing, coding Damien Smith (YOG 1998): Insurance, finance The feedback we have received from students and YOG alike has been sensational – a great way to get useful career insights and advice; and a fabulous way to contribute back to Yarra.

After the success of this year’s event, we are planning to run a similar event in 2018. If any of our YOGs are interested in being a part of this event for next year, you can fill out the online form to express your interest at www.yvg.vic.edu.au/ our-community/YOG/yogspeed-careering and we will contact you with further information closer to the event.

www.yvg.vic.edu.au | ISSUE NO. 63 OCTOBER 2017 | 15

Hearing Unit

Celebrating 45 years This year, the Hearing Unit celebrates 45 years as a leading education model for the integration of hearing impaired students into Victorian classrooms. An honour board has been created to recognise the Citizenship awards that are bestowed on a Hearing Unit student each year through a generous gift from the McLarty family. Ms Jenny Rolleston, former Head of the Hearing Unit unveiled the board during a special luncheon held in the Hearing Unit.

A brief history In 1967 Nancy John was approached for advice by two sets of parents, the CalvertJones and Jones each with hearing impaired toddlers.

Nancy, herself the mother of a hearing impaired daughter, had established a kindergarten and then Ewing House to pioneer oral language education in Australia. In the following year, 1968 she established the Advisory Council for Children with Impaired Hearing and met two more families, the Martins and Dorringtons who also had hearing impaired sons.

Advice was taken from Professor Ian Taylor of Manchester that a small Hearing Unit would be the best educational placement for the children of these four families.

At that time integration of hearing impaired children into mainstream schools was a new and challenging idea but Mrs John approached our first Headmaster, John Pascoe and was delighted to find that his response was enthusiastic, as was that of his staff.

Our School Council agreed to establish a Unit but the Advisory Council had to take full responsibility for the building and running costs of this unit for the next ten years. The four families had to underwrite the costs to keep the Advisory Council free from undue risk.

This was an enormous undertaking for the families.

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Each family had to contribute $3,000 to commence the building and to agree to pay the salaries of the Unit’s teachers.

The Commonwealth Government did make a contribution to the building but the parents had to agree to repay that contribution should the Unit fail within ten years.

Fortunately, the Unit was a success and by 1974 our School had itself undertaken to pay one half of a teacher’s salary and there was a government contribution also.

Later, in 1985 the School took full financial responsibility for running the Unit. We owe a debt of thanks to the founding parents whose financial contribution (they also set up a bursary) was great, but who also spent a very great deal of time

and effort in the planning and organisation of the Unit.

In late 1971, the four boys under the charge of Ms Mim Davidson came to Yarra Valley and the Advisory Council sent Mr Bill Robinson to the University of Manchester to undertake advanced studies in Education of the Deaf. He returned late in 1972 to take charge of the newly built and opened Hearing Unit. Yarra Valley then became the only mainstream school in the State to have a recognised program for hearing impaired children.

Bill remained in charge of the Unit until the end of 1982 and it flourished under his leadership.

He played a large role in establishing it firmly within the School and in gaining recognition for it throughout

Australia. His successor, Mrs Lyn Walker was to remain in charge until 1990.

Several milestones occurred during the 1980s. Fiona Marke became our first female student in 1983 and in 1984 Robert Jones became our first student to graduate through Year 12. In 1986, Robert Adam became the first Unit student to be appointed as a Prefect and Alistair Iles became the first to become Dux of the School.

Alistair was later to win a Menzies Scholarship to study a Masters in Environmental Law at Harvard University and then was awarded a Doctorate of Laws there. Ms Jenny Rolleston was appointed to take charge of the Unit in 1991 and the milestones continued. Andrew

Selby-Smith became our first captain of an Open Sports Team (Cross Country) in 1993 and in 1994 he became the first to win the Margaret Deniston Clarke Award.

The new Hearing Unit building was opened in 1998 and, fittingly, was named after Nancy John. In 2000 Jarrett Lee became the first Unit student to enrol in our Certificate IV Art and Design course and in 2002 Nat Stewart became the first to win a Faculty prize (Business Award).

Mrs Julie Gillespie was appointed as Head of the Hearing Unit in 2005 and remained in that position until 2011 when she was succeeded

by Ms Kathleen De Zwart. In 2011, Mrs Maureen Chamberlin completed 30 years as a staff member of the Unit and in 2014 Mr Ian Saynor became the new Head of the Unit.

Last year, Sam McLarty was nominated as co-Captain of the School, the first Hearing Unit student to do so and Lakshitha Wethasinghe was elected as a School Prefect. Sam also

achieved his dream of being drafted into the AFL with a selection offer from Collingwood Football Club. 2016 was also a special year with a generous bequest made from Mrs Jill Presser, a long-time friend of the Hearing Unit. A significant sum was presented to the School from her estate and will be used to establish a scholarship to assist Hearing Unit students and their families with tuition costs.

In 2017, the Unit has twenty three students across the year levels including two Preps.

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Hearing Unit

YOGs School reflections To celebrate the Hearing Unit’s 45th birthday we thought it fitting to interview some of the original students and get their perspective on their revolutionary education.

James Calvert-Jones (YOG 1985) James was one of the foundation students of the Hearing Unit, his parents were the first to propose the idea with the very new School Headmaster. He is now Patron of the Hearing Unit.

Can you recall how it felt joining the new school and being part of the new Hearing Unit?

I was very excited to go to Yarra Valley, we were able to wear the big old fashion hearing aid box with straps on the front of my new school uniform. I remember it being a very positive experience.

How did the classroom integration with other students go?

Hard at first, everything was so new to me. Over time I made friends during the school recess and lunchtime, which allowed me to further these friendships in the classroom. Which meant we could assist each other is class, a very supportive environment.

Do you have any favourite memories of your time at Yarra?

All sport activities, meeting new friends and we still stay in touch to this day.

What do you believe is the most important benefit of the Hearing Unit?

The teachers, learning to hear and speak properly without sign language. The facilities the Hearing Unit has to offer, giving the students the same

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opportunities as all other students to learn in every capacity.

As Patron of the Hearing Unit, what do you see as the priorities for its future?

School Exchange, giving the students an opportunity to go abroad and experience living with another family in a foreign country. Perhaps with another school that has similar Hearing Unit facilities.

I think it is important for learning to be seamless. The School should be equipped with all the latest technology. Giving the students equal opportunities and a supportive, encouraging environment for them to build confidence to take with them through the future.

Rob Jones (YOG 1983) Rob was also a foundation student of the Hearing Unit and part of the revolutionary concept of integrating hearing impaired students into the classroom for the first time.

Can you recall how it felt joining the School and being part of the new Hearing Unit?

It was an exciting time to start at Yarra Valley. The four of us had been attending pre-school together for about two years and we had two teachers of the deaf supporting us. I remember the first Hearing Unit room was a Ladies Change Room behind the tuckshop. This was our room until mid-1972 when the new Hearing Unit building was ready for us to use, which was another exciting time.

How did the classroom integration with other students go?

How did you go leaving Yarra and starting at university/the workplace?

In hindsight, it was very hard to keep up with the classroom especially when the teacher was not using the blackboard. In the early years, I remember the teacher reading stories aloud to the classroom and it was very hard to follow and I would lose interest. Then I would get in trouble for not showing interest and being a little kid, I didn’t know how to tell the teacher of the deaf why I could not follow the story telling. One of the worst periods of the week was assembly as I just had no idea what the Headmaster (in his big black gown) was talking about to a large number of students.

The teacher of the deaf would then tell me to watch him but I still couldn’t follow him.

However, I was treated like everyone else in the classroom.

I do remember getting into trouble for not paying attention or not handing in homework so there was no special treatment.

I went to university to study accounting and it was a big change in my life as I had spent 13 years at Yarra Valley and had support from the teachers of the deaf and other teachers. At university, I was virtually on my own with only a note-taker who only took notes during lectures.

I was fortunate to select the right course and also enjoyed university life.

What were the highlights of your time at Yarra?

The main highlight of my time was completing my education successfully and paving the way for other deaf/hearing impaired students. What I did not know at that time, the future of the Hearing Unit was at stake.

What are you doing now?

After three years at university, I started working for the Australian Taxation Office and I am still employed there. Over the years, I have had various jobs in different sections in the office with the majority in compliance case work. The office has been good to me over the years with equal opportunity and access. With the advancement of technology, such as emails, mobile phones, iPads, laptops, I have been able to be more self-sufficient in my job.

In the first few years, I had to rely on work colleagues to talk on the telephone on my behalf and this can be difficult for everyone at the workplace. Then the National Relay Service came into existence in the 90s and I

was able to make telephone calls independently. Recently, I have used Ai Live Media where the deaf/hearing impaired can have greater access to teleconferences, telephone hook-ups and training courses/ seminars which has been very helpful in my professional development.

I have made some friends for life through Yarra Valley. Some of us have an annual golf weekend in the country which we all look forward to catch up with each other.

Finally, do you have any advice for today’s Hearing Unit students?

Can you recall how it felt joining the School and being part of the new Hearing Unit?

I don’t have many clear memories of starting at Yarra as I was only five years old at the time! But my strongest memory was of my teacher, Mrs Cherry.

She made sure I learnt the names of all the boys in my class on that first day. Names are particularly difficult for hearing impaired people to catch, and that simple act got me off to a great start.

How did the integration into the classroom with other students go?

To overcome the barriers in your life, it takes courage, determination and perseverance to overcome them and having a good sense of humour does help too.

The Hearing Unit philosophy behind integrating us into the regular classroom remains unchanged to this day. HU staff efforts were directed into ensuring we were keeping up with our peers. This integration model was brilliantly successful.

Andrew Selby (YOG 1994)

What were the highlights of your time at Yarra?

Andrew Selby started at Yarra Valley Grammar in 1981, nine years after the formation of the Hearing Unit. He went on to be awarded the Margaret Denniston Clarke award for academic and general excellence in his final year at Yarra. He has a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)/Science and Masters in Electrical Engineering.

I particularly enjoyed the Outdoor Education program.

We had trips away walking, skiing and climbing. I would go climbing with the Outdoor Ed staff – Roger Fenwick and Nick Carlson. I kept up the passion by joining the Mountaineering Club at Melbourne University when I studied there.

How did you go leaving Yarra and starting at university?

University was very different from Yarra. I found it very difficult, very stressful. I had note-taker support but it wasn’t as good plus the environment was so much harder. My method of dealing with the stress was to run regularly. I had many good friends through the Mountaineering Club, and had many good times with MUMC. I also joined the Athletics Club in my final year, and trained and competed with them. I still love to run, all distances; short, medium, long, marathons, even ultra-marathons. For me running is the best stress-buster.

What are you doing now?

I completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)/Science at Melbourne University, followed later by a Masters in Electrical Engineering at RMIT. I worked in various forms of consulting engineering and the public service, and now work for Cirrus Logic developing audio processing algorithms for consumer devices. I have also been involved in a deaf youth support group, Hear for You, mentoring young deaf people.

I really enjoyed mentoring deaf kids, and helping them develop confidence in who they are and learn to succeed in the mainstream community. I had a

cochlear implant when I was 26, and that made a huge and immediate difference.

My university years and early career were very difficult and stressful, but I hope that sharing my experiences will help make someone else’s journey a little easier.

I met my partner, Lizzie Goldstraw, through mutual friends in 2013 and we now have a six month old baby boy named Angus, or Gus for short.

In a strange coincidence, Lizzie’s father, Bill Goldstraw, who passed away in 1995, also taught at Yarra and I remember him clearly. He was the person responsible (or irresponsible!) for landing his Tiger Moth aircraft on the Patterson Oval.

Lizzie’s brother Tom (YOG 2001) also went to Yarra.

Finally, do you have any advice for today’s Hearing Unit students?

Yes, three important things: 1. Be comfortable being who you are 2. Try learning Auslan – you’ll find that other people can be keen to learn it too!

3. Check out the deaf community, and have deaf or hearing impaired friends too.

www.yvg.vic.edu.au | ISSUE NO. 63 OCTOBER 2017 | 19

Yarra Community Groups news

Yarra Parents & Friends We have certainly hit the ground running for 2017! Our ongoing support of the Yarra Community is helping parents stay in touch and have the option of sharing contact details for the class list.

This year, we did things a little differently with the opt-in option via email which provided a much greater response rate, as we were also able to do it much earlier in the year. The success of this service has resulted in parents having greater ease in arranging drop off and pickups, in particular for busy Saturday morning sporting commitments.

We are looking at increasing the attendance and involvement of parents (new and old) at yearly parent functions. The inaugural joint ELC to Year 6 parent

function; a cowboy/cowgirls themed evening, unfortunately did not go ahead. We may look at re-staging the event at a later date.

A comedy evening was held in July to the whole School community (adults only) featuring four comedians from the Sydney and Melbourne Comedy Festivals. Whilst the event attracted fewer numbers than we were hoping for, it was still a success and enjoyed by all that attended. We hope that this is the first of many events that offer guests quality entertainment as well as an opportunity for fundraising for the School.

This year the Yarra P&F were also involved in providing refreshments during the Senior School production of Godspell.

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An opportunity to form a new community group with a drama focus has been identified and so we have donated the proceeds raised to help with the start-up of the group.

The MOPS luncheon was again held at the Pavilion. Whilst the event failed to live up to the success of last year’s lunch, discussions have begun with interested members of the MOPS to be more hands-on in the planning and organising the event.

The Mother’s Day Stall was run by a new group of Junior School parents all of whom enjoyed the experience very much. We continued to support the Mother’s Day Breakfast by providing prizes and donated a percentage of ticket sales for the Cancer Council, Australia.

Special congratulations to Julie Heather for the most successful ever Biggest Morning Tea raising an amazing $2,578.60 for Cancer Council, Australia.

The start of Winter Saturday sport season coincided with the reopening of the Pavilion Café.

We have managed to secure the help of volunteers following a roster system according to the day’s fixture. The coffee continues to be a great seller and we have been able to provide a little more variance in the food provided with a view to offer healthier options.

The Second Hand Uniform shop is open on a regular basis and has had the fortune to acquire new volunteers following a training session held at the shop early in Term 2. The shop continues to be a solid fundraiser for the P&F. We hope that the experience that the volunteers have had across the many varied events will be a positive one and will encourage further support in the future.

Mrs Robyn McKinnell and Mrs Silvina Solano Yarra P&F Co-Presidents

Junior School playground There are so many ways in which the community at Yarra Valley Grammar contribute to enrich the daily life for our students and staff.

Although not always the driving force, a wonderful flow on is the sense of satisfaction that contribution can bring. For some this contribution is financial, for some it is giving time, others may be in the position to give expertise and skills and for others it is materials.

One of the biggest of all School projects in recent years was the overhaul of the Junior School playground. This is such a fantastic example of the impact

giving and contributing can make. We are fortunate to have such a diverse community here at Yarra and the support given in so many ways to enable this project to unfold was truly amazing.

A passionate group of parents lead by Yarra Parents and Friends set about fundraising for the project. The design was developed with consultation between Julie King, Chris Lawson and Junior School students. Parents gave their expertise, skill and labour to carry out a lot of the physical work. Some of the materials were donated, allowing the dollars to go further. The School, Yarra Foundation and Yarra Old Grammarians saw the potential in the project and generously backed the second stage financially.

Two years on, the playground has stood the test of many kids playing, rambling, climbing, hiding, running, creating games,

rock hopping, enjoying a quiet space and so much more. The trees have grown to allow even more scope for the adventurous.

Many performances have been viewed from the amphitheatre and shade has been sought on hot days. Staff and students have enjoyed the option of a beautiful outside classroom for both teaching and learning.

We touched base with parents Robyn and Michael McKinnell who were heavily involved for many days during construction.

As Michael explained, they provided the logs, the heavy equipment and he basically did “Anything else Julie told him to do”!

“We got involved for the simple reason that we believe very strongly in the School community and because of the nature of our business, we felt that our time, products and skills would be of more value than just a financial donation. The reason we love Yarra is quite simply because it has such a broad range of families with shared values, which really shone through during the construction.”

We also asked our Junior School Curriculum Coordinator, Elisha Blake about the difference this project has made. “I really feel that the new playground has changed the way our children play. It has so many different spaces now to play and explore for all ages.

You will see Prep to Grade 6 children playing happily throughout both levels, in the sandpits, on the monkey bars and along the rocks. It has provided spaces where children can use their imagination and I think it is so great to go out and see Preps playing with Year 3s in the cafe serving up delicious sand cakes and mud pizzas.”

This gift continues to grow and give every day for the kids at play and the impact has been so positive. Thanks to each and all who contributed in all different ways.

www.yvg.vic.edu.au | ISSUE NO. 63 OCTOBER 2017 | 21

Yarra Community Groups news

Yarra Equestrian Yarra Equestrian this year has not only grown in size but also the incredible sense of community and support continues to blossom into many beautiful new friendships.

Yarra Equestrian is very proud to have seven new members joining us this year who only add to the supportive and hardworking community that is the Yarra Equestrian team. The team consists of 18 students from Grade 3 to Year 12, all who demonstrate hard work and passion and proudly represent Yarra as their riding endeavours continue. Yarra Equestrian allows the union of many kids across all ages to support each other, show true sportsmanship and the honourable Yarra Spirit all whilst doing the sport they love. All the members of Yarra Equestrian display genuine devotion and motivation, from our senior riders who

demonstrate great commitment and inspiration, to our primary students who convey the sheer joy and love for their horses and their sport.

This year at the Interschool State Championships, Yarra Equestrian produced a very high standard of competition, bringing home many ribbons and diligently representing Yarra with great pride. Over the week 599 horses competed from 45 Victorian Schools and Yarra came home in 10th Place. Yarra had a team of eight competing, in which riders participated in the areas of Combined Training, Show Jumping and Dressage and Show Horse. Despite

treacherous weather conditions and flooded arenas, the results produced by the team were outstanding and all who participated should be very proud of their tremendous effort as they endured a week of icy nights and drizzly days.

There have been a number of other events attended by Yarra Students in the first half of this year. At the 17th Annual Tintern Horse Trials we had eight riders representing Yarra Equestrian.

We had riders from both Primary and Secondary School competing in all three phases

of eventing which include Dressage, Show jumping and Cross Country. More recently CLC dressage day was well represented by Yarra with Kami Dickins coming 2nd overall in the Preparatory Primary Class and Hannah Bird coming 2nd in the Novice Intermediate Class – well done girls!

Congratulations must go to Hannah Bird for qualifying for the Interschool National Championships to be held in Toowoomba this year. This is the second year in a row that a Yarra student has qualified in Eventing and is testament to the enormous amount of dedication and achievement required to be a horse rider.

The Yarra Valley Grammar Executive has approved funded training days for the team for 2017/18 so we will have two sessions per term for the equestrian team members.

These sessions will be held at Spring Creek Equine which is owned by Yarra Old Grammarian, Chris Height (YOG 2004) and his partner Sam Cesnik. Also, a new uniform has been approved and a sample is being made up for final approval.

So, it is looking to be a very promising season ahead.

Mrs Kerry Williams President, Yarra Equestrian

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Yarra Snowsports 2017– a growing team The 25th year of Snowsports at Yarra sees the team gathering momentum as it is growing in numbers in what promises to be a great year in the 60th Victorian Interschool’s Snowsports championships.

We have already been up at Mt Buller for the Development Camp and Clinics and Trials, with past team members working closely with us, and with over 15 new faces to the team it has been a great atmosphere. From beginner skiers and snowboarders to National level the team is progressing and preparing to race in the 2017 Interschool competition.

The senior Yarra Snowsports members have been excellent role models throughout the training camps and have really led by example taking the younger members under their wing, showing them the ropes and what it means to compete

for Yarra. It has been excellent to have five new Junior School students join the ranks this year.

Ellie Buxton and Lachlan Turner have been elected Snowsports captains for the 2017/2018 season with Dan Buchanan staying on, all have already showed excellent leadership during training, spirit group events and up on the mountain.

The Snowsports team are still attending the very cold very early dryland sessions on Monday mornings, with the Interschool competition fast approaching. Go Yarra!

Mr Mark Buchanan Yarra Snowsports President

Yarra Tennis Yarra Tennis and Tennis Works hosted another successful annual Yarra Tennis Championships from Saturday 16 September to Monday 18 September.

Raffle prizes, food and drink donations were organised to support the event and raise funds towards the tennis program at Yarra.

Tennis Works presented by Chris Guy and Nish Morris are continuing to provide the Monday morning training sessions throughout the year, preparing our players for a new season of tennis.

Yarra Tennis has organised Maria Bailey, Master of Psychology Education and Development from Enki Centre Psychology Learning and Wellbeing – Game, Set and Match, as the main speaker for the start of season team meeting. She will discuss game mindset and some useful match routine ideas.

Mrs Wissam Al Azzeh Yarra Tennis President

www.yvg.vic.edu.au | ISSUE NO. 63 OCTOBER 2017 | 23

Yarra Old Grammarians – Football

Bushrangers building a strong base At the time of writing the mighty Bushrangers are locked in a tight battle for a place in the 2017 finals. Currently sitting inside the top four with some solid form against all comers the Bushrangers are well placed to return to Division 1 in 2018.

The return to the club of highly experienced footballers and past students, Nick (YOG 2005) and Dan Chamberlain (YOG 2006) and pocket rocket David Wildsmith (YOG 2006) has benefited the Club no end.

These classy footballers, added to a team that played finals last year, has given the Bushranger

midfield extra depth and ensured spots in the team have to be fought for.

While the guys march towards September, the first ever VAFA Women’s season wrapped up last week. With 37 clubs fielding teams in the countries largest Women’s Football Competition, the standard was always going to be high. Our girls started the season in superb form, finishing fourth in the inaugural Lightning Premiership. They competed so strongly against all comers in the initial grading rounds and were graded in second division (out of five divisions).

Given most had never played football before, skipper Alex Blackburn (YOG 2013) and her team’s achievements should not be underestimated. They have committed to the Club and each other like seasoned footballers.

Their games were characterised by a never give in attitude, they battled against more experienced outfits and injuries to key players, often played without an interchange and yet they fought, with each other, to the end. Special mention goes to Alyssia Blewonski (YOG 2015) for her nomination for the VAFA rep side, a remarkable

achievement given she’d never played football before this season.

The impact of the girls at the Club has changed the Club forever, with an average age well under 22 and a number of current Year 11 and 12 students in the side. The foundation stone of future success has been laid.

Off field the Club is as strong as ever. Now into its fifth year, the Club has continued its heavy involvement with the Ringwood Spiders, an all abilities football team. Each Wednesday night members of both our male and female teams take training and earlier in the year we held our annual joint training session at Doncaster Reserve, with a packed training oval and dinner afterwards. This night is always a season highlight!

You can follow our fortunes through the Club’s website or find us on Facebook #GoYarra.

Mr Luke Gillies (YOG 1999) secretary@yvobfc.com.au

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Yarra Old Grammarians adventure story

Opportunities through LOTE Jaclyn Harris (YOG 2014)

I’m very lucky, my Indonesian language skills have led to me having two trips to Malaysian Borneo in 2016 to work with a humanitarian organisation called Camps International. I know it’s not very intuitive that Indonesian skills led me to Malaysia, but Indonesian and Malay languages are very similar so it meant I was still able to get by despite not knowing Malay.

I had always wanted to do some volunteering and I really wanted to be able to use my language too so I decided to pay for the trip to Borneo with this organisation. I spent two and a half weeks on Mantanani Island.

I honestly think it’s the best thing I ever did – it was an amazing two weeks where all of us volunteers helped build infrastructure for the locals, helped with a marine debris campaign and taught the local kids English. Teaching English was so much fun and we each ended up with some new little friends.

It just so happened that I met the country manager on that first trip and when she found out I could speak Malay (you learn quickly over an intense period) she asked me back to work for them as an intern in the July that year. I decided I’d be crazy not to take her up on the offer. So I found myself in

Borneo again in July the next year but this time in a different area. I discovered from speaking with the other interns that I was working with that they had to go through a lengthy application process with CVs and interviews, but I was able to get straight in because of my language skills. As interns we made sure all the project work and activities for volunteers ran smoothly. Often the camp manager who fluently spoke both English and Malay had to leave for the day to get supplies so it meant there would be days where I would be translating instructions from the builders at the site where we were building a kinder or translating to help with activities like sack races with the kids.

In Borneo, everyone is so appreciative that you have gone to the effort that you have learnt their language, and it means that when they find out you can

speak Malay you’re pretty much instant friends. And it made things that much easier working with the local staff at the project site or even just the day-to-day life because that language barrier wasn’t there. We had a family of staff working at this camp and the grandma of the family made all this lovely beaded jewellery. Her English wasn’t very good, so she taught me how to make the bracelets speaking in Malay and then I was able to explain to everyone else. But speaking Malay wasn’t just useful when working with this organisation. It stopped me from getting lost and missing flights and let me make friends

with some shop assistants and taxi drivers while I was at it!

So I discovered that learning a language, not just Indonesian, can give you some pretty awesome experiences. Aside from being really handy in general travel, i.e. not getting lost, it can open doors for you like it did for me. You might say that I’m biased, but I think you would be too if you were able to spend weeks on a tropical island, or making friends from around the world. You never know what opportunities are around the corner or where having another language might take you.

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Yarra Old Grammarians profile

Dean Watson (YOG 2008) I didn’t wait until I’d graduated high school to try and become a professional golfer. From the age of 8, it was all I wanted to do. Since I had decided it was my destiny to become the next Greg Norman, it took all the pressure off having to do well. The result was I absolutely loved high school. My favourite subjects were Outdoor Ed and English.

I was a little bit of a class clown and liked making people laugh.

They laughed a lot when I told them I was going to be the next Greg Norman. One day when I was in Year 8, my photography teacher Mrs Murphy gave me a chance to speak at assembly about an Artist in Residence that was working with the School at the time. Even though it was only a one minute-ish long speech, I decided to try and make it funny. I still remember the exhilaration I got from hearing a couple of hundred people laughing at me…and I hadn’t even mentioned Greg Norman!

From that point on, about twice a year, some brave teacher would work up the courage to ask me to speak at assembly, knowing I’d probably end up making fun of what they’d asked me to speak about.

Without even realising it, writing and performing these speeches had laid the seeds of what would end up becoming my career.

On my list of goals for 2010 I had written that I wanted to do a course in comedy writing.

Since I’d enjoyed my brush with comedy at school, I wanted to see if I could experience that again. Just under one and a half years after finishing at Yarra (Class of 2008), I decided to try a short course in screenwriting at RMIT. The course went for 16 weeks and it was taught by Australian comedian, Tim

26

Ferguson. Within five weeks, I knew I didn’t want to become a professional golfer any more.

Playing off a handicap of two at the time, I retired from golf at the age of 20 and applied myself to all things comedy writing and performing.

Pretty soon I was hosting radio shows at community radio station, SYN 90.7FM and getting my start in community television as a camera operator on a breakfast program called Get Cereal. With golf, I always struggled to get out of bed in the morning whereas with television, I couldn’t believe how easy it was! Despite having to get up at 4.30am, much earlier than in my golfing days.

To build my confidence, I picked out some of the biggest local and international newspapers and magazines and started sending in short, funny letters to the editor. I figured if The Age or Rolling Stone magazine or National Geographic magazine published my jokes, maybe one day someone would pay me to do this. Not only did they publish my silly jokes, it got to a point where I started winning prizes.

The highlight was unquestionably winning Letter of the Month in the December 2010 issue of Vogue and for my efforts, they sent me $750 worth of Napoleon Perdis makeup.

I took this as my cue to take a crack at entering the big league of print writing. I thought if there was one newspaper I’d love to

have an article published in, it would be The Age. So I started writing full-length opinion pieces and sending them into The Age. It turns out that it’s easier to get people to pay you in makeup than to pay you in dollars! I wrote one 800 word article a week for about 10 weeks and they all got rejected. Six months later after I’d recovered from the rejection, I sent another one in and…they published it. I couldn’t believe it. It was like making the entire school laugh for the first time again.

I channelled the confidence these little victories gave me

into trying to get a job writing TV comedy. I had had a couple of attempts at being in front of the camera and decided I would much rather be a television comedy writer. If you want to get into television in Australia, RMITV is the place to start.

I wrote for as many of their shows as I could get my gags on.

In 2014, I spent six months in Los Angeles pursuing my TV comedy writing. I wanted to see what the Mt Everest of my industry looked like. It was no holiday. I wrote every day out the back of the Hollywood

Boulevard backpackers’ hostel I was staying in. I returned home disappointed that I hadn’t found a way to secure a working visa, which would have allowed me to stay in America. But I had decided love was more important for now, so I flew home and then to Wellington, New Zealand, where I moved in with my Kiwi/Malaysian partner.

Within a couple of months of living in a country with even fewer comedy writing jobs than Australia, a miracle happened – I landed a gig writing for the top rating TV comedy show in New Zealand, a comedy panel show

called 7 Days. It’s a job I still have to this day, since my partner and I moved back to Melbourne. The show is shot in Auckland, so I’ve never actually been to the studio or even met the people I write for! It took five years of writing TV comedy for free before I started getting paid to do it. It’s funny how if you just prioritise love, your career tends to fall into place.

Last year, I started a TV production company called Short Game Productions. I’ve always wanted to see more Australian comedy on our TV screens, so I thought I’d do something about it.

Along with my television writing and producing work, other ways I get my jokes out there include writing humorous greeting cards for various UK greeting card companies, as well as working with a New Zealand online start-up called LearnCoach, which makes free online tutorials for high school students.

Zealand. We hope to bring it to Australia one day!

Comedy is incredibly powerful when it’s done right and I love finding ways to use it to make the world a better place. But most of all, I just do it for the laughs. Greg Norman would be proud. deanwatsoncomedy.com

LearnCoach was a little dormant when I met its founders two years ago, then we started adding comedy to everything we were doing and now it’s the biggest online tutorial provider for high school students in New

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Past Staff profile

Jack Russell: His part in our early years Former staff member, Jack Russell celebrated his ninetieth birthday this year on 20 May. For the occasion, Archivist John Close and Chaplain Paul Joy made the trip to his home in Drouin to visit Jack and his wife Barbara. The following article is based on the conversation that ensued and on existing archival material.

Jack commenced work at Yarra Valley on November 15, 1965 as our one and only ground staff member. He was given the title of Maintenance Supervisor.

After Headmaster, John Pascoe and the Headmaster’s Secretary, Myrl Hoskin (later Rebboh), Jack was the third staff member to commence work and the first to be based at the School (John Pascoe and Myrl Hoskin were then based in a Croydon office).

Prior to this time he had been in charge of the Melbourne City Council’s Parks and Gardens works at Wandin. Co-incidentally his brother Ted was then groundsman at Tintern. After his appointment Jack and his wife Barbara moved from Wandin with their four children to a house in Croydon to be closer to his new employment.

On the School’s property there was little sign of previous occupants. An oak tree, already mature, stood in the south western corner near the Foundation Drive entrance from Kalinda Road and nearby the earth was bare, presumably indicating where the Larkin house had been. Blackberries covered the fence line and were dotted here and there over the rest of the land. The first Junior School buildings were nearing completion and the basic excavation of the oval platform had been finished. There were, however, no storage facilities, no equipment, no surfaced roads or pathways and almost no money with which to acquire them.

Jack’s first shovels, hoses, and equipment had to be stored in

28

the back of his own station wagon. Later, during 1966, a small – far too small – shed was erected near the southern boundary and this became the basis for the legendary Jack’s Shed to which for many years every piece of unwanted or broken piece of equipment or furniture was taken – usually by young boys happy enough to enjoy the chance to escape classes for a short while. Jack enjoyed the smallness of the new school and soon knew not only every staff member but every student too.

Also during 1966, Jack was to be given a tractor. This had been the property of School Council member Bob Hughes who was moving house and now

had no further use for the very old tractor which he donated to the School. There wasn’t a lot of other assistance however – the annual Grounds budget was just $200. The following year, 1967, was a drought year. The first oval, the Harker Oval, had been sown with a borrowed and rather primitive seed drill but with hardly any addition of new topsoil to the mostly clay surface. The tractor and a trailer had been used to bring some topsoil from where the excavators had left it in the north eastern corner of the oval platform. Despite all his efforts much of that first grass cover perished in the drought but he did establish some lawn around the new buildings. Tree planting was an activity well

remembered, with students and parents assisting in the planting of Eucalyptus Maculata along the unsealed Foundation Drive.

In the summer Jack preserved the trees by bucketing water down to them by hand. Trees on the oval bank came from his own private small nursery as did the two Pin Oaks that still flourish in that area of our Junior School still occupied by the Hearing Unit. In the following year the old tractor died and was replaced by the Massey Ferguson. This tractor was to go on to give long and valuable service over the next twenty years.

Jack was involved in the first Music Night, the first Speech Night, the first everything actually. That was to be the way things remained. He was always willing to be involved in any school project, playing in the annual parents versus staff cricket match and working with the Parents Association on weekend working bees. The grounds took most of his time, he dug drains by hand and he pushed the heavy roller over turf wickets by hand. Looking back on those times he once said dryly, “I should have been eating chaff for lunch rather than sandwiches”. By 1978 the School had appointed other ground staff and Jack escaped

from the muddy ovals back to his shed – now extended – where he concentrated on the ever increasing maintenance and carpentry tasks of the by now, large school.

Jack worked on, something of a legend in his own time, until 1987 when he retired to his new home in Seville and to enjoy time caravanning with his wife. Many pleasant winters were spent in their caravan at Tweed Heads in NSW. Today the pair live quietly and happily in Drouin but here at YVG Jack Russell Drive still leads down to Jack’s Shed as a reminder of the service and fellowship of a fine man.

www.yvg.vic.edu.au | ISSUE NO. 63 OCTOBER 2017 | 29

Celebrations Weddings

FRANK PELLEGRINO (YOG 1999) and JOSEPHINE CANDIDO Frank and Josephine were married at Christ Our Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Oakleigh on 22 April 2017. They celebrated afterwards at Tatra Receptions in Mt Dandenong with family and friends, including several Yarra Old Grammarians.

LUKE LENNOX (YOG 2001) and KELLIE TORI Luke and Kellie were married on 11 February 2017 at Anderson’s Mill in Smeaton as Kellie was born and raised in Daylesford.

Luke first met Kellie working for a theatre company in Melbourne.

30

His groomsmen included his brother Phillip (YOG 1996), Sheldon Wynne, Tom Goldstraw, Ben Ind and Ryan Buhagiar, all from the Class of 2001 who have been fellas since Grade 3!

Featuring in the grooms bridal party were Frank’s four brothers; Joseph (YOG 1991), Ross (YOG 1992), Paul (YOG 1997) and Phillip (YOG 2007). Current Yarra Year 9 student, Gisella Pellegrino was also a bridesmaid for Josephine. Frank and Josephine honeymooned in Europe and now live in Lilydale.

MEREDITH KNOX (YOG 2004) and DAVID SINCLAIR (YOG 2004)

EMILY SAYNOR (YOG 2005) and ROCKY GENTILE

Meredith and David were married on 22 April 2017 at the historic barn at Yering Station.

The reception was held in the Yering Station restaurant.

Childhood sweethearts, Meredith and David met at Yarra Valley Grammar in Year 11 when they were cast as the lead roles in the School production of Ashgirl and started dating after they graduated. David currently works for The Sporting Globe and Meredith works at the Country Road Group.

Emily and Rocky were married on 10 June 2017 at the stunning Noosa Heads beach.

Their reception was held at Sails Restaurant, Noosa Heads.

They were surrounded by family and friends including many Yarra Old Grammarians from the Class of 2005.

Their bridal party featured mainly YOGs including bridesmaids Gabrielle Aardoom (nee Vita) (YOG 2004), Laura Knox (YOG 2006), Alexandra Knox (YOG 2010 and Beryl Sinclair. The groomsmen included Andrew Buerckner (YOG 2004), Evan Kreskas (YOG 2004), Chris Height (YOG 2004) and James Sinclair (YOG 2002).

Emily’s bridesmaids were Jenelle Gordon, Ashleigh Meade, Kirstie Jordon and Nat Cuttiford, all YOGs 2005 and other YOG 2005 guests included Liam Grimwade, Natalie Beohm and Jackson Becker.

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Class of 2007 10 Year Out Reunion Saturday 24 June 2017, Caz Reitop’s Cocktail Bar, Collingwood

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Class of 2016 1 Year Out Reunion Saturday 26 August 2017, CafĂŠ 23, North Ringwood

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Help us reconnect Thank you to everyone who has already assisted with our Help us reconnect campaign. As a result, we have successfully reconnected with many Yarra Old Grammarians but we still have more who are missing. We value our past student community and would like to keep everyone up to date on School news, events and reunions. If you are able to assist in contacting any of the following YOGs, please contact the Development office on 03 9262 7717 or email development@yvg.vic.edu.au

Year

First Name

Surname

Year

First Name

Surname

Year

1970 Gregory

Nicholas

1980 Stephen

Alderson

1986 Susanne

Agombar

1971 Philip

Noyes

1980 Tracy

Loebert

1987 Adam

Schonekas

1971 Robert

McEwan

1981 Carol

Jamson

1987 Andrew

Buchan

1973 Andrew

Lang

1981 David

Fowler

1987 Anthony

Wilson

1973 Andrew

McKoy

1981 Kristine

Angus

1987 Christopher

Carboon

1973 Daryl

Fraser

1981 Lisa

Abbott

1987 Kerryn

Provis

1973 Geoffrey

Bromilow

1981 Neil

Gilbert

1987 Martin

Fox

1973 Michael

Adams

1981 Stuart

Patrick

1987 Matthew

Green

1973 Peter

Beulke

1981 Wesley

Jones

1987 Michael

Edyvane

1974

Adams

1982 Brian

Abbott

1987 Michael

Gaudion

1974 Gregory

Taylor

1982 John

Donahue

1987 Robert

Sedawie

1974 Nicholas

Cailes

1982 Michael

Lawson

1987 Ross

Coulson

1974

David

Surname

Alexander

1982 Michael

Miller

1987 Sarah

Duguid

1975 David

Tate

1982 Peter

Gunn

1987 Stephen

Knights

1975 David

Tossell

1982 Robert

Gunn

1988 Adrian

Clements

1975 Leigh

Burke

1983 Alexander

Ip

1988 Felicity

Minchin

1975 Nicholas

Widdows

1983 Franck

Gentil

1988 Gary

Thomas

1975 Trevor

Swift

1983 John

Alvarez

1988 James

Thompson

1976 Andrew

Semmens

1983 Phillip

Allan

1988 Lachlan

McLean

1976 Bryan

Abbott

1983 Robyn

Anderson

1988 Olivia

Ritchie

1976 David

Metzenthen

1983 Scott

Armitage

1988 Robert

Minchin

1976 Howard

Barclay

1983 Scott

Wilson-Browne

1988 Sam

Eu

1976 Malcolm

Ling

1983 Thomas

Rowe

1989 Campbell

MacLeod

1976 Michael

Abbott

1984 Andrew

White

1989 Matthew

Downs

1977 Andre

Auret

1984 Darren

Hose

1989 Matthew

Randall

1977 David

Muffatti

1984 Simone

Alcock

1989 Nicholas

Clark

1977 Halvard

Andersen-Dalheim

1985 Amanda

Lawrence

1989 Sarah

Boek

1978 Christopher

Adnam

1985 Luke

Broadbent

1989 Shelley

Libbis

1978 David

Angliss

1985 Mark

Armsden

1989 Sonia

Martin

1978 Mark

Alton

1985 Nicholas

Carboon

1989 Thomas

Richardson

1978 Nicholas

Blackmore

1985 Paul

White

1990 Alistair

Hick

1978 Peter

Neville

1985 Richard

Bygott

1990 Christopher

Dobson

1978 Roderick

Taylor

1986 Andrew

Jinks

1990 Christopher

Liem

1979 Carl

Andersen-Dalheim

1986 Andrew

Taylor

1990 Jason

Williams

1979 Christopher

Adams

1986 Cameron

Anderson

1990 Matthew

Arnold

1979 Craig

Coulson

1986 Craig

Stagoll

1990 Michael

Hedley

1979 Mathew

Innes-Irons

1986 Fiona

Dobson

1990 Paul

Hadley

1979 Peter

Aitken

1986 James

Alcock

1990 Rebecca

Dodwell

1980 Barbara

Braun

1986 Jessica

Tindall

1990 Richard

Feltscheer

1980 Christine

Dew

1986 John

Westcott

1990 Russell

Coker

1980 David

Gaythorpe

1986 Katie

Macfie

1990 Stuart

Usher

1980 Grant

Angwin

1986 Malcolm

Burton

1991 Angus

Curry

1980 Hugh

Gilchrist

1986 Philip

Peers-Johnson

1991 Ashley

Bird

1980 Ross

Andrews

1986 Rodney

Buxton

1991 Georgina

Baird

36

Raymond

First Name

Year

First Name

Surname

Year

Surname

Year

1991

Gregory

Ajani

1999 Christopher

Maver-Cowden

2001 David

Haley

1991 Jacqueline

Watson

1999 David

Chapple

2001 Eleise

Britt

1991 Jason

Andrews

1999 Dee

Senaratne

2001 Felix

Higgs

1991 Jonathan

Burton

1999 Jonathan

Peake

2001 Hayley

Gillin

1991 Kellee

O’Hare

1999 Kate

Seadon

2001 James

Aiton

1991 Lydia

Armour

1999 Katrina

Telford

2001 James

White

1991 Michelle

Clayton

1999 Nathan

Kerr

2001 Jeanne

Bardin

1991 Paul

Adelerhof

1999 Nicholas

Boyd

2001 Jonathan

Smith

1991 Thomas

Westcott

1999 Nicholas

Gillard

2001 Jonathan

Ebsworth

1991 Tim

Pittaway

1999 Paul

Oliver

2001 Joshua

Stilwell

1992 Christopher

Hocking

1999 Peter

Davies

2001 Kate

Donchi

1992 Dean

Noonan

1999 Scott

Heath

2001 Kate

Burt

1992 Richard

Cowley

1999 Shakeera

Wallis

2001 Mitchell

Thomas

1992 Timothy

Adkins

1999 Simon

Butcher

2001 Nicole

Oliver

1992 Travis

Agars

1999 Steven

Lade

2001 Phillip

Etherington

1993 Adam

Burnett

1999 Vashti

Everist

2001 Rachel

Manassa

1993 Adam

Chandler

1999 Victoria

Kirkham

2001 Regina

Einschenk

1993 Adrian

Andrew

1999 Wesley

Ballinger

2001 Richard

Wallington

1993 Andrew

Calder

2000 Abbey

Mitchell

2001 Robert

Davis

1993 Craig

Allan

2000 Airlie

Young

2001 Robert

Petchell

1993 Danielle

Carroll

2000 Andrew

Phillips

2001 Scott

Tenberge

1993 Jason

Klindworth

2000 Benjamin

Taine

2001 Sheldon

Wynne

1993 Katrina

Ellis

2000 Blake

Caple

2001

Van Gend

1993 Matthew

Long

2000 Carson

Batty

2001 Tamara

Whittington

1993 Meagan

Kelso

2000 Christopher

Gibbs

2001 Thomas

Goss

1993 Nicholas

Burnett

2000 Christopher

Horden

2001 Timothy

Jacobs

1993 Peter

Calder

2000 Daniel

Williamson

2002

Tibbs

1994 Andrew

North

2000 Justin

Fry

2002 Alistair

Hunt

1994

Alston

2000 Karissa

Searle

2002 Alysha

Searle

1994 David

Aerni

2000 Kevin

Vowles

2002 Amie

Suttie

1994 Gordon

Cormack

2000 Kimberley

Ebsworth

2002 Ashlee

Camm

1994 Robin

Crockett

2000 Kyle

Berean

2002 Brendan

Goode

1994 Scott

Peberdy

2000 Lawrence

Milford

2002 Callum

Farman

1994 Simon

Heyblok

2000 Luke

Rose

2002 Cerise

Clark

1995 Benjamin

Randall

2000 Martin

Hiatt

2002 Chloe

Snaith

1995 Daniel

Andrews

2000 Matthew

Tierney

2002 Ebony

Hickey

1995 Julian

Watson

2000 Matthew

French

2002 Emily

Jay

1996 Alan

Ord

2000 Micah

Chester

2002 Emma

Winton

1996 Chia-Hua

Chen

2000 Michael

Goode

2002 Francine

Rose

1996 Simon

Matters

2000 Rebekah

Jay

2002 Glenn

Dunbar

1997 Alex

Al-Tarafi

2000 Robert

Zhuang

2002 James

Flynn

1997 Brent

Mate

2000 Ryan

Brown

2002 Jared

Fish

1997 Catriona

Manguy

2000 Sam

Pope

2002 Jodie

Conilione

1997 Edward

Nolle

2000 Scott

Bayliff

2002 Jonathan

Reeve

1997 Katie

Shanks

2000 Simon

Dousek

2002 Jonathan

Taine

1997 Michael

Byrne

2000 Simon

Gillin

2002 Justin

Chan

1997 Rebecca

Lipsett

2000 Timothy

Tillig

2002 Lauren

Cattach

1997 Susanne

Dinicolantonio

2001 Adam

Cooper

2002 Louise

Sieber

1998 Tristan

VanSchouwenburg

2001 Alan

Sanders

2002 Luke

Hickey

1999 Benjamin

Colwell

2001 Andre

Grego

2002 Luke

Askew

1999 Brian

Starkey

2001 Andrew

Pearson

2002 Maurice

Clark

1999 Bridget

Murphy

2001 Brianna

Ho

2002 Melissa

Donchi

1999 Campbell

Holdsworth

2001 Che

Hickey

2002 Natalie

Brown

Andrew

First Name

First Name

Simon

Alicia Rose

Surname

www.yvg.vic.edu.au | ISSUE NO. 63 OCTOBER 2017 | 37

Year

Surname

Year

Surname

Year

2002 Olivia

Przybyszewski

2005 Bryan

Sieber

2007 Liam

Marshall

2002 Robert

Norrish

2005 Caitlin

Bryan

2007 Michelle

Cochran

2002 Ryan

Kemp

2005 Daniel

Young

2007 Richard

Cook

2002 Simon

Nelsen

2005 Danielle

Yole

2007 Robin

County-Black

2002 Wade

Smith

2005 David

Rollinson

2007 Ryan

Raubenheimer

2003 Adam

Fraser

2005 Dylan

Mansfield

2007 Shannon

Harris

2003 Andrew

Robertson

2005 Jace

Ransom

2007 Thomas

Brooke

2003 Andrew

Nixon

2005 Jacob

Gilchrist

2008 Alexandra

Glasson

2003 Andrew

Sharrock

2005 Jeffrey

Thompson

2008 Ayden

Sukkel

2003 Arun

Pal

2005 Jonathan

Cowden

2008 Christie

McKendry

2003 Benjamin

Vowles

2005 Josie

Pierce

2008 Jack

Wilson

2003 Charles

Lawrance

2005 Lucinda

Archer

2008 Leah

Savill

2003 Dale

Bayliff

2005 Luke

Spicer

2008 Lucian

Reeder

2003 Edmund

Dwyer

2005 Maria

Haraldsson

2008 Luke

Miller

2003

Young Ku

2005 Mark

Donaldson

2008 Matthew

Falkingham

2003 Katherine

Rickel

2005 Nathan

Brown

2008 Phillipp

Frank

2003 Lauren

Gillin

2005 Sandi

Howard

2008 Thomas

Teifl

2003 Morgan

Taggert

2005 Sarah

Horner

2009 Callum

Teale–Browne

2003

Van Gend

2005 Shaan

Weeramantry

2009 Georgia

Courtney

2003 Nicholas

Brooke

2005 Shane

Marshall

2009 James

Wright

2003 Nicholas

Mitchell

2005 Stephanie

Suttie

2009 James

Keurntjes

2003 Nick

Scaglianti

2005 Victoria

Fysh

2009 John

Shipway

2003

Allen

2005 Zhenhan

Zhu

2009 Laura

Knight

2003 Qing

Ran

2006 Adriana

Guardiani

2009 Sarah

Horton

2003 Renee

Crinis

2006 Alice

Harrison

2009 Yuncong

Ma

2003 Shaun

Brown

2006 Andrew

Horden

2010 Bonnie

Robinson

2004 Ashleigh

Gleeson

2006 Ariel

Lewis

2010 Caitlin

Glover

2004 Ben

Keevil

2006 Bentley

Oliver

2010

von Arnim

2004 Benn

Pollock

2006 Bethany

Fish

2010 Louise

Rimmer

2004 Christopher

Bevens

2006 Briony

Bourke

2010 Megan

Falkingham

2004 Courtney

Camm

2006 Gemma

Purdy

2010 Olivia

Dewey

2004 Damien

Warner

2006 Jocelyn

Spinks

2011 Christian

Russell

2004 Daniel

Jarchow

2006 Julia

Stollenwerk

2011 Matthew

Burns

2004 David

Sinclair

2006 Lachlan

Peel

2012 Alisha

Young

2004 James

Hodgson

2006 Matthew

Camm

2012 Ebony

Woods

2004 Jeffrey

Petchell

2006

Yeh

2012 Emily

Hughes

2004 John

Tarabaras

2006 Noelle

Marcus

2012 Frederick

Reeder

2004 Joshua

Williamson

2006 Sarah

Renfree

2012 Nicklaus

Mills

2004 Katherine

Neilsen

2006 Stephanie

Conroy

2012 Thomas

Lean

2004 Layton

Bonnici

2006 Tristan

County-Black

2013 Sam

Kassirov

2004 Lewis

Farman

2006 Vachira

Tongrow

2014 Jacob

Hollis

2004 Meaghan

Flynn

2006 Wendy

Angus

2004 Michael

Fahmy

2006 Xiao

Xu

2004 Morgan

Oliver

2007 Andrew

Bonfield

2004 Nicholas

Saint

2007 Ashleigh

Gleeson

2004 Parrish

Cooper

2007 Benjamin

Robinson

2004 Rebecca

Carroll

2007 Brennan

Johnson

2004 Russell

Dilley

2007 Daniel

Horner

2004 Samuel

Hales

2007 Janelle

Albert

2004 Stephanie

Celata

2007 Jeffrey

Knight

2004 Toby

Goss

2007 Julia

Nikakis

2005 Adam

Blizzard

2007 Julie

Dunford

2005 Amy

Lewis

2007 Katie

Cipa

38

First Name

Hyee

Natalie

Phillippa

First Name

Nan Ting

First Name

Christoph

Surname

Vale Joy Wootton 1928–2017 In the late 1960s Dr Ray Wootton was a dentist with a Lilydale practice. He and his wife, Joy, were active members of the early Yarra Valley Church of England School community and Ray was one of the original guarantors of the loans to the new school. The couple had two sons and two daughters. The older son, John, was a student at Scotch College and remained there although, later, during the 1980s, he was to serve as Yarra Valley’s camp organiser for two years. The younger son, Howard, commenced at Yarra Valley in 1969 as a Grade 1 student. In the following year Dr Wootton decided to move to a property at Glenmaggie and to practise as a dentist in Sale. Because of this Howard left Yarra Valley after

his first term in Grade Two and commenced at Gippsland Grammar.

The Woottons purchased land at Glenmaggie and very generously offered the School the choice between two of their parcels of land as a means of expanding the Adventure Movement begun under Headmaster John Pascoe’s leadership. A small Yarra Valley committee that included Norman Maggs and Les Christie went to Glenmaggie and chose the property furthermost from the lake thinking that the other parcel would soon be surrounded by new holiday homes. The chosen land consisted of 25 acres of timbered country overlooking the Glenmaggie Lake. Our first

building there was destroyed by fire in 1974 but was subsequently rebuilt, using a house-kit, by Yarra Valley staff, parents and students during weekends and by slave camps during school holidays. Wootton Lodge has since become a great asset to the School.

The Woottons continued to live on their land just over a kilometre from our Wootton Lodge and they also maintained an interest in the School and in the activities of our students on camp at the Lodge. After a short illness, Joy died on 16 April 2017. We extend our sympathy to the family and our thanks for their interest in and generosity to our School. Dr Mark Merry represented the School at Joy’s funeral service in Heyfield.

Dr Brian David Cuming OAM Brian was the president of our School Association (now Parents and Friends) in 1969 and 1970. When Don Annells retired from the School Council (now School Board) in 1971 Brian was elected to replace him. He was to remain a Council member until the end of 1981 and from 1974 – 1981 was the Council’s vice-president.

A very active member of Council where his views often prompted lively discussion, he was also an effective promoter of Yarra Valley in the wider community.

To staff and students he was probably best known for his interest in our cricket teams and for his role in preparing for and participating in School Fetes where the donated products of his nursery were always on sale.

His sons Richard (YOG 1973) and Rohan (YOG 1980) both played in our First XI cricket teams. To them and to Ian (YOG 1975), to daughter Pip and to Nan, Brian’s wife, we extend deepest sympathy and record our thanks for the family’s very valuable contribution to our School.

Benjamin Leith (YOG 1989) Former members of the 1989 student group will be saddened to hear of the death of Ben Leith (YOG 1989). Ben died in Frankston Hospital on 19 June 2017.

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Calendar of Events Date

Time

Event

Location

Saturday 28 October

11.00am

YOG Day at the Races

Yarra Glen Racecourse

Saturday 11 November

7.30pm

20 Year Out Reunion

The Sporting Globe, Richmond

Sunday 12 November

1.00pm – 4.00pm

Foundation Winery Experience

Coldstream Winery, Yarra Valley

Tuesday 21 November

8.45am

Yarra Parents & Friends AGM

Brooke Nicholas Pavilion, YVG

Wednesday 7 February

2.00 pm onwards

First XI vs YOGs Cricket Match

Patterson Oval, YVG

Wednesday 7 February

6.00 – 7.00pm

YOG AGM

Brooke Nicholas Pavilion, YVG

Saturday 24 March

7.00pm

Food, Wine and Music Concert

YVG

Friday 30 March

10.00am

Good Friday Appeal

George Wood PAC, YVG

Monday 9 April

11:30am – 8.00pm

YOG Annual Golf Day

Commonwealth Golf Course, Oakleigh South

Friday 25 May

10:00 – 1:00pm

Yarra P&F Biggest Morning Tea

Brooke Nicholas Pavilion, YVG

Saturday 23 June

7:30pm

YOG 10 Year Out Reunion

TBC

Saturday 28 July

7:30pm

Jazz in the Café

Foundation Hall, YVG

Saturday 25 August

7:30pm

YOG One Year Out Reunion

TBC

Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September

From 10.00am

Annual Yarra Tennis Championships

YVG Tennis Courts

Saturday 6 October

6:30pm

YOG 30 and 40 Year Out Reunions

YVG

Yarra Community Festival

YVG

Saturday 13 October

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Tuesday 13 November

7:30pm

New Parents Information Evening

Science and Mathematics Building, YVG

Saturday 17 November

6:30pm

YOG 20 Year Out Reunion

Brooke Nicholas Pavilion, YVG

To view more photos of YOG events featured in this magazine visit www.yvg.vic.edu.au/community/photogallery Join us on Facebook by searching for Yarra Valley Grammar Follow us on Linkedin YOG Connect group Instagram@yarravalleygrammar

Twitter : http:twitter/MyYVG.com

www.yvg.vic.edu.au | ISSUE NO. 63 OCTOBER 2017 | 41

Kalinda Road Ringwood Victoria 3134 Australia Telephone +61 3 9262 7700 Email development@yvg.vic.edu.au www.yvg.vic.edu.au ABN 44 004 584 552 CRICOS NO. 00356E

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