Southportonians' Review - The Southport School
Southportonians' Review - The Southport School
Southportonians' Review - The Southport School
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<strong>The</strong> Old<br />
<strong>Southport</strong>onians’<br />
<strong>Review</strong><br />
No. 140 SUMMER 2012<br />
2012 Olympic Gold for Mat Belcher (Sur 00)<br />
Heartiest congratulations to an outstanding TSS Old Boy!
Old <strong>Southport</strong>onians’ Association Council 2012<br />
Founded 1907<br />
OSA COUNCIL 2012<br />
President<br />
Paul Wood (Del 80-84)<br />
Vice-President<br />
Peter Lockhart (Tho 62-65)<br />
Hon. Secretary<br />
Nathan Quartermaine (McK 96-99)<br />
Hon. Asst. Secretary<br />
Brodie Cunningham (Tho 02-07)<br />
Hon. Treasurer<br />
Damien Moffrey (Wal 81-88)<br />
Immediate Past President<br />
V. Bruce Wright (Rad 76-85)<br />
NON-EXECUTIVE<br />
COUNCIL MEMBERS<br />
Hon. Editor – <strong>Review</strong><br />
V. Bruce Wright (Rad 76-85)<br />
Membership Development<br />
Scott Andrews (Wal 94-98)<br />
Young Old Boys Representative<br />
Sean Cox (Tho 09-10)<br />
ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS<br />
Ian Browne (Del 82-83)<br />
Christopher Johnstone (Bid 79-90)<br />
Tony Burchill (Rad 78-84)<br />
Paul Veivers (Del 75-80)<br />
Vaughan Oxenford (Mel 80-84)<br />
V. Bruce Wright (Rad 76-85)<br />
OLD BOYS ON SCHOOL COUNCIL<br />
F.D. Perrin (Rad 78-84)<br />
V.B. Wright (Rad 76-85)<br />
P.A. Graham (Tho 59-65)<br />
M.M.A. Blumenstein (Mau 88-92)<br />
G.C. Rix (Wal 72-77)<br />
<strong>School</strong> Archivist<br />
Lesley Walker<br />
Auditor<br />
WHK Audit & Assurance,<br />
Carrara St, Benowa<br />
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE<br />
<strong>The</strong> Old <strong>Southport</strong>onians’ <strong>Review</strong><br />
V.B. Wright (Rad 76-85)<br />
K. Hailey (OSA Coordinator)<br />
LAYOUT & DESIGN<br />
Csquared Design<br />
BRANCH REPRESENTATIVES<br />
ACT<br />
T. Adam (Atk 93-97)<br />
BRISBANE<br />
J. MacAulay (Del 94-96)<br />
D. Fielding (McK 83-87)<br />
CENTRAL WEST NSW<br />
R. Nicholls (Tur 80-88)<br />
CENTRAL WEST QLD<br />
W. Chandler (Del 48-58)<br />
J. Macmillan (Del 83-86)<br />
DARLING DOWNS<br />
D. Greenup (Del 82-86)<br />
FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND<br />
T. McInnes (McK 80-86)<br />
M. Trout (Kai 76-80)<br />
GOONDIWINDI<br />
C. Quartermaine (McK 69-75)<br />
HONG KONG<br />
B. Michael (Rad 80-93)<br />
Kaye Hastie (Ex TSS Staff)<br />
LOCKYER VALLEY<br />
A.G.M. Kemp (Tho 56-63)<br />
Mrs A.A. Kemp<br />
LONDON<br />
D.G. Serafini (Mel 88-98)<br />
S. Douglas (Tho 83-91)<br />
C. Faes (Tur 83-84)<br />
NEW ZEALAND<br />
R. Mehta (McK 88-92)<br />
J. Mcllwain (McK 75-83)<br />
NORTHERN RIVERS NSW<br />
P. Kerkenezov (Del 57-65)<br />
NORTHERN TERRITORY<br />
N. Eames (Mel 57-65)<br />
NORTH QUEENSLAND<br />
R.A.W. Lyne (Tho 69-74)<br />
PAPUA NEW GUINEA<br />
C. Burgess (Kai 85-88),<br />
O.J. Rarua (Tho 94-99)<br />
ROCKHAMPTON<br />
D.J.D. Rodgers (McK 01-05)<br />
ROMA<br />
N. Cameron (Bid 86-89)<br />
S. Gray (McK 49-52)<br />
D. Jones (Del 75-78)<br />
SINGAPORE<br />
C. Poetzscher (Wal 85-89)<br />
SOUTH AUSTRALIA<br />
H. Muller (McK 49-52)<br />
D. Jones (Del 75-78)<br />
SOUTH WEST QUEENSLAND<br />
S. Fraser (McK 71-74)<br />
G. Webster (Tho 57-63)<br />
SYDNEY<br />
J.M. Hawker (McK 59-63)<br />
J. Fyfe (McK 94-01)<br />
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (West Coast)<br />
G. Tweedie (Del 63-65)<br />
VICTORIA<br />
W.N. Adderley (Del 59-68)<br />
L. Meerkin (JS 42-47)<br />
G. McMaster (Kai 98-00)<br />
WESTERN AUSTRALIA<br />
S.J. Conran (Bid 89-93)<br />
WIDE BAY<br />
D. McIver (Del 48-52),<br />
D. Chandler (Del 87-92)<br />
HIDDEN CREEK<br />
Bookings and Enquiries – OSA Office<br />
Tel: (07) 5531 9803<br />
Email: osa@tss.qld.edu.au<br />
Manager – Clinton Cronk<br />
Tel: (02) 6679 3469 Mobile: 0410 622 125<br />
clinton.cronk@tss.qld.edu.au<br />
OSA OFFICE<br />
OSA Coordinator - Mrs Kris Hailey<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Southport</strong> <strong>School</strong>, Winchester Street,<br />
<strong>Southport</strong> QLD 4215<br />
Tel 07 5531 9803<br />
Fax 07 5591 2124<br />
Email osa@tss.qld.edu.au<br />
Web link www.tssoldboys.com.au<br />
Keep in touch<br />
2<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Contents<br />
From the President Pg 4-5<br />
From the Headmaster Pg 6<br />
From the Editor Pg 7-8<br />
COVER PAGE<br />
2012 Olympic Gold for Mat Belcher<br />
(Sur 00), Heartiest congratulations<br />
to an outstanding TSS Old Boy!<br />
(see P. 41 for full article)<br />
OSA NEWS<br />
OSA News Pg 9<br />
Branch Functions Pg 10-11<br />
Old Boys’ Weekend Pg 12-16<br />
Reunion Dinner Pg 17-19<br />
OSA Race Day Pg 20-21<br />
MENTORS UPDATE<br />
Mentor Network Program Pg 23<br />
Dare to Dream Pg 24-25<br />
BAPTISMS AND WEDDINGS Pg 26-27<br />
REFLECTIONS<br />
By Bert Cockerill Pg 28-31<br />
PERSONAL NOTES Pg 32-38<br />
HIDDEN CREEK Pg 39<br />
SPORT UPDATE<br />
Olympic News Pg 40-41<br />
TSS SCHOOL NEWS Pg 42-43<br />
TSS ARCHIVES Pg 44<br />
OBITUARIES Pg 45-47<br />
FINANCIALS Pg 48-51<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ ASSOCIATION<br />
94TH AGM<br />
MONDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2012<br />
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the OSA for the 2012 year will be held at the<br />
Memorial Room in the Clocktower Building starting at 6.00pm.<br />
PLEASE RSVP to osa@tss.qld.edu.au by Monday, 19 November.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 3
First, let me welcome the newest<br />
members to the OSA – the class of<br />
2012. Having attended several final<br />
assemblies now, it is still amazing to<br />
see and feel the emotion at this final<br />
assembly for the Year 12 boys.<br />
<strong>The</strong> realisation that this is the final official school<br />
function and the mates and friendships that have been<br />
created over the years will not end, but will change<br />
as the next chapter in the boys’ lives of work or study<br />
commences, bringing with it new mates and experiences.<br />
We wish all boys the best of luck as they start out on this<br />
new adventure and remind them to keep in contact and<br />
use the resources the OSA provides all Old Boys.<br />
<strong>The</strong> last year has certainly been challenging for the OSA<br />
Council. <strong>The</strong> greatest challenge the OSA faced was the<br />
management of the Hidden Creek Outdoor Education<br />
Facility. Prior to January this year the <strong>School</strong> managed<br />
the site and operations. While not wanting to renew this<br />
agreement, the <strong>School</strong> has committed to support Hidden<br />
Creek and it is the intention of the OSA to hold on to this<br />
facility to allow future boys to experience this unique site.<br />
This will of course depend on the participation by the<br />
<strong>School</strong> and the overall usage of the site. I have previously<br />
mentioned the great work carried out by Peter Lockhart<br />
and Bruce Wright in ensuring this fantastic facility<br />
continues to operate. This work cannot be underestimated<br />
and again I would like to acknowledge the many hours<br />
of work that is carried out by Peter and Bruce, all on a<br />
voluntary basis – Thank you, gentlemen.<br />
<strong>The</strong> next challenge was changing the funding collection<br />
arrangement for OSA Memberships. Previously the<br />
<strong>School</strong>, on behalf of the OSA, collected OSA Membership<br />
when parents paid their enrolment fee. This fee was<br />
then passed on to the OSA. At the request of the <strong>School</strong><br />
and to ease administrative burden, a trial program is<br />
in place where fixed costs such as wages, postage and<br />
other expenses are paid by the <strong>School</strong> to an agreed value.<br />
On face value this appears to be working, but will be<br />
reviewed at the end on the calendar year (which is the<br />
<strong>School</strong>’s financial year).<br />
Under the current economic conditions, it was surprising<br />
that we did not receive one application for an OSA<br />
Bursary this year. I am happy to say that we have already<br />
received one application for 2014 so at least that is a<br />
step in the right direction, and we do hope to receive<br />
more before the closing date of April 2013. It is great<br />
to see the OSA is well on its way to reaching one of the<br />
strategic priorities of having 15% of students by 2015<br />
enrolled at the <strong>School</strong> who are sons or grandsons of Old<br />
Boys. We hope the OSA bursaries can assist in achieving<br />
this objective.<br />
<strong>The</strong> investment committee has been reviewing share<br />
opportunities in consultation with Old Boy Angus Douglas,<br />
but to date the OSA continues to maintain a healthy<br />
investment in term deposits. <strong>The</strong> audited financials to 30<br />
June 2012 are included in the magazine, along with a<br />
separate report from the Treasurer. I am happy to say that<br />
over the past few years we have been able to ensure the<br />
OSA continues to improve its financial position.<br />
4<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
From the President<br />
<strong>The</strong> Online Community site at tssoldboys.com.au<br />
continues to increase the contact details with our<br />
members. If you have not already visited this site, please<br />
take the time to do so. It not only provides updated<br />
information on events and Old Boys’ activities, but also<br />
hosts competitions, allows you to make contact with<br />
other Old Boys, and of course you can book and pay for<br />
events and purchase merchandise and view photos of<br />
the many events – all through this site. <strong>The</strong> membership<br />
and database committee continue to develop this site<br />
and I am sure it will continue to improve in content and<br />
functionality in the future.<br />
Branch reunions and events continue to grow and are<br />
well supported. We now have representatives in all capital<br />
cities in Australia as well as Hong Kong, UK and USA<br />
representation. Of course the largest event we have is<br />
the Old Boys’ Weekend. This year saw record numbers<br />
in attendance from the Generations Dinner through to<br />
the formal Reunion Dinner. In fact, the Reunion Dinner<br />
held in the dining hall was full to capacity and I know<br />
Kris worked closely with the caterers to squeeze in<br />
every last person that we could. It was also the first year<br />
the BBQ lunch was held in the “Old Gym Café”. While<br />
previous BBQs were held down on the picturesque river<br />
ovals, the logistics of having the lunch in this new area<br />
was a winner. It was also great that many Old Boys took<br />
advantage of the buffet-style lunch in between watching<br />
their boys play rugby.<br />
From the President<br />
<strong>The</strong> final event for this year was OSA Race Day. This is<br />
the third year of this annual event and again it was well<br />
supported. This is the only fundraiser the OSA carries out<br />
each year and a big thank you to all those supporters that<br />
purchased tables and raffle tickets. <strong>The</strong> feedback from<br />
this event has been tremendous and I know sponsors are<br />
keen to support it again next year. To all those volunteers<br />
that participated in organising branch reunions and<br />
events, my sincere thanks goes to you.<br />
Speaking of events, I must commend the <strong>School</strong> on<br />
the ANZAC Service. I was invited to lay a wreath in<br />
remembrance. For those that have not attended I would<br />
encourage you to do so to experience the feeling as a<br />
cross is placed in the lawn for each Old Boy who gave up<br />
his life in armed service.<br />
Over the past few years you will have noticed a marked<br />
change in the presentation of the OSA <strong>Review</strong> as well<br />
as the eNewsletter. Kris Hailey puts in a tremendous<br />
amount of time in talking to Old Boys and gathering<br />
articles. Thank you also to Karen Martin (TSS Marketing<br />
Coordinator) and all the TSS staff for their support of the<br />
OSA. As part of the strategic plan set by the OSA, one<br />
goal was to increase the profile of the OSA in the greater<br />
<strong>School</strong> Community so awareness was there for the work<br />
Old Boys contribute to the school. From the feedback I<br />
have received, I do feel the OSA has increased its profile<br />
among the TSS Community over the past few years, and<br />
this was acknowledged by the Headmaster and the speech<br />
of current <strong>School</strong> Council Chairman and Old Boy, Fraser<br />
Perrin, at the Generations Dinner.<br />
<strong>The</strong> support I have received from the Council Executive,<br />
particularly OSA Secretary Nathan Quartermaine, Vice-<br />
President Peter Lockhart and Treasurer Damien Moffrey,<br />
has been tremendous in my two years as President. My<br />
thanks to the Headmaster and also <strong>School</strong> Council for<br />
their support of the OSA, and also special thanks to Kris<br />
for the support she has provided to me in her role as OSA<br />
Coordinator. While I will be standing down as President<br />
come the AGM in November, I will continue to provide my<br />
support to the OSA Council and its members to ensure the<br />
OSA continues the great work achieved by its hard-working<br />
and generous volunteers. It was my pleasure and my<br />
absolute honour to be the OSA President for the past two<br />
years and I wish the new incoming President all the best.<br />
I also wish you and your family all the very best for a safe<br />
and happy Christmas and prosperous 2013.<br />
Paul Wood (Del 80-84)<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 5
From the Headmaster<br />
On September 13th, the day of his funeral, the<br />
<strong>School</strong> flag was flown at half-mast in recognition<br />
of the passing of Old Boy and long-serving teacher<br />
Mr Edward Leney (Pat) Hunt. Up until the last few<br />
months, Pat was a regular visitor to the <strong>School</strong> where<br />
he is still fondly remembered by other long-serving<br />
staff still teaching here.<br />
A contingent of us, with a delegation of Delpratt Year<br />
12 students, joined many Old Boys and Pat’s family and<br />
friends at Pat’s church, the Holy Spirit Anglican Church on<br />
Isle of Capri, to celebrate the life of this fine man.<br />
Two past Chaplains, Jim Stonier and Ross Burnett, along<br />
with long-serving teacher and fellow Delpratt Housemaster,<br />
Canon Bruce Maughan, officiated at the service. All were<br />
teaching colleagues of Pat. At assembly that morning,<br />
prior to the Chaplain offering a prayer for the life and<br />
service of Pat Hunt, I told the boys about some of Pat’s<br />
life, aspects of which I would like to share with you:<br />
Pat commenced as a student at TSS in 1943 and an<br />
excerpt from his student journal reads… “Imagine yourself<br />
back in 1943, and a small boy arrives aged 14, a little<br />
bit small for 14... it has taken two hours from South<br />
Brisbane to <strong>Southport</strong> Station where we were met by Mr<br />
Henry Greenhalgh, ‘Greenie’ or ‘Bottle’ they called him,<br />
who whisks us away to our bus… at the <strong>School</strong> there is<br />
a brownout on and the lights on the bus are browned out<br />
(wartime) and the Americans are here. This is the time of<br />
the American occupation and the Japanese are knocking<br />
at the door in the North. <strong>The</strong> Americans have use of the<br />
building… as a base hospital…”<br />
Pat lived in a part of the Governor’s old summer house<br />
(now Biddle House) and the other boarders lived in<br />
temporary wooden rooms nearby.<br />
Current Walker Housemaster Mr Steve Roberts taught with<br />
Mr Hunt before he retired. Mr Roberts describes Pat as<br />
… “an esteemed and highly distinguished Old Boy and<br />
leader, but also both a real gentleman and a gentle man…<br />
Pat was an articulate, witty, generous and caring teacher; a<br />
genuinely intelligent man in touch with his emotional being<br />
and blessed with a desire to inspire others – both students<br />
and fellow teachers”.<br />
During his time as a student Pat Hunt achieved 8 As out<br />
of 9 subjects in Year 9 (he would have been on our Dean’s<br />
List nowadays). He was a Chapel sacristan and in his final<br />
year Pat was a Prefect, Dux of the <strong>School</strong> and hooker for<br />
the First XV (many current boys felt this was his crowning<br />
achievement!). Pat was also a writer, one of our early<br />
Renaissance men, and he went on to win the Chelmsford<br />
Cup.<br />
Pat continued on to university and then taught at <strong>The</strong><br />
Armidale <strong>School</strong> and taught French and Latin at two<br />
Grammar schools in England before returning to TSS as<br />
a teacher. He was Delpratt Housemaster from 1957 to<br />
1963, editor of <strong>The</strong> <strong>Southport</strong>onian for 17 years, and<br />
acted as the Librarian while teaching full-time.<br />
Four years ago, Dean of Studies at the time Mr Michael<br />
Turley instituted <strong>The</strong> Pat Hunt Prize for Senior Language<br />
students in recognition of Mr Hunt’s efforts as a linguist,<br />
scholar, and former Head of Languages. This prize is<br />
awarded each year to the top student in Chinese, French<br />
or Japanese who is not a native speaker – providing<br />
recognition for our Australian boys who persevere and<br />
succeed with foreign languages.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is a great photo in Bearing the Palm of Pat Hunt and<br />
Mr Allan (Wallaby) Ware being applauded by students as<br />
they walked through the Dixon Gates on the day they both<br />
retired in 1990.<br />
We give thanks for the life, achievements and Christian<br />
service to others of Edward Leney (Pat) Hunt.<br />
Mr Greg Wain<br />
Headmaster<br />
6<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
From the Editor<br />
“<strong>The</strong>se <strong>School</strong>s are the nurseries of good citizens – the <strong>School</strong>s<br />
are the training grounds for men who will shoulder responsibility<br />
and lead.” Bishop Horace Henry Dixon<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is no more exciting time of the year than the anticipation<br />
of end of <strong>School</strong> and Graduation. This edition certainly<br />
illustrates our Association’s activities and the great work of<br />
the OSA Council and all the OSA volunteers that contribute so<br />
significantly at Branch and <strong>School</strong>. Of course we are indebted<br />
for the commitment and great work that our OSA Coordinator,<br />
Mrs Kris Hailey, contributes to the success of what we believe<br />
is one of the leading <strong>School</strong> Alumni organisations in Australia.<br />
At the time of writing, the dust has only just settled on another<br />
enormous Old Boys’ Weekend, with over 800 registrations,<br />
and is a testament to the OSA’s Strategic Plan developed a<br />
few years ago. Meanwhile we are already managing diaries<br />
in preparation to welcome our newest young Old Boys – how<br />
the year has flown! It is the reason for having our Founder’s<br />
quote at the top of this page, as his statement is as relevant<br />
and significant now as it was when his vision was captured in<br />
the first few years of his work building our <strong>School</strong>. As the OSA<br />
heads towards 16,000 members, it is amazing to think TSS<br />
(or as it was originally known, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Southport</strong>, High <strong>School</strong> for<br />
Boys) started with a few day-boys at a house in White Street,<br />
<strong>Southport</strong> and then in September 1901 the first boarders (A.A.<br />
Markwell and F. Taylor).<br />
We therefore welcome the Class of 2012, wish you every<br />
possible success with your future endeavours and remind you<br />
that the OSA is your link to your comrades for life.<br />
WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU?<br />
With the growing success and interest being received for<br />
reunions, events and celebrations such as the Older Old Boys’<br />
Assembly, there has been a huge amount of work undertaken to<br />
find Old Boys. In fact over the past three years we have found<br />
around 2000 members, bringing the number to 8000 Old Boys<br />
the OSA can now communicate with, BUT there is still around<br />
5000 members out there we want to contact. In preparation for<br />
future Old Boys’ Weekends, one of the greatest challenges is to<br />
find Old Boys willing to assist as year group coordinators and<br />
communicate with our network to find those still missing. To<br />
ensure we can continue the success of these unique programs,<br />
please contact the OSA Office on 07 5531 9803, email OSA@<br />
tss.qld.edu.au or visit www.tssoldboys.com.au to update your<br />
details, assist finding your mates and/or to be a coordinator and<br />
we’ll keep the updates coming.<br />
15 by 15<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is no better place than this Editorial to challenge Old<br />
Boys to deeply consider the reasons why the OSA has set<br />
as a key goal, to support and assist in achieving 15% Old<br />
Boys’ families attending TSS by 2015. This cause has many<br />
merits when you speak of the traditions, quality, balanced and<br />
holistic education in developing boys into men, but you need<br />
to see first-hand what this magnificent <strong>School</strong> has to offer<br />
all boys to know and understand the reasons that TSS is the<br />
best place for your son’s/grandson’s education, and further<br />
comment has been made by the President in his report in<br />
relation to bursaries available. Please contact the OSA for any<br />
information you may need.<br />
CAN YOU IMAGINE – 80 YEARS AND THE MESSAGE<br />
REMAINS THE SAME<br />
“To exist, any paper large or small, must feature original and<br />
interesting articles, and to ensure that future issues of the<br />
‘<strong>Review</strong>’ will become more appreciated, the co-operation of all<br />
members is invited, particularly from those residing in the far<br />
distant parts of the State or outside the State.<br />
“It is the little personal touch that makes an article worth<br />
reading and it is known to the Editor that there are many Old<br />
Boys who possess the ability to write something original –<br />
either about their days at the <strong>School</strong> or their experiences since<br />
starting out in life. Although many offers of contributions were<br />
made at the time of the first issue, very few have so far been<br />
received. If you have something to tell your old <strong>School</strong> pals,<br />
write it down now and send it in. <strong>The</strong> columns of the ‘<strong>Review</strong>’<br />
are open to all members for the expression of their views…”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Editor – OSA <strong>Review</strong>, March 17, 1934<br />
WITH THANKS<br />
I wish to finish by congratulating our outgoing President, Mr<br />
Paul Wood. For those who have the honour and opportunity<br />
to lead this Association, it is a true commitment that needs<br />
considerable time, effort and sacrifice, and Paul’s contribution<br />
and the leadership he has shown his Council and Committees<br />
deserves to be acknowledged with gratitude from us all.<br />
Thanks, Woody – Well done, mate!!<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 7
From the Editor<br />
Old Boys’ Numbers<br />
PHOTO - Beric Lynton<br />
HONOUR BOARD TO RECOGNISE ROWING CONTRIBUTIONS<br />
As the most successful GPS Sport in premierships at TSS, Rowing has a long,<br />
strong and proud history built on tradition that dates back to our Founder. In<br />
fact, seeing Horace Henry Dixon in black and white images rowing and his<br />
appointment of Thorold from England to build the culture of rowing are just<br />
two keys examples that complement his goals, which ultimately were about<br />
developing boys into men. From the humble beginnings to what we now see,<br />
the OSA invite you to nominate those you believe were standout contributors<br />
to TSS Rowing over the past century. Please send your nominations and short<br />
explanation of the work and contribution made by that person. A special<br />
ceremony will be held in 2013 to announce the first inductees to the Honour<br />
Board to be located at the Clavill Bere Rowing Centre.<br />
OLD BOY BACKS ROWING SUCCESS<br />
Old Boy and tremendous TSS Rowing supporter Beric Lynton has been<br />
sponsoring the program for almost a decade. <strong>The</strong> timing has been critical to the<br />
rebuilding of the TSS Rowing Program under Director of Rowing, Iain Smith.<br />
In recent times the momentum has been turning, with Old Boy Olympian<br />
Duncan Free coaching the First VIII to a Premiership in 2006 and in 2012 –<br />
TSS winning the Old Boys Cup (based on point score results of all crews at the<br />
HoR). Iain Smith reports record numbers of boys rowing and we look forward<br />
to the TSS Shed putting in another great performance in 2013. Special thanks<br />
to Beric and his Bruce Lynton Automotive Team (with BMW, Land Rover, MINI,<br />
Alfa and Fiat) – and please keep his support of TSS Rowing in mind next time<br />
you’re looking for a new vehicle.<br />
Bruce Wright (Rad 76-85)<br />
TOP 10 BY COUNTRY<br />
United Kingdom 114<br />
Hong Kong 98<br />
Papua New Guinea 85<br />
United State of America 72<br />
Taiwan (ROC) 53<br />
New Zealand 50<br />
Korea (South) 39<br />
Canada 39<br />
Thailand 36<br />
Germany 32<br />
ALL OLD BOYS – AUSTRALIA<br />
QLD 5995<br />
NSW 785<br />
VIC 183<br />
WA 65<br />
ACT 50<br />
NT 36<br />
SA 28<br />
TAS 28<br />
TOTAL 7170<br />
ALL OLD BOYS<br />
Deceased 2181<br />
Address Unknown 5421<br />
Australia 7170<br />
Overseas 884<br />
TOTAL 15,656<br />
CONTRIBUTIONS WELCOME<br />
We are always interested in what you have been doing with your life, news<br />
of your travels and who you have caught up with from TSS. All contributions<br />
should be directed to: OSA Office, TSS, Winchester Street, <strong>Southport</strong> 4215<br />
or email to osa@tss.qld.edu.au.<br />
<strong>The</strong> OSA publishes personal notes in good faith as a service to the school<br />
community and to the alumni. <strong>The</strong> OSA accepts no responsibility for<br />
publishing 8 information THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ in this section of REVIEW the magazine that may be erroneous,<br />
incomplete or false.<br />
Editor: You will see we are<br />
still missing over 5000 Old<br />
Boys’ contact details from<br />
the OSA membership roll.<br />
Please check with your mates<br />
to see if they are receiving<br />
this magazine and encourage<br />
them to update their<br />
details via the website or by<br />
contacting the OSA office,<br />
either email osa@tss.qld.edu.<br />
au or phone 07 5531 9803.
OSA News<br />
PHOTO – Peter Kai-Nielsen, Bendigo Bank Relationship Manager,<br />
presenting cheque to Fraser Perrin (Rad 84)<br />
Bendigo Bank provides $3000 towards OSA Bush Bursary<br />
Sincere thanks to Bendigo Bank, Bundall Branch for<br />
presenting a cheque to the OSA for $3000 at the Old Boys<br />
Reunion Family BBQ. <strong>The</strong>se funds will be used for a ‘Bush<br />
Bursary’.<br />
Congratulations<br />
to the Winners of Tipping competitions...<br />
1st prize $200<br />
Donated by the OSA<br />
2nd prize $100<br />
Vntage bottle of wine to the value of $100<br />
Donated by Burling Brown Architects<br />
3rd prize – 2 Gold Class tickets<br />
to Birch Carroll & Coyle Donated by Baker<br />
Affleck Moffrey Chartered Accountants<br />
NRL AFL SUPER XV<br />
OLD BOYS’ WEEKEND 2013<br />
2013 Reunion Dinner will be held on Saturday, July 27. This weekend<br />
will be Round 2 of the Rugby and Basketball GPS season. TSS will play<br />
Ipswich Grammar. A booking form and information on all events over<br />
this long weekend will be posted out in March 2013 to all ‘3’ year groups<br />
(i.e. 2003, 1993, 1983, 1973, 1963) and will also be published in the<br />
Winter edition of the OSA <strong>Review</strong>, in June 2013.<br />
PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING FOR A YEAR GROUP COORDINATOR:<br />
1963 – Sam Staines (McK) email staines@networkx.com.au<br />
1973, 1983, 1993, 2003 – VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED.<br />
Calendar<br />
2013 Reunion<br />
Dinner will be<br />
held on Saturday,<br />
July 27<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 9
Branch Functions<br />
By Nathan Quartermaine<br />
As the end of the year approaches, we have been<br />
busy with the Old Boys’ Weekend and OSA Race Day,<br />
our two major fundraising events for the year.<br />
In addition to these our branch representatives have been<br />
busy organising branch functions both in Australia and<br />
overseas. It has been fantastic to see the OSA community<br />
strong and represented in every major city in Australia<br />
and in a number of locations overseas.<br />
<strong>The</strong> OSA Weekend was again extremely successful with<br />
over 800 registrations received for the events over the<br />
weekend. This is an increase on previous years as the<br />
weekend goes from strength to strength. I would like to<br />
personally thank Kris Hailey for all her work as well as<br />
all the OSA volunteers who helped out over the weekend.<br />
Once again it was a roaring success and we have enjoyed<br />
some great feedback. We have published lots of photos<br />
in this magazine (and they are also available for viewing<br />
online at www.tssoldboys.com.au) of those who attended<br />
the weekend of events.<br />
Details of OSA Branch Gatherings since the last edition<br />
are:<br />
Gold Coast Gathering – June 22nd & September 28th<br />
Nick Deane (Sur 88) organised two gatherings at<br />
Northcliffe Surf Lifesaving Club in the past few months.<br />
A great night was had by all who attended in catching up<br />
with old school mates and talking about the good old times<br />
at TSS and what has happened since leaving school.<br />
Over drinks and excellent finger food we talked about<br />
rugby, football (soccer), surfing, SARGE (he didn’t like<br />
me!!), cadet camp, getting in trouble at school, more<br />
SARGE, teachers (won’t mention any names!), the<br />
TUCKSHOP (eg good ol’ sausage roll in a roll and M&M’s<br />
chocolate), school formal, <strong>School</strong>ies Week, St Hilda girls,<br />
and all the usual stuff we got up to at school.<br />
Many thanks go to TSS and Northcliffe SLSC for their<br />
continued support of these OSA events.<br />
Malcolm Searle (Del 58-61) writes…<br />
Class of 1961 quarterly Brisbane lunches<br />
Following our 50-Year Reunion at last year’s OSA Weekend,<br />
Bryan Davies (Thorold) conceived and co-ordinates very<br />
successful Class of 61 Quarterly Lunches at the Plough Inn<br />
Hotel at South Bank.<br />
Since July 2011, we have held four lunches with strong<br />
attendances (12-16 at each lunch). In total 19 mates have<br />
attended, including Trevor Tesch, who had not been sighted<br />
for 50 years!<br />
Those who attended are Gerald Brown, David Cameron,<br />
Bryan Davies, Archie Douglas, Graeme Garde, Bruce<br />
Gough, Grahame Greenup, Robert Hancock, Brian<br />
Hardiman, Glen Johnstone, Murray Johnston, Mac<br />
Lethbridge, Lance Look, Potts McIlwraith, Colin Myers,<br />
Brian Russell, Malcolm Searle, Trevor Tesch, Don Williams.<br />
<strong>The</strong> venue is an upstairs private facility with a good menu<br />
and beverage is moderately enjoyed. New “old faces” are<br />
welcome to add to the Class Spirit.<br />
From front left and clockwise:<br />
Nick Deane, Murray Alderson, Brad Roden, Bruce Hart,<br />
Paul Jones, James Deane, Daniel Stevenson, Andrew<br />
Stevenson, Shane Hill, Brendan Shakespeare<br />
VENUE: Plough Inn Hotel, SOUTH BANK<br />
TIME: 11.30am for 12 noon – duration, approx. 3 hours<br />
NEXT DATE: Wednesday 28 November<br />
CONTACT: Bryan Davies, email: patnbry@hotmail.com<br />
10<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Sydney Gathering – September 6th<br />
Jon Fyfe (McK 01) reported the Sydney OSA Branch<br />
Members, young and old, got together in early September<br />
over a few casual beers at the Nelson Hotel in <strong>The</strong> Rocks.<br />
It was great to see a few new faces who brought with them<br />
a number of new stories and a few good laughs. <strong>The</strong> OSA<br />
evenings make for a very good opportunity to reconnect<br />
with old friends and also acts as a great networking<br />
opportunity. OSA Sydney Branch will be meeting on a<br />
more regular basis and welcomes any NSW-based Old<br />
<strong>Southport</strong>onians to come along to join in.<br />
L-R David Cash (Kai 00), Simon J Conran (Bid 93), John<br />
Kempe (McK 75), Michael Gunn (Del 72), Gareth Wockner<br />
(Kai 00)<br />
Perth Gathering – September 28th<br />
Simon Conran organised a gathering at the Royal Hotel in<br />
Perth again this year. It was great to see a few WA boys<br />
did make an effort to catch up. Simon reports that they<br />
all had a great night and managed to have pizza for dinner<br />
and swap some TSS war stories!<br />
USA – West Coast Branch<br />
Greg Tweedie invited all USA West Coast residents to a<br />
round-up on Sunday morning, September 30, at Granada<br />
Hills. Greg reports… “Last Sunday, four of us got together<br />
for a bit of fun in LA and again it was terrific to be with<br />
fellow Old Boys to share yarns. We spent an hour or so at<br />
a local park where we played a bit of touch footy, cricket,<br />
whip-cracking, etc. Following this we had a BBQ near the<br />
pool and told yarns. Simms scored the only try in a torrid<br />
five-minute touch rugby game, Muir showed great skill with<br />
the bat and Black gave an outstanding display of whipcracking.<br />
A special edition T-shirt with school colours was<br />
presented to attendees and we are all looking forward to<br />
another bash in a couple of months.<br />
Melbourne Gathering – October 11th<br />
A small but enjoyable gathering took place with a bunch of<br />
Victorian-based TSS Old Boys on Thursday, October 11 at<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bells in South Melbourne. New branch representative<br />
Griffin McMaster reports… “We had a good night. Only<br />
seven people attended, but can say the whole group<br />
enjoyed the night. We endeavour to get more people to turn<br />
up, perhaps another gathering towards the end of the year,<br />
but not Christmas time. We’ll see how we go.”<br />
Welcome to our new Branch<br />
Representatives:<br />
Our Canberra-based Branch<br />
Representative is Tom Adam (Atk<br />
93-97). Tom is keen to have<br />
a gathering of ACT, based TSS<br />
Old Boys. If you are in/around<br />
Canberra, please feel free to<br />
contact Tom on email at: info@<br />
hapkidocanberra.com<br />
Our new Melbourne-based<br />
Branch Representative is Griffin<br />
McMaster (Kai 98-00). At<br />
the request of our longstanding<br />
and loyal Victorian Branch<br />
Representatives, Warren Adderley<br />
(Del 59-68) and Lionel Meerkin<br />
(JS 42-47), Griffin was asked to<br />
bring a ‘younger presence’ to the<br />
Melbourne OSA Branch.<br />
Griffin can be contacted at:<br />
griffin_mcmaster@hotmail.<br />
com or www.facebook.com/<br />
griffinmcmaster<br />
Photo: L-R Jay Black (Del 88), Greg Tweedie (Del 66),<br />
Dave Muir (Tho 80) and Brad Simms (McK 73)<br />
2013 BRANCH<br />
EVENTS<br />
Look out for the 2013 Branch Events<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 11<br />
in the January eNewsletter
OLD BOYS’ WEEKEND<br />
Notes received by those unable to make the weekend…<br />
Matthew Meerkin (Sheppard 42-47) writes…<br />
As usual I have left my RSVP to the last minute. My<br />
sincerest apologies. Unfortunately I will be unable to<br />
attend the celebrations and Reunion Dinner as I have<br />
taken on some teaching at the UNSW and my other<br />
responsibilities still continue. Please pass on my best<br />
regards to everyone. I know Lionel is coming so at least<br />
one of us will make the grade.<br />
Jervis Sparks (Tho 46-49) writes…<br />
I leave for Fiji on Sunday, and thus will not be able to attend<br />
this year’s reunion. You will note that I am 79 years old and<br />
will be working well into my 80s, as there are four projects<br />
in Fiji to explore. I contribute my good health to my years at<br />
TSS, and also my lifestyle and controlled diet (raw fish daily<br />
in Fiji), although the school fare when I was there, while<br />
food was still rationed, could hardly be said to be nutritious<br />
or healthy. White bread (instant heart attack) and jam for<br />
breakfast and dinner, with roast beef or roast lamb with<br />
vegies for lunch. However, we all thrived. Also, it was due<br />
to all the sports in which we were able to participate. I will<br />
update you with my Fiji projects later.<br />
Ray Grimshaw (Tho 51-54) writes…<br />
Good Afternoon, Thank you for the invitation to attend the<br />
Assembly. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend and<br />
it would be appreciated if you could pass on my apologies.<br />
After leaving TSS I was accepted into Royal Military College<br />
Duntroon, left the army and managed hotels and attended<br />
University of Adelaide to study accountancy part-time. CPA<br />
in 1971 and CA in 1976 and FCA. Semi-retired now and I<br />
have five restored classic cars.<br />
Wally Miller (Del 51-54) writes…<br />
From Barcaldine, regrets he is unable to make the Older<br />
Old Boys’ day and the Weekend. He sends his apologies and<br />
wishes everybody a wonderful time.<br />
Ron Bonner (McK 50-53) writes…<br />
Sorry, can’t make it to the Reunion Weekend this year.<br />
Tony Hall-Matthews (Del 52-58)writes…<br />
Please extend my apologies to other 1952 fellows who<br />
joined the <strong>School</strong> during that time. My brother Tom had<br />
just arrived from England, and we were picked up by Ivor<br />
Cribb, who was then the Headmaster of the Prep <strong>School</strong>. We<br />
arrived in March, got off the ship in Sydney, and Ivor picked<br />
us up at the train station in Brisbane, and on the way to<br />
<strong>Southport</strong> we had our first Yatala pie!!<br />
Richard Moore (McK 59-62) writes…<br />
Compliments to Nudgee and the Class of 1962 for a most<br />
impressive mechanism commemorating fallen classmates<br />
and Nudgee Vietnam Vets. Thanks for sharing these items<br />
with TSS and our Class of 1962. John Compton and I played<br />
in the First XV in 1962 with the late John Fraser; we have<br />
fond memories of his time at TSS.<br />
Lyndon Macmillan (Tho 57-62) writes…<br />
Dear John (Crompton)<br />
I am in receipt of the OSA correspondence relating to the<br />
50-Year Reunion for the Class of 1962. Unfortunately I<br />
will not be able to attend due to prior commitments that<br />
weekend. Judging by the number and quality of official and<br />
unofficial events, the Reunion should be a great success.<br />
Well done for your excellent arrangements. Best wishes for<br />
a great weekend.<br />
Regards to the Class of ’62.<br />
Derek Shaw (Del 52-60) & Paul Shaw (Del 52-62)<br />
both send their apologies and best wishes to their year<br />
group. Reg Freshney (McK 56-60), David Corfe (McK 56-61)<br />
and Jim Spence (Tho 56-61) all pass on their apologies to the<br />
class of ’62.<br />
Peter Hyland (Tho 52-55) writes…<br />
Please accept my apologies for not replying earlier. I’m<br />
unable to attend due to my wife’s ill-health. Please pass on<br />
my regards to those who may remember me from the early<br />
’60s and give them my best regards.<br />
Arthur (Grahame) Clarke<br />
(McK 59-65) writes…<br />
Sorry, I cannot attend this year.<br />
12<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
OLD BOYS’<br />
WEEKEND<br />
PHOTO – Greenup Family<br />
Generation Families Gather For Dinner<br />
By Gerry Northausen,<br />
TSS Executive Officer – Foundation<br />
Nowhere is the strong sense of family and community<br />
strengths of TSS more evident than the annual Generations<br />
Dinner. This year was no exception with staff members<br />
joining 100 parents and families at the dinner held in the Old<br />
Gym Café.<br />
Many of our current students follow in the footsteps of their<br />
fathers, grandfathers and uncles, and some families are<br />
nearing the end of their tenure as current parents at the<br />
school. This year we say goodbye to Year 12 students Nic<br />
Bartlett, Lewis Enderlin, Thomas Gray, Sam Greenup, Ryan<br />
Monahan, Cato Perrin and Scot Rose, all of whom are second<br />
and third-generation boys.<br />
Many of our families are connected to the boarding<br />
community and travelled considerable distances to attend the<br />
dinner. Our day families were also extremely well represented<br />
and an extremely enjoyable night was had by all.<br />
Again this year, our major sponsor of the day was Bruce<br />
Lynton BMW group, which donated fantastic prizes for our<br />
winning teams, including BMW golf bags, leather shoe and<br />
gym bags, as well as car-cleaning kits and clothing.<br />
Close runners-up were Old Boys Vaughan Oxenford, Glen<br />
Partridge, Jason Young and Rod Macleod and the winners on<br />
the day were the team of 2002 Old Boys, Tim Gunthorpe, Ted<br />
Cronin, Ben O’Bryan and Ashley Rourke, who not only won the<br />
Foundation Cup, but also the coveted McWhirter Cup, which<br />
can only be won by past students of the <strong>School</strong>.<br />
Duncan John McWhirter (McK 1919-24), OSA president from<br />
1940 to 1941, started the McWhirter Cup in memory of his<br />
brother, James McWhirter, who died during World War II. Two<br />
members of the McWhirter family, brothers and TSS Old Boys,<br />
Derek Murphy and Douglas Murphy S.C., continue to keep the<br />
tradition strong by regularly playing in the competition.<br />
Other sponsors of the day were RACV Royal Pines, RBS<br />
Morgans, <strong>The</strong> MBA Partnership, WHK Audit & Assurance,<br />
Higgins Coatings, Getaway Golf, QIEU, BBC Digital, Gem<br />
Cleaning and Totally Workwear. Our sincere thanks is given<br />
to all our players and sponsors. All monies raised continue<br />
to support our Country Boarder Bursaries and Indigenous<br />
Education programs.<br />
PHOTO – Perrin Family<br />
Golf Day Success<br />
This year’s annual golf day at RACV Royal Pines saw the<br />
biggest field of players in its history, with 144 Old Boys, staff,<br />
current parents, students and members of our community<br />
teaming together to play a four-ball Ambrose competition.<br />
<strong>The</strong> course was in pristine condition and under perfect winter<br />
skies players teed off at midday.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 13
Seated Row: Peter Dowling (Thorold 1946-48), Rev Tom Hall-Matthews (Delpratt 1952-57), Victor Huxley (Thorold 1952-60), Lionel Meerkin (Shepherd 1942-<br />
47), Bill Crawford (Delpratt 1952-54), Graeme Rylance (McKinley 1950-56), Mr Greg Wain, Headmaster, Mr Paul Wood, OSA President, Trevor Dover (Delpratt<br />
1942-43), Arthur Somerset (Thorold 1939-42), John Purcell (McKinley 1949-53), Bill Laver AM (McKinley 1943-46), Neil Stronach (Thorold 1931-39), Jim Dover<br />
(Delpratt 1937-39)<br />
Second Row: John Bridle (McKinley 1952-59), Clyde Johnson (McKinley 1952-57), Ian Wort (McKinley 1952-53), David Miller (Thorold 1948-54), John Burrowes<br />
(McKinley 1952-55), Bill Simmons (Mitre 1949-53), Lew Cooper OAM (McKinley 1949-55), John Biggs (McKinley 1945-51), Brad Grinstead (Delpratt 1948-51),<br />
Bob Andrew (Delpratt 1945-51), Edward Kernke (Delpratt 1945-49), Gordon Burcher (McKinley 1951-55), Keith Wright (Delpratt 1952-60)<br />
Third Row: John Walker (McKinley 1946-50), Robin Tritton (McKinley 1934-47), Neil Goldsmith (Delpratt 1947-53), Jake MacRonald (Thorold 1949-57), Ian<br />
Bucknell (Junior <strong>School</strong> 1939-41), Graeme Parry (Thorold 1943-51), Viv Fitzgerald (McKinley 1939), Louis Olsen (Shepherd 1951-53), Tom Robinson (Thorold<br />
1943-46), Elton Stone (Thorold 1945-45), Colin Weir (Delpratt 1944-45), Alan McWilliam (Delpratt 1945-48), David Monteath (Delpratt 1943-46), Rad West<br />
(McKinley 1951-54)<br />
Fourth Row: Garth Davidson (Delpratt 1948-58), Peter McIntyre (Delpratt 1949-56), Bert Cockerill (McKinley 1946-55), Keith Gil (Delpratt 1945-47), John Austin<br />
(Thorold 1950-51)<br />
Older Old Boys Assembly<br />
This annual special Assembly honours our Older Old Boys who<br />
entered the <strong>School</strong> 60 years ago or more. This event fosters<br />
and strengthens the very important traditional links between<br />
the present boys in the <strong>School</strong> and the generations of Old<br />
<strong>Southport</strong>onians who have gone before. It really brings home<br />
the history of the <strong>School</strong> to our current boys.<br />
In 2010 the OSA commissioned an Older Old Boys<br />
Commemorative tie to be presented to the newest Older Old<br />
Boys. This year it was presented to all those present who<br />
commenced at TSS in 1952. <strong>The</strong>se were John Bridle (McK<br />
1952-59); John Burrowes (McK 1952-55); Bill Crawford (Del<br />
1952-54); Tom Hall-Matthews (Del 1952-57); Victor Huxley<br />
(Tho 1952-60); Ian Wort (McK 1952-53); Keith Wright (Del<br />
1952-60).<br />
This year 46 Old Boys and their wives and guests attended<br />
a Chapel service and morning tea prior to the Assembly.<br />
Afterwards they were joined in the Dining Hall by TSS staff,<br />
Senior Prefects and House Captains for a most enjoyable<br />
lunch and an opportunity to reminisce about the early years<br />
and their time at the school.<br />
14<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
OLD BOYS’ WEEKEND<br />
Dellie Breakfast<br />
Written by Phil Ward<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dellie breakfast has now become a long-standing<br />
tradition – the first breakfast occurred on Old Boys’<br />
Weekend in 1998 and was started by Virgoe Buckland<br />
and his wife Kerry when he was Housemaster. It has been<br />
held every year since on Old Boys’ Weekend, so the 2012<br />
breakfast was the 15th!<br />
Phil and Jan brought up their own two boys, Tom and<br />
Ned, as well as looking after the Dellie boys – this made<br />
their time even more memorable and significant to them.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y worked as a team and Jan was part-time matron<br />
for the past 18 months after Lurline Loffel retired. Phil<br />
continues to teach at the school as he has always done,<br />
so he looks forward to continuing his association with TSS<br />
Boarding and Dellie in particular.<br />
<strong>The</strong> original aim of the breakfast was to welcome the<br />
Dellie Old Boys back to their old house, with the boys and<br />
staff hosting the function. Current parents and friends<br />
also are welcomed and it has developed into a real family<br />
affair and fun day as it always coincides with a major<br />
rugby home game.<br />
This year we had the unveiling of the new Delpratt House<br />
Banner made for the House by Mrs Heather Haimes<br />
(Father Jonathan Whereat’s spouse). Canon Maughan<br />
also presented a framed copy of Rudyard Kipling’s poem<br />
“If”, which traditionally hung in the House Captains<br />
Room – each House Captain would sign the back of the<br />
framed picture – unfortunately at some stage this valued<br />
artefact went missing – it is significant that this year that<br />
Sam Greenup is House Captain (his father David was also<br />
House Captain in 1986).<br />
This year Phil and Jan Ward are retiring after six years<br />
of caring for their Delpratt boys and their families – Phil<br />
describes his time in Dellie in “Beatles” parlance as a<br />
“magical mystery tour”.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 15
OLD BOYS’ WEEKEND<br />
BBQ<br />
<strong>The</strong> Family BBQ, held in the Old Gym Café this year, turned<br />
out to be a great lunchtime gathering. Three hundred came<br />
along throughout the three-hour event, many coming for a<br />
quick bite to eat, a drink and a catch-up and then heading off<br />
to watch their son/s play rugby against Churchie. <strong>The</strong> change<br />
of venue (from the River Oval) was well received this year. <strong>The</strong><br />
River Ovals could not be used for the BBQ as they are required<br />
for rugby fields due to the change of the GPS season structure,<br />
resulting in the 1st XV match being played earlier. This makes<br />
the new kick-off time for the 1st XV match 2pm, rather than<br />
the traditional later start of 3pm. <strong>The</strong> BBQ consequently<br />
finished by 2pm this year.<br />
Thank you to the OSA Reunion Committee for assisting with<br />
the set-up of this event. Thanks to Jonny Nyst and James<br />
Nikiforides (from the band, <strong>The</strong> Vernons) who played some<br />
wonderful music for everyone. We also had a visit from young<br />
Old Boys, Luke Morahan (Kai 07) and Jono Lance (Kai 07),<br />
both TSS Reds Players, who were happy to have a few photos<br />
taken with the kids, which was great! We received great reports<br />
on the food and entertainment provided on the day, so we hope<br />
to see many more attend next year.<br />
Headmaster’s Morning Tea &<br />
Rediscovery Tour<br />
A crowd of 60 or more were present for the Headmaster’s<br />
Morning Tea and most took the opportunity to take the<br />
Rediscovery tour, hosted by Deputy Headmaster, Mr Alan<br />
Parsons.<br />
16<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
REUNION<br />
DINNER<br />
Reunion Dinner<br />
<strong>The</strong> Reunion Dinner saw 225 turn up on Saturday, August<br />
11th this year. <strong>The</strong> Dining Hall was packed to capacity<br />
with the two biggest year groups being the 50-year<br />
(1962s) and the 20-year (1992s) classes.<br />
Congratulations must go to all Year Group Coordinators<br />
for the tremendous effort undertaken to contact their<br />
classmates and encourage them to attend. Due to the<br />
overwhelming response from the 62-year group, we pass<br />
on sincere thanks to John Compton, Richard Moore and<br />
John Helgeson, who went to a considerable amount<br />
of trouble to organise a Friday night gathering at the<br />
<strong>Southport</strong> Yacht Club and also a boat trip on Lance Look’s<br />
boat to Stradbroke Island on Sunday. Thank you, to these<br />
three special Old Boys, for helping to make the 50-year<br />
reunion so special.<br />
Also, a special thank you to Chris Radburn (Del 92) who<br />
was the guest speaker on the night – this is always a very<br />
tough ‘gig’, but he did his best to be heard!<br />
A great night was had by all and we have received many<br />
compliments regarding the organisation, including the<br />
quality of the food over the entire weekend.<br />
More photos can be found on the TSS Old Boys’ website<br />
www.tssoldboys.com.au<br />
Year group coordinators were:<br />
2002 – 10-Year Reunion – Matt Westcott (Atk 02)<br />
1992 – 20-Year Reunion – Perry Cross (Mau 92)<br />
1982 – 30-Year Reunion – Glen Richards (McK 82)<br />
1972 – 40-Year Reunion – Paul McIntosh (Tho 72)<br />
1962 – 50-Year Reunion – John Compton (Del 62)<br />
Richard Moore (McK 62), John Helgeson (Del 62)<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 17
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THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 19
Race Day<br />
Saturday, October 13<br />
PHOTOS: Andrew Mills<br />
WHAT A DAY! EVERY TABLE WAS SOLD OUT THIS<br />
YEAR AT THE ANNUAL SMARTPRINT OSA RACE DAY.<br />
Not only did we receive a terrific attendance response, we<br />
also had unbelievable support from our local businesses,<br />
who provided wonderful prizes for the raffle on the day.<br />
Many guests walked away with prizes that well exceeded<br />
the value of the ticket!<br />
<strong>The</strong> new venue of the Boardroom was well received by all<br />
guests – that, combined with the great food, drinks and<br />
excellent company, all added up to a fantastic day at the<br />
Races!<br />
We look forward to seeing you all again next year.<br />
Special thanks to:<br />
• Mantra on Salt<br />
• Esteem Day Spa<br />
• Village Roadshow<br />
<strong>The</strong>me Parks<br />
• Botanique Flowers<br />
• <strong>Southport</strong> Yacht Club<br />
• Ferry Rode Cycles<br />
• Hilton Surfers Paradise<br />
• Shuck on Tedder<br />
• Surfers Rowers<br />
• Merlo <strong>Southport</strong> Park<br />
For two years now, SmartPrint have been the major<br />
sponsor on the day. Also, special mention must be made<br />
to Bendigo Bank, Bundall Branch and Midway Metals for<br />
being Race Sponsors. Both businesses have supported<br />
the OSA Race Day for the past three years. All funds<br />
raised will go towards OSA Bursaries.<br />
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THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 21<br />
PHOTOS: Andrew Mills
NEW OSA MERCHANDISE<br />
Available for all members to purchase from the<br />
TSS Old Boys’ website – www.tssoldboys.com.au<br />
Rings from<br />
$225/$495<br />
Old <strong>Southport</strong>onians’<br />
Association Rings<br />
For the first time in our history, the OSA Council has<br />
approved the commissioning of two OSA signet rings<br />
especially for our community members. <strong>The</strong> rings feature<br />
a fully detailed three dimensional accurate representation<br />
of <strong>The</strong> Old <strong>Southport</strong>onians’ Association crest, set in your<br />
choice of large and small oval-shaped rings. <strong>The</strong> two<br />
unique styles make the beautiful rings quite distinctive<br />
and recognisable among Old Boys’ and we have no doubt<br />
will be worn with pride among our community.<br />
To make the rings even more significant for you, they can<br />
be engraved with the House and Graduation year. <strong>The</strong>re is<br />
no extra charge for this option. Your OSA ring comes with<br />
a lifetime warranty, covering the following: Resize your<br />
ring free of charge (if in resizable condition) – Restore the<br />
original finish free of charge – Any defect or blemish in<br />
materials or workmanship, your ring will be either repaired<br />
or replaced free of charge (this offer is void if work is<br />
performed on your ring other than by Jostens).<br />
Old <strong>Southport</strong>onians’<br />
Association Cufflinks<br />
OSA Hats and<br />
Ties are also still<br />
available. For<br />
more information,<br />
contact the OSA<br />
Office on 07<br />
5531 9803<br />
Cufflinks $59<br />
(boxed pair)<br />
OSA Key Tag<br />
<strong>The</strong> OSA Council this year have commissioned a Key Tag for the class of<br />
2012. This is to help remind them to keep in contact and use the resources<br />
the OSA provides to all Old Boys. If you are interested in ordering a Key Tag,<br />
please contact the OSA Office for more information. Note: Minimum orders<br />
are required.<br />
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THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Mentor Network Program<br />
Thank you to the following Mentors for generously donating their precious time for the<br />
benefit of the current TSS students.<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
1<br />
5<br />
Archie Douglas 2 Damien Moffrey 3 Nick Agnew 4 Peter Newcomb with Mike Halpin<br />
Peter & Anthony Puljich, with Mike Halpin (Centre) 6 Tim Crossley 7 Shannon Eckstein<br />
What is mentoring?<br />
Mentoring provides a structured and trusting relationship<br />
that brings young people together with caring individuals<br />
who offer guidance, support and encouragement (adapted<br />
from Mentor/National Mentoring Partnership and Robyn<br />
Hartley’s “Young people and mentoring: towards a national<br />
strategy” 2004 Report).<br />
<strong>The</strong> mentor is not a replacement for a parent, nor are they<br />
a counsellor or teacher. <strong>The</strong>y are a sounding board and<br />
confidant to the young person.<br />
How does mentoring help?<br />
<strong>The</strong>re has been a great deal of international research<br />
carried out on the benefits of mentoring to a young person.<br />
Research by Joseph P. Tierney and Jean Baldwin Grossman<br />
(Making a difference: an impact study of Big Brother/<br />
Big Sisters) and David L Dubois et al (‘Effectiveness of<br />
mentoring programs for youth: A meta-analytical review’,<br />
American Journal of Community Psychology), has shown that<br />
young mentees are:<br />
• Less likely to become involved in criminal activity,<br />
• Less likely to become involved in drug taking and alcohol<br />
abuse and<br />
• Less likely to leave school early<br />
• More likely to have improved academic performance<br />
• Have better relationships with their teachers and family<br />
compared to their peers who are not mentored.<br />
This year, the OSA in conjunction with the <strong>School</strong>, launched<br />
the OSA/Parent Career Mentor Program to Y10-12 Students<br />
and Young Old Boys.<br />
For those of you who were unable to be present at the<br />
launch, our Guest Speaker, TSS Old Boy and one of<br />
Australia’s prominent business achievers, Malcolm<br />
Broomhead, delivered a guideline on how to achieve career<br />
and personal success post-school days. Mr Broomhead’s<br />
powerful and insightful talk underpinned the collaboration<br />
between the OSA and current TSS body in forming what<br />
has quickly grown into one of Australian’s largest school<br />
mentoring programs.<br />
With your help, our mentor program will continually evolve<br />
and develop. We encourage you to contact us to provide<br />
feedback when students and/or Old Boys approach you to<br />
mentor them.<br />
To register as a mentor or to find a mentor to help and guide<br />
you on your career path, go to www.tssoldboys.com.au and<br />
click on the Mentoring tab.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 23
DARE<br />
TO DREAM …<br />
written by Angela Hughes<br />
Anthony fulfilling his dream of being a fighter pilot.<br />
MANY small boys dream of growing up to become a<br />
policeman, fighter pilot or firefighter, but rarely do those<br />
dreams become reality as small boys grow into young men and<br />
career focus shifts to different ambitions.<br />
When past student and one of Australia’s foremost business<br />
identities, Malcolm Broomhead, launched the OSA Careers<br />
and Mentors program earlier this year, he encouraged students<br />
to have a passion, follow their dreams and be prepared to<br />
make changes and ‘keep learning’ along the way to achieve a<br />
sense of happiness in their career and personal life.<br />
24<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
He could well have been referring to Anthony Yelland, who<br />
exemplifies what it is like to have a dream and then set about<br />
achieving it despite setbacks along the way. Unlike those<br />
small boys whose initial dream was to grow up and become a<br />
policeman, etc., Anthony’s dream of being a fighter pilot as a<br />
young boy never wavered. But he had to overcome some mighty<br />
big hurdles along the way to achieve his dream.<br />
“For me, there was never anything else. I just knew I wanted<br />
to be a fighter pilot,” said Anthony from his current ground<br />
position at RAAF Base Edinburgh, Joint Electronic Warfare<br />
Operational Support Unit, in South Australia. “It (fighter pilot)<br />
was my dream.<br />
“I was quite weak with my maths at school and despite working<br />
hard was unable to pass Maths B, which made me ineligible<br />
to apply for pilot training post-TSS. I was advised to undertake<br />
a bridging course at university.” Anthony diligently set about<br />
completing his bridging course but, during the same year,<br />
entry standards were changed by the RAAF and, once again,<br />
he found himself ineligible for entry. Anthony was advised to<br />
repeat Year 12. Further contributing to his woes was an ongoing<br />
knee injury that prevented him from running, so Anthony put<br />
his fighter pilot ambitions on the backburner so to speak and<br />
began working at Sanctuary Cove’s Hyatt Hotel.<br />
But that desire to be a fighter pilot<br />
was simmering below the surface<br />
and, after visiting an air show in<br />
Melbourne, reignited. <strong>The</strong>re was still<br />
the problem with the maths, but<br />
Anthony forged ahead and enrolled<br />
to begin maths studies again, this<br />
time at TAFE. He passed! Next he<br />
applied for entry into the RAAF – a<br />
fairly drawnout process says Anthony,<br />
but he received good scores and was<br />
sent to Tamworth for flight screening<br />
and evaluation.<br />
Persistence in overcoming<br />
the odds has allowed<br />
Anthony Yelland to live<br />
his dream of becoming a<br />
fighter pilot.<br />
about laser surgery and pilot entry into the RAAF.<br />
<strong>The</strong> adage persistence pays off certainly turned out to be true<br />
for Anthony who, after many months of negotiations, finally<br />
had the surgery and, after another three months waiting to see<br />
if the surgery was successful, was finally accepted into Officer<br />
Training <strong>School</strong> at the end of 2004 – a two-year battle to get<br />
in the front door!<br />
<strong>The</strong> dream was becoming reality. Following various training<br />
schools, courses, intense studies, and giving 100 per cent to<br />
everything thrown at him, Anthony found himself one of three<br />
selected for fighter pilot training in 2007 flying the Hawk<br />
training jet. Later he became the ONLY one from his original<br />
pilot’s course chosen for the high-intensity F/A-18 Operational<br />
Conversion in 2009. Now the dream really was happening.<br />
When D-Day arrived (time to fly the F/A-18s) Anthony, like the<br />
other select few members of his team, were over the moon.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> course (for the F/A-18s) was insanely intense and difficult.<br />
We were working 15 hours a day, six and sometimes seven<br />
days a week. <strong>The</strong>re are about 700 checklist items you have<br />
to memorise word perfect, complicated systems, emergency<br />
procedures and so it goes on, but the RAAF fighter force has an<br />
impeccable safety record and zero tolerance to safety-related<br />
mistakes, so the standards are very high.”<br />
Fast-forward to today and Anthony has<br />
experienced all that he ever dreamt of<br />
– and more. He’s completed various<br />
exercises in Alaska, the United States,<br />
Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, around<br />
Australia, flown armed-combat air<br />
patrol for President Obama, undertaken<br />
counter-terrorism for the Queen and<br />
been at the forefront of Australia’s<br />
national security in the air as well as<br />
involved in preparation of special forces<br />
troops before overseas deployment.<br />
“You are evaluated on how quickly you learn and your basic<br />
skills. I had only about an hour’s flight time prior to the screening,<br />
but succeeded in being recommended for employment in the<br />
RAAF as a trainee pilot.”<br />
At this stage Anthony thought his problems were over, but<br />
this was not to be. <strong>The</strong> week before he was due to begin<br />
Officer Training <strong>School</strong> he had his final medical where it was<br />
discovered his right eye had slightly less than normal vision due<br />
to a stigmatism. Basically, this meant – dream over at the age<br />
of 20 after having spent the previous years preparing for pilot<br />
training, even signing a contract.<br />
He has continued to learn and lead and today holds the rank<br />
of Flight Lieutenant, is a B Category Fighter Pilot qualified to<br />
lead (i.e. plan, brief, lead and debrief) three other aircraft on<br />
any mission, day or night. “If you get time (during the night<br />
missions) you can look up and see satellites and constant<br />
shooting stars while skimming along the clouds at 1100km/h.<br />
A surreal experience. Obviously flying a supersonic jet fighter is<br />
exhilarating, but the bit I enjoy most is the team atmosphere.”<br />
This has been Anthony’s life for the past eight years and to put<br />
it in his words: It’s been a blast!<br />
“I was devastated. <strong>The</strong> eye doctor could not offer me any<br />
alternatives, and I was told laser surgery was not acceptable.<br />
My contract was rescinded. At this stage I threw everything<br />
aviation-related out of my life and went back to normal work.<br />
I figured the maths, the knee, the eye were life’s way of telling<br />
me my dream wasn’t to be.”<br />
While he might not have realised it at the time, Anthony’s<br />
ambition was still bubbling deep inside him. “I was sitting at<br />
home, still fairly upset about it all, when suddenly I thought<br />
‘(expletive) this’, I bet I can get laser surgery.” Determined<br />
to pursue his dream, Anthony searched the Internet until he<br />
found a health bulletin detailing everything he needed to know<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 25
Baptism<br />
Blake Hyland (Mel 86-96)<br />
and his wife, Loulita, baptised their son, Reef Earnest,<br />
in St Alban’s Chapel on September 23.<br />
Robert Parkinson (Tho 88-91)<br />
and his wife, Patricia, baptised this son, Connor, in St<br />
Alban’s Chapel on October 13.<br />
Anthony Small (Rad 86-88)<br />
and his wife, Stacey, had their daughter, Libertie<br />
Anastasia, baptised by Father Phil on May 12 in St<br />
Alban’s Chapel. “Our Son, Lucius, was also baptised<br />
on February, 20, 2010.”<br />
Tony Windle (Wal 94)<br />
and his wife, Karyn, baptised their son, Benjamin, in<br />
St Alban’s Chapel on August 26.<br />
1<br />
1<br />
PHOTO – Anthony, wife Stacey Small, son<br />
Lucius Antonio, daughter Libertie Anastasia.<br />
Weddings<br />
2<br />
Spencer Attoe (Mel 90-00)<br />
married Sally Denning on Friday, September 21, at St<br />
Alban’s Chapel.<br />
Wedding party consisted of bridesmaids; Kelly<br />
Denning and friends Heidi Tiltins and Meg Chapman,<br />
and Groomsmen (who were all TSS Old Boys); Mark<br />
Ensor (Kai 00), James Attoe (Mel 98) and Kahn<br />
Luthiger (Mau 00).<br />
<strong>The</strong> reception was held at the <strong>Southport</strong> Yacht Club<br />
and Spencer and Sally will honeymoon in Hawaii.<br />
John Catterall (Tur 99-03)<br />
married Tiffanie Beasley on August 11th, 2012 in St<br />
Alban’s Chapel. It was great to see our old Turnock<br />
housemaster Mr Knox was walking past the Chapel just<br />
before we went in. Great timing!<br />
2<br />
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THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Weddings<br />
3<br />
Trent Moore (Mel 95-04)<br />
married Candice Jones on Friday, September 28 at St Alban’s<br />
Chapel. <strong>The</strong> happy couple and guests headed to the Marriott<br />
Resort for their wedding reception. Trent is in Product Development<br />
at ICG and Candice is a Dealer’s Assistant at Macquarie Private<br />
Wealth. <strong>The</strong>y relaxed and had an enjoyable honeymoon in<br />
Seminyak in Bali at the W Resort.<br />
3<br />
4<br />
Geoff King (Del 71-80)<br />
Geoff and Rosy were married on September 1st, at the TSS chapel,<br />
with the reception at the TSS River Centre. Rev Jim Stonier<br />
officiated and there were 100 family and guests who joined in to<br />
celebrate the day. Many were TSS old boys and their families.<br />
4<br />
5<br />
Craig Snodgrass (Mel 92-97)<br />
On May 5th, Craig and Jodi Palmer were married at the Marriott,<br />
Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast. <strong>The</strong> couple honeymooned in Hawaii,<br />
Las Vegas and the Bahamas. TSS Old Boys who attended the<br />
wedding were Marshal McCarthy (Tur 96) and Patrick Schmorl<br />
(Wal 97), along with Richard Kirkbeck (Mel 97), who was the Best<br />
Man.<br />
5<br />
6<br />
Mark Tomlinson (Kai 94-98)<br />
Kristina and I met during our first year of university and started<br />
dating a couple of years after that. I proposed at the Burleigh<br />
Lookout on the October 10, 2010.<br />
On October 1st, 2011, our wedding ceremony was held in Brisbane<br />
at St Augustine’s church, which holds a strong connection with my<br />
family; and reception at the Allan Border Cricket Ground (Home<br />
of the QLD Bulls). Kristina took great delight in designing her own<br />
wedding gown, with the help of the girls at Bertossi Brides. We both<br />
reside and work on the Gold Coast and continue to enjoying surfing<br />
and boating. We would like to thank all of the GPS Old Boys (22 of<br />
96 guests), family and friends who helped make the day a once a<br />
in lifetime occasion.<br />
6<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 27
Reflections<br />
by Bert Cockerill (McK 46-55)<br />
A trip back in time, back to 1899. Yes, that’s over 100 years ago and at that time,<br />
a young English clergyman, Horace Dixon, after arriving in Australia, found himself<br />
consigned to <strong>Southport</strong>. It was an enormous parish stretching from Beenleigh to the<br />
border and including miles of the hinterland.<br />
This area, over 2000 square miles, had to be covered<br />
in the saddle on horseback. It was a very sparsely<br />
populated area and our founder, Horace Henry Dixon, felt<br />
he was wasting too much time just travelling around his<br />
allotted area and doing very little and in his words: “I was<br />
constantly reminded that <strong>Southport</strong> was the chief seaside<br />
resort of southern Queensland, and so attracted a large<br />
number of visitors from all over the area, and one day<br />
the thought suddenly flashed upon my mind that it was a<br />
natural centre for a school.”<br />
He laid the matter before Bishop Webber who agreed and<br />
put the financial responsibility on Horace Dixon. If the<br />
school was a success the church should take it over and<br />
make it “the Diocesan school for boys”.<br />
Prior to this, in 1870, Henry Biggs (Yes, the grandfather<br />
of the late Walter and Henry, built a house overlooking<br />
the river where the Junior <strong>School</strong> stood. A few years later,<br />
next to this house, a two-storey tower and other residential<br />
buildings were constructed around a square. Sir Anthony<br />
Musgrave, Governor of Queensland, occupied the home<br />
as a summer residence from 1883-1888. In 1887, a<br />
member of the household, Joseph Derrick, drowned in the<br />
river, so this area became known to us as Dead Man’s Hole.<br />
Governor Sir Henry Norman occupied the estate from<br />
1889-1895. It was after the previous tragedy that the<br />
property became unoccupied.<br />
Our founder then contacted the owners of a property<br />
known as “Government House and Estate”. He was offered<br />
the land and buildings for a year, rent free, as long as he<br />
paid for any repairs, and after three years he was given<br />
the option of buying the entire estate for £1000. It was a<br />
Doctor Berry that assisted with payments for repairs.<br />
Hon. EJ Stevens, MLA and Doctor Berry were able to<br />
secure the site for Horace Henry’s dream. I’m not sure,<br />
but I think the bursar in my time, Henry Stevens, was a<br />
relative. At speech days in the ’50s, Bishop Dixon would<br />
always tell us that when he saw this homestead he quoted<br />
“THIS WILL BE THE SITE FOR A SCHOOL”. I have<br />
never seen a photo of Mrs Dixon – have you? <strong>The</strong>re must<br />
have been a wonderful woman behind our founder who<br />
encouraged him to do what he did. I believe that Squid<br />
Dixon was his son, so there must have been a Mrs Dixon…<br />
Next issue I will give you a rundown on the opening of the<br />
new building and the Clocktower, which was on October<br />
4, 1926.<br />
What an inspiration I had when I received a letter from<br />
John Winn. In 1955, I was House Captain of McKinley<br />
House when he entered the Senior <strong>School</strong> and John<br />
became House Captain in 1958. He then went on to<br />
become the Deputy Headmaster of Toowoomba Grammar.<br />
Both of us had a great mentor in Malcolm Ham who at<br />
that time was our Housemaster. John’s letter to me was<br />
also very moving. I thank you, John, and for those great<br />
memories of our time in the Senior <strong>School</strong> and especially<br />
McKinley House. <strong>The</strong> best gift a father can give to his son<br />
is his time…<br />
<strong>The</strong> Older Old Boys’ Reunion was most successful. Thanks<br />
to the organising by both Gerry Northausen and Kris Hailey,<br />
over 40 attended and we talked about those great days<br />
at school. <strong>The</strong>re were 15 from McKinley and Delpratt<br />
houses, 10 from Thorold and four who only went to the<br />
Junior <strong>School</strong>. I really think that next year will be bigger<br />
than ever with those who started school on or before 1953.<br />
This year Neil Stonach, who started in 1931, was the<br />
oldest. We were sorry that Allan Radcliffe couldn’t make<br />
it and it would have been great if Pat Hunt had been well<br />
enough to come. As you probably know, Pat passed away<br />
on Saturday, September 8, 2012 and there was a great<br />
gathering of Old Boys and the prefects from Delpratt House<br />
at his funeral. VALE PAT HUNT. <strong>The</strong>re is a full story and<br />
other tributes also in this review.<br />
It was great to see many of the class of ’61 watching the<br />
footy matches this year. Lance Look (Tho 61) was part on<br />
the wild group of 1961 and gave me some photos he had.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se included Archie Douglas, Dizzie Ballantine, Connie<br />
Van Geest, Bill Blundell, Glen Johnstone and others.<br />
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THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
a bit odd, but I don’t think he ever went to TSS. Who would<br />
ever forget the matrons in the Junior <strong>School</strong>…Miss Gray, Miss<br />
Brabazo and Sister Wagland and Miss Downs. She was my first<br />
teacher.<br />
This edition I have received stories from Clyde Johnson and Bill<br />
Crawford – thank you, gents, for taking the time to write down<br />
your memories. If anyone else has any more stories, please<br />
send them in.<br />
Keep well and best wishes to you and your families for a Merry<br />
Christmas and a Happy New Year!<br />
Peter Kerkenezov has been spending a lot of time working on<br />
the Gladstone Harbour. While there with his lovely wife, Susie,<br />
he met up with John Bell from Turkey Station and Rodney<br />
Wilson who runs Calliope Station. Peter said he was working<br />
as a pilot and checking their proficiency, making sure they are<br />
being operated safely. He’s now back in Ballina doing what he<br />
usually does, that is, working as a vet.<br />
1<br />
1<br />
Photo – Rod Wilson (Del 65), John Bell (JS 55-61) and<br />
Peter Kerkenezov (Del 65).<br />
I started in 1946 and can remember Mr George Clem. He<br />
taught Grade 6 and was very strict. He used the cane on<br />
unruly boys, but they got revenge. <strong>The</strong>y cut a small slice in<br />
the end of this cane and opened it by putting some hair in<br />
the split. When he used it on some poor culprit, the cane<br />
opened and pinched his hand and he always let out a squeal<br />
louder than the accused! What about those smelly possums<br />
scrambling up the wall in the upstairs classrooms – Remember<br />
Clarrie BELL? He took us for PE and also organised our trip<br />
to O’Reilly’s at Lamington National Park for the Michaelmas<br />
Holidays. We saw Castle Crag, Pat’s Bluff, <strong>The</strong> Stairway Falls<br />
and walked all the bush tracks. Bernard O’Reilly, owner of the<br />
retreat, had a quiz session for us and the film crew who were<br />
making the movie: SONS OF MATHEW. Some of us were in<br />
that film. Clarrie Bell also took us for Boxing. In 1947, the<br />
weight champions in the Junior <strong>School</strong> were David Hunter,<br />
John Armstrong, Bassingthwaighte, Roach and the champ for<br />
the JS was B Schofield. Remember Claud Rowney who took<br />
us for choir practice and music lessons. Yes, I too was a choir<br />
boy. Were you? Underneath the Music rooms, Clavill Bere<br />
would park his Citroen and work tirelessly on the rowing boats.<br />
What a wonderful person he was. His brother Humphrey was<br />
2<br />
2<br />
Bill Crawford (Del 52-54) writes…<br />
I became a boarder at TSS in 1952. Prior to that, I had been a<br />
pupil at Cranbrook <strong>School</strong> in Sydney where fellow classmates at<br />
that time were Kerry Packer, Murray Rose and James Halliday<br />
of wine fame. At that time my family lived in Vaucluse and<br />
it was close to Rose Bay Flying Boat Base, so from there,<br />
every term, I flew by flying boat to <strong>Southport</strong>, landing on the<br />
Broadwater. It took 3½ hours!<br />
When I arrived at TSS I had a crew-cut and was almost<br />
immediately given the nickname “Boggoroad Butch”, which<br />
has stuck to this day. In 1953, I became the Junior Athletics<br />
champion. This included the under 16 hurdles and as I’m only<br />
5’3” people find that quite amusing, as to complete this race I<br />
had to take five hurdles and go over sideways!<br />
Like other 18-year-old men at that time I had to do National<br />
Service in the army. In 1962, I qualified as an accountant and<br />
this year received a 50-year membership certificate. I still work<br />
part-time. I have four children and seven grandchildren.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 29
Clyde Johnson (McK 52-57)<br />
My trips to and from school were giant excursions for a nineyear-old<br />
new boarder in 1952. Like a lot of other boarders,<br />
I used to travel to school by car, plane, taxi and bus. Dad<br />
and Mum drove me the 25 rough miles from “Norolle” to the<br />
Roma Aerodrome in our 1947 Chevrolet car. I travelled on<br />
a DC3 to Brisbane and took a taxi from the airport to South<br />
Brisbane where I caught the bus to <strong>Southport</strong>. From the bus<br />
terminal I took a taxi to TSS, sometimes at night.<br />
In all my TSS years, I only ever went home on the train once.<br />
That night-time journey on the Western Mail was when I took<br />
up smoking, and then gave it up the same night, after being<br />
very sick.<br />
Junior <strong>School</strong> years I was in Shepherd House and played in<br />
the 1st Tennis Team for two years, coached by Ron Pearson<br />
and the 1st Cricket Team coached by Don Taylor. Senior<br />
<strong>School</strong> years I was in McKinley. In Sub Junior, I made the<br />
2nd Tennis Team. My bed was next to the Clocktower. Along<br />
with all the other boys I got so used to sleeping with the noise<br />
that the silence woke us at 3.15 on one memorable, dark<br />
morning when the clock stopped.<br />
swim 10 laps around the boards that marked the 25-metre<br />
length. This I achieved.<br />
In 1957 several of us ‘nicked off’ to Surfers Paradise. I<br />
remember swimming the river at low tide to get there and<br />
returning some hours later. <strong>The</strong> tide had come in making the<br />
return swim a great deal further. A boat with two fishermen<br />
was in our path. <strong>The</strong>y said they had just caught and released<br />
a big bull shark, so we swam as fast as we could to get to the<br />
sand spit and back to school!<br />
In 1958 the onset of coastal asthma caused me to have to<br />
leave TSS for a drier climate and high school in Roma. After<br />
school I worked with cattle, sheep and cropping on family<br />
properties. In the early 1960s, I worked at well-known Poll<br />
Hereford studs, Springfield at Finley in NSW and Ardno at<br />
Casterton in Victoria.<br />
My father, older brothers and I developed the Norolle Poll<br />
Hereford stud, which was registered in 1952; and a parallel<br />
commercial herd. <strong>The</strong> family partnership was dissolved<br />
and the herd divided in 1993. We ran successful “On<br />
Property” Bull Sales from 1975 to 2001 and competed very<br />
successfully in major show rings.<br />
I admired the Gelbvieh breed when I saw 32 head at the<br />
Colorado State University in 1982 and have been breeding<br />
them ever since. In 2002 my wife and I downsized our<br />
operation and relocated to 38 km south of Millmerran. Our<br />
Poll Herefords were sold in 2008 and we now breed Gelbvieh<br />
and Balancers, which are Gelbvieh x Red Angus. See www.<br />
norolle.com<br />
Of our three children, Julie and Kirrily are very country<br />
orientated, with cattle and horses. Greg, while attuned to<br />
country life, is a database administrator in the city. All are<br />
happily married to three responsible citizens and raising two<br />
children each. I am very proud of them all.<br />
When I went to TSS I couldn’t swim and Mrs Broadman<br />
taught me and others to swim. <strong>The</strong>re was no school swimming<br />
pool until about 1957, so swim training and the competitions<br />
were held in the river. Big boards like tennis practice boards,<br />
were tied to large steel, oyster-encrusted posts and spaced<br />
25 metres apart. To take part in river activities you needed to<br />
attain River King status, which meant you had to be able to<br />
Alison, a former Home Science teacher, and I have been<br />
married for nearly 47 years.<br />
As John Lennon penned in a song “Life is what happens when<br />
you are busy making other plans”.<br />
30<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Photo – (L to R) Bill Young, Michael ‘Kakos’ Anthony (Tho 62-68), Tony Price (Del 65-67).<br />
Bill Young (Tho 62-67)<br />
Interest in the Performing Arts was indeed a lonely pursuit<br />
at TSS in the mid 1960s. Sure, there was the occasional<br />
attempt to satisfy the need – house plays were an annual<br />
occurrence – creaky old English farces were the main staple<br />
– and near the end of my six years of boarding someone had<br />
the bright idea of linking up with St Hilda’s for a production<br />
of G+S’s Pirates of Penzance (finally guys could play guys and<br />
gals could play gals! Liberation!!). But that was it.<br />
I commenced my tenure at TSS in 1962, timed to perfection<br />
with the rise of Beatlemania and the Stones. As the son of a<br />
dairy farmer from NSW’s Hunter Valley, I guess I was sent to<br />
such a prestigious school to depart six years later with a law,<br />
medical or veterinary degree... but such a career focus didn’t<br />
blip my radar. Music was my interest. I had scrimped and<br />
saved for my first guitar (mail order acoustic £8/19/6) and<br />
by the time I was ensconced in a damp subterranean dorm<br />
in the Junior <strong>School</strong>, I had the chords to “Tom Dooley” down<br />
and was doing a lively (solo) impression of <strong>The</strong> Kingston Trio.<br />
I know I wasn’t aware of it at the time but, in hindsight, I<br />
recognise a career in the Arts was always my true calling – be<br />
it acting, guitaring, singing, writing or directing. But in those<br />
days such pursuits could hardly be deemed a ‘career path?<br />
Nope – the focus was (1) get a degree, (2) put on a suit,<br />
(3) get a job, (4) hang up the shingle, and (5) make lots of<br />
money.<br />
I was an average student and sportsman, but I’m proud to say<br />
that in 1966 I left my mark on the school’s history by forming<br />
the first rock band TSS had produced. No, it’s not recorded<br />
on an Honour Board or in <strong>The</strong> <strong>Southport</strong>onian, but I may have<br />
carved our band’s name into a wooden pylon underneath the<br />
gym. <strong>The</strong> Luciads (don’t ask, I don’t know either!) was a nifty,<br />
tight, three-piece, with Michael ‘Kakos’ Anthony on drums<br />
and Tony Price on a really cool Fender Strat (how I envied<br />
that Strat!). Curiously, we didn’t have a bass player (fellow<br />
musicians were thin on the ground) so ‘Kakos’ satisfied<br />
that shortfall with a muscular right leg on an overworked<br />
kick drum! We’d play at any occasion – before the Saturday<br />
night movies, school dances with St Hilda’s, house feasts –<br />
anywhere where a couple of 30-watt amps could be plugged<br />
into 240 volts.<br />
I have now worked in the Arts as an actor, director, writer,<br />
musician and voice artist for the past 37 years, appearing<br />
in shows as diverse as Home and Away to <strong>The</strong> Great Gatsby.<br />
However, one of my most enduring memories is rehearsing<br />
with <strong>The</strong> Luciads behind the flats in the old TSS theatre. I’d<br />
love to link up with the guys once again for a jam! G-L-O-R-<br />
I-A...Glor...ria!<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 31
Personal Notes<br />
1<br />
Scott Andrews (Wal 94-98)<br />
Congratulations to Scott, who was awarded the Australian<br />
Surf Life Saving Association Volunteer of the Year award for<br />
2011/12.<br />
2<br />
Mitch Buckley (Atk 98-04)<br />
1<br />
Over the Easter break I went down to Melbourne with my brass<br />
band, Brisbane Brass, to compete at the Australian Brass Band<br />
Championships. Each band plays a hymn, a test piece, a stage<br />
march and an own choice piece, in addition to competing in<br />
the parade of bands, where each band has to march down the<br />
street playing a street march and they get points awarded and<br />
deducted for how they march. Brisbane Brass won the street<br />
march and finished tied for 7th out of 12 bands. A good effort<br />
by all. In addition to all this, members of each band can sign<br />
up to perform a solo on their instrument. Each instrument<br />
is given a test piece for the soloist to learn and perform. I<br />
entered into the Eb Soprano Cornet solo, which is different<br />
from a normal cornet pitched in Bb. <strong>The</strong> piece I had to play<br />
was a difficult work called “Escapade” by Joseph Turrin. I<br />
won my solo with 89 points out of 100 and am now the 2012<br />
Australian Soprano Cornet champion. <strong>The</strong> winners of each<br />
solo go into another competition later in the day called the<br />
Champion of Champions. This was my first time in a national<br />
Champion of Champions, and I didn’t play as well as I played<br />
earlier, but I was still happy with the performance.<br />
2<br />
John Fox<br />
(Tur 02-06)<br />
Asia is the future for<br />
medical engineer John<br />
Fox, who is currently<br />
undertaking an internship<br />
with Stryker, one of the<br />
world’s leading medical<br />
technology companies, after<br />
studying at the Hong Kong<br />
Polytechnic this year as a<br />
Prime Minister’s Australia<br />
Asia Scholarship holder.<br />
John studies at the<br />
3<br />
Queensland University<br />
of Technology and received the scholarship last year from<br />
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and also secured his internship<br />
with Stryker after a tough application process. “I was very<br />
interested in Stryker as they are involved in the design and<br />
manufacture of orthopedic implants, surgical and imaging<br />
technologies, and emergency medical equipment,” Mr Fox<br />
said. “It was also recently named in the Forbes top 100 ‘best<br />
companies to work for’ list, is one of the leading medical<br />
technology and innovation companies in the world, and one<br />
of its engineering facilities is in Suzhou, China, to facilitate<br />
low-cost mass production.”<br />
Medical engineering uses engineering principles such as<br />
problem solving, critical analysis, innovation and design, and<br />
applies these skills to the medical situation. Engineers in the<br />
field design and develop equipment and devices to improve<br />
health preservation. Before embarking to Asia, John held a<br />
string of scholarships, including the Dean’s Scholars Program<br />
tuition scholarship from QUT, and gained undergraduate<br />
research experience within the Prince Charles Hospital, a<br />
specialist cardiac hospital in Brisbane, Australia.<br />
“My previous work experience was predominantly engineering<br />
research and development,” John said. “I worked to help<br />
improve a project that replicated the human circulatory<br />
system on the bench top, using blood pressure regulation with<br />
a scholarship from the Medical Advances Without Animals<br />
group. Cardio is one of today’s most significant areas of<br />
medical engineering research and development. <strong>The</strong> Stryker<br />
internship will also give me exposure to manufacturing<br />
processes from initial stages, product assembly, and shipping<br />
in large quantities around the world.”<br />
3<br />
32<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
4<br />
John moved to Suzhou for his internship in April after<br />
spending four months living in Kowloon, Hong Kong<br />
while studying engineering and Chinese at the Hong Kong<br />
Polytechnic University. “I really enjoyed my time in this<br />
amazingly busy city. My major highlights were playing on<br />
the university rugby 7’s team, travelling to Macau, Japan,<br />
Philippines and mainland China, and just the experience of<br />
living in the heart of the city.”<br />
Although playing golf on a PGA tour is John’s ultimate job,<br />
he said he enjoys the challenge and interest of medical<br />
engineering, and hoped his international study and work<br />
experience would benefit his career prospects. “To study<br />
internationally and form relationships with various Asian<br />
research groups will be an enormous career benefit. I am<br />
hoping my internship with Stryker will open up opportunities<br />
later on.”<br />
John will return to Australia in late 2012 to graduate from<br />
QUT. “I don’t have a set plan after I finish at Stryker. I will<br />
look at the opportunities available, reassess my interests and<br />
what I want to do, then go from there.”<br />
4<br />
Scott Hall (Kai 90-94), Simon Anderson<br />
(Mau 90-94), Jason Oberman (Mel 83-<br />
94), Richard Hughes (83-94) and CJ Van<br />
Peppen (Atk 90-94)<br />
On January, a group of Old <strong>Southport</strong>onians, namely Simon<br />
Anderson (Maughan 1990-94), Jason Oberman (Mel 1983-<br />
94), Richard Hughes (Sur 1983-1994) and Scott Hall<br />
(1990-94) decided it would be a good idea to participate in<br />
the 2012 Kokoda Challenge. <strong>The</strong> theory was great, however,<br />
the passing of years and the addition of a few kilos meant<br />
that a lot of training had to be done in the months leading<br />
up to the event.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Kokoda Challenge on the Gold Coast is hailed as<br />
Australia’s toughest endurance event. Participants trek a<br />
96km course that leads along fire trails, crosses 12 creeks<br />
and summits 5000m of vertical elevation. <strong>The</strong> goal is to<br />
finish as a complete team of four in honour of the spirit<br />
forged on the Kokoda Track in 1942: mateship, endurance,<br />
courage and sacrifice.<br />
In training, Jason Oberman’s bad back turned out to be serious<br />
stress fractures, so sadly he had to pull out about six weeks<br />
before the start. Thankfully, another Old <strong>Southport</strong>onian, CJ<br />
Van Peppen (Atkinson 1990-1994), accepted the challenge<br />
and joined our team, known as <strong>The</strong> Middle Aged ANZACS. It<br />
wasn’t always easy managing training with work and family, but<br />
we all did what we could whenever possible. Was it going to be<br />
enough to get us over the line? Only time could tell!<br />
In the week leading up to the Kokoda Challenge about 30 mls<br />
of rain fell on the Gold Coast Hinterland. This was going to turn<br />
parts of the track to mud. Finally, we all gathered early on the<br />
morning of Saturday 14 July to begin the Kokoda Challenge as<br />
a team. We were under no illusions, it was going to be tough!!<br />
<strong>The</strong> first two checkpoints were rather straightforward, with<br />
only minor gradients to climb and descend. After this point,<br />
things started getting very difficult. Before the first major<br />
checkpoint there was an enormous hill (mountain!!) that was<br />
just pure mud. Getting up was tough, but going back down was<br />
equally so as you literally had to ski down the mud!! I fell over<br />
numerous times, but that is part of the fun. <strong>The</strong>re were many<br />
tough creek crossings also, and mention must be made about<br />
the great teamwork shown by Richard Hughes, who caught<br />
many people from other teams as they leapt over difficult creek<br />
crossings.<br />
After the first major checkpoint we encountered the ‘Polly’s<br />
Kitchen’ hill. We had done our training on this hill, so we<br />
managed this quite well. Day turned to night, and it was easy<br />
to lose track of what the time was. At the 49 km mark Emma<br />
Keating joined our Team, as the rest of her team retired. It was<br />
a pleasure having Emma in our team, her attitude and courage<br />
was outstanding.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 33
Personal Notes<br />
As the Sunday morning sunshine arrived we had to be careful<br />
not to stay at our checkpoints too long as your body tends<br />
to cease continuing on (as happened to me). However, our<br />
Support Crew was wonderful, and with some food and Deep<br />
Heat we continued on. From there it was as much a battle<br />
with your mind as your body as we went over the 30-hour<br />
mark. Two major hills came and went, and we were on to the<br />
final 18kms. Simon was battling terrible blisters, but true to<br />
his character he never complained once.<br />
Daniel and his wife live and work in New York and Chad was<br />
(at the time of the wedding) working in Tokyo. Steven Brookes,<br />
Stephen Hurford and Steven Locke and his wife all live and<br />
work in Brisbane. Benjamin is a Bond Graduate with an IT<br />
degree and is currently employed by Queensland Health.<br />
Finally, after 38 hours 4 minutes, we crossed the finish line at<br />
9.04pm on Sunday 15 July. It was a wonderful moment, with<br />
many family and friends there to greet us at the line. All told,<br />
the ‘Middle Aged ANZACS’ raised $2902 for Kokoda Kids<br />
Charity. We also have enormous respect for the Australian<br />
soldiers in 1942, to whom we are all forever grateful. Our<br />
friendship grew as we helped each other through the difficult<br />
times, and we are proud of the efforts we made to get to the<br />
finish line.<br />
Benjamin Hutcheon (Tur 86-98)<br />
Correction Edition #139<br />
2<br />
1<br />
1<br />
Back row from left to right are Chad McBain (Sur 87-98), Steven Locke<br />
(Mau 94-98), Daniel Belcher (Sur 87-98) and Stephen Hurford (Kai 89-98).<br />
Front row is Steven Brookes (Kai 94-97).<br />
Benjamin, son of Bruce (Tho 60-64), both 1st VIII rowers,<br />
married Keiko Watanabe on January 8, 2012 in Japan.<br />
<strong>The</strong> wedding ceremony was at the Tottori Shrine and the<br />
reception was held at the ANA Hotel in Kushiro, Hokkaido.<br />
Posing with Ben (front row, centre) and his wife are five TSS<br />
Old Boys of Ben’s year group.<br />
2<br />
Oscar Millroy (Tho 06-11)<br />
2011 <strong>School</strong> Captain Oscar went on a gap-year this year and<br />
worked as a jackaroo on “Carlton Hill Station”, Kununurra,<br />
WA. Here he is at the Kununurra Rodeo in August.<br />
Angus Lederwood (Bid 95-07)<br />
We read in the Bond University magazine, now lives in<br />
Los Angeles and is reportedly working on the new Kiefer<br />
Sutherland show Touch. He has also been involved in the<br />
production of American television shows Terra Nova, <strong>The</strong><br />
West Wing and Parenthood. He is developing a comedy<br />
pilot based around the film industry.<br />
34<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
3<br />
3<br />
Edward Moody (Wal 97-01)<br />
<strong>The</strong> mining boom is<br />
keeping our young Old<br />
Boys busy. Edward has<br />
been working in the<br />
mines and construction<br />
industry since 2002. He<br />
has worked in Northern<br />
Western Australia,<br />
Tasmania and is currently<br />
in the Bowen Basin in<br />
Central Queensland. He<br />
writes…<br />
5<br />
5<br />
PHOTO – Bruce Scott with Afghan Policy Deputy<br />
Bruce Scott (Tho 72-73)<br />
Commendation for distinguished service.<br />
Brigadier Bruce Andrew SCOTT CSC, Qld<br />
For distinguished performance of duty in warlike operation<br />
as Deputy Commanding General – Force Development,<br />
Headquarters Regional Command (South) on Operation<br />
SLIPPER in Afganistan from October 2010 to October 2011.<br />
I have been working in the Bowen Basin for 12 months and<br />
have worked in the resource industry (mines, oil and gas and<br />
high-voltage powerlines) for the best part of eight years with two<br />
years spent in residential and commercial construction. <strong>The</strong><br />
goal after school was to work in the construction industry in<br />
some way, however, the focus changed to the mining/resources<br />
industry when I was 21 when I started to work at the BP Oil<br />
Refinery in Brisbane.<br />
Brigadier Scott’s efforts and dedication to the long-term<br />
development of Afganistan National Security Forces have<br />
significantly improved their professionalism, enduring<br />
operational capacity and support infrastructure. His<br />
leadership has provided a substantial and prominent<br />
contribution to the continual successes of Regional<br />
Command (South) and long-term security and stability<br />
within Afganistan.<br />
Currently, I manage and administer both head contracts and<br />
subcontracts for York Civil on their Daunia Project between<br />
Bechtel and York and also Sedgman Limited and York. <strong>The</strong><br />
project itself is located at BMA’s Daunia Coal Mine Lease that<br />
is currently under construction in the Bowen Basin.<br />
6<br />
Peter Norman (Sur 04-08)<br />
6<br />
4<br />
4<br />
Pierina Redler 1989-2005 Atkinson<br />
Housemaster, TSS teacher and Life<br />
member of OSA,<br />
recently returned from Kenya where she is the Director,<br />
Service Learning and Activities, for the International<br />
<strong>School</strong> of Kenya, to meet up with Maurice (Tho 78-82) and<br />
Warren Fitzgerald (Tho 67-75) of Beechmont.<br />
Peter’s father Greg reports… “Recently Peter was playing<br />
Touch for the Qld Men’s team in a best of three games State<br />
of Origin series against NSW in Port Macquarie. <strong>The</strong> first<br />
game Qld won in extra time then lost by one in game two and<br />
in the third game they came from behind to win by one with<br />
Peter scoring the winner with less than two minutes to go.<br />
This was a big upset as NSW fielded 13 Australian players.<br />
“Peter is in the current Australian Men’s Open Squad and<br />
hopefully doing some study now that he is back from Adelaide<br />
after playing in the Australian Uni games.”<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 35
Personal Notes<br />
1<br />
James Slipper (Tur 05-07)<br />
Congratulations to James who was awarded the prestigious<br />
Stan Pilecki award for his consistent season this year at the<br />
Reds annual Players’ Player of the Year Award night, held at<br />
the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, in front of<br />
his proud family, friends and teammates.<br />
James was the second only prop to win this award; he was<br />
voted top three in eight matches throughout the season,<br />
including four of their final five regular season games.<br />
Coach Ewen McKenzie said, “To win the award as a prop is<br />
a massive accomplishment, as the nature of the position and<br />
the value of their contribution is sometimes underrated by<br />
the general public, who are naturally inclined to recognise<br />
the flashier involvements made by other players in games”.<br />
1<br />
some hills, with gold being the primary exploration target.<br />
Five drilling contractors were involved, from Kenya and<br />
other countries, drilling RC and diamond core at numerous<br />
locations. All holes were inclined. Red Rock Resources, a<br />
junior exploration company, has other projects in Malawi,<br />
Greenland, Australia and Colombia.<br />
Presently, back in Maleny, he is consulting with Magma<br />
Mines of Fiji regarding the importation of a sonic drill<br />
from MPI Resources, Ontario, Canada, for his next project,<br />
mineral sands exploration on Viti Levu. While waiting for this<br />
to eventuate, he is writing his third novel, this one based<br />
on the Red Guard riots in Hong Kong in 1967, which he<br />
experienced when he lived there.<br />
3<br />
3<br />
PHOTO – Women panners with their gold sluices. Note that they used<br />
washing pails.<br />
2<br />
2<br />
PHOTO – <strong>The</strong>se two lionesses snoozing in a tree away from the flies belonged<br />
to a pride of four lionesses and a male, and were so used to vehicles they<br />
were no risk to us. <strong>The</strong>y had plenty of zebra as their preferred food.<br />
Jervis Sparks (Tho 46-49)<br />
In 2011, Jervis Sparks worked six months in Kenya for<br />
Red Rock Resources Plc of London, U.K., as their drilling<br />
consultant, mineral exploration. <strong>The</strong> project area, in the<br />
south-west of Kenya, is known as the Migori Greenstone<br />
Belt, and stretched from Lake Victoria in the west to the<br />
Masai Mara Game Reserve in the east, and bordered with<br />
Tanzania to the south. <strong>The</strong> land was generally flat with<br />
4<br />
4<br />
PHOTO – Artisinal or illegal miners. As soon as the drill rigs arrived, these<br />
locals swarmed the drilling areas, and also proved friendly towards us.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y enjoyed using water from our completed holes when we encountered<br />
aquifers, and often asked us not to backfill the drill sumps. <strong>The</strong>y set up<br />
crushing mills everywhere, powered by small diesel engines, which proved<br />
to be the most prevalent local noise, 24 hours per day. <strong>The</strong>y also destroyed<br />
the environment without paying compensation to the landowners.<br />
36<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
6<br />
5<br />
PHOTO – Taken from <strong>The</strong> Australian<br />
5<br />
David Trude (Del 58-65)<br />
Congratulations to David Trude who was this year inducted<br />
into the Stockbroker Hall of Fame. David began his career<br />
as an investment manager with Church of England’s central<br />
board of finance before moving to the Bank of NSW (now<br />
Westpac) in 1975 as a portfolio manager. He left the<br />
darkside of investment management, moving to traditional<br />
partnership Clarke & Co before becoming a founding<br />
partner of McNab Clark under Tony McNab in 1983, which<br />
was bought by US bank First Boston, which in turn, was<br />
bought by Credit Suisse.<br />
We thank David for recently registering as a Mentor on the<br />
OSA/Parent Mentor network<br />
Engineering and Mechanics in Seoul, South Korea.<br />
And in November jointly led a group of Griffith Honours<br />
College students on a Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)<br />
service project to Cambodia, before returning to Australia<br />
in December to graduate with First Class Honours and<br />
the Engineers Australia Philip H Jones Medal for high<br />
academic results and contribution to the engineering<br />
profession through extracurricular activities.<br />
William is enjoying Cambridge and would welcome anyone<br />
from the TSS community getting in contact to catch up in<br />
Cambridge or elsewhere in the UK.<br />
7<br />
Alexander Uruchurtu (Rad 02-09)<br />
Alex appeared in the latest Harvard magazine, listed as<br />
one of the “Fifteen Hottest Freshmen” on campus! Alex<br />
is reportedly doing very well academically and is in the<br />
Harvard Freshman Rowing Crew.<br />
6<br />
William Usher (Rad 01-06)<br />
William is currently an Ambassadorial Scholar at the<br />
University of Cambridge studying a MPhil in Engineering<br />
for Sustainable Development. <strong>The</strong> scholarship is<br />
administered by <strong>The</strong> Rotary Foundation and was endorsed<br />
by Broadwater/<strong>Southport</strong> Rotary Club.<br />
After finishing at TSS William left Australia to backpack<br />
and work abroad for a gap year, spending most of his time<br />
in Europe as well as North Africa and India (revisiting<br />
two years after participating in a RSIS project led by<br />
Stephen Eardley). On returning to Australia he started a<br />
Bachelor of Engineering with Advanced Studies at Griffith<br />
University on the Gold Coast. In his second year, with the<br />
aid of the Griffith Honours College, William went on a<br />
university exchange to the Royal Institute of Technology<br />
in Stockholm, Sweden. Last year William was selected to<br />
present the research from his undergraduate thesis at the<br />
2011 World Congress for Advances in Structural<br />
7<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 37
Matt Ward (Kai 93-97)<br />
‘A unique floating tenor voice of exceptional quality and<br />
sound’<br />
Capturing the attention of industry critics, producers and<br />
audiences alike in three separate productions of Joseph &<br />
His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat throughout Australia,<br />
it is no doubt that Matt Ward has fast become one of<br />
Australia’s finest talents.<br />
Originating from the Gold Coast, Matt’s love of musical<br />
theatre began at the age of 15, where he was the youngest<br />
cast member in the musical Les Miserables. At age 18 he<br />
obtained a Diploma of Musical <strong>The</strong>atre from the Central<br />
Queensland Conservatorium of Music (CQCM). By age 20 he<br />
was accepted into <strong>The</strong> National Institute of Dramatic Arts<br />
(NIDA). Since graduating Matt has performed and studied<br />
in New York, Los Angeles, London, Sydney and Brisbane.<br />
Leading roles in such musicals as Joseph & His Amazing<br />
Technicolour Dreamcoat, Les Miserables, Sizzling Hits,<br />
Pippin the musical, as understudy to Rob Guest in the<br />
premiere of Jekyll & Hyde, played Jesus in Godspell and<br />
Tony in the award-winning Broadway musical West Side<br />
Story. In 2011 Matt starred in the world premiere of John<br />
Michael Howson and Peter Penne’s new Australian musical<br />
Pyjamas in Paradise, directed by Tony Bartuccio.<br />
As well as performing in musical theatre shows, Matt has<br />
been busy wowing audiences with, 2 Tenors and a Baby<br />
Grand, A Baby Grand & Me and Matt Ward Live & Uncut.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Baby Grand & Me, Matt’s ‘one-man show’, is an up<br />
close and personal romp through Broadway’s musical<br />
songbook and a showcase of Matt’s life upon the stage,<br />
featuring songs from well-known musicals. Most recently<br />
Matt guest starred in <strong>The</strong> Arts Centre’s production of<br />
Forbidden Broadway.<br />
In August he performed alongside some of Australia’s<br />
leading musical theatre identities in the Melbourne<br />
Production Company’s production of CHESS, directed by<br />
Gale Edwards and choreographed by Tony Bartuccio.<br />
Matt has also enjoyed success within the corporate arena<br />
and public concerts. He has appeared in Opera In <strong>The</strong> Park<br />
at Broadbeach and the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Concerts in<br />
Brisbane.<br />
Matt is also a highly respected and successful vocal coach<br />
in the music industry. His studio, Learn to Sing, Australia,<br />
is located on the Gold Coast. You can see Matt perform on<br />
the first and third Saturdays of the month at DIVA’S, Marina<br />
Mirage Shopping Centre.<br />
38<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Update by Peter Lockhart<br />
Hidden Creek has seen good occupancy levels and we are looking forward to<br />
finishing the year on a positive note. <strong>The</strong> number of groups using all the facilities of<br />
Hidden Creek this year has been equal to that of 2011, and the challenge will be to<br />
maintain that level through 2013. TSS has been our major client as we would expect.<br />
All the schools who used the facility have been full of<br />
praise and they all appreciate the uniqueness of Hidden<br />
Creek. Families have also spent many weekends at the<br />
cabins and Easter was particularly busy. Hidden Creek is<br />
on track to break even financially for the 2012 year and<br />
this is due both to the income from customers and the<br />
attention to expense control by the management group.<br />
<strong>The</strong> property has been maintained in good shape<br />
throughout the year. <strong>The</strong> bunkhouse accommodation<br />
capabilities have been raised so that 40 students can now<br />
be slept indoors. <strong>The</strong> kitchen and sewerage system have<br />
required minor upgrading to comply with Tweed Shire<br />
requirements. <strong>The</strong> old tractor is being given a new breath<br />
of life following generous work by Murray Dover of Dover<br />
and Sons, Boonah and Beaudesert.<br />
We are expecting schools in SE Qld and northern NSW<br />
to start sending through their bookings for 2013. <strong>The</strong><br />
importance and advantages of outdoor education has<br />
been recently highlighted by the Murdoch Children’s<br />
Research Institute. <strong>The</strong>y point out that outdoor education<br />
is providing benefits in student development and behaviour<br />
management. We are seeing practical examples in our local<br />
area with Project Survivor providing team-building and<br />
morale-boosting skills with their PCYC outdoor programs.<br />
Hidden Creek is well positioned to take advantage of these<br />
trends and making prospective customers aware of the<br />
facilities at Hidden Creek is our primary objective.<br />
For any enquiries for Hidden Creek, please contact the OSA<br />
Office.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 39
OLYMPIC<br />
NEWS<br />
TSS OLD BOYS IN 2012 OLYMPICS<br />
Adam Brown (BID 06-07)<br />
This is also Adam’s 2nd Olympic Games having swum in the<br />
4x100m Freestyle Team for Great Britian in Beijing where<br />
the team competed in the final. Adam actually swam the<br />
anchor position for the team and recorded one of the fastest<br />
split times in the competition. Adam has again qualified for<br />
London as a member of the 4x100m Freestyle Team and will<br />
be aiming to make his 2nd Olympic final. He attended TSS<br />
2006/2007. In 2007 he narrowly missed the GPS record<br />
when he won the 100m Freestyle. He is currently ranked in<br />
44th position in the World in the 50m Freestyle.<br />
Roberto Pavoni (THO 08-09)<br />
Qualified for his 1st Olympic Games in London. His main<br />
event is the 400m, in which he currently is ranked 7th<br />
in the world. He is also ranked 12th in the world in the<br />
200m Butterfly. Roberto attended TSS 2008-09 and was a<br />
multiple winner at GPS. At the 2011 World Championships<br />
in Shanghai Roberto was a finalist in the 400Im. Roberto<br />
also a winner at the Australian Age Nationals in 2009 and<br />
the Australian Short Course in 2008.<br />
Michael Rock<br />
(THO 03-05)<br />
This is Michael’s 2nd Olympic<br />
Games. He competed in the<br />
semi-final of the 200m Butterfly<br />
in Beijing where he finished in<br />
9th position, narrowly missing the<br />
final. Michael has qualified for<br />
the 100m Butterfly for London<br />
and will also be part of the<br />
GB Medley Relay team. He is<br />
currently ranked 9th in the World<br />
in the 100m Butterfly and 17th<br />
in the 200.<br />
Chris Walker-Hebborn (McK 06-08) and<br />
Marco Loughran (Bid 06-07)<br />
Walker-Hebborn, of Ellesmere Co, dipped inside his textile<br />
best with a 1:57.17 victory in the 200m backstroke,<br />
while Loughran, of Guildford, until this year based at the<br />
Gators in Florida, matched his year-old best of 1:58.34 to<br />
get 1.5sec inside his best effort at Olympic trials back in<br />
March. Loughran cracked his best time with a 1:58.45<br />
that marked his second sub-2-minute effort after a<br />
1:59.91 at Olympic trials<br />
Grant Turner (McK 06-08)<br />
Competed in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay for Great Britain.<br />
Courtney Atkinson (Mel 95-96)<br />
Competed in his second Olympic Games.<br />
Tyler Butterfield (Del 01)<br />
Tyler, son of Jim and Debbie Butterfield, was born and<br />
raised in Bermuda. An avid athlete, he chose to attend<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Southport</strong> <strong>School</strong> for Year 12 in 2001, and is now<br />
living in Boulder, Colorado, USA, with his Australian<br />
wife, Nikki, and their daughter, Savana. Both Tyler and<br />
Nikki are full-time triathletes. Tyler has qualified for the<br />
Olympics for the second time and in the triathlon at the<br />
London Olympics on August 7th.<br />
40<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Sporting Updates<br />
Mathew Belcher (Sur 88-00)<br />
<strong>The</strong> newly crowned World Champion was one of the athletes<br />
selected by the Australian Olympic Committee to compete<br />
at the London 2012 Olympic Games and our only Old Boy to<br />
win a GOLD MEDAL at the 2012 Olympics!<br />
In 1999, when Mathew was in Year 11, the TSS Director<br />
of Sailing and racing coach Colm Anderson wrote of his allconquering<br />
fleet racing team: “In the first-ever GPS Teams<br />
Racing regatta, BGS were convincing winners with TSS and<br />
ACGS sharing second spot. TSS was soon to have its place<br />
in the limelight, defending its title in the Queensland All<br />
<strong>School</strong>s fleet racing competition. TSS managed to make it<br />
four titles in a row, pushing a worthy BGS team into second<br />
place, while the captain of racing was selected to represent<br />
Queensland, which went on to win the national titles.<br />
Mathew Belcher and crew collected a first in the senior<br />
Corsair and U21 Corsair State Titles. Not content to win on<br />
his home turf, Mathew went to Greece to represent Australia<br />
in the senior World 420 titles. He finished in the top quarter<br />
of the international field.”<br />
In 2000, Mathew’s final year at TSS, he was an excellent<br />
academic, a prefect and captain of Surman House. In<br />
addition he continued to achieve outstanding results in his<br />
sailing endeavours, including becoming the national and<br />
world champion of 420 class. He was sailing captain and<br />
school sailing champion, winning numerous school awards.<br />
Mathew was destined to do great things and this Olympic<br />
Gold medal crowns many years of dedication, commitment<br />
and hard work. Heartiest congratulations to an outstanding<br />
TSS Old Boy!<br />
From left – Carey O’Dowd (Atk 92-96), Chris Walker-<br />
Hebborn (McK 06-08), Michael Rock (Tho 03-05), Roberto<br />
Pavoni (Tho 08-09), David Serafini (Mel 88-98), Grant<br />
Turner (Del 06-07), Marco Loughran (Bid 06-07), Adam<br />
Brown (Bid 06-07), Bernard Coady (McK 91-96), Scott<br />
Cowen (Mel 93-97).<br />
David Serafini (Mel 88-98)<br />
London OSA Branch Representative – organised to meet up<br />
with six TSS Olympians in London…<br />
Here is the picture from August 8th here in London. You’ve<br />
got St Paul’s Cathedral and London Eye in the background.<br />
A compliment for the GPS swimming competition. Some of<br />
the guys said they were as nervous when competing at the<br />
GPS as they were in this Olympics. And others said that still<br />
to this day they haven’t trained in facilities as good as TSS<br />
since they were there.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 41
<strong>School</strong> News<br />
by Tony Watt, TSS Director of Community Relations, and<br />
Karen Martin, TSS Marketing Coordinator<br />
1<br />
TSS goes five-star for Year 7<br />
<strong>The</strong> charge by TSS to draw in Year 7 boys and become the<br />
leader in this student market segment is being spearheaded<br />
by its two new, dedicated buildings – Rogers House and the<br />
Sheil Building.<br />
Rogers is up and running with boys and resident staff now<br />
happily ensconced in a building that has every appearance<br />
of a five-star hotel. This impression is created at first glance<br />
by the “stand alone” location at quiet remove from the<br />
other secondary houses on the TSS Campus and with views<br />
overlooking the Nerang River. It suggests an environment of<br />
comforting exclusivity in which the boys can more comfortably<br />
adapt as they move through the challenges of adolescence<br />
and into their senior education years, yet at the same time<br />
retain access to the world-class facilities and dynamic life of<br />
the <strong>School</strong>.<br />
Rogers House is modern, spacious and homely, generating<br />
an atmosphere that reflects the values and characteristics<br />
of a caring, mutually supportive family. <strong>The</strong> Sheil Building<br />
is within the final few weeks of construction and on track<br />
for the official finish date of November 24. Internal painting<br />
is complete, carpet is being laid, joinery and cabinets have<br />
been installed. <strong>The</strong> Drama room is Shiel’s showcase, with a<br />
stunning effect created by a vaulted ceiling painted dark grey<br />
and a black-painted sprung floor.<br />
Landscaping is well under way and as part of the project the<br />
Chapel lawn between St Alban’s Chapel and the new building<br />
is being transformed into a natural amphitheatre with the<br />
Sheil and Nimmo buildings as a backdrop. This fantastic<br />
space will be used for our ANZAC Day service, Cadet training<br />
and much more.<br />
A swag of wins and one big surprise in a top<br />
Rugby season<br />
A very successful Rugby season was spotlighted by the 1st<br />
XV who nearly pulled off an incredible premiership. Along<br />
the way to the final siren of the season they beat Nudgee<br />
at Nudgee in a convincing show of what they could do.<br />
This young side wasn’t supposed to be within the top three<br />
contenders, but it proved to be the surprise packet of the GPS<br />
season and had almost clinched the honours when a try to<br />
BGS on the full-time siren in the second-last fixture ended<br />
the premiership dream and left them to finish the season tied<br />
second.<br />
Over 300 boys played in Rugby for the year, which featured<br />
tours to Sydney, Toowoomba and Sunshine Coast, and TSS<br />
produced 1 Australian <strong>School</strong>boy, 4 Queensland <strong>School</strong>boys,<br />
and another 3 GPS Reps.<br />
All 5 Opens teams had a terrific season, winning over 90%<br />
of their matches, with a standout being all senior teams<br />
defeating Nudgee on Ross Oval. U16s also had a great year<br />
winning 88% of matches and they too played their part in<br />
adding to TSS Rugby distinction by contributing four players<br />
to the Queensland U16 <strong>School</strong>boys team that went on to<br />
be named National Champions. Finally, the U15s capped<br />
off our fantastic season by having 10 boys selected in the<br />
South Coast Regional U15 team to compete at the State<br />
Championships.<br />
42<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Basketballers score the big one<br />
In a very successful Basketball season, the TSS Open First<br />
team blitzed the GPS competition, securing their second<br />
GPS Premiership.<br />
To cap it off, the team went to the Queensland <strong>School</strong>boys<br />
Championship in September and took out the 2012 title in a<br />
Final that was an epic battle. Trailing at the half-time break<br />
by 4 points, the boys rallied in the third quarter to establish<br />
an 11-point lead, but then, late in the last quarter – after<br />
losing Capt. Matt Gullotta and Vice-Capt. Jack McTier with<br />
foul trouble – they had to withstand a strong fight-back from<br />
Nudgee to go on and ultimately win 64-62. At an individual<br />
level, Andrew Lomakin was named MVP of the final game.<br />
For the first time ever TSS will represent the State at<br />
the National <strong>School</strong>boys Championships to be played<br />
in Melbourne, December 3-7. Quite simply, this is an<br />
outstanding achievement.<br />
Gymnasts land within a whisker of the<br />
championship<br />
On a day marked by very close results across a number<br />
of GPS sports, TSS missed out on the GPS Gymnastics<br />
championship by an unbelievable 0.05 of a point.<br />
<strong>The</strong> boys had a fantastic day winning the Division 2<br />
championship and performing well in Division 1 with a<br />
young team, but to win the overall championship TSS had<br />
to win two divisions. That slimmest of slim margins that<br />
decided 1st and 2nd place in Division 3 was just enough<br />
to separate TSS from the title, putting us in second place<br />
overall on 16 points, just behind BGS.<br />
It was a brilliant effort all round and has served notice on<br />
the competition for next time.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Premier Grade rounded out the tally by coming in with a<br />
very creditable fifth place overall.<br />
No complaints from the sporting arena with 3<br />
terms gone<br />
Looking at the big picture it’s been a tremendous year so<br />
far. <strong>The</strong> boys were so close to securing four GPS titles in<br />
2012 with that narrowest of losses in Gymnastics and the<br />
literal last-minute loss to BGS in rugby. Add to that the fact<br />
that if the weather had been kinder to us in term one, our<br />
cricketers could well have gone close too.<br />
Well done to the whole TSS community, including the many<br />
Old Boys who are back as coaches. <strong>The</strong> spirit, sportsmanship<br />
and enthusiasm has been outstanding all year.<br />
A good year for TSS chess across the board<br />
TSS Chess put in a determined effort throughout the year to<br />
deliver some commendable performances.<br />
Among the various age groups, TSS Open Bs finished in<br />
second place, the Juniors and Open As came in third, while<br />
the Seniors managed fourth.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 43
Archives<br />
By Lesley Walker<br />
Donation by Westcott Family<br />
<strong>The</strong> blazer was worn over the years by Richard (Tho 41),<br />
Bruce (Tho 70) and Mark Westcott (74) for outstanding<br />
sporting achievements.<br />
History for the Westcott family generations:<br />
Recently, the <strong>School</strong> was delighted to receive a magnificently<br />
framed Rep blazer, Thorold House Cap, Honour Cap and<br />
Honour pocket donated by the Westcott family. This will be<br />
proudly displayed in the Hall of Fame and will add to the<br />
already splendid array of sporting memorabilia, Honour Boards<br />
and also the suspended rowing VIII that Bruce Westcott rowed<br />
in, in 1970.<br />
• Richard Gibson Westcott; Mitre House, Thorold House –<br />
1938-41, Prefect – 1941<br />
• 1938; Cricket, Colours 1938, Junior <strong>School</strong> Winner of the<br />
Watts Cup 1938<br />
• 1939; Cap, <strong>School</strong> Colours Swimming, Cap Swimming,<br />
2nd XV Cap, Athletics Cap, 1st XI Colours<br />
• 1940; Blazer Cricket 1st XI, 1st XI Cricket Colours, 1st XV<br />
Colours, Football XI, Athletics Colours<br />
• Swimming, Thorold House Blazer<br />
• 1941; Blazer Swimming, Prefect<br />
2nd Generation<br />
• Richard Drew Westcott; Thorold House 1960-66<br />
• Bruce Gibson Westcott; Thorold House 1965-70<br />
• 1970 Blazer Rowing 1st VIII, 1970 Blazer Football 1st XV,<br />
1970 Thorold House Blazer<br />
• Digby Mark Westcott; Thorold House 1966-74<br />
• Captain of Rowing & Blazer 1st VIII 1974, Football<br />
Blazer 1st XV 1974, <strong>School</strong> Colours Rowing 1973, House<br />
Captain Thorold House 1974, <strong>School</strong> Prefect 1974<br />
3rd Generation<br />
• Matthew Westcott Atkinson House 1991-02<br />
Sincere thanks to the Westcott family for donating this<br />
beautifully presented sporting history of the Westcott family.<br />
Photo: Richard Westcott wearing his blazer (photo provided by<br />
Mark Westcott).<br />
44<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Obituaries<br />
Farewell Dear Friends<br />
Those we love remain with us for love itself lives on and cherished memories never<br />
fade because a loved one’s gone… <strong>The</strong> OSA extends its sincerest condolences to<br />
the families and friends of the following Old Boys.<br />
Barry Baker (Del 47-51)<br />
Passed away on March 3, 2012. Barry’s wife, Shirley, advised<br />
the OSA Office that, sadly, her husband had passed away.<br />
Reginald Baker (McK 36-41)<br />
passed away peacefully on October 4, 2012.<br />
(Pat) Edward Leney Hunt (Del 43-46) Passed away<br />
after a short illness on Saturday, September 8. <strong>The</strong> funeral<br />
was held at <strong>The</strong> Anglican Church on Isle of Capri on Thursday,<br />
September 13.<br />
Bert Cockerill writes…Pat was Dux of the school in 1946 and<br />
won the Chelmsford Cup. Pat wanted to join the diplomatic<br />
service, but after university he returned to teach many of us.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1962 Old Boys were keen to have Pat join them on their<br />
boat trip on Sunday of Old Boys’ Weekend, however, Pat was<br />
too ill to attend.<br />
Steve Roberts (Walker<br />
Housemaster) writes… On<br />
Thursday we will be honouring<br />
a colleague who was not<br />
only an esteemed and highly<br />
distinguished Old Boy and<br />
Leader, but also both a real<br />
gentleman and a gentle man.<br />
Pat was an articulate, witty,<br />
generous and caring teacher.<br />
A genuinely intelligent man<br />
in touch with his emotional<br />
being and blessed with a<br />
desire to inspire others –<br />
both students and a few<br />
older heads as well. He was<br />
and will remain in my heart<br />
and I’m sure the hearts of<br />
many staff and fortunate<br />
students as our very own<br />
TSS version of Mr Chips.<br />
A life well lived – serving<br />
others.<br />
THE LIVING FAITH OF PAT HUNT,<br />
written by Rev Jim Stonier<br />
On behalf of my wife, Diana, and myself, may I express our<br />
condolences to Sandy, David, Julia, Katie and their families.<br />
Pat, your father, was a faithful husband to your mother,<br />
grandmother, Sheila. <strong>The</strong> care of each of you was uppermost in<br />
his prayers, thoughts and actions. We are gathered here today<br />
to grieve, to give thanks, to celebrate his life and to support each<br />
other.<br />
This funeral was arranged by Pat. He left specific, detailed<br />
directions as to the conduct of his funeral. <strong>The</strong>re was to be no<br />
Eulogy, but rather the service was to be centred on Eucharistic<br />
worship. To focus the service upon thanksgiving for what God<br />
has done and what God offers us. As such it is appropriate that<br />
this address explores aspects of Pat’s faith journey as a Christian.<br />
I have known Pat for over 40 years, beginning when I was<br />
Chaplain of <strong>The</strong> <strong>Southport</strong> <strong>School</strong> and head of the Religious<br />
Education department. We worshipped together in the Chapel<br />
of St. Alban’s and later here in the Church of the Holy Spirit. I<br />
was over awed by his scholarship. He belonged to a dying breed<br />
of classical scholars. His knowledge of Latin and Greek gave<br />
depth to his understanding of English. Incorrect grammar and<br />
punctuation were unforgiveable. I imagine some here had firsthand<br />
experience when they erred. He understood the nuance of<br />
language when even a pause in a sentence could give rise to an<br />
unintentional meaning. He had a quirky sense of humour, often<br />
seeing what others missed. Sadly, the depth of his scholarship<br />
was unappreciated by many of the young, pubescent males<br />
whom he taught. As a student at <strong>The</strong> <strong>Southport</strong> <strong>School</strong> he<br />
excelled academically, winning numerous awards, including<br />
the coveted Chelmsford Cup, usually confined to the school<br />
captain. He returned as a master and spent 45 years teaching<br />
at the school. Because Pat was an Old <strong>Southport</strong>onian and Staff<br />
member of TSS, I felt it was appropriate to wear my chaplain’s<br />
scarf on this occasion.<br />
<strong>The</strong> son of a priest, Pat was a man with a mature, living Christian<br />
faith energised by his theological reading and thinking. With<br />
some of us, his contemporary theological understanding was<br />
enriched by the writings of Bishop Tom Wright. While I will<br />
reflect on his chosen readings, I felt his life and future best<br />
summed up in the following verse, Philippians 1:21. For me to<br />
live is Christ and to die is gain. This is the reality of the Christian<br />
faith foreign to many. This was a reality I saw in Pat’s faith. He<br />
lived his faith and died in his faith. Many contemporary funerals<br />
are marked by speakers describing the destiny of the deceased<br />
in wishful thinking or in extreme optimism. Why the deceased<br />
is said to be up there looking down is bewildering? I have never<br />
heard a speaker suggest that the deceased was looking up! If<br />
one is not interested in a relationship with God during one’s brief<br />
earthly life, spending eternity with God would seem to be highly<br />
improbable and at the best extremely uncomfortable. We can<br />
celebrate with confidence the destiny of Pat.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 45
Through Christ, he knew his God, in a life marked by<br />
sacrifice and illness. He knew the fellowship of suffering.<br />
In more recent times as we have worshipped in the Church<br />
of the Holy Spirit, his deteriorating health signalled his<br />
imminent move to the next phase of his faith journey.<br />
When Paul wrote, for me to live is Christ and to die<br />
is gain, he was a prisoner of ancient Rome, which<br />
meant eye-balling torture and possibly death. From<br />
the day of revelation on the Damascus road, Christ was<br />
his inspiration in thick and thin. His daily Christian<br />
experience so transformed his life that even when he was<br />
confronted by death he saw it as the gateway to a greater<br />
reality. <strong>The</strong> words, for me, were a personal affirmation<br />
that even death would be a gain. Embracing the death<br />
and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as his own, had removed<br />
the sting of death, creating a new relationship in the very<br />
presence of the living God. In birth we are born into this<br />
life and in death we are born into the next phase of our<br />
journey. Christian Baptism creates a new beginning and<br />
a new life, Now if we have died with Christ, we believe<br />
that we shall also live with him. Romans 6:8. When we<br />
embrace the vows of our Baptism we are identified with<br />
Jesus Christ. His death covers the sins and guilt of all<br />
who trust, and His resurrection leads from death into<br />
eternal life. As a Christian approaches death he knows<br />
the best is yet to come.<br />
Jesus proclaimed, I am the way and the truth and the<br />
life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. John<br />
14:6. Thus even when we are at our best, we can never<br />
find peace with God through self-effort, but only through<br />
faith in Jesus Christ. He brings those who respond into<br />
the glory and wonder of the love of God. In this hope Pat<br />
lived and has now moved on. Still it is natural to mourn<br />
the separation that death brings. Christ understands. <strong>The</strong><br />
shortest verse in the New Testament says, Jesus wept.<br />
Today we grieve and at the same time celebrate the life of<br />
one who was a good and faithful servant of God.<br />
As with us, in this life, Pat was a work in progress. Like<br />
us, he was far from perfect. As a Christian, he lived in the<br />
saving power of Christ, bringing the gift of new life now and<br />
in eternity. Now, he does not need our prayers, if anything<br />
we need his!<br />
A funeral makes us aware that we are all moving<br />
inevitably towards our “use by date”. This service is a<br />
stark reminder of our own mortality. Sooner or later we<br />
all pass this way. It challenges us to consider the reality<br />
of our own coming death and judgement. A life such<br />
as Pat’s reminds us that the way is open to a glorious<br />
eternity if we embrace Christ. In this service we celebrate<br />
this. As with Pat, it is the privilege of every Christian to<br />
live their faith in the community of faith, the church, to<br />
be people of action, with minds alert to truth expressing<br />
the radical love of God in every aspect of life. We are<br />
to build our lives on the certainty of being with and like<br />
Jesus. Our presence in this service honours the life of<br />
Edward Leney Hunt, Pat, and offers comfort to Sandy,<br />
David, Julia, Katie and their families.<br />
As the family of Pat, grief and a sense of loss is uppermost<br />
at the moment. You have been left the blessing of each<br />
other and the riches of a father’s love.<br />
Warwick Owen Knowles (McK 50-53)<br />
passed away Jun 20. Much loved husband to Helen,<br />
loved father to Louise, Paul and David. You will be<br />
missed and we will all see you again in Heaven.<br />
Robert Thwaites (Mel 90-96)<br />
Melbourne Housemaster Mr Ian Luxton asks the<br />
community to remember Robert and keep his family in<br />
their thoughts and prayers at this time. Robert passed<br />
away in tragic circumstances 10 years ago (October 12)<br />
in the Bali Bombings. We remember him and his family<br />
and all those who suffered.<br />
Kenneth Thomas Faunce (McK 28-30)<br />
Sgt. New Guinea and Borneo, passed away peacefully, June<br />
7, aged 97 years of age. Devoted husband of Dawn, loving<br />
father of Gillian and John. TSS Old Boy, great Westpac<br />
man, great lover of rugby and a man of great learning.<br />
Ken’s funeral was held at the West Chapel, Mt Thompson<br />
Crematorium, Holland Park on June 19th.<br />
John Cornelius Potts (McK 56-61)<br />
Loving Memories of our Dear Brother, Brother-in-law<br />
and Uncle. How we will miss your sense of humour and<br />
genuine kindness.<br />
I, Aaron Cornelius Potts, am the son of John Cornelius<br />
Potts 17.04.1945 to 26.03.2012, and wish to provide the<br />
following information on my father…<br />
My father John died unexpectedly on 26 March, 2012. He<br />
was a boarder at TSS from Grade 1 (he was in the Chapel<br />
Choir) until Grade 10. My father at TSS excelled at rugby<br />
(First XV), but more importantly in swimming. His swim<br />
records stood for many years and his name is still on a<br />
sporting board at the school. Immediately after school<br />
he went on to train with the famous Bill Flemming and<br />
his training partner was Tony Fingleton (who they made a<br />
movie of his swimming career and life contemporaneously<br />
with my father – Swimming Up Stream – 2003 [with<br />
Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis]).<br />
He went on to represent Australia in freestyle and was the<br />
Australian freestyle sprint champion in the early 1960s.<br />
He had three sons, Aaron, Robin and Adrian. He went on<br />
to gain a LLB from UQ and qualified as a solicitor; and<br />
then became a respected sole practitioner in Coorparoo,<br />
Brisbane for the past 34 years. He kept many of his old<br />
friends from <strong>Southport</strong> <strong>School</strong> throughout his life. He<br />
eventually moved back to <strong>Southport</strong> where he died.<br />
Robbie Robinson (TSS Prep <strong>School</strong> Sergeant,<br />
Swim and Cross Country Coach)<br />
sadly passed away on October 11th aged 84 years of<br />
age. Robbie was an ex-Vietnam veteran and proud<br />
Australian. He was great mates with Kevin Brookes.<br />
Current TSS teacher Mr John Wallace said the last time<br />
he saw Robbie was at the TSS ANZAC Day ceremony.<br />
He said he loved TSS.<br />
46<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Bodie Maas (Mel 94-06)<br />
Eulogy – provided by Robert Maas<br />
(father of Bodie)…<br />
23 and forever young in our<br />
memories. Son of Margeaux and<br />
Robert Maas, brother to Chantelle<br />
and Estelle.<br />
I don’t know where to start when<br />
dealing with my thoughts and<br />
feelings of our beautiful boy Bodie,<br />
but one emotion that overrides<br />
everything is how lucky we have<br />
been to have known and loved<br />
him. <strong>The</strong> best way Margeaux, I and his sisters wanted to share<br />
some of the “Bodie moments” with everyone was to make a<br />
video (A celebration & happy memories of Bodie’s life). It can<br />
be viewed at Heaven Address http://www.heavenaddress.com/<br />
Bodie-Maas/411259/ Just click on the music/video link, but be<br />
prepared, it’s done to Bodie’s music.<br />
On graduating in 2006 from TSS, Bodie attended the Superyacht<br />
Crew Academy and achieved International Yacht Master 200<br />
tons Offshore, for International Waters as well as his International<br />
Yacht Master 200 tons Coastal, for Australian Open Waters. He<br />
also became a Padi Divemaster and worked in Vanuatu for three<br />
months diving for a resort in the many dive sites found around the<br />
island. Bodie sailed in Superyachts around the Carribean, North<br />
America as well as doing an Atlantic crossing, the Mediterranean<br />
and hanging out at the America’s Cup in Valencia, Spain. Bodie<br />
worked a second stint in the Mediterranean based in Italy on<br />
another Superyacht before returning home as he was becoming<br />
homesick for friends and family.<br />
Beginning 2011 Bodie started his own business – Aqua Marine<br />
Clean, his boat-detailing business as he wished to be selfemployed.<br />
When thinking about my son Bodie there are too many<br />
happy, funny and silly moments to mention, let alone all his blond<br />
ones, ‘Bodie moments’, and believe me he had more than his two<br />
blonde sisters combined. While I was in bed in the early hours of<br />
the morning awake thinking about Bodie’s eulogy, I realised I can’t<br />
put all my thoughts on paper as it would take me 23 years to go<br />
through them all, so I put down the pen and spoke from my heart.<br />
All my thoughts come back to the same point. I have been SO<br />
LUCKY to have had you in my life.<br />
SO LUCKY to have had 23 of the best years<br />
SO LUCKY and privileged to have shared time and special<br />
moments with you<br />
SO LUCKY and happy to say I love you<br />
SO LUCKY and honored to call you my son<br />
SO much LUCK<br />
SO SO SO LUCKY<br />
Thank you, Bodie.<br />
It is been better to have had than not to have had… As painful<br />
as it is now.<br />
Everyone I knew wanted to be close to Bodie and he left us all<br />
wanting more. He touched so many people with his honest and<br />
disarming charm and laid-back style with his signature smile. He<br />
found his way into more homes and dinner tables than anyone<br />
else I’ve known. Sadly our family has had to deal with the tragic<br />
effects of suicide twice this year, with Margeaux losing her little<br />
brother, Ger Andlinger, 15 years old, Bodie’s uncle, in a New York<br />
boarding school to the same fate. This is the second young man<br />
to leave us before his time. Both beautiful, gentle souls who had<br />
everything to live for and look forward to. Life wasn’t that hard we<br />
thought, but one never knows the despair in someone else’s mind.<br />
Extract from 2006<br />
Valedictory book<br />
Eulogy written by Mr Ian Luxton<br />
(Melbourne Housemaster)…<br />
<strong>The</strong> entry in the Valedictory book<br />
does not tell us of the smiling,<br />
jocular Bodie who always could<br />
be seen around the House and<br />
<strong>School</strong> with his blond hair and<br />
cheery white teeth.<strong>The</strong> entry in<br />
the Valedictory book does not<br />
tell us of the boy who loved his<br />
parents dearly and longed for the<br />
day when they would be together.<br />
Bodie had the pleasure of giving<br />
away his mother when Margeaux<br />
and Robert remarried. <strong>The</strong> entry<br />
in the Valedictory book does not tell us of the lad who was well<br />
liked by his mates. Good mates of whom he had plenty. Many<br />
of these mates are present here today, and looking around here<br />
today, I had forgotten what a colourful group you were!<br />
<strong>The</strong> entry in the Valedictory book does not tell us of the boy who<br />
was passionate about his art and his expression through his art.<br />
His art teacher, Mr Stephen Eardley, recalls a particular piece of<br />
Bodie’s. It was an acrylic box with a lid and a lock. In the box<br />
Bodie explained, he kept all his secrets. He also had a great<br />
love of sailing and yachting. He had achieved his certificates for<br />
sailing both Off and In shore and was involved with yachts for<br />
many of the years after he left here.<br />
Bodie has helped us to remember how important it is to know who<br />
we are. He helped us to remind ourselves how loved we are by<br />
others and how we should love and help others. Bodie has helped<br />
us to remember how we need to respect ourselves and realise that<br />
we matter, we make a difference.<br />
William Slane (McK 26-29)<br />
It is with regret that I notify <strong>The</strong> <strong>Southport</strong> <strong>School</strong> that Mr<br />
William Slane (Oldest Old Boy), formerly a student at the school<br />
and a member of McKinley House, passed away on April 21st<br />
this year at the Blue Care Labrador nursing home. From previous<br />
correspondence I was advised that William was recognised as<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Southport</strong> <strong>School</strong>’s Oldest Old Boy at age 97, an honour of<br />
which he was justifiably proud. I thank the school for notifying<br />
us of William’s standing in the school on reaching that milestone<br />
and felt that you should be advised of his passing so as the next<br />
Old Boy, can accept acknowledgement as the Oldest Old Boy. I<br />
wish the newest member of this exclusive group good health for<br />
the years to come and hope he is equally as proud of the honour<br />
as William was. William is now resting peacefully beside his<br />
mother and father at the Bundaberg Cemetery.<br />
Regards, Alan Newitt<br />
Bevan Whip (McK 53-56)<br />
Passed away on his birthday, December 20, 2010. Bevan’s wife,<br />
Dianne, called to advise her husband passed away after having a<br />
fall, almost two years ago, after spending time in a nursing home<br />
due to having a stroke 20 years earlier. Bevan was McKinley<br />
House Captain in 1956, Senior Prefect, 1956, 1st XV 1955-<br />
1956, Capt 1st XV 1956, 1st XI 1954-56, 1st Tennis 1954-56<br />
and Tennis Captain 1956.<br />
Depression can be debilitating and fatal. If only they had opened<br />
up more. We could have helped. Boys, promise me, talk more.<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 47
48<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
Extract Of 2012 Financials<br />
Complete financials can be viewed on the TSS Old Boys website,<br />
by logging onto www.tssoldboys.com.au<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 49
Extract Of 2012 Financials<br />
Complete financials can be viewed on the TSS Old Boys website,<br />
by logging onto www.tssoldboys.com.au<br />
50<br />
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 51
What if you could make a permanent<br />
difference to our mission?<br />
“My parents made substantial sacrifices to send me to<br />
TSS in the early 1970s. I have always appreciated their<br />
decision and I know that I personally gained so much from<br />
my time at the <strong>School</strong> – both in the classroom and away<br />
from it. I believe that it is particularly important to give<br />
back to the <strong>School</strong> and its future students in a personal<br />
manner; beyond the fees paid by my parents at the<br />
time. I hope that the bequest to TSS in my Will can help<br />
other young men get the experience of a fine, all-round<br />
education to prepare them for a productive, honourable<br />
future and a fine life.”<br />
Dr Leighton Cochran (Wal 72-75)<br />
You can...<br />
For more information about how you can leave a bequest to the <strong>School</strong> or the OSA, please<br />
contact:<br />
TSS Foundation Office<br />
Phone: (07) 5531 9841<br />
Email: bequests@tss.qld.edu.au<br />
OSA Office<br />
Phone: (07) 5531 9803<br />
Email: osa@tss.qld.edu.au