Autumn 2016 — Issue 110ISSN: 2204-938X

20

Darkinjung Barker: A vision for Indigenous Education in a two-way partnership

HSC 2015: The class of 2015 shone across all endeavours

Barker’s Residential Program: Students embrace life in Central Australia

08

06

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

Issue 110 Autumm 2016

The Barker is the quarterly magazine of Barker College

Editor-in-Chief Mr Phillip Heath

Editor Jonathan Mifsud

Sub-Editor Stephanie Oley

Assistant Coordinators Mandy Loomes Karina Drummond

Print Production Ian Lindsay 0419 693 308

Art Direction Yolanda Koning 0404 811 136

facebook.com/barkercollege

CO

NT

ENT

S

The Regulars

14 Prep School

16 Junior School

18 Middle and Senior School

26 Drama

32 Sport

41 The Old Barker

The Features04 Darkinjung Barker

A vision for Indigenous Education in a two-way partnership.

06 HSC 2015 The class of 2015 shone across all endeavours.

18 Residential Program The initiative was borne from a belief that our Year 9 students have more capacity than they know.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

14

19

26

Four-year-olds enrol at Barker!

The Blended Music Classroom

Triumph for Year 12 Drama 2016

FSC INFO HERE

THANKS IAN

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

3

From 1920 to 1936, Barker had managed a period

of dramatic building development which

gave shape to much of the heritage we now

enjoy. Carter House (1920), the War Memorial

Oval (1924), The Administration Building

(1925), Domestic Staff Quarters (now the Clinic, 1928),

Plume House (now Girls’ Boarding, 1929), the Swimming

Pool (1934), The Dining Hall and Kitchen (1936) and the

Assembly Hall (now Boyce Hall, 1938) all came to fruition

in those years. This foresight and commitment is all the

more significant when we remember the financial distress

caused by the Great Depression during this period. The

School Council felt that the Sydney Mint Gates would be

a fitting addition to the site, and they stood at the Chapel

entrance until 1975, when they were relocated to their

present site in front of the Main Reception and Clock Tower.

The Mint Gates have come to symbolise the School

itself. They were used as the insignia in our centenary

celebrations in 1990 and were used again in 2015 to mark

the 125th anniversary. They stand at the topmost point of

the hill on which we stand, reminding us of the dedication of

generations of students, staff, parents and Council members

who establish our character and culture. They look back to a

time when the NSW gold rushes hastened the development

of Sydney as a city and Australia as a nation.

This year, we have set ourselves the challenge of

looking “Beyond the Mint Gates”. We seek, in a spirit of

humility and grace, to set our sights not on our own

prosperity and success but on the contribution we can

make to building a nation and setting the future. We have

participated in national and international events, from

mock trial to robotics, sports and cultural experiences.

We have established a firm charter to create a sustainable

environment and to make the most of our natural

resources. With superlative hopes and dreams, Barker

College has partnered with the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal

Land Council to establish the Darkinjung Barker Campus

at Yarramalong, providing education for 25 Aboriginal

children from the Central Coast region of NSW. The

financial support for this vision has been provided by the

remarkable generosity of an individual OBA member who

wishes to remain anonymous, quoting the revered fourth

Headmaster Mr Leslie and our Founder, the Reverend

Henry Plume: “Honor Non Honores, duty without reward.”

God has blessed us richly. We cannot rest on the

outstanding educational and cultural achievements of our

past, nor regard our work as accomplished if our students

achieve success only in the present. We must look beyond

the Mint Gates, with God’s help and in His strength, to

create the future we all long to see. Peace

Phillip Heath Head of Barker College

FRO

M T

HE H

EA

D

Mint Gates

19

26

Mr Phillip HeathHead of Barker College

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

4

This year marks the opening of our new campus at Yarramalong and we welcome into our Barker community the 25 Kindergarten to Year 5 students of the Darkinjung Community and

their parents. There will be regular occasions where our two communities will interact. This campus also introduces girls into our Junior School for the first time.

The first official function at Hornsby was the dinner to welcome new parents to the Barker community. This is an important occasion in which we can share the vision of Barker College with parents who have been committed to the School for a significant period of time. It is a joy to hear the reasons why our parents have chosen Barker College for their children – whether through being a former student, married to a former student, connected with another Barker family, referred through church, or through friends of their son or daughter.

As you would know, our School has a strong reputation in the community for pastoral care and academic results. The School is also known for striving to give each student the opportunity to explore

and develop their various gifts and talents through its various academic and co-curricular activities available, within a Christian context. We encourage our students to take up these opportunities during their time at Barker College.

The School Council is looking forward to an exciting 2016, with the further development of our academic programs, and to provide facilities for these programs which will include the new Sports Hall and Pre-K to 2 facility in the Junior School. The School Foundation has been asked to commence a fundraising campaign for the new Sports Hall; details will be available shortly.

In addition, the School Council and Mr Heath are considering responses to the parents’ survey carried out in 2015. We will be further developing our communications with all students and parents as well as the delivery of teaching through our information technology programs.

I am truly thankful that you are part of our Barker Community and that, under God, we will strive together to achieve an outstanding 2016.

Ian Miller Chairman

FRO

M T

HE

CH

AIR

MA

N

Welcome to 2016. I look forward to the various opportunities to meet you throughout the year at the many school functions and informal occasions in the calendar.

Chairman’s Ian MillerChairman

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

5

We aim to develop our students’ capacity for empathy. This is key in our approach to Christian Studies, a subject which is compulsory for all

students from Pre-K to 12. By empathy, we simply mean being able to see

(and feel) things the way someone else is seeing (and feeling) things. In the movie Dead Poet’s Society, the teacher, Mr Keating, says, “I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.” We invite students to do that. We also appreciate the deep wisdom in this line from Harper Lee’s classic, To Kill a Mockingbird: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

In Pre-K to 6 there is an emphasis on students learning to read and understand the Bible and to imagine themselves, for instance, in the situation of one of the characters. In the Middle School (Years 7-9), students are introduced to philosophical and ethical questions; for instance, they are asked to consider the nature of good and evil (Year 8) along with contemporary moral issues, such as asylum seekers (Year 9). They are guided in their reflections by engaging in a wide variety of empathy exercises, and by drawing on the rich resources of the Christian

faith where appropriate. Students in Years 10-12 are encouraged to explore a variety of different religious and non-religious traditions as they confront some of the fundamental questions of existence.

Christian Studies at Barker College is an innovative, rigorous and engaging program. It equips students with a sound understanding of what is at the heart of the Christian faith, a faith that has inspired many − both past and present. It gives them familiarity with the Biblical narrative. It supports students in their quest to make sense of life. Christian Studies exposes them experientially to a broad range of religious and non-religious world views. It prepares them to be informed global citizens. It fosters tolerance and an appreciation of different perspectives. It develops student capacity for empathetic engagement with others and challenges them to act compassionately and courageously.

Christian Studies Pre-K to 12 at Barker College aims to play a part in the development of well-grounded, well-rounded and highly motivated young adults who are capable of inspiring hope.

Jeff WareSenior Chaplain

The way we do

at Barker College

FRO

M T

HE C

HA

PLAIN

—Above Tom Anderson –Head of Christian Studies,

taking a leaf from Mr Keating in

Dead Poets Society.

DA

RK

INJU

NG

BA

RK

ERT

HE

BA

RK

ER |

AU

TU

MN

201

6

6

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

7

If you haven’t had the opportunity I’d strongly

recommend it – there is something magical and

grounding about ‘The Valley.’

One of the early challenges has been

educating children, in one class, with an age

range of five to 11. I have been thoroughly

impressed by the understanding and dedication

of our 25 children and their families.

We also welcome four new members to the staff of

Darkinjung Barker. Miss Anna Brown, our classroom

teacher, has encountered a steep learning curve since

starting but has taken to it with an open mind and a

complete dedication to the students and our surroundings.

Miss Chernita West, our classroom Teachers Aide, is

using her time to gain knowledge about the students and

assisting Anna and myself with the daily routines in the

classroom. We also welcome JD, an elder from Darkinjung.

He not only drives one of the buses but shares his stories

and knowledge of yesteryear with the staff and students.

Finally there’s Ian, who has been employed to drive

the other bus and has strong links with the Darkinjung

community. Ian also assists our children by sharing his

stories and keeping lines of communication open with the

parents. The children love their bus drivers.

Darkinjung Barker is surrounded by a mixture of

old and new. We have the traditional school house and

cottage, with the Nyang Shack* nestled in between. This is

a brand new multi-purpose room that will predominantly

house our younger children for the morning session; it

will also be a kitchen and meeting place.

We look out across our field and see a variety of bird

life and an abundance of gumtrees, which provide shade

while we learn. The outside environment very often

becomes our classroom. We are able use a multitude of

spaces to educate the children, and we are not limited by

any one area.

The recess and lunch period have brought sound back

to the once silent school grounds.

Not a day goes past that we don’t have a visitor just

pop in to say hello. We have former students, staff, locals

and inquisitive, friendly members of the community all

excited that our new school has returned a sense of joy

to the valley.

Jamie Shackleton Campus Coordinator – Darkinjung Barker.

DA

RK

INJU

NG

BA

RK

ER

DarkinjungSituated in the picturesque Yarramalong Valley, many of our staff and community members have already travelled the 50 minutes from the Hornsby campus to visit Darkinjung Barker in our little piece of paradise.

* ‘Nyang’ is a Darkinjung word meaning together.

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

8

HSC–Congratulations

Barker College congratulates the Class of 2015 for their

superb results in the HSC. Their performance has shone

across all endeavours – academic, cultural, sporting, and

environmental and community service. They have led

the School with distinction in 2015 and their academic

results are a fitting testament to their contribution to

the life of our community.

17 students who achieved

top band marks in 10 or more

units.

The quality of our students’ major works has been

rewarded with 23 nominations for possible inclusion

in the Board of Studies Showcases.

Barker

Twelve students were nominated for

OnSTAGE: Seamus Dove, Hannah

Milligan, Sophia Murray-Walker,

Samantha Novis, Natasha Spencer,

Caitlin Williams, Matthew Bennett,

Eloise Jones, Noah Steward,

Olivia McEwan, Caitlin Plummer

and Duncan Stewart.

On

CLA

SS

OF

2015

Congratulations to Caitlin Williams, who was selected to perform at OnSTAGE.

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

9

HSC–Congratulations

Luke Glendenning

1st in Earth and Environmental

Science

Shannon Ashton 4th in Agriculture, 6th in Earth and

Environmental Science

William de Montemas 7th in Earth and Environmental

Science

Seamus Dove 6th in English Extension 2

Geordie Wilson 3rd in Earth and Environmental

Science

Nicholas Chang

17th in Chemistry

Elsa Fredriksson (Year 10) 1st in Swedish Continuers

(completed externally)

Top 10

DesignTECH: Jake Fornasaro.

InTech: Hugh Brown,

Lachlan Bunn, Taylor John

Visual

Design

Music

CLA

SS

OF 2015

Seamus Dove

Barker College students’ creativity

was recognised with several

students nominated for:

Caitlin McMenamin

James Stokes and Erica Eberl wereboth selected for inclusion inARTEXPRESS.

Caitlin McMenamin, Music 1, was selected for ENCORE.

Seamus DoveWilliam de Montemas, Geordie Wilson and Luke Glendenning

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

10

While we are delighted with the performance of our students, we recognise that a successful school experience goes far beyond the scores gained on a single measure such as the ATAR or the HSC Merit list.

We continue to seek to provide the means for our students to develop their character so they can contribute to inspiring hope in the future. The Class of 2015 led the School magnificently through their work with Footprint, their leadership of Indigenous Education initiatives, their contribution to Barker on the global stage, and their passionate commitment to living out the values we

seek to espouse. We congratulate them all.

Phillip Heath Head of Barker College

HSC Highlights...99.95 AtarNicholas Chang achieved a perfect 99.95 ATAR. This is the sixth consecutive year that a Barker student has scored the top ATAR.

than a Number

39% 13

438

of Barker College students achieved

an ATAR above 90, which places

them in the top 10 per cent of the

overall NSW cohort. The School’s

median ATAR is 86.1.

The School achieved 438

top bands by 180 different

students. To gain a top

band, the student’s aligned

marks had to be at least 90

per cent. This was the 10th

highest number achieved by

any school in the State.

students achieved ATARs of 99 or

more in 2015, the top 1 per cent of

the State.

72%of Barker students were placed in

Bands 5 and 6, which vastly exceeds

the State average of 37 per cent.

“Reaching that sustainable point of equilibrium, where you are working to achieve your goals but happy and healthy at the same time, is the hardest but also the most important part of the HSC.”Nicholas Chang

CLA

SS

OF

2015

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

11

When Callum Betteridge (Class of 2015) was in Year 9, he was studying 5.2 Mathematics, and was second from bottom in Semester 1. That means he was ranked about 210th in the grade.

Recently he sat his HSC. In Extension 2 Mathematics he was ranked first in the grade. How did a student go from 210th to first in Mathematics in only three years? The Barker College Mathematics Department has never seen anything like it, nor even remotely close to it. Here is Callum’s story.

His turning-point was in Year 9, when Callum became a Christian. This allowed him to see the sacrifices others had made for him, including his parents, teachers and of course Jesus. He realised that he shouldn’t waste the talent he had been given. During Year 9, Callum’s grandmother was ill. She had always encouraged Callum to fulfil his potential. Callum began praying for her and during those times, her health improved. When he stopped praying, her health deteriorated.

His Head of House, Greg Bayne, had great belief in Callum, and his Year 9 teacher Graham Hanlon oversaw the start of the change, as Callum went from second-bottom in 5.2 Mathematics to number one in a single semester. His report comment changed from “I see a boy who could break out of mediocrity if he changed his attitude to learning,” to “Callum has been the success story of the semester, the year and indeed the decade! The inner mathematical cogs have been released and are now whirring at full pace.”

In Year 10, Callum was elevated to 5.3 Mathematics and attended Crusaders to learn more about his faith. His Year 10 teacher, Greg Fitzmaurice, helped him revise the work he had misunderstood in the past, and extended

him further. Greg commented that Callum was like a sponge, absorbing everything. Sarah Cormio, his tutor, supported Callum through the change and gave great advice relating to studying and fulfilling potential.

In Year 11 Callum began his HSC studies under Kester Lee, a talented and entertaining teacher, who treated each student individually. Callum quickly passed all Extension 1 students to reach the top by the end of Year 12.

Callum has a unique home situation, as both his parents are deaf. While he seemed to take unfair advantage of that communication difficulty in his early high school years, as he matured into a young Christian man, he realised that being truthful is always the way to go.

Callum would like to study either medicine or medicine and advanced sciences at university, but may take a gap year and work at an orphanage in Kenya while teaching at a local school there.

Down the track, Callum talks of becoming anything, from a neurosurgeon to a mathematics or Christian studies teacher at Barker, to a quantum physics researcher or even an explorer.

Callum believes Barker is the best school in the world, and that he was blessed to have so many great teachers and Christian examples. He now wants to give back to the world by doing what he is good at and being generous to others.

We may never see another Callum, but his story should be inspirational for all.

Graham Hanlon Assistant Coordinator of Mathematics

Super Callum

HSC Highlights...C

LAS

S O

F 2015

—Callum and his Year 11 and 12 Mathematics teacher Kester Lee.

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

12

TE

AC

HIN

G &

LE

AR

NIN

G

04

02

TIPS FOR DEVELOPING

STUDENT MOTIVATION & SUCCESS!

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

13

The notion of ‘What is learning?’

foregrounds a shared perception

between parents and their

children. This journey needs to be

communicated, understood and

accepted by all so that the learning

experience has common ground.

In a world where extrinsic

motivators such as marks and tangible

rewards (trophies, certificates and

prizes) has become the norm, and

testing continues to receive the most

publicity, it is vital to prioritise intrinsic

motivators. These include inquiry,

interest and focusing on the process

of learning, not only the outcome.

Here are 10 key areas that allow

a refocus on learning:

1 Knowing your mindset: Make sure

that students realise that they

can always grow their capacity

and that the way they perceive

their ability is key to learning and

achieving their next personal best.

2 Understanding how you think

and work: This includes learning

how you do things: thinking

about and annotating how you

learn best, including drawing

on previous successful experiences

and replicating these in all actions.

Reflecting on the things you love

doing and make you feel engaged is

important.

3 Setting the right type of goals:

Ensure that you focus on

understanding and learning

how to learn well rather than

merely learning content that

can be remembered but not applied

in different contexts. Regularly re-

calibrate the goals for yourself as you

achieve them.

4 Attaining regular feedback:

Make certain that you seek

evaluation and feedback on

your work from others. This

includes self-assessing your

understanding and working against

key learning outcomes.

5Strategies that work: Find

out how you learn best. Adapt

and reuse these approaches

to ensure you complete tasks

effectively and always to the

best of your ability.

6Asking the right questions:

Don’t always ask what mark you

received, rather why did you

achieve the result and how can

you improve or refine it next

time, avoiding merely the product but

focusing more on the process.

7 Working smart: Ensure you are

aware of the environment. For

example, in time-limited settings

read the question and think

about it before offering a well

thought-out response that is focused,

rather than churning out material that

misses the mark.

8 Managing time and effort:

Learn to use time effectively,

writing down study plans and

time charts. Ensure that you

complete tasks and do not get

distracted, whether answering an

examination or a homework task.

9 Reflecting and monitoring

work: Regularly check your

learning against the goals and

expectations you have. Become

specific and strategic rather

than going through the motions

and merely crossing off each task.

Successful learners monitor and refine

the learning process all the time, trying

to make each attempt a little better

than the last.

10 Developing focus, belief and

motivation: The greatest

predictor of success in all

learning is how much you

believe you can do that task

before starting, combined with your

capacity to concentrate and complete

the job at hand, ensuring the final

outcome is your very best effort and

attempt. If you know you can do well

and enjoy the task, your motivation

will support your success.

The more you reflect, review and

refine, the greater the belief, and in the

longer term, the more successful you

will be. You can apply this to learning

an instrument, writing an essay or

sitting an examination. These 10 tips

can be applied to learning about things

(knowledge), or learning how to do

things (skills). Start with one or two

and develop your armoury. You will be

surprised how your own mindset will

change. Success will follow!

Dr Brad Merrick Director of Research in Learning and the Barker Institute

Dr Greg Cunningham Director of Teaching and Learning

TE

AC

HIN

G &

LEA

RN

INGAs students undertake

programs of study, the key skills in balancing their time, juggling work and assessment tasks combined with their co-curricular activities, become essential in a diverse and rich learning environment such as Barker College.

PREP

AR

AT

OR

Y S

CH

OO

L

14

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

PREPA

RA

TO

RY

SC

HO

OL

T he Pre-K room and the adjoining

covered outdoor area are

generously provisioned with

inviting play spaces and resources.

The children, who attend five

days a week between 8.30am

and 2.45pm, are expertly guided and encouraged

in their learning by teacher Mrs Wendy Quadrio,

and her assistant, Mrs Michele Oosthuizen. The

learning environment is rich in opportunities for

the development of emotional well-being, self-

esteem, respect for others and appropriate literacy

and numeracy skills. In addition, specialist teachers

in Christian Studies, Creative and Practical Arts,

Library, Music, Italian and Physical Education provide

weekly input to the Pre-K program. The children are

also involved in lunchtime co-curricular activities

such as Choir, Gardening and Crusaders. After School

on Tuesdays, most of the children are participating

in a Learn to Swim Program at the Aquatic Centre.

They are also welcome to attend the OSH Club each

afternoon.

Sarah Dickson Head of Early Learning

Four year olds

At the beginning of Term 1, 17 very excited young children enrolled as the first cohort of students in our new Pre-Kindergarten class.

15

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

JUN

IOR

SC

HO

OL

The act of inquiry is critical to our growth as human beings. From the moment we enter the world, we use all our senses to explore, test and evaluate.

Learning occurs everywhere, not just in

the classroom and our students need to know how to learn.

With our rapidly changing world, the ability to learn how

is critical to the success of our children. In the Junior

School, we are committed to empowering our students to

be lifelong learners through our new approach to Inquiry

Learning. As a community of educators, we are creating

inquiry classrooms where teachers work hard to be highly

intentional in their quest to grow the capacity of all

students. We are committed to developing excellence in

all learners.

When Steve Jobs launched the iPad in 2010, he said it

was the most important product of his life. He knew “it

had potential, but its future was a haze of possibility, not

yet a sharply focused certainty.” Our Kindy children were

born the year the first iPad was invented and we know only

too well how much has changed in the last five years.

Our vision in Pre-K to 6 at Barker College, is to be a leader in

Christian education that is characterised by a global vision

that inspires hope. If Barker’s youngest learners, who started

school in Pre-K in 2016, are to be equipped to complete their

school education in 2029, then they will need to be prepared

for a world that is constantly changing.

Barker Junior School is becoming a PYP school. What

does this mean? The Primary Years Programme is part of

the International Baccalaureate (IB) offerings. The aim of

PYP programs is to develop internationally minded people who,

recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of

the planet, seek to create a better and more peaceful world.

We have chosen to embed PYP in our Inquiry Learning

model at Barker, where we use the Learner Profile to

articulate the ten attributes of learners which include

becoming:

—Top Will records his Class Agreement. —Above Jordan, Luke and Harrison

collaborate in Year 5.

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

16

• Inquirers who nurture our curiosity and develop skills for

inquiry and research.

• Knowledgeable by developing and using conceptual

understanding to engage with issues and ideas that have local

and global significance.

• Thinkers who use critical and creative thinking. They analyse

and take responsible action on complex problems.

• Communicators who express ourselves confidently and

collaborate effectively.

• Principled by acting with integrity and honesty, with a strong

sense of fairness and justice, and taking responsibility for our

actions and consequences.

• Open-minded by critically appreciating our own cultures and

personal histories as well as the values and traditions of others.

• Caring by showing empathy, compassion and respect and

demonstrating a commitment to make a positive difference in

the world.

• Courageous by approaching uncertainty with forethought and

determination and are resourceful and resilient in the face of

challenges and change.

• Balanced by understanding the importance of balancing

different aspects of our lives – intellectual, physical and

emotional to achieve well-being for others and ourselves.

• Reflective by thoughtfully considering the world and working

to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to

support our learning and personal development.

Research supports utilising an Inquiry approach to learning

for many reasons. We know children are more motivated to learn

when they are genuinely interested in or curious about

a subject and when they have a real problem to solve. We know

our students need to have the ability to locate, access and

evaluate information and contribute to the ever-evolving bank

of global information in a positive way with their sharpened

digital literacy skills.

Questions are at the heart of Inquiry at Barker.

We want our students to be passionate in their quest

to understand. We aim to foster their disposition for

curiosity and plan learning experiences around questions

that are sophisticated, thoughtful and significant.

Using powerful provocations, we can stimulate curiosity

so that students can articulate important questions for

further investigation.

Recently, Year 5 experienced this phenomenon. Our

Inquiry integrators organised a live webinar with all our

Year 5 students, 8 high schools and one Year 12 class to

interview a potential astronaut heading to Mars in 2024 on

a one-way mission. So many issues were raised including

whether the students would consider this proposition. It

was a wonderful provocation and sparked much in-depth

research and ethical discussion about Earth and Space, a

childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, colonisation,

adventure and potentially changing the course of the

world’s history forever. Our Year 5 students grappled with

the sheer number of questions that came from this one

powerful provocation, propelling them into utilising every

attribute in the Learner Profile.

The journey to embed Inquiry Learning into the

Junior School has just begun, yet knowing what we hope

to become is critical to our success as a community of

learners.

Caroline Merrick Director of Primary Curriculum PreK-6 (PYP Coordinator)

—Hayden and Lachlan investigate in their Year 1

Science and Technology unit.

JUN

IOR

SC

HO

OL

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

17

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

18

at Barker

Golden Arches

Book Club at Barker (BCAB) has been running

for several years now and has developed a

loyal following. Meeting each fortnight, we are

a varied and eclectic bunch. Opinions vary −

sometimes in intense or humorous ways,

but always with members united in their appreciation

of a good story well told. BCAB does not follow the

traditional book club format, but instead focuses on

discussions, creating recommended reading lists and

connecting with authors and readers.

At the end of 2015, two group members, Darcy

Carnahan and Matthew Stevenson, participated in a youth

forum. They joined a select group of students from other

schools to discuss the Children’s Book Council of Australia

Young Adult Fiction shortlist. Both Darcy and Matthew

were fantastic, eloquently and passionately articulating

why they liked or disliked the nominated novels. They

represented the School, its excellent reading culture and

the enthusiasm of our BCAB members beautifully.

Melanie Webster Teacher Librarian

On 28 January, 98 Year 12 Business Studies students

and nine staff members were treated to countless

insights and the machinations of a number of

Australia’s top companies, including McDonald’s

Australia and its respective suppliers, OSI, ARTZA,

and Martin Brouwer.

The excursion consisted of two parts. The first involved all

students and staff transiting to the head office of McDonald’s

Australia. Here, a set of in-depth presentations were given by

senior management focusing on the operations, marketing and

human resource activities of all the above companies. Such

information was invaluable because it elevated the students’

understanding of what a business does. They were clear, concise

and informative, but more importantly, all the presentations

mirrored the HSC Business Studies syllabus.

The second part of the excursion involved students being

allocated a specific company to visit. This authenticated the

morning presentations and gave a genuine insight as to the

workings of these various companies.

Thanks must go to Ms Pennie Cruickshank, National Marketing

Manager for McDonald’s, for turning a dream into reality.

Len Nixon Business Studies Teacher.

LIB

RA

RY

& B

USI

NES

S S

TU

DIE

S

—Below Darcy Carnahan (centre) and Matthew Stevenson (second right)

speaking at the Youth Readers Forum held at the Kings School in 2015.

—Above Students dressed in safety gear ready for a tour of Aryzta Bakery.

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

19

Music Classroom

MU

SIC

—Above Films ready to upload into online

music portfolio —Below Students

demonstrating their blues composition.

If you walk into any Year 7 or 8 Music classroom at

Barker College, here is a glimpse of what you may

encounter: Lachlan (Year 7) might be composing a

backing track using GarageBand on his iPad, later

using it to accompany an improvised pentatonic

melody on his saxophone. Tom (Year 8) could be filming his

friend strumming the chords to Yellow Submarine, before

uploading the movie to his digital video journal that keeps

track of his progress. Austin (Year 7) might be tucked away

at a keyboard, watching a video tutorial created by his

teacher, demonstrating the correct hand posture and piano

technique. Or perhaps you will find Josh (Year 8) watching a

video from the Film iBook while answering questions in an

online workbook, shared with his teacher over Google Docs.

In among all of this, you will see a teacher who has more

time to focus on one of the most powerful tools in their kit:

providing ongoing feedback (Hattie, 2008).

A long standing goal for the Music department is now a

reality with the completion of five new iBooks for students

across Years 7 and 8. These iBooks are all created in-house

with content relevant to Barker students, and videos made by

Barker teachers. Each iBook is supported by a digital portfolio

providing evaluation for each student. This movement aligns

with the model of a blended learning environment, one which

harnesses technology to provide students with greater control

of time, place and pace of work (Horn and Staker, 2014).

In this instance, instructions and knowledge are delivered

via iPad, allowing teachers to spend more one-on-one time

with students. Here is what the students and staff are saying:

“It helps you learn and keeps you engaged. Instead of having your

head in a book, you have this cool piece of technology that you can

interact with.”

Austin Caie, Year 7

“This innovation allows our students to reflect on their work instantly,

but more importantly, they can see evidence of progress in the long term.”

Simon Smith, Head of Music

“I find the iBooks helpful because it’s like having a teacher helping you

even when you are at home. I also like the idea of not having to carry

all your books everywhere you go.”

Lachlan Sawtell, Year 7

Andrew Mifsud Music Digital Literacy Coordinator

v

RES

IDEN

TIA

L PR

OG

RA

M

—Above Lewys Edwards with two of the ‘fellas’.

Spear making was very popular.

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

20

Last year saw the roll-out of two pilot programs

designed to help Year 9 students test and develop

themselves in a range of areas. The stated aims of the

program were:

• Increase awareness of self and others, valuing difference,

compassion and empathy.

• Increase independence and responsibility.

• Increase confidence and resilience.

• Grow character that equips students to stand up for

their values.

• Improve communication skills.

• Improve personal organisation.

• Develop a meaningful vocabulary to engage positively in

relationships.

• Develop positive, practical habits.

The first program was conducted over 19 days at

The Grange in Term 3 of 2015, with the students living in

four House groups of six to eight students. Living

independently involved planning, budgeting, shopping,

cooking, cleaning and managing their household.

The Residential Program initiative was borne from a belief that our Year 9 students have more capacity than they know. However, without appropriate arenas in which to test and develop these capabilities, they remain latent.

Residential

v

RESID

ENT

IAL PR

OG

RA

M

—Top Ken Lechleitner teaching the students. —Above Sailing The James Craig into Sydney Harbour.

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

21

During the day the students participated in two learning and

service projects. One was assisting the National Parks and Wildlife

Service (NPWS) to develop a marketing plan for several day-walks

in the National Park. The other project involved several interactions

with a local disability services provider, where the students helped

and spent time with the clients. It was a joy to see our students

interact with this group. They displayed maturity, patience and

great empathy. Forty-five minutes of private reflection was an

important part of the daily routine.

In addition, a challenging outdoor program stretched

and demanded much from the students. The final seven-day

expedition involved a four-day hike on the South Coast which

finished in Jervis Bay. From Jervis Bay the group sailed the James

Craig tall ship over three days into Sydney Harbour.

From the staff perspective it was a tremendous success.

Dr Brad Merrick spent considerable time surveying and

researching before, during and after the program to gain some

measurements of its success. Here are some of the parent and

student feedback:

“Our son is more thoughtful and considerate, also willing to express

his own opinion and contribute to discussions at home. He is more

sure of himself. He takes responsibility for tasks more readily and

approaches tasks that he hasn’t encountered before with a more

positive attitude. He’s even more willing to try new foods! He came

home with more maturity across a range of measures, especially

with regard to interpersonal relationships.” Barker parent

“Responsibility for my actions, tactfulness and an ability to adjust

and compromise with others, improved interactions with others and

increased confidence. I will certainly continue being more independent

and resilient. Everyone is different; you never truly know what the

person next to you is thinking or feeling.” Year 9 student

The second program arose in response to demand from

families and was conducted in Alice Springs in November.

In addition to the stated goals, we focused our attention on

exploring what things could look like if we were to engage in

meaningful conversation with Indigenous students on their

own turf. Before departing, our students spent eight weeks

learning Central Arrente (Indigenous language) via an online

link with Aunty Margot at the Alice Springs Language Centre.

In the summer heat of the Central Desert, our students

established an independent living environment at Yipirinya

School. They spent time with Indigenous students from Yirara

College on the sports field (6.30 am AFL training), basketball

courts, in classrooms and on country.

It was inspiring to see our young men relate with respect and

understanding to the Aboriginal fellas (this expression was used

to avoid calling a ‘man’ a ‘boy’ and vice versa).

The journey of one student was captured by one Sydney

newspaper:

“Before departing, I had never spoken to an Aboriginal person my age

(…) In the afternoon of Day 12,we went to Ken’s wife’s land. While

we were kicking a footy we were having good, lengthy conversations

about anything. Because we have connected before, we felt we could

talk to the fellas about what we wanted to. From their response, it

was like they felt the same way.”

Thank you to the staff at The Grange, Ben Harlow,

Andrew Grant, Brad Merrick, Matt Macoustra, James Denton

and Phillip Heath for your work and support of this initiative.

Jonathan Rheinberger

Residential Program Coordinator

Congratulations to the

in 2015.

Nick AlexanderOscar BirdDamon BrooksDominic ChanZac ColebrookMitchell CowderyJames CulverLiam EamusLewys EdwardsOscar FrickeSam GibsonAlfie HelpsJames IrishOliver JonesJustin KabaaraTom MacdonaldBen Malik

Richard MaraisTom McPhersonHamish NobleJames NowlanMatthew O’BrienTom O’MalleyRuairi O’ShaughnessyLachlan OnionsCampbell ParsonsWill PashMatthew RogersBen WettsteinLuc WeymouthAndrew WilliamsDavid WilsonCallum WorthingtonJun You

—Please provide captions

Last August, Barker College was one of ten schools

approached by Sydney University to participate

in a new robotics challenge called Zero Robotics.

It’s zero because the robots are in zero gravity on

the International Space Station (ISS). This was the

first time teams from Australia competed against the teams

from the US, Europe and Russia.

Our team name is RedShift and the team comprised of

Aydin Ucan (Programming Captain), Tim Kelly (Strategy

Captain), Felix Buechner (Communications), Robert

Metcalfe, Ben Tinker, Jared Cheung, Morgan Overmass,

Nate Cross, Myles Webster, Jayden Pak and Yi Ming Lu

who all contributed to our success. The team worked hard

through regular weekly meetings as well as sessions over

the September and December holidays to ensure they had

code to upload.

Unlike the FIRST Robotics Competition, we did not

need to build a robot, the challenge was to program small

spheroid drones already on the ISS. This is quite difficult

because the drones move very differently in space! This

year’s competition was called Spy Spheres and required the

drones to collect space debris while taking images of the

opposing robots. Fuel was limited and energy depended on

a moving light source, the code was also restricted, so our

team had to be efficient. All motion was autonomous, once

you uploaded your code you had to hope for the best!

In the preliminary stages the code was tested in a

virtual environment. The competition was fierce and the

international teams were experienced. Redshift did well,

coming second of the Australian teams, but missed out

by one place on getting into the final stage. We were

able to form an alliance with a team from Janesville,

Wisconsin, to compete in the virtual finals, which was

a great learning experience.

The finals were held in late January at Sydney

University, where we were able to support our friends from

Normanhurst Boys. Live links to the US and Europe as well

as the ISS enabled us to share the moment with all the

teams, and Greg Chamitoff, ex-NASA Astronaut who flew on

the last Endeavour mission to the ISS, joined in at 3:30 am

(his local time) to speak to us directly. Alliances from Italy

and the US went on to win the competition. We are looking

forward to competing again in 2016.

Lainie Kalnins Zero Robotics – RedShift

Spy Robots

ST

EA

M

22

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

23

Interview with Director of Boarding

As the new Director of Boarding, what is your hope for the Boarding community?Boarding at Barker is a special part of the broader school community, and students living away from home have some unique needs. My hope is that during our season, the boarding community will increasingly embody the Barker values. The evidence that this is happening might be seen in our actions inside and outside the School. Among the Barker values, I would personally underscore compassion and growth in empathy as particularly important.

How has life changed, moving from the Blue Mountains to the main campus of Barker and going from five to 65 kids?The physical environment is very different, although my wife Libby and I grew up around here. But probably the most noticeable difference is the pace. Life at Barker is fast and furious. I love it! In terms of going from five to 65 kids, I’ve always enjoyed being around young people. It’s energising, demanding, challenging and fulfilling.

Has the family felt welcomed?Incredibly so. Before the first day of school we were invited to meals with school families, and flowers arrived from a Boarder’s parent. Our children are spending a lot of time with the boarders, who have been wonderful in befriending them and helping them with their transition. We are very thankful for the warmth of our welcome.

After a short time on your role, what are your initial impressions?I’m grateful to Mrs McLachlan and the staff around Boarding, because Barker Boarding has clearly been well run in recent years. The culture we have inherited is healthy and the environment is one which provides students every chance of achieving their goals in their senior years. The boarding captains are tremendous!

Alec Munro and Bec Black

Boarding Captains

BO

AR

DIN

G

—Above Jon and Libby Rheinberger with Bec Black and Alec Munro.

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

24

ALU

MN

I PR

OFI

LET

HE

BA

RK

ER |

AU

TU

MN

201

6

Alumni ProfileAlumni Profile

Director of Alumni Relations, Mandy Loomes, speaks with Los Angeles-based actor Ross Le, from the Class of 2000.

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

25

What were your favourite memories of school. Did you have an influential teacher or mentor?Boarding school was one of my best memories, though I didn’t really know it at the time. There was always someone to go to the nets with, toss a footy with, or do a Maccas run. Reverend Ware and Mike James were always generous with their time and advice.

What was your journey after graduating from Barker? After Barker, I went on to study Chemical Engineering at Sydney Uni. I think I failed three out of the four subjects. It was pretty bad. I decided to switch to Business Admin at Macquarie Uni and graduated in 2005.

Was studying at university everything you thought it would be?Studying for me was always something people told me I had to do. I didn’t question it. These people had my best interests in mind but people can only ever advise you on what’s worked for them. In the end, you walk your own path. If you don’t ask questions, you won’t find answers. ‘What do I really want to do?’ is a question I should’ve asked before picking a field of study.

How do you stay focused to reach your goals? Have your goals changed much since you left school?Responsibility. High school, university and a full time job were all choices that I made because it’s what everyone else

was doing. It took me a while before I realised I’d been taking the easy way out, letting everyone else decide what was best for me. As soon as you accept responsibility for your life and choices, you have all the power. I made a choice to leave everything behind and chase an acting career. Doing anything counter to that is now a waste of time. I remind myself of this daily and this keeps me focused.

What has been your career highlight to date?Working with Reese Witherspoon on Lindex, my first major gig, was pretty crazy. Here was an actress I’d been admiring in Walk the Line, and then suddenly we’re sitting and chatting between takes. Booking my first recurring role on Stitchers in 2015 has been my biggest project and playing Alex has been my favourite role.

Are you enjoying the LA lifestyle?Hollywood is pretty crazy. It’s definitely not for everyone. Expensive cars, beautiful people, bright lights − it’s all here. There’s definitely an undercurrent of shallow energy here too. Everyone’s friendly and everyone’s an acquaintance

− after all, it’s about who you know. Genuine people can be hard to find and that’s draining when you’re surrounded by it 24/7. But this is what I signed on for and I’m here for the long haul.

ALU

MN

I PRO

FILE

How important are social media channels, like Twitter and Instagram, to your career progress?Huge. The more the better, simply because any time you’re up for a role, your social footprint is a huge factor. Someone with a large following need only mention their current projects to reach and influence an audience. It’s free advertising for any project, and it matters. Speaking of which, follow me on Twitter@rossle83 and Instagram@rosskurtle.

Apart from acting, what makes you happy? How do you relax?Golf. There’s nothing like turning the phone off and relaxing with friends. Watching the English Premier League Football too. If time permits, I’d like to get back into Wing Chun Kung Fu.

Do you get much spare time?This is tricky… this is the first year that I’ve been able to make ends meet without a part-time job on the side (I’ve been a doorman at Skybar in Hollywood for the last two years). I have more spare time now, but I’m spending it working on my craft. You’ve got to stay in class or be working with private coaches to stay sharp for every audition.

Do you have any words of wisdom for today’s Barker students?Take a second to ask yourself what you really want with your life. Is it impossible? Have you been allowing other people to influence you into thinking you couldn’t do something? Test yourself and your limits. You’ll be surprised by what you’ve got left in the tank. I’d never acted before I came to Hollywood at the age of 25. I was an accountant and now I’m here as an actor. Take what you want from that.

If any students ever want to get in touch for advice, or someone to talk to about Hollywood just ask Mandy in the Alumni Office for my contact details.

—Above Scene taken from the drama Stitchers startring Ross Le.

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

26

DR

AM

A

26

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

A LAST HURRAH FOR YEAR 12 DRAMA 2016

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

27

When actor and director Dugal Parker

first told us about his idea to create

a heptology out of seven absurdist

plays, we all thought he was either

completely mad or a genius. It is

remarkable how often those two traits coincide, and I can

now safely say that Dugal has a mad brilliance that is solely

his own.

To work with a cast of 40 is hard at the best of times,

yet to see each person take on the ownership of their role

and completely understand their place in the web that is

Plexus is truly special. For the first half of the rehearsal

process, we were split into our separate play casts and given

the impossible task of turning each play into a 10-minute

version. Watching the performances that others gave at

the end of last year, I was amazed at the understanding

everyone had of their own play, their characters and the

links with the other stories that could be found within.

When we came back to school in the new year, we

dove straight into the rehearsal process. With four-hour

rehearsals, several times a week, we were often the last

people at school, but we all knew the work would be worth

it. As show week approached, the amount of rehearsals

increased, as did the workload of Year 12. Yet we arrived at

the end with a fantastic, compelling performance and with

a minimal amount of nervous breakdowns.

Performing in the style of Theatre of the Absurd

is difficult enough. But when you combine characters

from a variety of plays – Shakespeare’s trouble-causing

mechanicals, a musical maestro and three Greek goddesses

to control it all – you are left with an intricately woven,

complex outcome which surprisingly works: Plexus.

The one constant within the cacophony of our play was

Dugal, who inspired all of us with his energy and dedication.

Although we may have been at school until 7pm, he was

there longer, building the incredible set, or working with the

technical crew to ensure that we looked amazing. I know we

gave him many sleepless nights, but we also want to thank

him for his dedication and willingness to listen to our crazy

ideas, and for sometimes politely telling us that perhaps no,

we shouldn’t do that.

Sadly, Plexus was our last performance as Barker Drama

students, but I can say on behalf of all the cast it was an

honour working with everyone. Those who do Drama will

know how close you become as a cast, and how devastating

your final performance together is (for most, the last

performance they will ever give). To see how we have grown

from the first Year 10 play together to now, it is no wonder

that such strong bonds have been formed. Drama has

played a key role in all our lives at Barker, and leaving our

final performance together, we are also leaving our ‘family’

behind. Thank you for all the great memories we will take

with us.

Annika Allen Year 12

DR

AM

A

27

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

28

Recently, Year 12 Industrial Technology

students visited Wayne Mavin & Co in

preparation for their Broad Industry visit.

This bespoke furniture company also

produces a range of internal products for

specialised architectural features, including balustrades,

architraves and decorative features. Custom-made, one-

off and small batch production can be quite a resource-

intensive exercise, making it difficult to remain competitive

in a world of mass production.

However, there is something about the hands-on

fashioning of materials and the inspection process at every

stage that enables the craftsperson to embed their soul

into the work. We recognise this when we see it, because

it is often a unique design. It alters the material from the

standardised shape it came in, and fashions it into a form

that is far more appealing. As far back as 1841, renowned

English architect and designer A.W.N. Pugin recognised that

while the mass production of standardised materials offered

great economies of scale and flexibility in architecture, by

combining components from different suppliers, it also had

a downside. Pugin argued that the repetitive use of these

components subverted variety and imagination. Despite

this, mass production remains essential if products are to

be made available to the masses at a reasonable price.

Being able to visit a range of manufacturing companies

such as Wayne Mavin & Co, Artarmon Joinery and Borg

Manufacturing, who produce 20-plus kitchens per day in

a fully automated factory, gives our students a balanced

insight into manufacturing. Different approaches have

their place, and Barker students are very grateful to these

companies for affording them the opportunity to identify

and evaluate the benefits that each approach provides to

the community. For me, simply having our students grasp

the idea that manufacturing can be successfully done in

Australia is critical.

Darren Woodrow Head of Design and Technology

DES

IGN

& T

ECH

NO

LOG

Y

A Balanced View

—Clockwise from top right Borg Manufacturing automated plant; Yr 12 Ind Tech Class; Plans and components for staircase.

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

29

Currently, two Year 8 Technology classes

are collaborating on a unit of work with

Darkinjung Barker College, Yarramalong.

This unit of work requires each student to

design and produce a sculptural piece to

enhance the school grounds.

Applying a design process for the development and

realisation of the project is the norm. However, giving

students the opportunity to recognise and implement

‘Attention directing perceptual tools’ provides a significant

opportunity. These tools are powerful for enabling students

to clarify and manage the development of their ideas.

Working with Darkinjung Barker students allows

Barker students in Hornsby to see clearly how cultural

influences and ecological connectedness can provide greater

awareness and a different point of view in developing ideas

for a project. In other words, an OPV (other people’s view) is

a real experience. This in turn impacts on other activities

such as completing a CAF (consider all factors), where

students obtain insights into factors that they may not have

considered. Or they might alter the FIPs (first important

priorities), having better understood the context of the

purpose or role their sculpture can provide within the new

setting. Considering an APC (alternatives, possibilities

and choices) can be broadened also and provide new

opportunity.

Getting students to apply cognitive organisers to assist

them in thinking is useful to clarify their ideas, giving them

an opportunity to see how their thinking and design ideas

can be influenced through the preferences and expectations

of others, not simply their own viewpoint. This is a

technique that good designers tend to adopt.

Darren Woodrow Head of Design and Technology

DESIG

N &

TEC

HN

OLO

GY

—Above Some of the sculptures already at Darkinjung Barker.

Fostering Ecological

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

30

VIS

UA

L A

RT

S

ArtMatthew Bentham Head of Visual Arts

James Stokes for There is no Planet B, which will be exhibited at The Armory, Sydney Olympic Park from February 29th to April 24th.

Erica Eberl for Notice the Unnoticed, which will be exhibited at Margaret Whitlam Galleries, University of Western Sydney and Glasshouse Port Macquarie from February 13 to May 6

Jami Blood for Notebook No. 12 (and other observations)

Vanessa Musumeci for Dyslexia (Dis-leek-see-uh)

Congratulations to the HSC Visual Arts students of 2015 and, in particular, to the four students nominated for ArtExpress. This annual exhibition is one of the most dynamic and popular at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It features a selection of outstanding student artworks developed for the artmaking component of the HSC Visual Arts examination. Our four nominated students are:

31

HSC Visual

It was during the annual HSC Visual Arts camp that

students got the chance to thoroughly investigate ideas

for their bodies of work. During the camp, students

joined the Visual Arts Department staff for a two-

day comprehensive program. They experienced an

assortment of practical workshops, participated in

shared discussions, presented their own ideas, worked

collaboratively with their peers and attended a number

of informative lectures, all designed to set these young

artists on the right path. Helpful advice from acclaimed

and thoroughly engaging Pop painter Johnny Romeo

inspired students to follow their passions and work

diligently in the months ahead.

Photography @ Last year was also a successful one for Photography at Barker. Middle and Senior School students committed their time and

effort after school to participate in competitions like the national Ilford School’s Photographic Competition.

Term 1

Winners: Fergus Hudson, Andrew McAllister and Mariah Dunn

Merit: Jonathan D’Cruz, James Stokes, Mariah Dunn

Best School for the Term: Barker College

Term 2

Winners: Fergus Hudson, Matthew O’Brien and James Stokes

Merit: Fergus Hudson, Hayden Millican and James Stokes

Best School for the Term: Barker College

Term 3

Winners: Hayden Milllican and Jonathan D’Cruz

Merit: Savannah Hughes, Hamish Steel and Jasmin Anderson

Best School for the Term: Barker College

Barker College has also won 1st place in the Best School

of the Year 2015 award, which includes $1700 in prize

money.

VISU

AL A

RT

S

Hayden Millican Remarkable Rocks

–Above Joel Peterson with his Encaustics Experiment.

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

WINNERS 10 YEARS RUNNING!

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

32

SPO

RT

2016 Centre of

to Abby Cubillo A

bby was only one of 11 female athletes

offered such a position. Her selection

is an outstanding opportunity in her

hopes to be selected in the Australian

team for the U17 World Championships

in June 2016.

During this period Abby played for and represented

Barker College, ISA, NSW CIS and NSW All Schools

(winning a Gold Medal at the Pacific School Games).

Outside school, Abby played for the Hornsby Spiders U18

Division 1 team (runners up in the State Championships

and Metropolitan Champions), and Hornsby Spiders ABA

Women’s Championship teams. Abby also represented

and captained the Northern Territory in the U18

Australian Championships and in September, represented

Australia in the U16 Oceania Championships (2015

Oceania Champions). Abby made the most of every

opportunity available to her during her time at Barker.

We wish her the very best as she continues to pursue

her dreams.

Alison Cox Director of Girls’ Sport

In November Barker’s Abby Cubillo accepted a scholarship from Basketball Australia to attend the Centre of Excellence for 2016, based at the Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra.

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

33

With the growing success of the

Barker Touch Football program in

recent years, our 1st and 2nd Touch

girls not only played in the Loreto

Touch Football competition, but

also played mid-week friendly matches against some of the

most competitive IGSSA teams on the north shore.

The first of the highly anticipated friendly matches

was played at home against Brigidine College. It didn’t

take long for the pre-match nerves to subside as the girls

quickly found their stride, demonstrating moves that

were not only entertaining, but also leaving the 1st XV

Rugby coaches speechless. The girls continued with these

matches throughout the term, taking on the likes of Loreto

Normanhurst and Ravenswood. These matches proved the

exceptionally high standard the girls have reached, and

cemented the growing opinion that they are one of the most

skilled schoolgirl teams around. We are thankful to our

colleagues at these schools for allowing this opportunity to

extend and challenge our girls. Not only were they exposed

to outstanding opposition, but many had an opportunity to

play against old friends.

The success didn’t end with our top teams; we also

congratulate our Barker 3 team, who were also premiers of

their division. During Term 1 we have witnessed the ever

expanding Barker Invitational where for the first time we will

see over 120 girls competing in the red and blue on Rosewood.

Alex Butt CCC Touch Football

Barker students travelled to Melbourne in

December to compete at the National Knockout

Competition, after both the Senior (17-18 yrs)

and Junior (13-14 yrs) boys’ teams won their

state competitions.

The carnival started well for the Seniors, with Jacob

McCorry and Will Lloyd both winning their events. Distance

runners Jack Brown and Kieren Tall dominated their 1500m

races, running personal bests. Taylor John led from the front

with a dominant 400m race, well supported by Joshua Robins.

The Junior team started strong, with Ben Nogajski

finishing his hurdles race well and winning the shot put.

Daneil Alleyn competed well in the Javelin and both Nathan

Takounlao and Sam Kirwan ran their best in the 100m event,

up against a strong competition.

After leading throughout the carnival, it came down to

the final point. The competition concluded with a dominant

performance in the medley relay by the Senior boys. Barker

College was announced the winner of the 2015 competition

in the Senior Division for the second year running. This was

a magnificent achievement, and fitting for all the hard work

and training over the year.

The Junior boys came in 10th, with some results not

going their way. The team found the competition a valuable

learning experience and are looking forward to training hard

in 2016 to improve their performance.

This was a fantastic way to finish the year. I hope to see

all athletes down at the track in 2016.

Lee Batchler CCC Athletics

Barker College – Best

in Australia

SPO

RT

Touch

—Above The staff and team proudly display the Championship trophy.

—Above All smiles after an exciting Barker 1st v Barker 2nd Final in term 4.

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

34

Last December, three teams from Barker

College represented at the Australian School

Championships in Canberra. In a challenging

tournament across all divisions, Barker entered

teams in the U15 Freshman Division 1, U20 Men’s

Division 1 and U20 Women’s Division 1 competitions.

It was the first time for Barker to enter a team in the Women’s

Division, while our Men’s team were promoted to Division

1 from the year before and our U15 Freshman team sought

to defend their gold medal. As expected, Victorian schools

provided great depth in all divisions and gave our Barker

teams some very tough games.

The boys U15 and Opens team played superbly against

some very strong opposition and learnt a great deal. It was a

great basketball experience for the boys.

The U20 Women’s team started the championships

continuing their undefeated run in the ISA season. In their

first three games, the team worked particularly hard to

maintain their focus and sought to dominate their opponents

early. Progressing to the Gold Medal Play-off, Barker faced

Victorian powerhouse Maribyrnong College. In what turned

out to be a thrilling final, Barker’s courageous challenge fell

short, going down 61-50.

Overall, it was a tremendous week for all students and staff

involved. From staying at the Australian Institute of Sport, to

attending sessions on nutrition, sport psychology and recovery,

and playing against some outstanding teams from across

Australia, the Championships were an amazing opportunity

to represent and support our Barker community.

Nicole Bailey CCC Basketball

8A Canberra

2015

Basketball Australian

2015

The 8As toured Canberra late last

year, in keeping with annual

Barker tradition. Barker won

the toss and elected to bat first

against Radford. Flynn Stapleton

held the line-up together with a well-earned 40

runs. Cooper Wright came in and progressed the

score above 150. Our bowlers had a great first

spell, keeping the runs down. From then on our

bowlers made short work of Radford, bowling

them out with a few overs to spare. Great bowling

by Ben Randall and Jeremy Riminton, each taking

a couple of wickets. The Mr Sensible trophy was

retained by Barker.

The next day we arrived at St Edmund’s College.

Here our toss didn’t go so well, but the opposition

decided to bowl first so we still got our desired bat.

We batted well, making 110, and once again Flynn

Stapleman starred with a top innings. St Edmunds

batted well to pass us in the last over. The tour

was a great success and lots of fun.

Jakes Marais 8As Tour Captain

—Above The boys with the Mr Sensible trophy.

SPO

RT

—Above Action from the Australian Schools Championship.

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

35

In early January, 19 Barker cricketers ventured abroad

to Sri Lanka along with the wise and experienced

Mr Thomlinson and Mr Binet, who along with all the

cricketers, were extremely excited for the tour.

The tour commenced in Colombo with an

afternoon game at the Singhalese Sports Centre International

ground on the first day. This was a fantastic win for the team,

featuring a stunning century from Will Giacometti. There was

a T20 match the next day against St Josephs, followed by a

road trip to the luxurious Camellia Resort at Dambulla. The

following days were rest days, and included visits to two World

Heritage sites: the Sigirya rock fortress and the Ancient Capital

of Kandy, where the party visited the spice markets. In Kandy,

the team played two games in two days against Trinity College

and Kingswood College. Both were tough losses, but the team

learned some valuable lessons for the rest of the tour.

In the following days, the boys visited Pinnawala Elephant

Orphanage, enjoyed a river boat tour and experienced a

turtle hatchery. A special highlight was playing at the Galle

International Stadium, right on the coast in the middle of the

mediaeval fortress town. The team also visited the Foundation

of Goodness and was lucky enough to play a charity match

and present a cheque for the funds raised by the Barker

community through Ryan Carters’ Batting for Change T20

match. The money will support local schools and provide

much-needed facilities for children in Sri Lanka. The tour

finished with a win against Colombo Cricket Club at the Moors

Cricket Ground. A majestic century by Zac Jelbart provided

plenty to talk about on the trip home.

The Sri Lanka tour was a fantastic journey for Barker

students lucky enough to attend. They not only developed

as cricketers, but also as people. This cultural and cricketing

adventure has put us in good stead and has created enduring

memories and strong friendships. The touring party and their

families are very grateful to Mr Thomlinson and Mr Binet for

giving up their time and energy to facilitate such a wonderful

experience.

Robert Mackay Year 11 Tour Captain

Sri Lanka

2016—Above Oskar Raue hits over the top.

SPO

RT

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

36

OU

TD

OO

R E

DU

CA

TIO

N

To many, Outdoor Education at Barker

means time at The Grange and various

year group camps over the course of their

schooling. In fact, it’s a whole lot more.

Besides the compulsory camps, Barker

Outdoor Education offers four adventure sports: canoeing,

equestrian, mountain biking and snowsports. These are

run at various times throughout the year.

The Canoeing program takes students on grade two

or three rapids on the Barrington River after extensive

safety briefings and skills practice. Each expedition can

accommodate novices to skilled canoers alike.

Equestrian events are spread throughout the year,

with the pinnacle being the NSW State Championships –

which Barker does very well at. The program does require

students to have their own horse.

The Mountain Biking Program is a regular school sport

in Year 9. Practice rides and events at other schools make

up this program, as well as the Interschools Mountain

Biking event at Thredbo in the Snowy Mountains.

Snowsports is a multi-discipline event catering

for downhill and cross-country skiers as well as

snowboarders. Three events make up the program:

the NSW Northern Division Championships, NSW State

Championships and Australian National Championships.

You don’t have to be an expert skier or snowboarder to

take part in these events; you just need to be able to ski

a blue run without falling (most of the time).

Although Middle School students must choose

between Cadets and Duke of Edinburgh, senior Duke of

Edinburgh is a voluntary activity. Students can opt in at

the beginning of Year 10 to complete their Silver and Gold

levels. This is a great addition to any CV in the future,

and in the busy nature of Barker, most of the activities

involved are already being done by students.

There are also overseas tours to Morocco, which

involve trekking and a component of community service.

Another opportunity for Year 9 students is the

Extended Stay Residential Program. This program is

currently still in pilot mode, but Year 9 students can be

involved. The pilot is a 12-day experience aimed at both

extending our students and also connecting in a real way

with Indigenous Australia. Check out the full story on

page 20 of this issue.

Andrew Ashby Director of Outdoor Education

—Clockwise from top left A rider on the wall at the Interschool MTB Championships in Thredbo; Airtime at the Interschools Snowsports; Students on a boat dive during Year 11 Camp.

Outdoor Education at Barker

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

37

CA

DET

S

Cadet

BCCU also hosted 20 cadets and staff from

a non-school unit (204 ACU cadets from

Parramatta) who participated in our activities.

It was a great learning experience for all,

with Barker students realising how fortunate

they are to have additional and varied activities only made

possible by the extra resources and support provided by

their parents and the School.

The unusual wet weather in January provided an

interesting change to the usual hot and dry conditions in

the Blue Mountains. Twenty students took the challenge to

undergo the rigorous advanced training and assessment over

eight days to earn the coveted BCAT badge. Students gain a

better understanding of themselves and how to extend their

limits of physical and mental endurance, as well as that of

others, to complete the team activities.

Instead of the usual high temperatures, which require

the cadets to keep up their water intake to fend off

dehydration, the cadets were faced with cool and damp

conditions. They needed to keep their feet dry, with many

using foot powder and protective tape. In past years, very

few cadets escape the trek without the odd blister; this

year was the opposite, with no students developing blisters

at all. Mr Heath presented the awards on 8 February and

spoke to the entire BCCU about the historical significance

and importance of the Cadet Unit to Barker. He stressed that

many School values (courage, integrity, commitment and

respect) are enshrined and fostered by BCCU, with Skydive

and BCAT being perfect examples.

As we go to print, we have welcomed new recruits (girls

and boys) into BCCU, with planning well underway for the

March Bivouac at Holsworthy and the Annual Camp at

Singleton in April.

Major Terry Nye Director of Cadets/BCCU Commanding Officer

Term 4 Bivouac saw cadets deployed to Myuna Bay instead of Holsworthy to enjoy the water activities and weather.

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

38

BC

MA

It was all hands on deck on one of the hottest

November days of 2015 when the BCMA held its

biennial Christmas Fair. The organising committee

of Linda Davidson, Hatty Conwell, Michelle

Dutkiewicz, Tracy McIntosh and Julie Long had just

put the finishing touches on the Multi-Purpose Hall, with

a wonderful gingerbread house entrance, when they were

greeted by the first arrival of mothers from the BCMA Junior

School Christmas Luncheon, held in Boyce Hall, who had

strolled down Chapel Drive to find a cooler place to gather

(and shop). In total, the Fair drew over 500 people with 60

stalls showcasing some beautiful Christmas wares, food,

clothing, jewelry, gifts and homewares. The heat did not

deter the teachers, parents and friends who supported this

wonderful community event. I suspect that the added bonus

of air conditioning was welcomed while strolling around

the Multi-Purpose Hall. Thanks also to the Rugby Club

for braving the heat to supply a delicious barbecue for the

hungry shoppers. Despite the conditions, both the Luncheon

and Christmas Fair were a huge success.

A few days later, we gathered on the lawns of Clarendon

with the mothers new to the Senior School in 2016 for

a welcome morning tea. The jacarandas were in full

bloom, creating a carpet of lilac petals on the lawn.

This was a lovely way to begin new friendships in our

Barker Community.

It has become a custom that in the final week of

Term 4, the BCMA provides a delicious morning tea of

baked delights and traditional Christmas treats to the

staff of Barker College. We really enjoy the opportunity

to thank the teachers and staff for all of

their support throughout the year.

Jenelle Montgomerie President BCMA

—Left A grand entrance to the Christmas Fair, with the gingerbread house setting the scene —Above A selection of sweet and savoury treats for the staff Christmas morning tea.

Christmas

TH

E BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

39

AR

CH

IVES

One of the earliest outdoor educational

experiences on record is the CAS Bushwalking

Club. Organised during 1955 only, it saw

students from Barker, Knox and Trinity come

together and participate in two expeditions.

Barker started its own Bushwalking Club in 1964, which

provided an opportunity for students to discover their local

environment.

In 1964, under the leadership of Ian Campbell, Barker

students headed to Central Australia for the first time.

This was the beginning of Adventure Country and the first

of 15 safaris to Central Australia, New Zealand and Nepal.

Adventure Country introduced students to unfamiliar

places and environments and required them to share the

responsibilities of daily life. Students also undertook a

number of activities, such as community service, that

were guided by the School’s Christian values.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme was introduced

to Barker in 1975. In order to complete the Award, students

were, and still are, required to plan and complete a number

of adventurous journeys. As the students trek, hike or canoe

through foreign surroundings, they are challenged and grow

in a manner not possible in the classroom.

Outdoor education at Barker was greatly enhanced in 1989

when the School purchased The Grange at Mount Victoria.

As part of a specialist Outdoor Education program, all

students in Years 7 to 9 spend time at The Grange. Students

learn about the natural environment, how humans have

impacted it and how these impacts can be minimised.

Students also engage with the local community through a

service-based project. The School purchased Barrington River

Lodge in 2008 as a second outdoor education facility.

Just as it did in the past, outdoor education plays a crucial

role in the development of Barker students.

Morwenna Pearce Manager of Archives

—Above Students on the inaugural Adventure Country safari take in the sights at the

Northern Territory border, 1964. Murray John Anderson (1956-1965) Collection.

Although the residential programs for Year 9 students in Alice Springs and at The Grange are new initiatives, Barker has a long tradition of taking education beyond the four walls of a classroom and into the great outdoors.

A long

—Above Barker students renovating huts at Taralga as part of Adventure County.

Ian Gavin Stuart Campbell (Staff) Collection.

TH

E B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

40

FOU

ND

AT

ION

The Barker Foundation recognises that the

professional development of Barker’s staff in

all learning and support disciplines enhances

the advancement of education at the School.

To that end, each year it provides financial

support for these endeavours through the Foundation’s

Travelling Fellowship. All staff are encouraged to consider

this fabulous program, for the benefit of our students and

their own professional development.

Two recent recipients of the Foundation’s Travelling

Fellowship are Richard Clezy, Earth and Environmental

Sciences teacher; and Steve Thomlinson, Director of Boys’

Sport.

Richard attended an Earth and Environmental Science

conference in Wales in 2015, which had a focus on new

resources. There he was exposed to new ways of thinking,

learning and teaching the Earth Sciences, as well as the use of

technology in and out of the classroom.

Earth and Environmental Science is a subject that touches

on many of the biggest challenges for the world today.

The world is fast approaching a tipping-point where decisions

need to be made by all of us about how we live our lives and

our students will benefit from being well informed.

Steve was given the opportunity to visit All Saints

Episcopal School in Fort Worth, Texas to observe their

Co-curricular program. The two schools have enjoyed a long

association, including a student exchange program. This

was a chance for both Sports Masters to focus on athletic

operations and how athletic offerings can supplement the

academic program while remaining committed to a holistic

approach to education and development. There were other

important focus areas for Steve to observe as well. These

included fostering the interest of young students in the

sporting program, developing the pathway from Primary

to Secondary sport, and the relationship between boys’

and girls’ sports.

You can hear more about Richard and Steve’s visits on

the Barker College website.

David Charles Barker Foundation Chairman

Barker

—Above Richard Clezy out in the field.

—Above Steve Thomlinson with the All Saints Football team.

Autumn 2016 — Issue 224

Nathaniel Ware finished his schooling at Barker in 2006. In his time at the School, he was elected School Captain, President of the Student Representative Council, Company Commander of the Cadet Unit and was awarded Dux of the School for the class of 2006.”

Beyond school he has achieved excellence academically, being awarded the Convocation Medal for Best All-Rounder at Sydney University and being announced as a Rhodes Scholar in 2011. He has been recognised for non-profit social and environmental work, receiving the St Gallen Leader of Tomorrow Award, the Goldman Sachs Global Leader Award and the Oxford Vice-Chancellor’s Social Impact Award.

Aside from his other achievements, Nathaniel also founded a private consulting business called 180 Degrees Consulting in 2011. After volunteering in numerous non-profit organisations and experiencing their lack of financial strength first hand, he sought to change things. Under his leadership, 180 Degrees Consulting has worked tirelessly to deliver advice, support and funding towards these organisations. Now the business remains firmly internationally planted, operating in 28 countries worldwide and helping several hundred worthwhile organisations to improve their social impact.

Nathaniel Ware has been a Barker student that all of us can be proud of and outside of school, a leader to all, especially young people who want to make a change for good, both here in Australia and worldwide. Nathaniel has carried the five Barker values, but in particular, the value of compassion in all that he has done and will continue to do.

Ware

41

TH

E OLD

BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

42

TH

E O

LD B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

TH

E O

LD B

AR

KER

| W

INT

ER

201

5T

HE

OLD

BA

RK

ER |

WIN

TE

R 2

015

Old Barker Association Contactsemail: oba@barker.nsw.edu.au

(Please note that the number in brackets after a name is the graduating year)

President Tony Gamson (78) 0458 564 556

Honorary Vice-President Peter Gregory (03) 0400 419 253

Honorary TreasurerAndrew Hassall (86)0412 610 434

Honorary SecretaryDavid Brookes (79)0400 906 052

Honorary Assistant SecretaryMatt Ross-Smith (10)0408 284 702

General CommitteeChris Bennett (83)Paul Goncharoff (88)Pip Hurley (Webber 85)Jenny Kalaf (Melville 78)Catherine Lancaster (82)David Slinn (80) David Trayner (84)Henry Wells (10)

Nominees to School Council Pennie Cruickshank (79)Michael Brodie (79)Tony Gamson (78)

OBA Annual PatronSandy Hollway (64)Keith Thornton (64)Benjamin Anson (85)

Over 70s ContactPeter Ward (59)via (02) 9847 8229 (Sch)mandy_loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

School Contacts

Director of Alumni RelationsMandy Loomes(02) 9847 8229 (Sch)mandy_loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

Alumni Reunion CoordinatorKarina Drummond(02) 9847 8283 (Sch)karina_drummond@barker.nsw.edu.au

Manager of ArchivesMorwenna Pearce(02) 9847 8290 (Sch) morwenna_pearce@barker.nsw.edu.au

Interstate and International Barker Contacts

BrisbaneAndrew Wilkie (01)0412 779 383 (m)andrew.wilkie@morgans.com.au

Canberra Andrew McColl (74)0422 985 281(m)mccoll@grapevine.net.au

Melbourne Murray Anderson (65) 0457 000 407 (m)murray@capricorngroup.net.au

Northern RiversJim Poulos (61)(02) 6686 7711 (h)pamio@bigpond.net.au

PerthTom Hargreaves (69)0437 906 588 (m)tom.hargreaves@inpex.com.au

Sunshine Coast Phil Benjamin (61) pandj.benjamin@bigpond.com

Upper Hunter Charles Cooke (65)(02) 6545 8141 (w) charles_cooke@esat.net.au

Canada, OntarioGeorge Darling (70)george.darling@snclavalin.com

Hong KongBrayden Winkler (07) brayden.winkler@gmail.com

JapanCarl Bastian (93)bastianinternational@msn.com

Middle EastErik Huyer (72)(966) 056 409 0144 (m)erikhuyer@gmail.com

New ZealandScott Brown (91)(64) 027 230 4561 (w) scott@hipgroup.co.nz

Oceania (Fiji)Neil Underhill (75)(679) 336 3968 (w) neilunderhill@connect.com.fj

Papua New GuineaJohnson Kalo (83)(675) 305 6703 (w)jkalo@bsp.com.pg

SingaporeCarly Switzer (94)carlyswitzer@yahoo.com.au

UK, LondonAnnette French (Slattery 88)(44) 1732 382 281 (h)annette.e.french@sky.com

USA, East CoastAndrew Renton (85)(910) 612 5671arenton1@mac.com

USA, West CoastDigby Cook (56)623 523 4321digbyhcook@gmail.com

43 OBA President

44 Community Events

47 OBA Groups

50 Personal Notes

52 Obituaries

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Contributions WelcomePlease send contributions to Mandy Loomes, Director of Alumni Relations, 91 Pacific Highway, Hornsby NSW 2077 or mandy_loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au.

For further information please contact Mandy on 9847 8229.

Personal notes are published in good faith, as a service to the Barker Community.

47

50

OBA Groups

Personal Notes

TH

E O

LD B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

44Community Events

42

43

TH

E OLD

BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

Since my last report, the OBA committee has been

working hard to continue to expand the range of

services we offer to our members. Over the past

few years we have undergone significant growth

in the activities we support and the range of

engagement with the Barker community.

Each year seems to bring forward another new affiliate

group as alumni seek to rekindle the enjoyment they

remember from their involvement in sporting and other

pursuits during their time as students. Recently, we have

seen big band, netball, drama and athletics added to the

more traditional rugby, football, hockey and cricket clubs.

This year, we are looking to develop a wind symphony

orchestra, giving alumni another opportunity to play music

together through the Barker connection. Given the strength

and popularity of music at Barker, it is wonderful to see this

new group emerge.

The diversity of our affiliates reflect the breadth of

activities alumni enjoyed while at school. It is important

for the OBA to support these new ventures. What has been

especially pleasing is the growth in the number of female

alumni who are participating and, in many cases, driving

these initiatives.

Along with the growth in the number of affiliates,

we have also added new services for our members and

increased the number of functions and events.

Our mentoring program, launched last year, has been

expanded following the successful pilot sessions. The

professional training our mentors receive not only enables

them to learn new skills themselves, but also means their

mentees are being assisted properly and effectively.

Finally, I must mention the wonderful 125th Anniversary

sculpture, donated by the OBA, which was unveiled in

the OBA Courtyard in the Junior School last term. Thank

you to all the members of the committee who assisted in

the project under the leadership of Chris Russell (70). It is

an inspiring addition to the school and the Junior School

students have already adopted it as a central part of their

life at Barker.

Tony Gamson (78) OBA President

—Tony Gamson (78), OBA President

President’s

FRO

M T

HE O

BA

PRESID

ENT

“Each year seems to bring forward another new affiliate group as alumni seek to rekindle the enjoyment they remember from their involvement in sporting and other pursuits during their time as students.”

44

TH

E O

LD B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

CO

MM

UN

ITY

EV

ENT

S

OBA Annual DinnerThe OBA’s Annual Dinner held in November has grown

significantly since its relaunch in recent years. The 2015

event was our biggest by far. Alumni gathered to enjoy the

evening and to hear our guest speaker, Mike Carlton (62),

reminisce about his time at Barker. While the physical

environment has changed greatly since those days, there

were many stories that spoke of the culture and spirit of

the school, still very much alive today.

One particularly pleasing element of the dinner

was the large number of more recent school leavers in

attendance. A quick calculation showed that around

50 per cent left school this century. In part this was a

reflection of the growth of our affiliate numbers, but it

also showed the increasing level of engagement we are

having with our younger members.

Events

45

TH

E OLD

BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

CO

MM

UN

ITY

EV

ENT

S

Over 70s trip to The GrangeOn Wednesday 21 October, 36 of our OBA Over 70s left

Turramurra at 7.45am for a trip to the Blue Mountains to visit

The Grange. We stopped for morning tea at Bilpin, having

listened to some interesting facts about the area from former

staff member Ian Campbell. Once we arrived at The Grange

we were met by Mrs Liz Charlton. Liz took us on a tour of The

Grange building, bush trails, the outdoor education facilities,

the bush chapel and the veggie garden. We then gathered

in the dining room. During lunch, Ian Campbell spoke to us

about the origins of The Grange while Liz spoke to us about

how the property is used by today’s students. Following

afternoon tea, we headed back to Sydney. It was a wonderful

day, enjoyed by all.

Class of 1970 45 Year ReunionOn a balmy October evening, the Class of 1970

assembled in the Marks Pavilion for their 45 year reunion.

In this exceptionally well-constructed monument, old

acquaintances were renewed, tall tales from our schooldays

rehashed and as the more sporting of our alumni gazed

across the perfectly manicured lawns of Number 1 Oval,

rugby and cricketing feats exaggerated.

Ian Campbell delivered a splendid speech,

complementing our year on our intelligence, initiative,

academic and sporting achievements. These wonderful

(and truthful) assertions were met with a hearty round of

applause, tempered of course by the Class of 1970’s ingrained

understanding of ‘Honor Non Honores’.

As our school mates are scattered around the globe,

Phil Montgomery read absentees’ emails from every

continent (except Antarctica). They all sent their best wishes

and promises to be there for the big five-o.

Many thanks to Karina and Mandy for their wonderful

organisational skills and of course Pascal, who received a

standing ovation for a delightful meal, the likes of which our

boarders never experienced in their school days.

Jack Brislee

46

TH

E O

LD B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

CO

MM

UN

ITY

EV

ENT

S

Canberra eventOn a very hot Friday afternoon in November, a small

group of Alumni gathered at the Canberra Golf Club for

a few hours to reminisce with Head of Barker College,

Phillip Heath, and Director of Alumni Relations, Mandy

Loomes, about their time at Barker. Mr Heath talked to

everyone about the latest happenings at School, which

was received with great interest. We look forward to

1985 ReunionOn 17 October 2015, the Class of 1985 had their 30 year

reunion. What I enjoy about these events is the unexpected.

It is not about how I hated maths or that I didn’t make the

1st XV Rugby. But that we are a group of diverse people who

shared a unique experience, and in a way, we are a network

within a larger network. It is about the amazing people we

have in our year: teachers, doctors, lawyers, surgeons, writers,

CEOs, nurses, plumbers just to name a few... all with amazing

lives and stories. That is why I love a reunion. We all have a

reason not to attend a reunion, even I dreaded going, and I

was the organiser! I would encourage everyone to go to their

reunion and to all my 1985 classmates who missed this one

to come to the next reunion. It is not about who were your

friends. It is about connecting with people, and often this

is what you’ll find: there is unexpected greatness in all the

people you went to school with (no exceptions) and a get-

together every five years is not enough.

The Class of 85 would like to thank Micheal Pears and

Devasha Scott (Horsfield) for their photographic skills and

David Carroll for the tunes.

If you are one of the Class of 1985, you can connect with

everyone on our private Facebook page, just search for

Barker 1985.

James Hopkin

catching up again in 2016. Alumni who attended were

Brian Agnew (72), Simon Agnew (43), Eleanor Colbourne (79),

Jac Cousin (67), John Donovan (58), Bruce Edwardes (54),

Gerald Farleigh (51), Richard Fillingham (64), Alicia Flack-Kone

(89), Mark Francis (72), Andrew McColl (74), Des Pain (43) and

John Wurcker (76).

Events continued...

47

TH

E OLD

BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

—Performing at the OBA Dinner.

OBA Athletics Club

As the old cliché goes, ‘sun’s out, run’s out’, and not a truer word

has been spoken of the OBAC. Summer is a time for our club

that is unrivalled when the other seasons are considered; it is

superior in every way. It is the time that our season really heats

up. We have had some terrific results, including Andrew Malpass

(06) running consistently under 10.80 seconds in the 100m and

Brendan Tsoi (09) improving on his form from last season.

Our off-season is fast approaching and we welcome all

former and current students of any ability who would like

to join us. We still train four times

a week during the winter months,

with a focus on improving speed and

endurance. If you are interested, you

can find out more by getting in touch

with our coach Glen Parker (glen@retailsystems.com.au).

Tim Willatt (07)

OBA Big BandThis year the OBA Big Band

has hit the ground running,

rehearsing hard towards

finding our truly unique sound. Since our formation

in 2012, we have built a solid repertoire from many

iconic big band classics. Now with the right repertoire

in our veins, our focus moves towards the growing

number of band members who are eager to compose

and arrange for the band. The OBA Big Band will explore

new arrangements of songs from artists such as The

Beatles, James Brown, Bruno Mars and Snarky Puppy.

Next month we will also be performing in the local

community for The Novus Foundation. This Foundation

aims to support youth in Hornsby and the Ku-ring-gai

district. In coming months, we will endeavour to

perform more among the local community as our unique

and personal sound grows.

All in all, the OBA Big Band is focused on its future,

and we are sure you will be seeing a lot from us very

soon. If you would like to contact the OBA Big Band,

please email us at OBA_bigband@barker.nsw.edu.au

Luke Davis (09)

OBA Big Band Representative

Kurrajong SocietyIf your children have left Barker and you would still like to support the school and be part of the

Barker Community events, then the Kurrajong Society is for you. We send a regular newsletter,

Kurrajong News, to keep you updated on what is happening at Barker College.

If you would like more information, please contact us at kurrajong@barker.nsw.edu.au

Groups

48

TH

E O

LD B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

Barker Old Girls Netball ClubAfter the club’s tremendous first year, Barker Old Girls

Netball Club is back into the swing of things. We finished

last season on a somewhat disappointing note for the

girls in the No.1 Team. After an up and down season,

we finished strongly in second place, securing a spot in

the finals. However, Mother Nature had other ideas when

it came to our grand final and due to a storm our game

was cancelled. The winner was decided by our positions

on the ladder at the end of the regular competition. So

although we were runners-up, we were able to look back

and see how far we had come in less than 12 months.

Thank you to our crew of Barker old girls, boys and

parents for supporting us over the course of the year.

We have three teams competing in the Hills District

Summer Night Competition and extend a very warm

welcome to our newest girls, a team made up of 2015

Barker leavers!

We are now taking expressions of interest for the

Saturday winter competition, which begins in May.

If you or your friends would like to join or

create a team, please get in touch with us:

barkeroldgirlsnetball@gmail.com We’d love

for you to be a part of the club!

See you out on the courts!

Lauren Kirkby (07) and Jordana Shawyer (06)

Barker Old Boys CricketA bright, sunny February afternoon greeted us upon arrival at

Barker No. 1 Oval for the inaugural clash against the Barker

College 1st XI team. Barker legend Neil Marks (56) did the

honours at the coin toss, shared a few laughs and gave us all

some handy cricketing advice. The 1st XI team, led by Geroge

Naish, won the toss and elected to bat. Umpires Andrew Moody

and Lachlan Charles (10) strode out to the middle and called

play on an enjoyable and hard-fought game of Twenty20 cricket.

The 1st XI top order produced a flurry of runs, attacking

the OBA team at every opportunity. Their total was a

respectable 155 and both sides seemed pleased with how they

stood at the half-way point. Highlights in the field came from

Nic Badings 1/9 (15) and Brad Lewis 1/16 (09), who shared in

the wickets, bowled tight and slowed an increasing run rate.

The OBA XI were slow to start, facing quick, swinging

and accurate bowling from the young guns. It was also very

impressive to see the fielding skills of the 1st XI cut down many

boundaries to singles or twos, and the total proved too large for

us on this occasion. Top scorers were Jeremy Hook (88) with 30

off 19 balls and Tom Burnett (05), 27 off 18, who showed some

true flair and proved that we aren’t all washed up yet!

A big thanks and congratulations for running this special

event must go to Tony Gamson (78) and Mandy Loomes, and

to Phillip Heath for allowing us to play on such a special field.

Long may this fixture continue into the future, to facilitate

a pathway for school leavers to the Barker Old Boys Cricket

Club. Connecting with the OBA certainly provides a great

opportunity for Barker alumni to keep in contact with the

school community and establish new, lifelong friendships.

This fixture proves a perfect warm-up to our Jack Pace

Memorial Shield semi-final against the Cricketer’s Club of NSW

on Saturday 20 February. BOBs Cricket is seeking to defend the

title and will draw on the professionalism and sportsmanship

displayed by the Barker 1st XI.

If you would like to play for BOBs Cricket Club, please contact

Matt Hall 0416 297 775 or matt.hall19@icloud.com

All our matches are played on turf wickets,

against many of the old boys teams in Sydney.

The majority of our fixtures are on Sunday

afternoons and played in a

35 over per side format.

Matt Hall (00)

Club Captain

OBA TheatreOBAT will return to

Barker theatres in Winter

2016!

We are looking for

as many new members

as possible this year, so if there are any alumni out

there who would like to be involved in any way and are

available between April and July this year, please contact

us at: obatheatre@live.comFor more updates please look to our Facebook page at:

facebook.com/Obatheatre

Amie McNee (10) and Cassandra Jones (10)Presidents

OB

A G

RO

UPS

Groups continued...

49

TH

E OLD

BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

Over 70sHave you turned 70? If so, there is an organisation for you. The Over 70s are a social group who run a number of events

each year. Our next event will be our annual Back to Barker day on Wednesday 18 May.

If you would like further information, please contact Mandy Loomes in the Alumni Office on 02 9847 8229 or

Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

BOBs RugbyThe newly elected BOBRUFC Committee has been hard at

work preparing for the 2016 Suburban Rugby Competition

season. BOBRUFC will be contesting Division 2 (Barraclough

Cup), fielding four grade teams and one colts team.

Pre-season is well underway. It’s great to see a mix of new

and old faces each Wednesday night at Turramurra Oval.

A sense of friendly competition is building between clubmen

as they vie for selection amongst the grades. After falling one

game short of taking home a premiership last season,

1st grade in particular are looking to make amends and go one

better in 2016. It has been great to see an increase in numbers

throughout the preseason. The coaches and committee are

confident that 2016 will be the year of the BOB!

Nick Hensley (05) has remained as Rugby Director and is

being assisted by Jack Roach (10) and Henry Hammond (11),

who has taken charge of the Colts in 2016. BOBRUFC had

a successful preseason, with our annual tour of Bathurst

to play against the Bulldogs bringing about some excellent

rugby, as well as some great off-field bonding. The trial

match against our old adversary, Knox Old Boys, was also

well attended, bringing back memories from past battles in

the schoolboy competition.

To keep up to date with all things BOBs please follow us

on Facebook at Barker Old Boys RUFC or refer to our website

www.bobsrugby.comWe are looking forward to seeing you down at

Turramurra Oval this season!

Liam Flanagan (03)Secretary

Old Barker Football ClubIn 2016, there has been more speculation

on coaching and player movements in the

January transfer window than in a British

tabloid magazine. With Real Madrid and

Atletico Madrid banned from future transfer

windows for unscrupulous behaviour, and

given the stellar performance of OBFC in the final half of 2015,

concerns around losing talented players and coaching staff to

more lucrative offers are well justified.

Fortunately for OBFC, the club survived this tumultuous

period and is pleased to announce the re-signing of men’s

premier league coach, Jim Harte, for 2016. Jim’s re-signing is

speculated to have been instrumental in capturing a number

of UK imports. The women’s football gaffer, Eva Akopian (11),

has been busy in the off-season, bringing in David O’Keefe

for coaching services and strengthening the depth of the

women’s team with a number of inspired signings.

Division 5 had a tough 2015 and a lot of work was put

into rectifying this in the off-season. We are happy to

announce that 2016 is set for a transformation with Peter

Crouch doppelganger, Josh Sandford (05) and the enigmatic

Tim Binsted (05), spearheading a long list of loaned players

who have been called back from rival clubs. We are pleased

to welcome the likes of Jeremy Smith (05), Chris McClelland

(05) and Alex Galvin (05), just to name a few.

In Division 6, a returning quorum of gents looks set

to challenge for the division title with squad stewardship

resting in the gentle but capable hands of Dave Calder (09)

and Joey Meynink (09).

With a revitalised Division 5, strong numbers in

Division 6 and improved player stock for the Women’s

and Premier League Men’s, we are expecting our strongest

membership numbers in club history.

Although the season is set to commence shortly, we are

always ready to provide playing opportunities to friends

of the Barker community. With the continued generous

support of the OBA, we are able to offer a particularly

competitive offering to recent Barker school leavers who

are continuing their studies full-time. Additionally, a

huge thank you to the OBA who have very generously

contributed to the purchase of new uniforms this year for

the club’s fast-growing membership base.

We have a jam-packed social calendar, training roster

and playing calendar, and are looking forward to a terrific

2016. For more information, please visit our website

www.oldbarkerfc.com

Matt Vickers (05)OBFC Committee

OB

A G

RO

UPS

50

TH

E O

LD B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

Peter Currie (56) I have retired to a

small farm near Kiama. My wife Prue

and I visit France regularly and have

recently purchased an apartment in an

old chateau.

Michael Jacobs (65) I returned

to Australia in 2000 after 20 years

overseas. Now retired, but most

recently CEO of Eyecare Plus, a group of

179 independent optometry practices

across Australia. Anneke, my wife of 33

years, and I live in Port Macquarie, NSW.

We are the proud parents of Joshua and

grandparents of Oliver and George, all

living in the USA.

Keith Walker (70) At 18, I was a

trainee auditor counting bodies at a

funeral home. At 22 I was supervising

the filming of nude scenes on the

TV show No. 96. Being too dumb for

university worked out pretty well!

Now retired after 40-plus years in

television. Achievements? Married to

long-suffering Dianne for 40 years.

Two imposing daughters. Four

mesmerising grandkids and my

Barker blazer still fits!

Ian McGregor (97) I have been

fortunate to be selected in the

Australian Men’s Over 35s Hockey

Team to compete in the Hockey World

Cup. The tournament is being held

in Canberra from 29 March to 9 April

2016 and Australia are defending

champions.

Stephanie Timp (12) I’m currently

studying Social and Digital media and

International Studies at UTS full-time,

while also working as an Account

Coordinator at Twitter AU.

Caitlin Hanrahan (13) Studying

a combined Bachelor of Engineering

Honours and Bachelor of Commerce

at Sydney University and has been

awarded the inaugural Lendlease

Bradfield Urban Vision Scholarship.

Caitlin’s vision is for “Sydney to be

reshaped into a series of interconnected

central living districts evenly

distributed across the city, with an

efficient interconnecting transport

system, rather than one sprawling

gridlocked central business district.”

Her goal is “to create a vibrant,

affordable, sustainable and desirable

place to live.”

Nick Bennett (14) Nick was awarded

the Young Citizen of the Year Award

(joint winner) at the Ku-ring-gai

Australia Day Awards 2016. He is an

outstanding member of the Scouting

movement, making an exceptional

contribution to the youth of Ku-ring-

gai. Nick, who is commencing second

year studies at the University of Sydney

in 2016, joined the Scout movement at

age six. He is now an Assistant Scout

Leader, guiding young people through

the organisation and encouraging them

to embrace new opportunities.

In 2015, Nick was the youngest

ever Australian to serve as Assistant

Contingent Leader for the 23rd

World Scout Jamboree in Japan, one

of the world’s premier events for

youth, attracting over 35,000 scouts

from 150 countries, for two weeks

of international understanding and

adventure.

Nick has achieved the highest

awards in Scouting for his age. In

2015, he was awarded the Queen’s

Scout Award, the highest Scouting

youth award achievable in the

Commonwealth. For his work

fundraising for the aeromedical

charity CareFlight, he was awarded

the Australian Scout Medallion (2011).

Nick was a recipient of the Mawson

Scholarship in Leadership (2012) and

served on the National Youth Council.

Outside of Scouting, Nick achieved

his Gold Duke of Edinburgh award in

2015. A regular member of the Ku-ring-

gai Youth Orchestra until 2015, Nick is

now a member of the Sydney University

Symphony Orchestra. He has also been

a surf lifesaver since 2012 and a mentor

for the Australian Indigenous Mentoring

Experience (AIME) since 2015.

Caitlin Williams (15) This January

I had the privilege of attending (after

a rather hasty organisation process)

the Professional Actors Masterclass

(PAM) with the Australian Institute of

Performing Arts (AIPA). I was introduced

to the program by fellow Barker girl

Phillip Bailey (62) We lost our

home of 17 years (a 43ft yacht) in

the 2013 Bundaberg flood. Finally

found a similar one in Turkey and

my wife, Pam and I have spent

the past 18 months sailing it back

to Australia. It is now moored at

Iluka and we are actually living in

a house at Brunswick Heads for a

few months while we get the yacht

ready to resume our voluntary

missionary work in the Louisiade

Archipelago (PNG). We hope to head

back there after the cyclone season,

around the end of May.

PER

SO

NA

L N

OT

ES

Notes

51

TH

E OLD

BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

PERS

ON

AL N

OT

ES

Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division

Associate Professor David Oliver Watson (60) For significant

service to medicine and medical

education, to professional

organisations, and to the

community.

Mr Kim Lindsay Jacobs (72) For significant service to business

through a range of senior roles, to

Australia-Israel relations, to higher

education, and to the community.

Baptisms

25 OctoberAmelie Masie, daughter of

Melanie (Dudgeon 92) and Jesus

Luque

25 OctoberSacha Jane and Zak Anthony,

children of Elisa Walther (89)

and Luke-Anthony Kudric

1 NovemberAutumn Sarah, daughter of

Emma and Daniel Venables (03)

1 NovemberMatthew Michael, son of

Elizabeth Ockendon and

Michael Robbins (91)

15 NovemberHarrison Leo Oscar, son of

Nicole (Venter 02) and Oscar

Battram

29 NovemberGeorgia Alyce, daughter of

Renee and Derek Brown (04)

29 NovemberNeave Rose, daughter of Emma

(Charnock 92) and Matthew

Ashdown

6 DecemberMax Toby, son of Ashleigh

(Broadbent 02) and Toby

Halvorsen (02)

9 DecemberBradley Stan, John and Andrew

Roy Hickin (14)

20 DecemberBrooke Jane, daughter of Nicole

(Chambers 06) and Jonathan

Walker

Wedding

19 DecemberBelinda Jane Blowes (staff)

and Jock McLaurin

Simon and Karina Mariner (Ryrie)

(both 06) welcomed their son Brock

Jayden James Mariner on 4th January

2016.

Jami Blood (15) in early December, and

three weeks later I found myself on a

plane to Los Angeles to begin the course.

Throughout PAM I met a number of casting

directors, agents, managers and working

actors, and will hopefully walk away with

US management. It was an incredibly

informative look into the industry that

is Hollywood, and I hope to return to LA

(a very vibrant, and at times very odd city)

sometime soon.

Georgina Crouch (04) Ben

Goddard and I were married at

Christ Church Lavender Bay in

September 2015. Two Barker old

girls, Emily Mallison (Crouch 06),

and Madeline Cuming (04), were

in the bridal party.

Caitlin Williams (15)

52

TH

E O

LD B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

Stephen Alexander (60)1943-2015

Stephen Alexander, late of Kincumber, attended Barker from 1955 to 1960.

Steve was a keen cricketer and a member of the Junior School 1st XI in 1955 and a member of the 2nd XI in both 1959 and 1960. Steve was proud to have attended Barker and enjoyed his class reunions and more recently an Over 70s Club luncheon.

Steve pursued many hobbies including gliding, sailing, cricket and reading. His indulgence was Jaguar motor cars. In his working life, Steve and his wife Penny were ‘Team Alexander’ sharing many business endeavours which included running a yacht brokerage, Pittwater sailing school and a real estate agency at Church Point before making a tree change to become wool and lamb producers at Gilgandra, Tenterfield and Coolabah. They later moved to Kincumber to be closer to family.

Stephen passed away on 10 September 2015 after a long battle with cancer and is survived by his wife, Penny and his daughters Lisa Christie and Georgie Alexander.

Soteri Anderson (62) 1944-2015

Terry (Soteri) Anderson, late of Ballina, died of a short acute illness on 13 August 2015, just before his 71st birthday, and a few hours after his second grandson was born. This was indeed a bittersweet time for his family. He and Bev were happily married for

45 years, and had two children – Kyrrin, who lives with her family in Brisbane, and Tim, who has lived in Los Angeles for the last 10 years.

Terry attended Barker College from 1950 to 1962 when living at Waitara (Kindergarten to Intermediate). He would be the first to admit that his scholastic achievements were lacking!

Terry and his family moved from Mt Riverview to Ballina in 1987 for a change of lifestyle and to start a business in the building industry in the growing Northern Rivers area. They had a plasterboard warehouse and distributorship at Ballina and Yamba until 2008, when these businesses were sold to Boral, and happily retired to continue their love of travelling.

On moving to Ballina, Terry became very involved with Rotary and was the Youth Director for many years. Terry and Bev hosted 10 exchange students from overseas over a period of 10 years, thoroughly enjoying this experience, and Kyrrin and Tim had a year exchange in Japan and America respectively. Consequently, their travelling let them meet up with their Rotary children and their families. They also made many trips to England, where Bev’s brother lives, to America where Tim lives, and to Terry’s beloved Greek Islands. Once Terry took his family on his first overseas trip at the age of 45, he just couldn’t stop – he just loved to travel.

His ashes were scattered in the ocean at Ballina and Tim is taking the remaining ashes to Naxos, so Terry, in a way, is going home.

Written by Ben Anderson

John James Burrough (40)

1923-2015

John Burrough, late of Pymble, attended

Barker from 1936-1940.

At School, John was in the Swimming

Team each year, played in the 1st XV

Rugby team in 1940, and was a prefect

and cadet. John served in WWII in

the Australian Army and RAAF. He

spent most of his working life as an

accountant and enjoyed caravanning

and bowls in his retirement years.

John died on 27 November and is

survived by his wife Muriel; and children

Rod, Mark and Craig and their families.

Ken Crichton (73)

1955-2015

Ken Crichton attended Barker as a

boarder from 1972 to 1973, having grown

up in Dorrigo, in country NSW. Ken was

a member of the 1st Tennis team and

represented the school at CAS Tennis. He

was awarded a General Merit Prize in 1973.

On leaving school, Ken studied

medicine at UNSW. In his early years,

he worked closely with Dr Merv Cross,

who was one of the world’s leading knee

surgeons, which fostered Ken’s interest

in the emerging field of sports medicine.

Ken went on to be a driving force in the

development of the Australian College of

Sports Physicians and was its president

in the 1990s.

In 1985, he married Sandy (Godfrey

76), who also attended Barker, and they

had two children, Katie and Angus.

Ken remained close friends with many

OB

ITU

AR

IES

Obituaries

Soteri Anderson

53

TH

E OLD

BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

of his Barker cohort, mainly through tennis, golf, skiing and surfing. Over the years, he also treated hundreds of Barker colleagues and their families.

Ken’s expertise in sports medicine led to his involvement with major sports at the highest level. During the 80s and 90s, he was the club doctor for Norths and Manly rugby league teams. He was also appointed the Deputy Medical Director for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

A keen skier, Ken was contracted by Perisher-Blue to undertake annual knee checks of all their ski instructors at the beginning of each season, which he did for over 20 years. Throughout this time he was also the doctor to the Australian Ballet for over 30 years, as well as working with Sydney Dance Company and Bangarra. Ken also enjoyed working on the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and as a medical consultant to many stage shows. More recently, he was appointed to the NRL medical panel, overseeing player concussion issues.

His medical expertise, coupled with his ability to make every patient feel special, saw his reputation grow, year after year. His patient records revealed that he had treated thousands of patients over his career, ranging from high-profile names, to working as the sideline doctor at school rugby fixtures.

Ken died on 21 November 2015 after a short illness, and is greatly missed by his wife Sandy: his children Katie and Angus, and his many life-long friends.

Written by Murray Hamilton (73)

Maurice Gordon Graham (past staff)1931-2016Maurice Graham, late of Turramurra, was a Junior School teacher from 1959-1975. His cousin Keith Graham (37, deceased) was a past Barker student.

Maurice died on 10 February 2016 and is survived by his children and their partners: Peter; Allison and Chris; Gillian and Chris; Meredith and Nathan; Kirsten and Jason; and grandchildren Alexandra, Charlotte, Toby, Tim, Annabelle, Rosemary, Nick, Matthew, Yasmin, Evan and Elliot.

John Kehrli (past staff) 1935-2016John Kehrli, late of Cherrybrook, was a Junior School Woodwork teacher from 1994-2008.

John had been in business privately as a patternmaker until his retirement. He originally answered an advertisement for a part-time position of eight weeks and at his interview indicated that although he was a skilled master carpenter, he had no

teacher training and no experience with young boys, having had four daughters and no sons. He was offered a temporary position to the end of the year by Neil Harrison with the proviso that if both he and the school were happy with the position and with John’s work, this term could be extended.

All agreed that John’s skills and natural charm with the students was a winning combination, and he just kept on returning each January for another year until a permanent appointment could be found.

John retired for the second time in December 2008 after 14½ years of loyal service to the Junior School, having taught his woodworking skills to approximately 1,500 boys and many of the staff. He was remembered for his adherence to best practice in woodworking and to his repertoire of grandfatherly words of wisdom, for which he became renowned.

John set a standard for teaching that was very much old school where the boys always came first, where life was a continual adventure and woodwork was meant to be fun.

The many messages of shock and condolence sent to his widow, Eve on learning of his passing all mentioned John as being a truly gentle man and a fine teacher. Messages came from all over the world and were a great comfort to his family.

John died on 21 January 2016 and is survived by his wife Eve; children Paul, Robert and Juliet; and grandchildren Veronica, Morgan, Kirilee, Rhys and Joshua.

Written by John Griffin-Miller

Geoffrey Simon Price (81)1964-2015My brother, Geoffrey Price, attended Barker from 1969 to 1981. He had a very solid record of academic achievement and was a prefect of the school. However, Geoff’s love at school was always sport. He was a brilliant and talented sportsman.

Geoff captained rugby teams every year, from the 10As through to the 16As, and was a member of the 1st XV. He was also an outstanding cricketer, captain of the top team for each age group, culminating in captaincy for the 1st XI in 1981. Geoff was selected for the CAS 1st XI in 1980 and also played in the NSW 1st XI team for the Under 19 age group. Geoff was also an excellent runner, a member of the Athletics team in his younger years and was a volunteer rugby referee when there was an opportunity to do so.

After school, Geoff graduated from Macquarie University with a dual degree in Economics Law, additionally completing his Barrister qualifications and becoming a non-practising Barrister of the Supreme Court of NSW. Instead of practising law, Geoff began his career in executive compensation, pursuing an interest in equity compensation practices. This led him to co-found RPC Plan Managers in 1997, in partnership with RPC Consulting. Geoff conceived the Plan Manager business, which was the first full outsource share plan management company in Australia.

After selling RPC Plan Managers to Computershare in 2001, Geoff successfully implemented the RPC full outsource service, offering and pricing across Computershare’s Australian client base. Geoff then enjoyed a successful 13-year period with Computershare, twice taking himself and his family back and forth between Sydney and the UK.

Geoff’s love of sport continued throughout his life. Some of his favourite passions were surfing, snowboarding and cycling. He was also a dedicated spectator for all the games of his beloved Waratahs and Wallabies, and always relished beating the Poms at cricket.

Geoff was an impressive businessman and entrepreneur; however, his proudest achievement was his family. The most important people in his life were his wife Jessica and their three daughters Melanie, Angie and Lulu.

Geoffrey Simon Price

John Kehrli

54

TH

E O

LD B

AR

KER

| A

UT

UM

N 2

016

In 2012, Lulu was diagnosed with Acute myeloid leukaemia. Following Lulu’s successful treatment, Geoff founded a fundraising initiative called Lulu4Leukaemia – over $120,000 has been raised for Leukaemia research thanks to Geoff’s efforts.

Geoff was an incredibly loyal friend, brother, son, husband and father. We tragically lost him from an accidental fall on 24 December and he leaves a void that we are struggling to come to terms with.

We have a strong history with the school; Geoff followed my brother Stephen (76) and preceded me, Alison (88) at Barker. The next generation continued with his nephews Richard (02), Christopher (06) and Michael (08).

However, as a much larger family, led by my parents Roger and Elizabeth, we would particularly like to thank the wider Barker community for their support over these past weeks and months. The attendance at Geoff’s funeral by so many former Barker classmates, teammates, staff, friends and families was overwhelming and comforting. For those of you we know couldn’t be there, your messages of love and support were very much appreciated.

Geoff was always looking forward and encouraging others to participate and give their best. We are all the richer for having known and shared him at some point in our lives.

Written by Alison Martineau (Price 88)

John Henry Slater (55) 1938-2015John Slater, late of Fyshwick, ACT, attended Barker from 1944-1951 as a boarder.

John spent his prep school years and first and second years of secondary education at Barker. From there he went to Hawkesbury Agricultural College. He spent all his working life closely associated with the Rural Industry, and the last few years as an Agricultural teacher at Queanbeyan High School. After he retired he lived and worked his acreage at Jerangle, a rural district south-east of Queanbeyan and north-east of Cooma.

From a very young age Jack was an outstanding footballer. I can remember when he was still in Prep School he had to play Senior School U13s, since he was too strong to play with his Junior School peers. His rugby career blossomed at Hawkesbury and he represented the

College in 1st Grade and later, when stationed at Wagga Wagga, represented the Riverina at the highest level. He also played rugby for Queanbeyan Whites and represented NSW. He was a good ‘no nonsense’ bloke and an extremely versatile man during his working career. John died on 21 October 2015 and is survived by his sons Steven, Scott and Reece.

Written by Peter Maidens (54)

John Gordon Wagner (51) 1934-2016John Wagner, late of Hunters Hill, attended Barker from 1949-1951 as a boarder.

John represented the School in cricket and football. He obtained a good pass in the Leaving Certificate which allowed him to enter Sydney University, where he completed a degree in Civil Engineering. He spent most of his professional life with McDonald Wagner and Priddle, a highly respected engineering consultancy, where he ultimately became a director.

Like so many of his peers John spent a brief time working in the UK in Ove Arup’s London office. While in London he met Eve, whom he married in Sydney in 1962. Together they made their home in Hunters Hill and raised their three children: Paul, Robert and Juliet. John and Eve were closely associated with All Saints Anglican Church in Hunters Hill and both sang in the choir.

John loved singing and was also a member of the Sydney University Graduates Choir and a founding member of the Joubert Choir. His other great love was bridge, achieving the rank of National Master.

John died 10 January 2016.

Written by Michael Thomas (51)

Donald Harding Woodburn (51)1934-2015Donald Woodburn, late of Turramurra, attended Barker from 1947-1951. His sons James (86) and Andrew (89) and daughter Josephine (87) also attended Barker.

Don was a member of the 1st XI and was a member of the Cadet Unit. Don mischievously admitted to breaking the butt of his rifle when dealing with a snake while on camp. He entertained family and friends over the years, relaying how very carefully he had to manage the rifle on Parades, until he managed to return it to Q Store without

detection. He had a keen sense of humour and never lost it.

Don’s father, James Lauritz Woodburn, contributed extensively to the School Library collection. Don’s mother, Dulcie, donated the Woodburn Bowl, an heirloom from her husband’s family, which is the Year 12 Humanitarian Award. Don later endowed to School funds, ensuring this prize in perpetuity.

After leaving school, he followed in his father’s footsteps by studying accountancy. In 1955 he joined McDonald Ross and Co Chartered Accountants. He decided study was very time-consuming while working fulltime, so undertook all four final exams at the same time. This was a good decision as it resulted in him attaining first place in Australia in Auditing and third place in Accounting. He remained with McDonald Ross all his working life, progressing from Junior to eventually owner of the firm, until his retirement 50 years later in 2005.

During his life Don gave generously of his time and expertise on various committees, among them Wahroonga PreSchool President; 1st East Wahroonga as Treasurer and President; Prouille School as Treasurer; Snowbird Ski Lodge as Treasurer; and President and Treasurer at COTA (Council on the Ageing).

Don loved birds, and in his youth had racing pigeons. Over the years he made beautiful bird houses for his grandchildren, which today adorn their gardens. He was passionate about his holidays at the family cottage in Yamba, every holiday checking out what improvements had been made to the area.

Don died on 9 January 2015 surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Denise; children James, Josephine, Andrew and Katherine; and seven grandchildren.

Written by Denise Woodburn

OB

ITU

AR

IES

continued...

Donald Harding Woodburn

55

TH

E OLD

BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

TH

E OLD

BA

RK

ER | A

UT

UM

N 2016

To celebrate the School’s 125 years and to inspire our future

generations to continue to reach for their dreams and

aspirations, the Old Barker Association has presented a

sculpture to the School as its Quasquicentennial gift, entitled

Anything is Possible, in the Junior School’s OBA Courtyard.

Four sculptors were invited to submit a design based

on the theme ‘anything is possible,’ embodying key words

in our objectives “Courage, Respect, Integrity, Compassion,

Commitment” and also “Resilience”. Well-known sculptors

Gillie and Marc were commissioned to cast a life-size bronze

sculpture depicting a Year 6 boy with a Year 1 boy on his

shoulders.

The sculpture was unveiled on 26 August 2015 in the

presence of several former Headmasters, Trevor McCaskill,

Neil Tucker and Rod Kefford; current Head, Phillip Heath;

current and past Council members; current OBA Committee

members including President Tony Gamson (78); and OBA

Life Patrons John Griffiths (48), Neil Marks (56) and Kevin

Thomas (52).

In his address, Chris Russell (70) urged today’s Junior and

Prep School students to be inspired by the journey ahead:

“Dare to Dream for things that today may seem unobtainable;

be confident and courageous as you move through your childhood

and start to take up the responsibilities of age; be compassionate

and help others to achieve their dreams; and be strong and resilient

against those people and events that will try and deter you or

knock you down along the way, but above all never doubt that truly

‘anything is possible.’”

Since the unveiling, the “bronzed lads” have been readily

accepted into the daily lives of the boys as they work and

play in the OBA quadrangle. Lunch is shared around them,

the bronze foot rubbed by smaller hands as they pass by.

The senior school distantly awaits, patiently beckoning for

the passage of those young inquiring minds through the next

stage of their educational journey.

The school traditions and patina is surely founded by the

dreams, aspirations and ultimate achievements of those that

have gone before. This inspirational birthday gift celebrates

the realisation of those dreams, while reassuring those for

whom aspirations are still just dreams that they should

never doubt that “anything is possible!”

Chris Russell (70) OBA Ambassador

“Good luck is where preparation meets opportunity” and for 125 years Barker has been the birthplace of preparation and opportunity for many thousands of students.

OB

A E

VEN

TS

OBA Sculpture

55

Class Reunions 1971 – 45 Year Reunion Sat 14 MayWolfgang Hofbrucker

0428 993 964

w.hofbrucker@gmail.com

Mike Langford

0414 781 291

drifting@bigpond.net.au

1991-25 Year ReunionSat 15 OctFacebook Group: Barker College

Class of 1991

1956 – 60 Year ReunionWed 19 OctBob Hill

0413 483 520

bobhill839@gmail.com

1976 – 40 Year ReunionSat 22 OctJohn McBride

john.mcbride@live.com.au

Rick Nelmes

nelmes@bigpond.net.au

2006 – 10 Year ReunionWed 21 DecNicole Meyer

nicolepmeyer@hotmail.com

Nat Ware

nathanielware@gmail.com

OBA EventsOBA Committee MeetingTues 10 MayMandy Loomes

(02) 9847 8229

Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

OBA Committee MeetingTues 19 JulyMandy Loomes

(02) 9847 8229

Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

OBA Golf DayTues 13 SeptMandy Loomes

(02) 9847 8229

Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

OBA Committee MeetingTues 11 OctMandy Loomes

(02) 9847 8229

Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

OBA Annual DinnerFri 4 NovMandy Loomes

(02) 9847 8229

Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

Over 70s EventsBack to Barker DayWed 18 MayMandy Loomes

(02) 9847 8229

Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

Over 70s/Leslie’s Men LunchRugby and AGMSat 30 JulyMandy Loomes

(02) 9847 8229

Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

Regional EventsForster LuncheonSun 29 MayTed Gaden (58)

0412 866 836

tedgaden@optusnet.com.au

Canberra EventFri 11 NovAndrew McColl (74)

0422 985 281

mccoll@grapevine.net.au

International EventsHong Kong EventThur 7 AprilBrayden Winkler (07)

brayden.winkler@gmail.com

Japan EventSun 10 AprilMandy Loomes

(02) 9847 8229

Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au

Regional events provide a great opportunity to connect with members of the Barker community in your area.

Please send your contact details to Mandy_Loomes@barker.nsw.edu.au if you are living in a different location to your Barker mailing address, so we can invite you too!

Privacy

Due to changes in Privacy Legislation we are required to inform you that your contact details may be shared with OBA reunion organisers with the strict guidelines that they are only to be used for the purposes of organising your OBA reunion. Please contact the Alumni Office if you wish to keep your details private.

Photos

Photos from your event may be posted on the OBA Website (www.oba.net.au) and the Alumni Facebook page (www.facebook.com/barkercollegealumni) and in The Barker magazine. For further queries please contact the Alumni Office.

Events 2016