From the initial vision to opening night, the Junior School’s cast and crew of Matilda JR, worked tirelessly, refining every detail with enthusiasm and dedication.
Junior School A Diverse Music Program
Barker Institute
Student Research On Display
Design & Technology
From Concept to Fabric
Drama Year 9 Play Peter Pan
From the Head of Barker
Phillip Heath AM
From the Chair of Council
David Charles
Barker Foundation
Aaron Black
Kyle Bender (Class of 2002) is a Major in the Australian Army in a full-time capacity on the Medical Specialist Program which ensures that the ADF can deploy a surgical hospital at very short notice.
Nicole Venter (Class of 2002) shares her career path since leaving Barker, her experience as a mentor for the Year 11 Barker Mentoring Program, and advice for today’s students.
Alumni from the Class of 1960 through to 2022 attended along with current and past Barker parents. A great day had by all.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Plume House
Photo by Isabel Nassar Year 8 2024
Marks Pavilion
Photo by Isabelle Verity Year 8 2024
Main Reception Building
Photo by Jedai Alma Year 8 2024
They recall moments of joy, lessons learned, and even trials overcome as though they happened yesterday. Their reflections remind us that school isn’t merely about academic achievement; it’s about building the foundations of lifelong resilience, connection, and joy.
One of the most remarkable aspects of life is the way our minds hold on to memories - seemingly ordinary moments that become cherished treasures.
At school, we build a vault of experiences that shape not just who we are, but how we reflect on our lives. These memories often evolve into nostalgia, a powerful emotion that serves as both a connection to our past and a source of comfort in the present.
Nostalgia is more than a wistful glance at “the good old days.” Psychological studies reveal that nostalgia has measurable benefits for our mental health. According to Dr. Constantine Sedikides, a leading expert on nostalgia, revisiting positive memories can boost our mood, reduce feelings of loneliness, and even enhance a sense of meaning in life. He explains in the article published in the National Library of Medicine under the title Nostalgia fosters self-continuity: Uncovering the
Creating Nostalgia - Why Positive School Experiences Matter
Recently, I have enjoyed several Old Barker events that gathered generations of Barker students. As Head of Barker College, I am privileged to speak with many alumni who share stories of their time here with astonishing clarity.
mechanism (social connectedness) and consequence (eudaimonic well-being): “Nostalgia makes us more human. It binds us to others, fortifies our sense of identity, and adds richness to our lives.”
We are conscious of the role that Barker plays in creating these enduring memories. This is why every experience matters! We strive to set a positive and gracious culture where students, staff and families can be their best selves. The friendships forged in the playground, the laughter shared during school productions, the triumphs on the sports field, the emphatic losses and disappointments, and even the challenges of exams—these are all threads in the texture of our students' lives.
Nostalgia should not be confused with mere sentimentality. Sentimental thoughts may idealise the past without depth, but nostalgia involves positive thinking that stems from authentic memories—why do we feel this way about the moments of laughter, the shared triumphs, and sometimes, bittersweet experiences. It is this authenticity that gives nostalgia its transformative power.
For schools, this means recognising the responsibility we hold in creating environments where positive memories can flourish. Beyond academic learning, our
role extends to nurturing opportunities for teamwork, fostering friendships, and encouraging students to see challenges as stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks. Whether it’s the exhilaration of a musical performance, the quiet satisfaction of solving a difficult problem, or even the camaraderie built during difficult times, these moments remain etched in our hearts.
Scripture reminds us of the importance of reflection and gratitude. Proverbs 3:6 tells us to Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way. By remembering the blessings we receive—and by creating moments worthy of remembrance—we enrich not only our own lives but also those of generations to come.
The pages that follow celebrate student experiences in community. We seek that every student leaves the Mint Gates not only with knowledge but with a treasure trove of memories they can revisit for a lifetime. It is our hope that these experiences continue to inspire and comfort them, carrying forward a legacy of hope, joy, and connection.
Peace
Phillip Heath AM Head of Barker College
From the Chair of Council
The members, from time to time, of the Council of Barker College, have a quietly spoken background role in the life of the School, but an essential role, nevertheless. They are the gatekeepers for the culture, heritage, vision, mission, and leadership of a community under God.
Since 1919, when Barker’s second Head, William Charles Carter, sold the School to the Anglican Church, Diocese of Sydney, the School has had the Council as its Board of Governors. While it appoints two members itself, and three members are appointed by the Old Barker Association, more than half (i.e., two clergy members and six lay members) are appointed by the Diocese.
All Heads since William Charles Carter (Phillip Heath is the ninth Head) have been appointed to run the School, under the Council’s control. Originally constituted by the Barker College Ordinance of 1919, the Council, as that Ordinance stated, governed the School “under the auspices of the Church of England”, an arrangement that brought greater security to the School. Exercising its express powers under the 1919 Ordinance and then under successive Ordinances, the Council could borrow money, as well as oversee the construction of permanent buildings, classrooms,
Standing on our Predecessors’ Shoulders
Sometimes I’m asked about the purpose and role of the School Council. Why is it there? What does it do? Who are its members? And even if I’m not asked these questions, I know some wonder about the answers anyway.
boarding accommodation, and various facilities for students’ co-curricular activities, including sports.
In fact, successive Councils have worked with various Heads to ensure that Barker College always has the right staff, especially teachers, and that it has the necessary resources (i.e., buildings and facilities), all to further the ‘Great Cause’ of educating generations of students, who have made the Barker journey.
In the twenty-first century, the transition to full coeducation (from Pre-K to Year 12) has enhanced the culture and spirit of the School.
With increased student enrolments, the Council has mandated capital works programs, and authorised the repurposing of other areas of the School, such as some classrooms in the original Senior School centre (which had opened in 1976) to create ten further science laboratories, in addition to the 14 laboratories in the Foundation Science Centre.
Of course, Council members, and Heads, come and go over time, but the Barker community, and ‘Great Cause’, endure. Typically,
this occurs with wonderful optimism. It is in this way that the School’s leaders inherit from the work of their predecessors (indeed, ‘stand on their shoulders’); they then invest in the ‘Great Cause’ during their leadership; and finally, they entrust the School to leaders succeeding them.
Council members are drawn from the Barker community’s principal stakeholders, including the parents of current students and of recent ex-students, Barker’s alumni, and Sydney Anglicans. This ensures that the Council has a range of different perspectives, within the School’s Christian framework, and that the composition of the Council reflects the ever-increasing diversity of the Barker community.
Most importantly, Council members are volunteers who, in a not-for-profit institution like Barker College, give their time freely and with tremendous enthusiasm, because they want to ‘pay back’ to a cherished community, and because they want to assist in the delivery of the mission and vision of the School they love.
David Charles (75) Chair of Council
A term of Generosity
At the start of the term, we reflected on the story from Luke 21, where Jesus observed a poor widow donating two copper coins to the Temple treasury.
Jesus remarked,
I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on”.
(Luke 21:3).
According to Jesus, generosity is not measured by the amount given, but by what is held back. This means we don’t need to start with much to cultivate a heart of generosity.
As we approach the final months of the year, there are many opportunities to be generous— whether by giving time, volunteering skills, donating items, or contributing financially.
I want to thank the school for the overwhelming support of Anglicare’s Toys ‘N Tucker. It has been so encouraging to see our families give so readily.
At Christmas, we remember God’s generosity to us in Jesus. God held nothing back in sending His Son on a rescue mission, so let’s be generous in response to God’s kindness to us.
Rev Peter Tong Senior Chaplain
Junior School
Matilda JR the Musical
From the initial vision to opening night, the Junior School's cast and crew of Matilda JR, worked tirelessly, refining every detail with enthusiasm and dedication.
This journey was more than just rehearsals—it was a transformative experience of teamwork, artistic discovery, and personal growth for everyone involved.
The performing arts enable creative expression and nurture an atmosphere where students can explore their talents freely. Over the past three years in the Junior School, it has been a joy to direct Shrek JR in 2022 and last year’s original production, A Chorus of Doors. These experiences empower our students, allowing them to build confidence, express themselves and cultivate collaboration in ways that enrich their learning and development.
Through music, drama and dance, our students have embraced the joy of creative exploration, honing their skills both on stage and behind the scenes. Their energy was the heartbeat of this production and watching them bring Matilda JR to life was truly inspiring.
Behind the scenes, a dedicated team of staff supported our students every step of the way. A special thank you to Simon Smith, our creative Music Director, whose inspiration guided us throughout; Jennie Bradbury, our Assistant Director, whose leadership has been a driving force; and Nick Pluss our Production Manager, who expertly navigated the logistics and administration.
To the entire production team, staff and students: your passion and commitment made this show a testament to the power of collaboration, creativity and community. I couldn’t be prouder of what was achieved together.
Yvonne Howard Director
A Diverse Music Program
The diverse Barker College Junior School music program is unique in that every week all students in the Junior School are engaged in instrumental learning in a variety of ways from Year 2 to Year 6, both inside and outside the classroom.
Semester 2 has certainly been a busy time for our Junior School Music students.
We started the semester with the Junior School Stage Band performing with all our Senior Stage Band students in Barker Swings. Our students truly shine when they take centre stage, and this year’s Barker Swings was a standout event in the School calendar.
On a memorable evening in the Leslie Hall, the Barker College Junior School showcased its vibrant musical talent during the muchanticipated Junior School Ensembles Concert. The event featured an array of performances from several ensembles, each displaying the dedication and hard work of our young musicians.
The night was particularly special for the Training Band, as it marked their first-ever public performance. The excitement was palpable as they took the stage, setting the tone for an evening filled with remarkable music. The Viotti, Tartini, and Paganini Strings brought a rich variety of string music to the audience, highlighting the skill and progress of our string players. The Chamber Orchestra delivered a beautifully cohesive performance, demonstrating the students’ ability to collaborate and perform complex pieces with finesse.
Concert Band and Wind Orchestra added a dynamic range of wind instrument performances, showcasing the versatility and talent of our young musicians. The Guitar Ensemble performed with skill and expression, highlighting their ability to improvise and our Stage Band brought a lively and engaging jazz set.
Rounding out the evening was a Wind Ensemble performance, showing off their mature musicianship in addition to their dance moves to the music of Earth, Wind and Fire.
Junior School Music Captains, Ronald Liu and Abigail Symons, served as the evening’s announcers, guiding the audience through the performances with eloquence and enthusiasm. Their contributions were invaluable in making the night run smoothly.
The concert involved approximately 300 students, all of whom should be incredibly proud of their achievements. The support from parents was, as always, a cornerstone of the success of Barker Music. The Junior School Ensembles Concert was a resounding success, leaving the audience in awe of the talent nurtured within Barker College.
Sunday 15 September saw over 200 of our Junior School musicians take part in the annual Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival. It is the largest festival in NSW with over 300 bands and orchestras taking part each year.
Each of our ensembles performed extremely well and did Barker College proud. The ensembles who performed were Junior School Concert Band, Junior School Wind Orchestra, Junior School Wind Ensemble, Paganini String Ensemble and Junior School Chamber Orchestra. A total of four gold awards and one silver award were granted to our outstanding musicians for their performances. In the concluding week of Term 4, large audiences filled the Music Centre to be delighted by our Year 2 and Year 3 students in their Classroom Instrumental Program concerts. The concerts showcased the musical development of the students over the semester while simultaneously providing our young developing musicians with the valuable opportunity of experiencing what it is like to perform for an encouraging and supportive audience.
As we go to print, the Music Centre is alive with the sounds of Christmas carols being sung, played and practised by all our students as we look forward to concluding our year with exciting performances from our Junior School Ensembles in the Red Thread Concert and A Very Barker Christmas.
We thank all our parents and families for their support and encouragement of music across the Curricular and Co-Curricular programs ensuring that all our Junior School students have meaningful musical experiences.
Mary‑Jayne Smith
Junior School Head of Curriculum Music
Elaine Slawski
Junior School Head of Co- Curricular Music
The Journey of Showcasing Student Learning
Barker Junior School, the journey of showcasing student learning throughout the year, has become a central celebration, embodied in our mini‑exhibitions, where each year group from Pre Kindergarten to Year 6 takes centre stage.
These exhibitions are not only calendarised to provide purpose and structure but also create dedicated moments for students to share their understanding, insights, and growth with the entire school community.
By highlighting learning from across the curriculum, these mini-exhibitions demonstrate the depth of inquiry and the application of skills students acquire through each academic year.
Each year level's mini-exhibition is carefully timed to align with key learning milestones, ensuring that the exhibitions capture and convey the core experiences, themes, and skills developed in each stage. These events are designed to be interactive and engaging, encouraging students to become advocates for their own learning as they articulate their processes, challenges, and achievements. This approach to celebrating learning
encourages our students to think critically and creatively, making them active participants in their education and giving them the confidence to share their journey beyond the classroom.
Through these mini-exhibitions, we foster a culture of reflective learning, helping students to build connections between the knowledge they gain and its real-world applications. By presenting their work to their peers, teachers, and parents, students develop a sense of ownership and pride in their learning. The miniexhibitions offer a powerful space for them to reflect on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of their learning, reinforcing
the importance of both process and product in the learning journey. This focus on showcasing in a public setting also supports the development of communication skills and collaborative learning, as students work together to present their findings, projects, and reflections in meaningful ways.
For parents, these exhibitions serve as windows into the classroom, providing a richer understanding of the inquiry-led approaches we emphasise within our framework. These calendarised showcases allow parents and the broader community to witness firsthand the student-centred learning approach and inquiry that is core to our commitment to the IB PYP framework.
Each mini-exhibition thus becomes a celebratory event, marking the growth of every student and year group. It allows us to move beyond traditional assessments and celebrate learning as a continuous, dynamic process that values curiosity, creativity, and connection. Ultimately, these purposeful events underscore our commitment to evidencing and celebrating learning in ways that resonate with students and the wider school community, reinforcing the idea that learning is something to be shared, celebrated, and deeply valued by all.
Lisa Bonazza Junior School Director of Primary Curriculum/PYP Coordinator
Italian in the Junior School
Following our first cultural tour to Italy in April this year, the Italian pen pal program continues to thrive, showcasing how our students embody our school’s vision of Inspiring Global Hope and fostering international mindedness.
Through this program, students exchange ideas, actions, and reflections, providing them with the opportunity to practise the Italian language and share cultural practices with their Italian friends.
This term, students were thrilled to receive introductory letters from our new pen pal schools in Padova and Venice, friendships we made during our cultural tour to Italy earlier this year. Our students had previously sent bilingual postcards with information about themselves and their hobbies. In response, our friends from Padova and Venice wrote back, sharing their own hobbies. This exchange sparked lively discussions in class about how some hobbies are universal, while others reflect the unique aspects of each culture. Through
we
Our students have been inquiring into Italian cuisine and dining customs, enhancing their appreciation of cultural diversity and communication. Year 6 students engaged in an interactive pasta-making inquiry, while our youngest Italian learners in PreKindergarten explored their creativity by making Macedonia di Frutta, inspired by an Italian artist’s painting.
Additionally, students have been learning about the Italian Christmas legend of La Befana. As the year comes to an end, Pre-Kindergarten are looking forward to creating a special Italian Christmas tree ornament to remember their time of learning about Italian language and culture in Pre-Kindergarten! Our older students will be sending cards, and Christmas messages to our overseas friends in Como,
Padova and Venice sharing how they celebrate Christmas in Australia.
Students have crafted presentations to highlight their understanding of Italian landmarks and physical features. Using their imagination, they pretended to be in Italy and wrote postcards to each other from different Italian cities. Year 4 students have delved into the works of Renaissance masters Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. They acquired the vocabulary needed to describe facial portraits and then created their own, which were showcased in their class ‘Galleria’.
This program not only enhances language skills but also deepens cultural appreciation, making it a valuable experience for all involved. It fosters a lifelong love for learning and a deeper connection to the global community.
Grace Bergan
Junior School Teacher - LOTE & Asst to Director of Accreditation
Helen Posega
Junior School Specialist Teacher - Italian
Lisa Bonazza
Junior School Director of Primary Curriculum/PYP Coordinator
this,
have eagerly explored the similarities and differences in hobbies across cultures.
Barker Indigenous
From outdoor adventures and championship competitions to cultural storytelling and sporting programs, our campuses continue to foster an environment where students can explore their talents and strengthen their connections with community, culture, and each other.
One of the major highlights of the term was the camp at Lake Macquarie. Students embarked on a journey filled with team-building activities, nature exploration, and plenty of opportunities to build resilience and independence. The camp provided a chance for everyone to step away from their usual routines and experience the beauty of the natural world, bringing our students together through shared challenges and accomplishments. The sense of togetherness and joy at Lake Mac was infectious, and students returned with a renewed enthusiasm for learning and growing as a community.
The State VEX 1Q Championships was another thrilling event that saw students from Darkinjung showcase their talents in Robotics. Competing alongside other schools, our students demonstrated exceptional skill and creativity, which reflected their hard work and dedication. The championship experience not only highlighted the students' technical abilities but
Activities and Opportunities
The past term has been a memorable one for our Indigenous Campuses, Darkinjung and Ngarralingayil Barker, with a series of enriching activities and opportunities for students to connect, learn, and grow together.
also fostered valuable skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and strategic thinking. The pride our students felt in representing their campuses at a state level was well deserved, and they returned with memories of the excitement and sportsmanship they shared with peers from other schools.
Our ongoing collaboration with the Central Coast Council allowed students to engage in Stories in Landscapes, a unique storytelling initiative that deepens students’ connections to the land and its rich cultural heritage. Through stories and discussions, students learned more about the landscapes surrounding them, fostering a deeper respect and understanding of the land's cultural significance.
The program provided a meaningful way to embrace and celebrate Indigenous history, inspiring students to see the world through the lens of their cultural roots.
Sports continued to play an important role, with the Sporting Schools Hockey Program being a standout addition. The children have been learning the fundamentals of the sport while enjoying the physical activity and teamwork.
Coaches introduced skills, rules, and strategies in a way that was both engaging and educational. The program not only promoted physical well-being but also a sense of achievement among our students.
Finally, the New Student Orientation Days have been a warm welcome for incoming students and their families. These days were carefully crafted to introduce new students to the unique culture of our campuses, ensuring a smooth transition and helping everyone feel part of the Barker community. Through friendly introductions and fun activities, new students got to know their peers, teachers, and the inspiring atmosphere that defines our Indigenous campuses.
From outdoor adventures and competitive events to community connections and cultural learning, this term has been a testament to the vibrant spirit of our Indigenous Campuses. We look forward to building on these experiences and creating more opportunities for our students to thrive in all aspects of their education.
Jamie Shackleton Director of Aboriginal Campuses
NSW
Bukmak Mitji - Everyone Together
Dhupuma Barker began with a simple conversation and a friendship. Today, it stands as a thriving hub for learning, connection, and collaboration across the community and region.
At Dhupuma Barker, Yolŋu and Balanda, city and country, classroom and bush come together, learning two-ways in harmony.
Recently, we welcomed Jeser, Tom, Fernanda, and Max from the Robotics team, who hit the ground running during their visit to Gunyaŋara. In just one week, they built a state-of-the-art robotics lab, taught vital coding and robotics skills, and hosted our second annual regional robotics competition. Beyond the technical work, they forged stronger connections with our students, staff, community, and neighbouring schools.
The robotics tournament was a highlight of the week. Dhupuma students were thrilled as they teamed up with Nhulunbuy Primary to claim victory in a nail-biting final. Throughout the day, students collaborated with peers from Nhulunbuy Christian College and Nhulunbuy Primary, developing strategies, solving problems, and improving communication skills.
Adding to the excitement, the Barker Music team, led by Graham and Lachlan, brought their signature energy and passion for music. Equipped with ukuleles, djembes, and shakers, they had every student and staff member jamming along. The sessions boosted students' confidence as they stepped up to perform solos, sing, dance, and play in front of their peers.
Our community heart beats strongest when we come together. This spirit of bukmak mitji is alive in our Friday sports days, where we’re joined by Yutjuwala Djiwarr aged care residents, AFLNT, and the Flinders University medical team.
“We are like branches of one tree. Together, we grow stronger.”
Every smile, every conversation, and every friendship strengthens our family — bukmak mitji!
The Barker Robotics team have been hard at work developing a world leading robotics program to further empower the students of Dhupuma Barker.
While the Djirikitj Firebirds continue their exceptional growth in VEX Robotics, the focus has now turned to building early digital literacy skills in students from the Midawarr (K-2) and Djambatj (Year 3 - 5) classes, with the creation of a programming tool written in Yolŋu Matha.
In partnership with Yolŋu translators, Barker Robotics have delivered the new step-by-step programming application to Dhupuma in Terms 3 and 4, empowering student engagement and equipping staff to continue the delivery of the STEM learning.
With Rio Tinto withdrawing operations from the Gove peninsular by 2027, employment pathways for Yolŋu students need to be reassessed with urgency.
The Gumatj Aboriginal Corporation has developed renewed industry in the region, including partnerships with the Australian Space Agency, Equatorial Launch Australia, NASA, and the Australian Defence Force on port management. This means that many upcoming job opportunities in the region require strong digital-literacy skills to be developed from a young age.
It has been challenging to instigate learning these skills due to language and cultural barriers, and no appropriate educational resources. And so, with the support of Gumatj, the dream to build a program specifically targeting younger students at Dhupuma Barker has been realised.
This program will strengthen the digital-literacy skills of students by providing them with sustained access to hands-on STEM learning activities. These opportunities previously have only been accessible when staff travel from Sydney to Gunyangara, and this project will allow the establishment of a permanent program, empowering both balanda and Yolŋu staff with the skills required to teach students STEM skills in their own language.
Using the Djirikitj Robotics program, students can recount their day-to-day activities in their native language by programming a small robot on a bespoke field to visit local sacred sites and perform activities in those locations such as luplup (swimming) or buŋgul (dance). The tool is boosting literacy, numeracy and STEM skills and sets younger students on a pathway to being competitive robotics programmers into the future.
Key engineering principles will be taught using the VEX Robotics system, and impact will be evaluated through measurements of student participation, and their performance in the VIQ Robotics competition NT qualifier, which was hosted at Dhupuma Barker in October. Barker Robotics have supplied training kits and coaching support to surrounding schools,
engaging students from Nhulunbuy Primary School, Nhulunbuy High School and Nhulunbuy Christian College, inspiring a love for robotics across the region and enabling a rich connection with peer students beyond their small community.
Ahead of the NT qualifying competition, Jeser, Tom, Fernanda and Max travelled to Gunyangara to provide face-to-face coaching to Dhupma Barker students. In a whirlwind trip that also renovated a class space at Dhupuma Barker to be a state-of-the-art robotics training and competition space, the first of its kind in the Northern Territory, and providing a facility on par with students from Barker College. Building tailored cabinetry by hand, painting the entire space and constructing a robotics field across a few days, we think the team are fit for a season on The Block! Coaching can now be delivered via live video stream from the Carden Ave centre.
We are thrilled that the Djirikitj Firebirds have again qualified for the National VEX Robotics Competition in Sydney in December, with a new elementary aged team coming through the ranks to represent their community, school and NT as well. Murphy and Nikita shone on the day, and we look forward to supporting their progress towards the International VEX Championships in May 2025.
Time and again the djamarrkuli of Dhupuma Barker prove that given the opportunity, they can succeed and flourish with courage and determination. We are so very proud of them.
Annelise Dodd
Operations
Manager Aboriginal Campuses
Dhupuma Barker Marayarr Camp
The camping trip to Dhulmumiya was a wonderful experience for the students. It provided time to bond as a class while connecting on country.
Overall, the camping trip to Dhulmumiya was a positive experience for the students, providing them with opportunities to bond as a class and connect with country. The activities such as hunting for dhanbala (mud mussels), making gara (spears), enjoying beautiful remote beaches and hunting for maypal (oysters), were highlights of the trip.
Day One
The afternoon was filled with laughter as students ventured into the mangroves in search of dhanbala. We turned the afternoon hunt into a lighthearted competition and students shared their hunting techniques and celebrated their success, finding the most and the biggest dhanbala.
Upon returning to camp, the girls and I gathered around a fire on the beach where we enjoyed cooking the delicious dhanbala. The girls were generously sharing with their teachers. The coteachers, along with the extra family members, cooked their dhanbala back at the camp choosing to eat separately.
The boys joined the girls for the dhanbala but then decided to set themselves a new challenge, retrieving coconuts from up high. It was absolutely hilarious watching their attempts. They finally succeeded, working together as a team.
After their triumphant coconut collection, they spent a good hour trying to crack them open. Their determination paid off and they were beaming with pride when they finally got to enjoy them. It was beautiful to observe the students interacting this way as they happily shared everything with pride.
Day Two
We kicked off the day early after a night of relentless rain. The boys and Lalambarri set off to collect wood for their gara djama (spear making), while the girls and I focused on cleaning up camp, drying out the wet sleeping bags.
When Cedric arrived, we embarked on an epic four-wheel driving adventure to a remote beach, stopping to collect firewood in the bush on the way. The stunning beach made the effort well worth the journey. We made a fire where the boys spent time with Lalambarri crafting their gara, fishing and sharing many laughs.
The boys broke into manikay (song) on the beach and began a little buŋgal and the whole class smiled and joined in.
We ended our time with a walk along the pristine beach in search of maypal (oysters). The maypal were huge and there was an endless supply. The students had a great feed, once again feeding their teachers and sharing harvesting techniques. The atmosphere was joyful and it was a perfect day filled with adventure, creativity, teamwork and fun!
Opportunities for extended time on-country is seen as a rite of passage for students committed to continuing their learning at Dhupuma Barker into their high school years. It is a time to show maturity and leadership as they fly the flag for their clan and community.
Sarah Adams Dhupuma Barker Teacher
Secondary School
Over the last six years almost one hundred 17-18 year-old students have undertaken a Scientific apprentice under Barker’s own academically trained research supervisors. They have engaged with literature, developed methodologies, conducted lab work, applied inferential statistics, discussed the evidence, and most importantly, disseminated their findings.
Student Research On Display
Barker Science challenges students to move beyond learning about Science, and instead, to become Scientists. This is most clearly on display as part of Barker’s unique approach to the Year 12 Science Extension course.
It’s through dissemination of academic work that progress can be made, and as such, Barker proudly publishes the student work in our very own academic Journal hosted by the Barker Institute, Scientific Research in Schools. It is traditional for the students to receive their very own copy of the journal, featuring their original 3,000 word academic article, as they finish their HSC exam to celebrate the final step of their apprentice journey.
Excellence in research and thinking in Science is not limited to Barker and this is why Barker hosts an
annual Science Extension conference to bring together students and teachers throughout New South Wales. Featuring two lectures and a poster session, the conference allows for networking, collaboration and upskilling for the school-based Science research community.
Approximately 200 were in attendance, including staff and students from local and distant schools. Teachers brought students from the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and the Southern Highlands so they could experience Science learning at Barker.
Parents of Barker students also enjoyed the opportunity to view the Barker students’ posters on display as part of the showcase.
The first lecture was presented by Dr Tien Huynh, an Associate Professor in Biotechnology at RMIT. The lecture explored the relationship between Indigenous cultural knowledge and modern science. Dr Huynh focussed on
applications of various mushrooms for industrial, health, and environmental purposes. Students were able to hold samples of leather made from fungi (“fleather”), and mushroom-based fireproof insulation.
The second lecture was on a challenging aspect of the subject Syllabus, the Philosophy of Science. Dr Matthew Hill, Director of the Barker Institute led the audience through key philosophical concepts of empiricism, induction and deduction, falsifiability and the scientific method.
The evening was an excellent demonstration of academic enrichment aligned with the HSC syllabus, celebrating both what Barker can offer and the benefits of collaborating with and welcoming in the wider community. Our new cohort of students are already hard at work developing their research proposals, and we look forward to seeing our guests again in 2025.
Dr Matthew Hill
Director
of the Barker Institute
Making a Big Start to the HSC
The Barker Big Start adopted a new format this year, which proved just as impactful for our newest Year 12 students beginning their HSC journey.
The event kicked off with an inspiring presentation by Glen Gerreyn from The HopeFull Institute.
Glen Gerreyn encouraged students to embrace hope as a foundation for their future. He emphasised the power of small changes leading to significant ‘wins’. The purpose of this presentation was to inspire students to believe that a long journey starts with small, achievable steps. Their path was unique to them and the steps they chose to take, moved them closer to their eventual goal.
Following this motivational session, students participated in study workshops and a collaborative English task to launch their HSC English course. It was wonderful to see students working together for a common goal. Quite often Year 12 students believe they are
competing with others in their cohort, but by working together and utilising the strengths of others, everyone benefits. It was inspiring to see students go out on a limb and take supported risks during this activity, culminating in learning and growth.
A notable new initiative in 2024 was a visit to Macquarie University, where students experienced a day on campus. They joined guided tours led by Student Ambassadors from various university faculties. This initiative aimed to provide students with a firsthand university experience, helping them make informed decisions about their future, and it was a resounding success. This program was a credit to the Careers, Senior School, and
Learning Teams and was so informative for students commencing their final year of High School.
Alison
Pope
Dean of the Senior School
Greg Longey Director of Teaching & Learning
Many Friends
Since 1989, the songs of the lyrebirds at The Grange have had to compete with the voices of Barker College students on their outdoor adventures.
In 2024, some of those voices were using the Dari language of Afghanistan.
Marri Mittigar, Barker’s special assistance school for refugees, opened in May, and its first students followed in the footsteps of thousands of other Barker students with a rite-of-passage visit to The Grange in Term 4.
Eight of the nine students were Dari-speaking refugees from Afghanistan and one was from Ukraine.
Marri Mittigar means “many friends” in the language of the Darug people and linguistic diversity is celebrated at the School.
The students learned that the Darug called the Blue Mountains “Colomatta” - place of the koalas - while in Dari, Blue Mountains is کوه های آبی (koh hai abi) and in Ukrainian it is сині гори (suni goru).
Marri Mittigar’s three-day Blue Mountains adventure included a sunset visit to a lookout, a cliff-top bushwalk above the Grose Valley, mountain biking, abseiling, a ride on the world’s steepest railway and a camp at Mt Wilson.
They got to know Year 7 Barker students who were also at The Grange that week.
Marri Mittigar teacher, Julia West, said her highlight was “seeing the joy on the faces of the students as they embraced each new experience”.
Morteza Joma Ali, who won the red cap for being the outstanding Marri Mittigar student at The Grange, loved mountain biking. “I wanted to go on the black track, but there wasn’t time,” he said. “It was great getting the cap.”
Lina Maarij enjoyed “cooking on the fire and learning about the history of the Blue Mountains. I liked the sunset and the views. The waterfalls were beautiful.”
Vlad Porkhun said: “I learned that if there are 1000 cicadas, your ears will be destroyed.”
Dan Lewis Grange Outdoor Education Teacher
Drama in New York
When Ms Midgley asked me what the best theatrical moment of the trip was, I had to think hard. There were so many amazing moments, with the itinerary for the trip packed full of incredible workshops and great experiences based around Drama.
The biggest highlight for me was a workshop in New York, where Milena J. Comeau (Swing and Dance Captain) taught us one of the dances from the Broadway musical she is working on, The Outsiders. What made the moment so special was watching the dance that we had learnt live on stage when we later saw the show. It was also interesting to hear about Milena’s experience of being part of a Broadway Musical, and her journey getting there.
The most powerful thing I learned was that growth as an actor and growth as a human being are synonymous. To bring theatrical texts to life the actor must be able to transform living experience. In a Stella Adler workshop, we learnt the importance of imagination.
To create a believable character, you first must believe in it. For example, we did an activity which focused on the concept of reacting to what is being said, embodying your character so you feel what they do, and your experience is then shared. Adler's ideas are rooted in the belief that the actor’s craft is a profound exploration of humanity. We as students engaged in a series of exercises and scene work designed to ignite their imagination, deepen emotional truth and cultivate a profound connection to character and context.
In another Chicago-based workshop with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, we studied farce. Farce is a comic, dramatic style that uses highly improbable situations, stereotyped characters, extravagant exaggeration, and violent horseplay. We learned to safely stage a fight scene, swinging an axe at someone, yet missing. It was really fun, and as one person swung the other ducked. As we got the hang of it, we experimented and created a high energy scene out of it.
Looking back at our time on tour, the biggest success for me was creating and strengthening friendships with everyone on tour, despite our year groups. My favourite moments, which I will always remember, were; gathered around pianos singing; walking back to the Hotel after a full day of sightseeing, shows and workshops, and discussing how good it all was; performing “highlights from the tour” for each other on the final night and of course; singing the songs … all the way home.
Indi Fenson Year 11 Student
Creating Community and Inspiring Future Leaders with Passion and Integrity
In another outstanding Barker Music Theatre production, Footloose offered cast and crew an opportunity to perform with a large number of peers to the great delight of an admiring audience throughout the season of shows.
It was my great honour and privilege to direct the Barker musical production for 2024, Footloose. From the opening number, the show exuded joy, passion and a captivating score of classics that had our audience ‘kickin’ off their Sunday shoes.’
The essence of the show was one full of spirit, grit and the desire to fight for one of the things that matters most in life; freedom of expression while respecting and loving others. The cast brought the script to life brilliantly for every performance and the team couldn’t be more proud.
If I have learned anything in these early years of my career as a secondary school educator, it is that the young people we teach never cease to astound me. They are inspired, driven and remarkably well-rounded individuals. Both the characters of Footloose and the cast served as the perfect embodiment of this sentiment. From the audition and callback process to our first curtain, the cast demonstrated outstanding character, and generosity of time and spirit – not to mention other-worldly talent. It is only because of them that the show was brought to life in such a remarkable way.
I was blessed to be surrounded by a team of fierce females who worked tirelessly for the students
and the show. The musical genius of Kathy Day was unparalleled; she went above and beyond to ensure the cast’s voices were heard to the full extent of their talent. Kathy was aptly supported by the enormously talented Alice Hanna on keys. Rachael Tait-Owens is a force to be reckoned with and choreographed this show with artistic flair and undying passion for her craft.
In the words of our protagonist, brilliantly performed by Will Evans,
And this is our time. Our time to celebrate life.
That’s the way it was in the beginning, the way it’s always been and that’s the way it should be now.”
– Ren McCormack
Emma Scarlis Director
Year 9 Play Peter Pan
Have you ever got so lost in your own imagination that you thought the world you had dreamt up was real. That is precisely the question the audience were set to ponder as they dived into the reimagined world of Neverland during the 2024 Year 9 Drama production of Peter Pan.
The incredibly talented cast of year 9 actors explored new dimensions of this beloved tale as they physically created many fanciful adventures explored by Peter, Wendy and her brothers on stage. The tight cast of 20 were challenged to flex their acting muscles, as most of the cast played multiple, doubled roles. For instance, the loving, motherly Mrs Darling turns into the fearsome Hook in Neverland and all of Peter’s innocent Lost Boys had moments to bare their gnarly teeth as Hook’s gruesome gang of Pirates.
Year 9 is the first opportunity Barker students have to audition for a senior school production and as such I felt it was fitting to ask some cast members about their experiences of putting on this show:
Joey Wildblood Peter Pan
What has been the most positive and exciting part of being in the year 9 play?
The year 9 play has been a very fun and enriching experience for me and all the cast. The most positive part for me has been the support we get from our peers and the confidence I’ve built up over the rehearsals. I’m really excited for the play to be up and running.
What is the biggest challenge of being part of the play?
For me I would have to say time commitment as well as learning and memorising lots of lines.
What advice do you have for future students wanting to audition for the year 9 play?
Go for it!! There is nothing quite like the experience you get from a play. You have lots of fun and it is a really rewarding experience to perform.
Emilia Condell Wendy Darling
What has been the most positive and exciting part of being in the year 9 play?
The most exciting part about being in the year 9 play has been getting to connect with other dramapassionate students in the year group and put together a fun performance to perform in front of an eager audience. It has been great to work with such an enthusiastic cast and crew who are just as excited as I am to put on our very first Barker play.
What is the biggest challenge of being part of the play?
The biggest challenge of being part of the play has been balancing rehearsals with schoolwork and other activities. It can sometimes be a bit of a struggle, but with the help and support of the cast and our wonderful director, Ms Huzij, it has been easy to adapt and manage the busy schedule.
What advice do you have for future students wanting to audition for the year 9 play?
Give it a go! If you are not sure about auditioning for the year 9 play, just try out and you never know what could happen. It is definitely a challenge, but it is worth every moment. You get to meet new people, learn new skills, put on a production and just have fun. I have personally found the year 9 play to be one of my favourite moments of my middle school experience.
What has been the most positive and exciting part of being in the year 9 play?
Acting in Peter Pan has been an incredible experience for everyone involved. We have all been able to really display our love for acting on stage, in super fun, engaging scenes. It has been really exciting to play multiple characters, especially considering they are so different from each other.
What is the biggest challenge of being part of the play?
The biggest challenge of being part of the play, has been juggling rehearsals and our first ever exam block. But, our director, Ms Huzij,
has been making rehearsals so incredibly fun, giving us a break from the immense stress we are all facing this term. We enter the rehearsal room and stress seems to disappear. Rehearsing for Peter Pan has been so rewarding and fun, making the extracurricular hours SO worth it.
What advice do you have for future students wanting to audition for the year 9 play?
Just give it a go! Auditioning may seem really scary at first, having to put yourself out there, but it is so worth it; being a part of an ensemble of other people in your year is amazing. You make so many new friends, get to create wacky and wonderful pieces of theatre and in the end, you get to perform on a stage, with bright lights and cool costumes. As well as that you make incredible new friendships.
It was an absolute pleasure working with this talented cast and crew of students to put on such a fun and magical production. Throughout the rehearsal and performance process, their enthusiasm, passion and creativity really showed no bounds!
We hope our audiences enjoyed the show and were able to escape into this imaginative world of whimsy along with us.
Teresa Huzij Director
Scientific Phenomena
Barker Science is committed to providing events for our students and the wider school community to promote engagement, experience scientific phenomena and connect classroom learning with experiences beyond the Mint Gates.
Science Week
During Term 3, Barker College celebrated National Science Week with this year’s theme - Species Survival. Students all across the School participated in events and activities that gave students new insight into our natural world. In the Secondary School, students in 80 classes participated in guest presentations, Science staff ran 50 workshops and 100s of students participated in lunchtime events.
Our guest presenters this year included:
• PHD students from the UNSW presenting on their journey in wildlife research
• Professor Culum Brown from the University of Macquarie speaking on fish intelligence
• Dr Pimenta and Dr Zingali, scientists and doctors from Bayer
• Virtual reality workshop on biodiversity by MindFlight7
• Vertebrate animal show from Raptor Reptiles
• Highlights of the classroom workshops were extracting DNA from strawberries, invertebrate animal workshops, escape rooms and chemical analysis of whale snot!
Throughout the week at lunchtime, students held pythons, lizards and turtles, made giant bubbles, made and tested egg drop devices (by throwing them off the science building), exploded watermelons with rubber bands and ate liquid nitrogen ice cream.
In the Junior School students participated in archeological dinosaur digs with our 2.5 metre dinosaur skeleton, invertebrate presentations with stick insects beetle and bugs, owl pellet dissections using microscopes, reptile talks and an animal classification workshop.
Exploring the Solar System
Year 8 students built and tested refracting telescopes using lens and cardboard; built and launched bottle rockets; modelled the scale of the solar system for the size and distance between the planets; modeled the phases of the moon; and learnt about how we explore space with exploding hydrogen, freezing liquid nitrogen and a vacuum inside a bell jar.
Evening of Engineering Engagement
As part of our STEAM program, integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths, Barker Science partnered with two Year 12 students and the Barker Institute to run an Engineering Engagement Evening. Hosted by Year 12 students, Corinne and Rachel, 190 students and parents heard from two panels of guests and put their problem-solving to the test in a marble run building challenge. The first panel comprised university engineering students who spoke about their university studies and how their school experiences prepared them for the future. The second panel of young engineering workers shared
their reflections on their education experience and how they use the skills developed at school in the workplace. They all shared how skills in STEAM have helped them reach their goals and that these skills have often been used in unexpected ways.
Zoo Excursion
At the end of Term 3, Year 7 students had the opportunity to visit Sydney Zoo and Taronga Zoo. After learning about the way living things are classified at school, their features and adaptions, students were able to explore a wide variety of creatures in person. Highlights of the Zoo excursion were a visit to the Taronga Zoo, Education workshops and an Indigenous workshop at Sydney Zoo as well as animals shows and presentations.
Daniel Woolley
STEAM Coordinator, Science Teacher - Physics and Engineering
The future of Assessments is Here
With the recent announcement that HSC Extension English exams are moving online, digital examinations are a hot topic.
Online exams are far more than just swapping pen and paper for a computer. Beyond the obvious logistical, environmental, and cost-saving benefits, online exams offer students a more authentic way to showcase their knowledge and skills.
Gone are the days of rigid, traditional assessments. Online exams open up a whole new world of question types and engaging stimuli. Take HSC Software Engineering, for example: instead of painstakingly writing “algorithms” on paper, students will now code in a live environment during their HSC exam. This allows them to work naturally, debugging and running their code, just like they would in real-world situations. In
Science Extension, audio and video-based stimuli will enrich students’ responses, creating a multimedia experience that mirrors today’s digital world.
Another powerful benefit is overcoming the “halo effect.” This well-known bias occurs when a student’s messy handwriting leads a marker to unconsciously perceive their work as of lower quality—or, conversely, when neat handwriting gets a more favourable impression. Online exams eliminate this bias because everything is typed, levelling the playing field.
Of course, with any big change comes uncertainty and a fear of the unknown. But let’s not forget that NAPLAN and Science
Extension have already transitioned smoothly to online exams, with proven success. Year 11 Computing students recently completed their yearly exams online successfully and will undertake their HSC exams online next year. The future of assessments is here, and it's time to embrace the change.
Colin Jaques Head of Computer Science & Engineering
Character & Enterprise
Throughout 2024, Year 10 students participated in Barker's new Character and Enterprise program.
Developed over the past three years by a team of dedicated teachers and a focus group of Year 10 students, this initiative aims to provide a unique opportunity for personal growth. A pilot program in 2023, involving a diverse group of Year 10 students, received such positive feedback that it led to the expansion of the program to include all Year 10 students in 2024 in a week’s experience in House groups across the year.
What is the aim of Character and Enterprise?
We believe that character formation is essential to preparing students for life. Our goal is for students to become courageous, empathetic individuals with the skills and desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others. The program aims to equip our young people with the knowledge, understanding, and skills to contribute positively to society and thrive in their personal and professional lives.
Why are we doing this?
Shaping character has always been central to the Barker experience. This program provides an opportunity for students to pause, reflect on their character, and explore some of life’s big questions, considering how they can positively impact the world around them.
Additionally, students need to be prepared for a rapidly changing future, equipped with skills to innovate, problem-solve, communicate, be team players, and to lead.
Why Year 10?
Year 10 students, at the threshold of adulthood, are at a prime stage for character development. As they transition from adolescence into young adulthood, consider their futures and engage in work experiences, they are particularly receptive to the lessons of the Character and Enterprise program.
How does it work?
Character & Enterprise Education focuses on developing character virtues and mastering futurefocused skills. Held over a week at the Baden Powell Scout Conference Centre, the program guides students through activities that help them to get a better understanding of their strengths and passions, and challenge them to envision their potential. They are encouraged to understand, prepare for, and respond to the challenges of today’s world.
A central feature of the program is our partnerships with social enterprises, charities, not-for-profit organisations and community organisations. These connections give students hands-on experience with organisations committed to social impact, helping them gain insight into real-world challenges and explore ways to address social needs.
This experience allows students to learn about realities of real-life challenges while applying their creativity and innovation. The week culminates with students pitching their ideas to their partner organisations in the ISTP Building in the city—a fitting finale to their journey.
Congratulations to Georgia Wood, Summer James, Ivy Anderton, Issy Chan-Wilson and Poppy Taylor, who presented their innovative perfume product to the social enterprise ‘Two Good Co’. The product idea involved a collaboration with the well-known Australian brand ‘Glasshouse’ to create a fragrance based on a 'Two Good' worker’s favourite scent. We also commend Zac Martin, Sam Hartmann, Sam O'Neill, Luke Descoeudres, and James Du Plessis, who pitched a solution to reduce energy costs for residents in social housing to the CEO of Link Wentworth, one of Australia’s largest social housing providers.
We are deeply grateful to our partner organisations for allowing Barker students to immerse themselves in their work, challenging them to think critically about how they can contribute positively to society and support meaningful causes.
Peter Gibson Dean of Character Education
Round Square | Secondary School
King Constantine Medal Award
It is a privilege to announce a new award at Barker College the King Constantine Medal.
This medal is produced by Round Square and is awarded to a student of a Round Square Global member school who truly embraces the spirit of the Round Square philosophy and the IDEALS of Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Leadership and Service.
The medal is named after the last King of Greece, reigning from 1964 until the abolition of the Greek monarchy in 1973. King Constantine was invited to chair the first meeting of the seven schools that would form the Round Square movement, named after the building at Gordonstoun School in Scotland where the first conference took place in 1967. For half a century, His Majesty’s close involvement continued, first as Chair, and later as President, of Round Square.
Our first recipient of this prestigious global award was a member of the student committee involved in Barker’s admittance into the Round Square Membership. He attended our first Round Square International Conference in Nairobi, Kenya last year, has been wonderfully committed to the holistic Barker education and has serviced this community with distinction. Congratulations to Year 12 student, Lachlan Carley.
Peter Gibson Dean of Character Education
International ConferenceBogotá Colombia
During the last two weeks of Term 3, a delegation from Barker, including Teo Hansen, Peter Starodubtsev, Claire Park, Rhys Williams and Samantha Blood joined 662 student delegates, from 118 schools, across 27 countries, at our second Round Square International Conference.
The Conference was hosted by five schools in Bogotá, Colombia, and was the first International Conference to be held in South America.
Travelling with students from Newcastle Grammar School, we took some time to recover from the 36 hours of flights and travel, in the vibrant coastal city of Cartagena, Colombia. We experienced the culture of Cartagena through a salsa dance workshop and learnt about the history while sailing into the sunset on a replica pirate ship. A highlight of our time in Cartagena was the boat cruise to the Rosario Islands. This saw us board a large catamaran where we relaxed on the netting, spotted dolphins, snorkelled with fish and had fun in the water as a group.
Arriving at The English School for some welcome activities, we were excited to meet our homestay families to spend a night with a friendly family from the School to experience Bogotá from those who live there. At the Opening Ceremony, hosted by Colegio Los Nogales, the Conference was opened with the flag ceremony and performance by the marching band. A welcome address was given by the Round Square Chairman and Chief Executive,
followed by an address from Juanita Gobertus on the opportunities of peace in Colombia after years of unrest, highlighting the 2024 conference theme, ‘Blooming from the Past’.
Over the week, delegates from Round Square Schools across the world experienced a series of days that focused on the Round Square IDEALS
The first day saw us focus on Internationalism and Democracy by taking part in local gastronomy, craft and dance workshops in local towns. The next day allowed us to understand the aspects of Leadership and Service through a hike through farmland and the construction of chicken coups for some locals and their chickens. Our final day, focusing on Environmentalism and Leadership, saw us learn about the importance of reforestation by planting some trees and then seeking some adrenaline on a high ropes course.
The Conference sadly came to an end with the Closing Ceremony hosted by Colegio Anglo Colombiano. This included roaming Colombian dancers and market stalls, before an address from Mauricio Cardenas on Colombia’s economical progress. Taking a cable car up Monserrate at night gave us exceptional views of Bogotá, and allowed us time to reflect on the eye-opening, and once in a lifetime, trip we had all just experienced. It was a conference which celebrated Colombia’s rich history. However, it was the Colombian people’s pride in their culture and community, as
‘Cultural Adventures in Paradise,’ brought the Round Square IDEALS of Adventure and Environmentalism to life.
Students had the chance to explore some of Central Queensland’s most captivating destinations while forming new friendships with peers from other Round Square schools.
During the conference, students participated in a mini-day expedition, canoeing along the stunning Waterpark Creek within Byfield National Park. Paddling Canadian canoes, students passed through remnant rainforest in an isolated and remote environment. The adventure was followed by a visit to Waterpark Farm, an operational tea tree farm, where the group met the owner and heard his inspiring business and personal story.
Regional Australasian Conference - Rockhampton
In April this year, a Barker delegation of Year 8 and 9 students attended our first Round Square Regional Australasia Conference, hosted by Rockhampton Grammar School.
On another day, the students took part in a re-vegetation program in partnership with 'Capricorn Catchments,' a community support, not-for-profit organisation. This group fosters a holistic connection to nature and helps rehabilitate landscapes, implement natural resource management practices, and promote sustainability. The students contributed to weed control measures, mulched trees, watered, and planted new growth. They also hiked to Rockhampton Grammar School’s Outdoor Education Centre, passing by a stunning hilltop lookout out to Great Keppel Island. At the Centre, students enjoyed a surfing lesson and experienced the excitement of the 'Giant Swing' in the high ropes activity area.
Perhaps the most thrilling day was a trip to Great Keppel Island, 15km off the Capricorn Coast. Students participated in a glass-bottom boat tour of prominent reefs, snorkelled, and experienced 'Boom Netting'holding onto a net that is towed slowly behind a boat. Everyone enjoyed this day immensely.
At the end of each day, students took part in Baraza sessions to reflect on their experiences and discuss what they had learned during the day. These group discussions fostered collaborative exchanges with peers from around the globe, focusing on the day's shared experiences.
Rockhampton Grammar School were exceptional hosts, providing a conference full of memorable experiences and challenges in a beautiful part of Australia. The week-long conference fostered many new friendships for both students and staff. The delegation is extremely grateful for this character and leadership development opportunity.
Peter
Gibson
Dean of Character Education
HSC Visual Arts Exhibition
As the year comes to a close, we celebrate the achievements of our Year 12 Visual Arts students.
The showcase of their HSC Body of Works was an annual highlight and a celebration of the students’ unique expression and technical prowess.
The opening night was thoroughly enjoyed by students, their families and staff as we got to have a closer look at the results of a sustained artistic practice representing many hours of hard work and persistence. It was a pleasure to see the world through their eyes as students explored a wide variety of subject matter and material choices. We congratulate
our award winners, Ed Tomicki for his fantastical large scale drawing, Mia Hobson for her visually striking ceramic sculptures and Lincoln James for his complex triptych paintings. Voted in for the Barker Foundation People and Peer’s Choice Awards were Arne Barwell for his creative mixed media relief sculpture and Frankie Small for her carefully crafted ceramic toys. We are incredibly proud of all our 2024 Year 12 students and their courage to be creative and share their creativity with us.
Rikki Latella Head of Visual Arts
HSC Design & Technology and Industrial Technology Exhibition
In August of Term 3, we were delighted once again to hold our end of year exhibition in Boyce Hall and welcome back Chris Russell OAM and Ambassador of the OBA, who with our Head of School Phillip Heath AM opened the exhibition.
Chris spoke of the benefits of producing a major project and how the learning involved with this commitment underpins a level of understanding that fosters good management and a high level of skill.
Chris referenced the enormous benefits that Artificial Intelligence will bring to the world but highlighted that without the human touch, the work will lack the specific qualities that resonate with the users, it will lack feeling and soul. To this end, designers still have enormous opportunity to provide personalised design solutions whilst pursuing the use of new and emerging technologies. Phillip congratulated and commended all the students who exhibited their work and acknowledged the staff and their families who had supported them in their journey throughout the year.
During the evening, Chris selected the following projects for the Judge’s Choice Award:
Hux Russell - Design and Technology Materials - Innovative Plaster Dispenser.
Daniel Mirzaee - Design and Technology Materials - Highly Commended - Children Pool Alert System.
Arne Barwell - Design and Technology Multimedia - Urban Agricultural Research, Health and Agricultural Centre.
George Gow - Industrial Technology - Sydney Blue Gum Work Bench.
People’s Choice Award went to the following students:
Tim Wilson - Design and Technology Materials - ‘Cuddles and Comfort Chimp’ robotic sleeping device.
Holly Klockmann - Design and Technology Multimedia - Women’s Refuge Accommodation Centre.
Following the marking of the Design and Technology and Industrial Technology Major
Projects, several students have been chosen for possible inclusion in SHAPE.
This exhibition provides a selection of outstanding works from HSC Design and Technology, Industrial Technology and Textiles and Design students and will be held at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct from March 2025.
Design and Technology - Henry Balzer, Arne Barwell, Oliver Chandler-Sullivan, Jade Dunne, Charles Milson, Ying Him Tang, Timothy Wilson, Matthew Young.
Industrial Technology - George Gow, Jake Hanley, Joe Kerdic, Kristjan Quinn, Elliot Weir, James Wood, Taliesin Young.
Congratulations to all of the students listed above. This is an outstanding achievement and an indication of how well our students have applied themselves and the support structures and culture that the Design and Technology Department provides.
Darren Woodrow Head of Design & Technology
Maths Week
Maths Week has been run annually at Barker for the past 17 years. Growing from its humble beginnings as Maths Day, it sprang from a desire to celebrate a subject whose beauty, joys and students’ achievements are sometimes a little harder to see.
This year’s flagship event was the spectacular Maths Idol, held at lunchtime on Thursday of Week 6, showcasing the musical and choreographical talents of maths students and staff alike.
The energetic Leslie Hall crowd was treated to plenty of musical parody, songs by both Year 12 Extension 2 classes, an unforgettable performance by evergreen Maths teacher Boyd Carruthers and the usual Maths Staff act accompanied by the Maths Staff Band. The winning act was an incredible mathematical dance, Subdivisionary Sequences, by Dylan Yuen in Year 7.
Perennially popular Non-trivial Trivia was a hit across two lunchtimes, while some students opted to take more time pouring over the take-home Family Maths Quiz which made a return to this
year’s lineup of activities. Other students enjoyed engaging in the campus-wide Mathematical Scavenger Hunt and each maths class played a few rounds of this year’s Maths Week Game. All Year 7 and 8 maths classes were also able to participate in problem solving workshops run by Inquisitive Minds.
With the launch of the @barkermaths Instagram account, the Problem of the Day found another distribution channel and saw students rushing to the OBA outdoor stage every recess (and staff feverishly emailing) to claim a prize for having solved each one.
Maths Week is just one of many avenues allowing any student to engage with maths and build positive connections with a subject that has so many incredible applications and some of the deepest, richest beauty that is to be found in academia.
Andrew Mallam Assistant Coordinator Mathematics
Christmas at Barker
Christmas is a brilliant time of year at Barker, and the Chaplaincy team loves planning and hosting Christmas events in the last few weeks of term.
This year, we held the extremely popular Gingerbread Night, where several hundred students, staff and parents packed into Gamson Gym to build gingerbread houses, reflect on the nativity, and share Christmas joy.
The Junior School Nativity, “A Baarmy Bethlehem,” creatively and adorably retold the events of Jesus’ birth for students and families. “A Very Barker Christmas” offered the opportunity to enjoy markets, great food, and retell the Christmas story with carols and Bible readings. This
event was complemented by “Lessons and Carols,” held in the War Memorial Chapel during the last week of term. Sublimely supported by our choirs and students from our music program, this event set the context for a poignant reflection on God’s goodness to our broken world at Christmas.
The events of Jesus’ birth ground the Christian story in history and remind us of God’s gift of Jesus to the world. This year, may all the Barker community experience God’s “joy to the world.”
Rev Peter Tong Senior Chaplain
Alumni PROFILE
Kyle Bender (Class of 2002) is a Major in the Australian Army in a full time capacity on the Medical Specialist Program which ensures that the ADF can deploy a surgical hospital at very short notice. In 2021 he deployed to Iraq on Operation Okra along with another old Barker Boy, Adam Mahoney (04). Kyle has completed three years of fellowship training in Upper GIT surgery at Nepean, Northern Beaches and Bankstown Hospitals in Sydney. Kyle currently has practices at Hornsby Ku Ring‑Gai and Northern Beaches Hospitals on Sydney's North Shore, having also spent several years working in Northern NSW based out of Lismore Base Hospital. Kyle recalls his time at Barker fondly, particularly his many experiences with Cadets and has two young boys he hopes will continue his family's story at Barker.
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Father and Military Surgeon.
BCCU was a big part of your life at Barker. Indeed, graduating in 2002, you were at the time, the A Company Commander. What memories do you have of your time in Cadets?
Cadets was a big part of my time at Barker. To this day I attend events at Randwick Barracks where I remember participating in the BCCU Junior Leaders Course and recalled the drill and other military lessons learned in Cadets when I completed my First Appointment Course with the Army as a Specialist Service Officer. I look back fondly on experiences like mass cleaning parties at the end of annual camp, competitions stripping and reassembling the F88 Austeyr Rifle, and taking A company across the Hawkesbury River at Brooklyn to hike into Dillon’s Farm for our bivouac. I
distinctly remember our promotion dinners and dining in nights, and those memories are always reignited during similar events today with my unit at 2nd Brigade Headquarters. Many of my instructional skills, adventure skills and most importantly, enduring friendships, can be traced back to my time in Cadets.
How did your Cadets experience inspire or shape your career?
Most obviously, my cadets experience gave me my first taste of the ADF and, in particular, the Army. From the time I marched out of the BCCU I had aspirations of joining the ADF as a reservist, which I finally did after completing medical school, therefore being able to be commissioned as a Captain Medical Officer. This interest even shaped my decisions about my specialty, General Surgery, as this is one of the key craft groups required in deployed ADF military hospitals, and I knew I wanted skills that the ADF would
value. Without that early taste of military traditions and values in the BCCU I doubt I would have ended up where I am as a full-time member of the ADF.
What aspects of your work do you find the most challenging?
The most challenging part of my work in civilian surgical practice is the fact that sometimes we just can’t do enough. I don’t find the breaking of bad news to be hard itself, but it is the frustration that comes with not being able to find a solution for some of my patients that is the hardest to swallow.
On the military side, the most challenging aspect of my work is remaining sharp in environments where we aren’t busy. When we deploy a surgical hospital alongside army personnel, we are there just in case something terrible happens, as an insurance policy. Thankfully, that insurance policy is rarely needed, and if no one is sick or hurt, then it’s a happy day for everyone. The challenge is in maintaining focus through the down time, balancing being able to keep busy with distractions with being prepared to suddenly step into the operating theatre should we be required.
What is your proudest achievement to date?
Without doubt I am most proud of my two children and the wonderful kids that they are growing into.
As far as my career goes, I am most proud of being seen as a leader and subject matter expert in surgery amongst military health circles, and in military healthcare in surgical circles. I only hope that I can use that recognition to improve the way we train military surgeons and deliver surgical services in the ADF. If I can leave the system better than I found it, that will make me professionally very satisfied.
What has been a highlight of your career to date?
A few good saves in my civilian surgical practice have been highlights. Seeing patients walk out of hospital after sustaining some really horrific injuries is always a fantastic feeling.
On the military side, I think the highlight would be deploying to Iraq on Operation Okra. Being fortunate enough to be able to serve my country and be part of the health support to the military effort on warlike operations is something that I am very appreciative of. I felt particularly lucky to be able to deploy with another old Barker Boy, Adam Mahoney, who has become a very close friend. We have now deployed many times together on exercise and operations. Friendships like this, as well as the amazing opportunity to serve, are what makes my ADF career so rewarding.
Do you have any other school memories you would like to share?
There are two main things that I take away from my time at Barker. The first is the breadth of experiences that it afforded me. From music to sports, public speaking to the outdoors. The skills and life lessons that I take from that range of opportunities will stay with me in perpetuity. Even more important though are the enduring friendships that I have to this day. No matter where I go I run into Barker alumni and there is a connection that transcends the years which bonds us. My closest friends are still my Barker school mates, and I am eternally grateful to the memories we made back at school that keep us close to this day.
What advice do you have for today’s students?
Don’t take for granted the amazing opportunities that Barker offers. If you get a chance to try something new, take it. You will be amazed how it might come to reward you years or decades down the track.
What legacy would you like to leave?
As a guiding principle, I like to believe that we can all leave things better than we found them.
If I can teach a junior surgeon the skills and confidence to deliver health care the way it should be delivered, that is, the way that the population that they serve needs it, then I’ll be professionally satisfied. Personally, I want my kids to develop a sense of duty to community, for them to feel grateful for how lucky they have it. I was blessed to be able to attend a school like Barker, to go to university, to get a degree that gives me the chance to serve my community. I want my children to feel that gratitude and to find their own way to give something back.
What’s next for you?
Having recently moved back to Sydney, the next chapter of my life is built around being the best dad that I can be for my children as they enter and move through primary school. Seeing them grow into successful, and unique, young men is incredibly rewarding. Professionally, I look forward to moving into a position of seniority amongst my colleagues, guiding and helping build new initiatives into the best way to deliver surgical care in an ADF that is changing focus from the Middle East to our near region.
Revitalising Indigenous Languages
On 17 September, Barker hosted a special seminar, as part of Languages Week, on the revitalisation of Indigenous languages in Australia. Many parents, students and visitors attended the event.
The keynote speaker was Jasmine Seymour, who has worked as a linguist, educator and advocate to support the revitalisation of the Dharug Dhalang (Dharug Language).
Jasmine is a Dharug woman belonging to the Burubiranggal people. She is a descendant of Maria Locke who was a prominent Aboriginal figure in Sydney during the nineteenth century. Jasmine is committed to the revival of the Dharug Dhalang as a living language. She has published several bilingual picture books, written in both Dharug and English. Jasmine spoke about Indigenous language revitalisation and her ongoing work with Dharug.
Jasmine spoke warmly about her experience supporting Indigenous languages. This was of particular interest to students who have been participating in the Year 8 Quest program. These students have been undertaking a guided inquiry course focusing upon the role that Ancient Wisdom plays in solving contemporary global challenges. These students found Jasmine’s insights into Dharug language and culture very relevant to their thinking about solutions to the problems that the word faces today.
Matthew Ross Head of Classics and Indigenous Languages
Immersing Students in Global Cultures
Barker Languages Department was delighted to run its inaugural Languages Week in Term 3, an event to honour the diversity and wisdom of all languages within and beyond our school community.
Students participated in unique challenges, from foreign language karaoke and lip-sync battles to the “Mega Flags” Kahoot quiz. Languages Week also included a Mini Olympics, where students competed in traditional and cultural games like badminton, pétanque, bamboo copter, and kendama.
At Barker, our Languages Programs immerse students in global cultures, equipping them with language skills that enrich their academic journey and personal growth.
Our programs cultivate fluency, cultural appreciation, and intellectual curiosity through a curriculum designed by passionate and expert teachers.
Throughout their schooling, students participate in cultural activities that bring their studies to life, such as Japanese Taiko drumming workshops, French lunches, and crepe-making sessions. Excursions, including visits to the Chinese Cultural Centre, Nan Tien Temple, and Japanese Tanken Centre, further deepen students' connections to the languages and cultures they explore.
Our Languages Programs are dedicated to developing empathetic, globally-aware citizens. We always love to hear from alumni who are using their languages beyond the Mint gates, so please do get in touch if this is you.
TGibson@barker.nsw.edu.au
Trish Gibson Head of Modern Languages
Out and About
The Year 9 Elective Geographers have been busy learning about our precious planet, both in and out of the classroom. Fieldwork is an integral aspect of the Geography course, and the students were keen to make the most of these special experiences.
Minnamurra, Catchment Studies
From the headwaters of the Minnamurra escarpment and beyond, to the river mouth at Minnamurra, our students spent two days exploring this catchment. The theme for the fieldwork study was to gain an understanding that a catchment is affected by all land uses, and to maintain a healthy and thriving environment, careful management is required. A dairy farm visit, a snorkel with grey nurse sharks, a canoe on the last meander of the Minnamurra River, where many canoes “spontaneously capsized”, a bushwalk though the rainforest and discovering the quickest side of the bends on the waterslides at Jamberoo, were just some of the activities enjoyed by all.
The Sydney Science Park (SSP), Urban Designers:
The class travelled to Luddenham; an outer suburb next to Sydney’s Western Sydney (Nancy-Bird Walton) International Airport. Their task was to learn and contribute to the planning and delivery of a new suburb, currently referred to as the Sydney Science Park. The SSP’s remit is to use SMART technologies combined with sustainability principles, whilst considering the challenges posed by heat, water, energy, urban agriculture and transport. The students spent the day exploring various fieldwork stations, including installing model drainage and water saving ideas with Sydney Water, moving sand with wheelbarrows to investigate construction techniques and
worksite safety, engineering a functional bridge, considering the implications of heat on colour and building materials when creating. Hands on experiential learning and the chance to consider future focussed careers proved a winning combination.
The Sydney Science Park Challenge Day:
This SSP Challenge Day took place at the Rydges Hotel in Sydney’s CBD. Over 200 students from across the state were divided into small groups, with each group mentored by an industry expert. The groups, under time pressure, competed against each other to devise a sustainable and futuristic concept or building to include in the new SSP site at Luddenham. The students worked in their teams and made models and pitched their creative ideas to a large audience. Congratulations to Maya Gynn and her team who achieved a first place!
Thank you to these enthusiastic and passionate Year 9 Elective Geography students, staff and outside providers who make these fieldtrips such wonderful and memorable learning experiences.
Kylie McKnight Geography Teacher
iGeo International Geography Olympiad
Congratulations to Oliver Walsh (Year 12) who was selected in the Australian team at 2024 iGeo International Geography Olympiad in Dublin, Ireland during late August.
The 2024 International Geography Olympiad took place in Maynooth and Dublin, Ireland. This event, organised by the International Geographical Union, brings together top geography students from around the world to compete in various geography-related tasks and activities. In their time at the Olympiad, the students engaged in geographical fieldwork, written tests, and multimedia challenges, highlighting their geographical knowledge and skills.
The Olympiad offered opportunities for cultural exchange and exploration, with students visiting notable sites in Dublin such as Dublin Castle and Trinity College. It was a fantastic global event for young geographers to learn, compete, and experience the rich culture of Ireland.
Participating in Geography’s Big Week Out event, the Australian team achieved tremendous
success, winning two Gold and two Silver medals, finishing second in the overall World Team rankings. Individually, Oliver finished in 17th place from all students around the world. An extraordinary achievement and opportunity for all students involved.
iGeo was the highlight of my school experience that has allowed me to extend my learning beyond anything I could imagine from my time at Barker. It has been extremely rewarding to see the global appreciation for geography and hearing the vastly different experiences and expertise of students across Asia, Africa, North and South America, and Europe. I greatly look forward to connecting with everyone I met in Ireland and the Australian team again as I take my learning with me and look towards other opportunities as exciting as the trip and seeing geography on the world stage.
The Barker Dancers presented a captivating journey titled The Red Thread
The evening wove together the story of a young dancer who begins her journey in the Junior School and makes her way up and out of Barker’s Mint Gates.
Throughout the narrative, we were reminded that our actions are intricately linked, and we can make a difference one act of kindness at a time. The “Red Thread” symbolised the connectedness of each Barker student, celebrating our dancing across the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools.
The showcase united students across campuses, allowing the audience to witness what dance looks like across every year group, from K-12.
The Barker Dance company performed an unforgettable routine to You Will be Found, showcasing the beauty of Senior and Junior students dancing together. Through the recorded voices of Year 3, Year 6 and Year 11 students, we learnt about what excites, challenges and inspires them toward their future, and witnessed the way they told these stories through movement.
Through this showcase, we also expressed our gratitude to “REDed” who have been crucial in forging this strong “Red Thread” within our Barker Dance Community, building a passion for Dance in our very youngest.
The program is growing due to the passion and hard work of our incredible instructors. Through this “Red Thread” narrative, we witnessed the artistry and creativity which they have gifted our Dancers. Some students performed on stage for the first time through our recreational program, while others, having chosen Dance as an elective in Years 9, 10 and 11, showcased exceptional skills expressed through complex, technical movement and outstanding performance quality.
The Red Thread represents our journey up the hill and the growth of Barker Dance from the Junior to Senior School. We are so excited to see what the future holds for Barker Dance as it grows in size and skill.
Over the last two years, the Barker Girls' First Basketball team has worked diligently to establish itself as one of the top school teams in Australia.
After winning the 2023 ISA Championship with a young and developing squad, Barker went on to claim back-to-back ISA Championships and was crowned the Champion CIS School team in both 2023 and 2024.
For the first time, the team also secured the title of NSW All Schools Champion Girls Basketball Team. It has been a long and steady journey, with players ranging from Year 7 through to Year 12. This mix of skill and determination has propelled the team to the highest level, playing an up-tempo style with threats across the court. After finishing as runner-up in the NSW School Championship, the Barker team earned a wildcard entry to the 2023 Australian Schools Championship Finals in Queensland.
A standout moment came in the quarter-final overtime thriller against Marsden State High (QLD). Despite Keira Hudson hitting an unbelievable 3-point shot in the final second of regular time, Barker narrowly missed out on a spot in the semi-finals. In 2024 the Barker team has dominated at every level. Defeating Oakhill College in the ISA Final, then PLC and St Luke’s Grammar in the CIS Knockout, Barker progressed to the NSW All Schools playoff during September. In both games, Barker decisively defeated Hunter Sports High. In the final, the team went on to play defending NSW champions Westfield Sports High. From the tip Barker delivered an outstanding performance, taking the victory 89-55 and becoming the top school team in the State for the very first time.
As Champion NSW School, Barker has earned direct qualification into the 2024 Australian School Basketball Championships in Queensland later this year. This will be the second consecutive year that Barker competes in this prestigious event,
where they will face some of the best young basketball talent in the country.
Speaking about what this opportunity means to the team, Lucy Mead (Year 11) said “having the opportunity to represent our school and compete against such strong opponents is both an exciting and meaningful challenge for us. We’ve all put in the hardwork, and I’m super keen to see where this journey leads. We are also incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received over the past few years, and we’re determined to give our best and represent the REDS”. Emma Lukell (Year 8) added “I am so excited to go to compete against some of the best schools in Australia. The team has bonded so much since last year and we are ready to win".
The 2024 Australian Schools Basketball Championships will be held on the Gold Coast from 1 - 6 December.
Nicole Bailey Girls Firsts Basketball Manager
Unbeatable Spirit 16A Water Polo Boys
Named the ‘Toughest Olympic Sport’ by the US Bleacher Report in 2016, Water Polo combines athletic skill from multiple sporting disciplines to deliver an exhilarating game.
Water Polo players have the physical tenacity of a rugby front-rower, the explosivity of an athletics thrower, the stamina of a basketball player and the speed of a swimmer.
To combine these skills during match-play and remain undefeated for over two years, is quite the feat! Our Barker 16A Boys’ Water Polo Team have done just this with an unparalleled sense of teamwork and synergy.
From their humble beginnings in Year 7 Water Polo, students recognised that this sport offers a unique all-round physical conditioning that no other sport can. This early involvement in the sport has been one of the factors contributing to the team’s success. Coached last year by Oliver
Marriott and Barker’s Water Polo Head Coach, Meg Shaw, and this year by Barker’s Water Polo Director, Len Nixon and Specialist Skills Coach, Dudi Krstic, the team recognises that they share a unique bond with emphasis placed on trust in and out of the water.
“Water Polo is as much a mental game as it is physical” coach Dudi explains. Len Nixon describes the team; “The players anticipate each other’s moves, creating a seamless flow that can only come from genuine teamwork.”
As the Barker 16A Water Polo Boys continue to dominate the Combined Association Competition, their story serves as a testament to the power of teamwork and the unbreakable bonds formed through shared goals and collective effort. With their eyes set on another championship, this team is proving that unity is their greatest strength. The 16A Team Captain and Centre-
Back/Utility player, Declan Moore notes, “This unity has made us unstoppable, proving that our success is truly a team effort.”
This record-breaking streak has not come without challenges. The team has faced strong opponents and intense pressure, yet each game has only strengthened their resolve. “They celebrate every win, but they also learn from every match”, says Barker Water Polo Head Coach, Meg Shaw.
The Middle School Wailes House Captain and 16A Right Driver, Jimmy Fay sums up the experience for students, “I first played water polo in Year 7. I learnt the skills from our Head Coach, Ms Shaw and some of my Barker coaches are Olympic athletes. I have joined a National Premier Club. Most of all it is my Barker team that has taught me to value team tactics and being humble in victory. I love this game!”
Rachel Cambridge Potter
Water Polo Coordinator
New adventures start at Hornsby BMW
Hornsby BMW is excited to announce the arrival of the all new BMW 1 Series and all new BMW X3.
The BMW 1 Series Innovative, individual and intelligent, its sporty aura energises your every journey with a perfect balance of sophistication and performance.
The exciting new generation 1 Series redefines the art of urban driving with a fresh look, advanced tech, and a powerful new engine. Inside, ‘My Modes’ lets you personalise every drive with optimal settings for any situation. On the road, the dynamic presence of THE 1 does more than turn heads; it energises your drive with impressive acceleration and precise ‘Performance Control’ steering for agility around every bend.
Barker College and Hornsby BMW
BMW X3
Discover unmatched performance with the BMW X3 M50. Crafted to enhance every journey, the BMW X3 M50 merges advanced technology with luxurious comfort for a driving experience that is exceptional. With its striking new exterior design and enhanced driving dynamics, the X3 M50 is designed to captivate and inspire.
Exclusive
As a valued member of the Barker College community, Hornsby BMW is delighted to offer you an exclusive 5 year/80,000km Service Inclusive Plan# with the purchase of any new or demonstrator vehicle.
We warmly invite you to visit our showroom, where you can explore our impressive range of vehicles. Our dedicated team is ready to assist you with any enquiries, arrange test drives, discuss purchase options, or support your servicing needs.
Simply mention Barker College when you visit, and we will extend the complimentary Service Plan to you.
www.hornsbybmw.com.au
Hornsby BMW is a proud partner of Barker's Sport Program
A Year of Change and Community Impact
We recently held the 2024 Barker College Parents’ Association (BCPA) Annual General Meeting, providing an opportunity to reflect on a year marked by transformation and community driven accomplishments.
Vision
and Framework:
The 3 Fs
This year the BCPA adopted a simple guiding framework centred on Families, Functions, and Facilities. These three are supported by strategic fundraising and foundations of structured governance, shaping our association's impact and sustainability.
Support for Families
Supporting our community is a privilege, one that also demands disciplined financial stewardship to ensure long-term sustainability. Following previous survey feedback, efforts have also been made to improve communications with families. A dedicated Communications Coordinator, Caroline Macdonald, has enhanced our reach, engaging nearly 200 members through various WhatsApp groups.
Highlights in Functions
2024 was brimming with vibrant events that brought our community together. Expanding the cherished BCPA Trivia Night to two nights highlighted our calendar, alongside welcoming morning teas and "A
Very Barker Christmas”. These events, skillfully orchestrated by Rachel Flick and the dedicated team of volunteers, epitomise the spirit of connection that defines Barker. From intimate cocktail parties to bowling afternoons, the BCPA has facilitated more than 15 events, reinforcing community ties.
To make event organisation more efficient, the BCPA has utilised platforms like Humanitix for efficient planning and streamlined our process for payments and invoice management. Special thanks go to Ina Pletea and the numerous year and parent coordinators who have contributed to these efforts.
Enhancing Facilities
The BCPA has sought lasting ways to improve the School's environment. This year, we contributed significantly to the lighting upgrade on Bowman Field, broadening the space's utility. Additionally, the association has collaborated on upgrading the MyBarker platform, with active parental feedback guiding the project.
Strengthening Foundations
Governance is a crucial aspect of the BCPA's long-term success. Rachel Ive, our Treasurer, has spearheaded essential financial reforms, establishing independent systems and eliminating cashhandling risks. We also brought our charity registration status with ACNC up to date under VP Anurag Vasisth's leadership, foundational to our ongoing fundraising capabilities.
Our Secretary, Melissa McGrath, has identified opportunities to modernise our governance practices. Her work promises continued improvement in recordkeeping and aligning our constitution with contemporary standards. Furthermore, we've strengthened our connections with the Barker Foundation and the Old Barker Association, fostering collaboration for future initiatives.
Association's 100th anniversary in 2025, we are exploring ways to honour this milestone meaningfully, with plans for a significant, enduring contribution.
Acknowledgments
On behalf of the BCPA, we extend our sincere gratitude to Phillip Heath for his unwavering support and leadership. Appreciation also goes to Karina Drummond, Deanne Uy, Julie Fitzpatrick and Jane Randall from the Community Relations team, the Finance department, and the wider Barker staff for their dedication to our children. To the BCPA committee members and our volunteers: your hard work and commitment is greatly appreciated. Through you all, we've laid a stronger foundation and made a lasting difference. Here's to a future brimming with promise and continued community spirit.
We look forward to further growing our sense of extended community and supporting the School in 2025.
Scott Barnett BCPA President
FOUNDATION
Each family came to cut their ribbon and unveil their family plaque, which has been cast in bronze and mounted on the seats at the Rosewood Centre show courts or on the bleachers at the Blackwell Stand, alongside Barker’s War Memorial Oval.
There were smiles all round as we took a moment to read and celebrate each new plaque - more than twenty in all. There are personal mottos, graduating years, memorial dates and other personalised words, inscribed onto these plaques according to each family’s wishes.
Marks Made on Barker Grounds
In Week 5 of this term we welcomed a very special group of Barker alumni, parents, grandparents, students and families who have each chosen to Make Their Mark at Barker.
The permanence of this exciting installation really came home to people as they realised they will now have a small corner of the School that will always be their ‘special place’.
We even have a plaque in the name of the infamous and elusive Junior School puppet, Belfrey. (We invited Belfrey to attend the unveiling celebration, but he was unfortunately unavailable. He hopes to be able to attend a future celebration.)
One kind family have generously donated a plaque in Phillip Heath’s name, and it was a lovely moment to see him cut the ribbon on his own plaque, now an indelible part of an appeal that focuses on the causes he has championed for more than ten years. All funds
To find out more about any of the Foundation's programs, please contact Tori Grimes, Director of Advancement, at VGrimes@barker.nsw.edu.au
raised build up Barker’s Future Fund and will support scholarships and bursaries, to enable students to come to Barker who would not otherwise be able to.
This was a warm and truly delightful celebration of generosity and impact, which we plan to hold on a regular basis - you are invited to be a part of the next one by visiting makeyourmark.barker. college to explore the options. If you have a student who has just finished Year 12, this represents a simple celebration of their time at Barker and a chance for you to give back to the School in a different way, as your child moves on and beyond the Mint Gates. And they are warmly welcome to come back and visit their Barker Mark, any time they wish.
Aaron Black Barker Foundation Chair
Tea, Anyone?
Next year, Barker College will celebrate 135 years of excellence, alongside 125 years of Cadets, 100 years of the Spring Fair, and 50 years of continued coeducation. This milestone year will undoubtedly leave a significant mark in the history books of Barker College.
Reflecting on our rich history, we remember one of the first major celebrations: the farewell of Barker’s first Headmaster, Rev. Henry Plume, and his wife, Eleanor Plume, who served from 1890 to 1905. Their departure to England was a momentous occasion, marked by heartfelt commemorations.
Last term, descendants of Eleanor Plume travelled from Queensland to deliver a treasured piece of Barker history: a silver tea service gifted by the Old Boys of Barker College. This set, inscribed and dedicated to the Plumes, was lovingly used by Eleanor Plume to serve tea to family, friends, and many former Barker staff and alumni in the UK. The tea set, housed in an impressive box adorned with the Plumes' initials, has aged gracefully, with a lock that now shows the wear of constant use.
Upon Eleanor Plume's passing in 1951, the tea set was bequeathed to her niece in Australia, where it continued to be cherished, as it was passed down the generations for the next 73 years.
This piece of Barker history is more than just a tea set; it symbolises the enduring connection between teachers and students, and the lasting bonds formed within the Barker community.
After 119 years, the tea set has been reunited with another significant artefact: an illuminated address given to the Plumes upon their departure. This address is notable for being the first recorded instance of our school motto, honor non honores.
The tea set represents the deeprooted culture of care, respect, and lasting relationships that define Barker College. It stands as a testament to the School's enduring legacy and the cherished memories that continue to shape our community.
Rachel Byrne Senior Archivist
The
Old Barker
OBA Support for Life https://landing.mymirror.com.au/old barker association
Talk to an online psychologist today
Old Barker Association is supporting you with 3 sessions with My Mirror online psychologist.
Contributions Welcome
Old Barker Association Contacts
email: oba@barker.nsw.edu.au
(Please note that the number in brackets after a name is the graduating year)
President
Angus Abadee (07) 0433 108 525
Vice President
Dush Sharma (05)
Vice President
Declan Flaherty (16)
Honorary Secretary
Phil Watson (08)
Assistant Secretary
Alex O’Neil (14)
Honorary Treasurer
Benjamin Ho (09)
Assistant Treasurer
Simon Smith (91)
General Committee
Vanessa Bennett (91)
Gemma Dywer (Davies 09)
Josh Grace (1990)
Ant Hearne (1990)
Chris Russell (1970) | OBA Ambassador
Jenni-Lee Williams (Lennon 81)
Shadi Worrall (Iravani 10)
OBA Nominees to Council
Anna Sutton (05)
Meline Nazloomian (05)
David Trayner (84)
OBA Annual Patron
Sandy Hollway (64)
OBA Seniors Contact Ian Pont (63) oba@barker.nsw.edu.au
As we start to head to the wind down ahead of the Christmas break, I want to thank all of you who have contributed so much to the Barker Community to the School, the OBA and those of us lucky enough to call ourselves a member of the community.
In November we sat down with the Old Barker Association’s affiliates to hear about how their 2024 has gone and what they would like to achieve in 2025. A common theme is that they want to offer something special to you - whether it be a chance to come together as a team on the field or rekindling your passion for a sport you used to play or competing in a competition with people who have that common connection to Barker. The OBA’s affiliates are such an essential part of our community, and we love hearing about the OBA’s newest, and its not so new, members putting their hand up to join.
This year we also held our inaugural Year 12 Leaving BBQ, with representatives from the OBA Committee and affiliates hosting a lunch for the Year 12s as they
finished up their final weeks at Barker. While there was a lot of interest in picking up one of our welcome gifts, the OBA’s newest members called out that they were excited to join one of our affiliates or get some help in tracking their way into their next steps after school. We have already been able to connect a few of our recent leavers with mentors who will be able to help them once they have gotten through the HSC (and had a well-earned break).
The OBA is also working with the School to finalise our celebration program for 50 years of coeducation next year. The OBA will be rolling out a few events that highlight what coeducation has meant not only to the School, but also the strength of our broader community. The culture of the Barker community owes a huge
debt to the success of coeducation.
Recently I have had a few alumni members reach out to me to call out the impact the Support for Life program has had on them. We are all often faced with difficulty and challenges and it is part of being a member of the OBA that you know we have your back and are there to support you when you need it. The Support for Life program continues to be an essential part of the OBA and I encourage you to reach out when you need someone to talk to.
Merry Christmas to you and your families and looking forward to connecting in 2025.
Angus
Abadee
OBA President
Barker LIFE BEYOND
Nicole Venter (Class of 2002) shares her career path since leaving Barker, her experience as a mentor for the Year 11 Barker Mentoring Program, and advice for today’s students.
What has been your journey since leaving Barker?
Since turning 40, I am going to try and sound wise and say that my career has been true to the idea that you don’t know what path you will take, until you start walking on one.
I kicked off my career in traditional corporate consulting which gave me a wonderful grounding in project management skills and a big brand behind my resume. Once I had that in my pocket, I took a more adventurous path and looked for opportunities that maximised creative thinking and projects that were first of kind or innovations for the retail industry. This has included working in fast paced marketing agencies, large consumer research projects to launch international brand concept retail stores, writing and running new industry university degrees and now representing workforce and employability issues for the retail sector for Australia as part of SaCSA.
What do you enjoy most in your current role?
1# The ability to have an impact on a big scale. I have always loved retail, but found operations or agency work limiting or repetitive. I now have a wonderful opportunity to support the $350bn retail industry in Australia and promote career pathways across this amazing sector, working with people who have purpose and passion.
And 2# to work with so many interesting and accomplished people. I wish I had realised the value of networking earlier in my life than I did. With the current role allowing me to connect with leaders of industry across start-ups to major players, am immersed in decades of experience daily.
Tell us about your experience as a mentor for the Year 11 Career Mentoring Program.
I'm sure I represent the group when I say...'I wish we had this'!! I also mentor across university students and graduates as well, and found
that if they had had this level of insight in Year 11, their sense of identity and professional skills would be so much more progressed. Networking is the secret sauce to a successful career and this early investment by Barker is the confidence kick starter I wish I had.
What are some of your favourite school memories?
Haha, I was a creative with a business brain, and a terrible memory. So, finding my spot in school was difficult and I only came into my own at university and work. However, I loved the diversity of people in my year and that there was someone and something for everyone. Some notable ones though … starting a library student newsletter as an excuse to draw cartoons and negotiating on our Year 10 camp to do all the cooking so I could sleep in the middle of the group to avoid my greatest fear … snakes.
What advice do you have for today’s Barker students?
Network. The people you have in your year will go onto be heads of industry and you just don’t realise how much of your future success will be because of what you have learnt from them or the potential experiences and journeys they might be able to share with you. And don’t worry if you are not a classic academic! Be proud of your uniqueness and use the incredible array of facilities, programs and connections Barker has available to build what makes you special.
GROUPS
Old Barker Football Club
2024 felt like
Groundhog Day as Old Barker FC 035s made another Great Escape from a relegation battle. Ned Robinson (05) was the box office hit, nabbing MVP honours and golden boot. Ned’s mastery of all five of football’s essential skills - Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge - led to a flurry of late season goals that keeps the team in the Major League for 2025.
A Rocky start for perennially injured Dom Kua (03) and Adam J remind us all how much we’d like to be 17 Again. They now have an off-season to Whip-It into shape. Dave Garrick (95), in Parisian style, whelmed his way through 2024. But concerns are growing his love of football might be fading… he clearly needs some sketchers (if you know, you know).
Chris Mclelland (05) showed Hustle and Real Steel in the midfield, earning the Most Improved gong. The young property developer also bagged two goals in 2025 (not the brown paper type). Ev Lock (02) rounded out the awards with the President’s Cup. Notably, the best turnout of the season was at the end of season drinks.
The transfer market is already heating up with Chris Chong (06) and Shore Alumni turncoat Andrew Wiadrowski rumoured to be close to finding The Way Back into competitive football. In a game of inches, Wiadrowski packs a lot into a small package.
If you build it, they will come. The revival of a single all-age team for
2025 (likely starting in division 5) is a 50/50 proposition. Any group of interested players please reach out to the club so we can assist with formation. www.oldbarkerfc.com
OBA Cricket Club
There is much excitement within the OBA Cricket Club as the new season approaches with a full summer of fixtures lined up. The team has met up for a couple of training sessions which has hopefully removed some of the rust. There is plenty of excitement as we welcome some new members to the team, including recent Class of 2024 graduates Jake Angus and Tom Fearnside, who are sure to strengthen both our batting and bowling stocks. Before Christmas, we look forward to taking part in the Jack Pace Shield Competition for the first time in multiple years as well as playing some friendly fixtures against the Old Aloysians, Old Cranbrookians and Sachin Tendulkar XI. As always, we would love to welcome any new players who are keen to play some cricket. Feel free to reach out at oliver.uy@ icloud.com
Oliver Uy (23)
It was another highly successful quarter for the OBA Christian Fellowship group. Seeing a large influx of numbers, especially with our recent Sunday Arvo Barefoot Bowls event. With over 25 attendees and a wide diversity in members. Also seeing more member engagement of planning and collaborating on new event ideas. Looking forward, we plan to hold more social weekend events and also church collaboration events, to continue to build the groups community and outreach to different churches.
Bayden Little (21)
Old Barker Rugby
The Old Barker Rugby Club’s Women’s team recently won the Service to Rugby Award in the NSW Rugby - Sydney Suburban competition.
Matt Vickers (05)
OBA Groups
Old Barker Robotics
Recently the OBR were instrumental in opening the new Robotics Facility in Dhupuma. To follow, a couple of short insights from Tom Abbot and Max Hanley: Working with the students at Dhupuma Barker has been an eyeopening experience. At first it was challenging to teach Robotics in a completely different environment to Barker’s Sydney campuses, but by blending engineering concepts with the student’s strong connection to culture, we have had great success mentoring competitive Robotics teams.
Overall the experience has been super rewarding and enjoyable.
Tom Abbot
Having heard about Dhupuma as a student it was great to get up there, see it firsthand, and help out. Building a Robotics lab up there posed some unique challenges, namely the remoteness meant Ikea and machinery were inaccessible; not to mention the heat. But it was worth all the sweat when we saw the students using the space just days later for their competition. Hopefully it will continue to serve them well.
OBA Big Band
The OBA Big Band recently kicked off the night at Barker Swings with our latest repertoire. One of the pieces we featured was a lightningfast arrangement of Caravan in a 7/8 signature. This was inspired by Duke Ellington's extremely dissonant take on the classic tune. John Coyne's (12) drum solo was undoubtedly the highlight of the night. Even though there were less beats than normal, he managed to double the energy!
Back in the rehearsal room we've continued to tackle an endless onslaught of new material including "Sister Sadie" from Horace Silver's 1959 album, "Blowin' The Blues Away". Instantly, the whole band fell in love with its no-nonsense, yet irresistible groove. Each time our trumpeters stepped up for a solo, they weaved in every blues line they had up their sleeve. I'm looking at you Tom Campbell (12)!
As we look towards the rest of this year, we're excited to explore more material. Aiden Smith (22) is arranging a huge number of charts for "Elevate the Stage 2024". This event showcases the immense talents of people with disabilities. We will perform at the ICC the Sunday before the International Day of People with Disability. As the
year begins to wrap up, the OBA Big Band is only getting started! Luke Davis (09)
OBA Agriculture Society
The OBA Ag Society hosted our biannual catch-up event in September in the Sydney CBD. This time, we were honoured to welcome former Barker students Will McCarthy, Class of 2011, (Chief Product Officer) and Thomas Brodie, Class of 2007, (Head of Autonomy) from SwarmFarm Robotics.
SwarmFarm is a global leader in robotic agricultural technology, known for its innovative SwarmBot, which has already been utilised on over 1.3 million hectares and has logged more than 140,000 hours of operation on farms worldwide.
Around 30 former Barker students, along with some invited guests, attended the evening to hear Will and Tom share their journey from Barker to their current roles at the intersection of engineering, robotics, and agriculture.
The event provided a fantastic opportunity for attendees to learn not only about SwarmFarm's current achievements and their path to success, but also about the future of robotics and autonomy in agriculture.
We look forward to our next event!
Scott Graham Head of Agriculture
Max Hanley (23)
Old Barker
OBA Bowls
Few of our alumni might know of the competition that takes place on the 3rd Sunday of the month from May to November each year.
Primarily a GPS alumni competition, CAS (Combined Associated Schools) fields two teams of three and play triples against the seven GPS teams.
Geoff Little (58) has been organising the CAS teams for several years now and works very hard to pull together the two teams each month.
The games are played at Seaforth Bowling Club and after the game we sit together with our teammates and opposition to share a sausage sandwich (or two) put on by the volunteers from the club.
It is a most convivial atmosphere. We play to win but it’s a friendly afternoon.
On the recent Sunday game versus Kings the team I was on led 14-1 and with rain threatening there was likelihood we would have to retreat inside. A shame we didn’t as we ended up losing 22-17.
In the previous game against Newington, there was plenty of discussion about the coeducation proposal for Newington. It was quite lively and with a current Newington Board member explaining the situation and the Barker contingent able to sing the praises of what is coming up to 50 successful years at our School, it was interesting to say the least (Cranbrook about to follow suit).
We see ex-Barker parents playing for the opposition teams, but they would also be eligible for CAS!
The risk is that with better players than me entering the selection race (which is virtually anyone) it might be me sitting on the reserves bench.
If you are interested, please contact Geoff Little (geofflittle@ bigpond.com) or me (davis. brucem@gmail.com 0414 260 332)
Bruce Davis (74)
OBA Seniors
The all-round success of our August AGM Event (Meeting/Lunch/Oval Centenary/ glory in the 1st XV match against Knox) was followed by the opportunity to play in the OBA Golf Day in September.
And our final Seniors special event for 2024 was the Sunday 27 October Matinee Preview of this year’s Barker production of Footloose the Musical in October. For the donation of a gold coin, a happy throng of our Seniors and their guests delighted in this toetapping entertainment spectacular. It’s not too early to enter some important dates into your 2025 diary, as this will involve the celebration of 50 Years of Coeducation at Barker. For starters, there will be a Cocktail function on 13 June followed by a Chapel service on 14 June plus some special sporting events - watch this space.
The OBA Dinner will also make its reappearance on 24 October 2025. And a gentle reminder that we OBA Seniors are most welcome at any OBA event and at many School events as well.
If you would like further information, please contact the Alumni and Community Relations Office on (02) 8438 7283 or oba@ barker.nsw.edu.au
OBA Theatre
OBAT are excited to present “Barker goes Broadway” - The Alumni Version!
Many Alumni may fondly remember the ‘one night only’ joy of Barker goes Broadway. But for those that have not had the pleasureBarker goes Broadway is a night of musical theatre performances from solo’s to group numbers - anything that honours the world of Musical Theatre. Emily Whiting and Ben James, on behalf of OBAT, invite anyone and everyone to the allsinging, all dancing “BGB - Alumni Version”.
Sunday 15 December at 6pm in the Rhodes’ Theatre.
Tickets https://www.trybooking.com/ CXKVT
And if you’d like to join the Old Barker Alumni Theatre Co. (OBAT) please contact Ben James (22) or Emily Whiting (22), or follow this link to the WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/ D3vz3qmgNJM8YoDKRNdUT3
Illustration by Sophie Whitehead (19)
OBA Groups
EVENTS Community
Class of 1964 60th year Reunion
Considering it’s been six decades since our Barker days, it was a better than expected roll up at the Northbridge Golf Club on September 28 and, even with a few late scratchings, we had 30 in attendance:
John Aitken, Harry Angus, John Black, Bruce Cooper, Jan Dampney, Glenn Davis, Henry Davis, Glenn Eisenhauer, Philip Forrest, Michael Fraser, Ken Halliday, John Hawley, Miles Hedge, Sandy Hollway, James Hunter, Peter Iverson, Bill Jauncey, Peter Kernaghan, Stephen Lloyd, Brian Low, Philip Marshall, Peter Middleton, David Parkinson, David Schwabsky, Brian Smart, Ron Switzer, Craig Terry, Keith Thornton, Ted Wailes and John Wright.
It was a very casual and relaxed evening with minimal formalities, and plenty of opportunities for sharing anecdotes of our school days.
Toasts were made to the School and to our 22 departed friends, who were individually recognised, with short reminiscencesprompting many fond recollections from the room.
James Hunter (64)
The great turn out of those travelling from the country, interstate and overseas was appreciated, with Phil Forrest as always, making his regular reunion appearance from Singapore. And a special mention of Melbourne-based Brian Low, showing true Barker spirit by choosing the reunion over seats in the MCG Members Stand for the AFL Grand Final!
A fantastic evening - with the celebrations continuing the following day with a very enjoyable lunch including partners, at The Austrian Club.
Class of 1994 Reunion
The Class of 1994 celebrated their 30-year reunion on 10 August 2024. Several '94 leavers started the day watching the 1st XV win against Knox at Barker before heading into the Arthouse in the city to join the 100 people that attended the evening.
Special mention needs to go to those who travelled across the seas with a number flying in from New York, the Netherlands, Abu Dhabi and from various locations around Australia.
It was a great night, reminiscing about old times, catching up with people we had not seen for years, set to a backdrop of old photos and a soundtrack from the 90s.
Thank you to Derek Henderson for helping to organise the event and a big thank you to those that attended and made it a great night. I look forward to seeing everyone at the next reunion, if not before.
Angus Gidley-Baird (94)
Northern Rivers Lunch
The latest Northern Rivers Barker Community Lunch was held at the Lennox Head Hotel on Thursday 5 September 2024.
Attendees included: Robert Raymond, Wayne Oastler, Dick Ash, Jim Poulos, Phil Bailey, Henry Graham Lawson. All 1962 except for Jim Poulos (61). Attending Lunch but absent for photo was Rob 'Chilly' Chilman (79).
Idle chit chat included:
• Time allowed for Boarders to shower? (for the umpteenth time) Answers varied from one minute to three minutes with the final verdict favouring one minute. Anyone out there have a different verdict?
• Most of these characters were boarders, the exception being Henry, the only 'Day' person.
• In August, Robert Raymond attended the OBA luncheon and Barker vs Knox Rugby match as did Henry, Michael Noyce, John 'Spin' Brice, Chris Rigney, Bill Bourne, and Dave Smart.
• Robert Raymond rendered a good description of the main highlights of the day, which included the luncheon's Guest Speaker, Terry Buddin (65) who gave a very interesting talk based on his career in law. Following the luncheon, guests adjourned to the Marks Pavilion where they were provided with allocated seating enabling a good view of the Barker v Knox match which was won in fine style by Barker.
• The occasion was historically significant as it was the 100th anniversary of the Centenary of the Barker War Memorial Oval.
• We left the LH Hotel all smiles, satiated, satisfied, sane, sensible and sober.
Another enjoyable lunch enjoyed by all.
‘Henry’ Graham Lawson (62)
OBA Golf Day
It was a stunning day for this year's OBA Golf Day at Pennant Hills Golf Course on 3 September!
Alumni from the Class of 1960 through to 2022 attended, along with current and past Barker parents. A great day was had by all.
We wish to thank our sponsors for the day, BMW Hornsby and Noyce Brothers Wines, for your generous support of this event.
Congratulations to all the award winners. Special mention to our Spirit Award winners, who raised the bar by dressing the part and bringing the Barker spirit.
Trophies
OBA Kalaf Cup
Issy Barker
Best Ladies Team
Lily Barker
Susie Barker
Janine Miller
Garry Boyce Memorial Trophy
Clinton Dick
Best Mens Team
Sam Ottawa
Trent Ottawa
Glen Hurley
Thornton Cup
Judith Lade
Mixed Team
Doug Lade
Patricia Torpy
John Torpy
OBA Over 60s Champions
Scott Goodchild
Murray Hamilton
Ian McKenzie
Peter Tankard
Prizes
OBA Spirit Award
Kyle Bender
Andrew Haustorfer
David Osborne
James Phelan
Longest Drive ‑ Ladies
Issy Barker
Longest Drive Mens
Trent Ottawa
Nearest the Pin Ladies
Susie Barker
Nearest the Pin Mens
Sam Ottawa
Barker Community Regional EventSunshine Coast Lunch
The Barker Community Sunshine Coast Lunch was held on Saturday 9 November with alumni and their guests attending, as well as former Barker parents. Phillip Heath AM shared an update on the School and guests enjoyed the opportunity to ask questions as well as share their experiences.
Alumni attending: Brian Allen (53), Louise Barnes (79), Don Carmichael (67), Peter Cordukes (56), John Grigg (59), Alistair Heron (63), Jim Page (71), Colin Rankin (60), John Sedman (60), and Graham Young (59)
NOTES Alumni
Colin Carter and Rod Burks (both 74) met up recently in Chicago after more than 50 years.
Rod attended the Class of 1974 50 year reunion last April. He had not been back to Barker for 55 years, after his family relocated to the US when he was in Year 8. Like Rod, Colin was also in the Junior School and his family transferred back at the end of Year 10.
Both Rod and Colin would certainly have been at the 1st XV Rugby had they been able to stay.
After leaving Barker, Colin’s next connection with Barker was sitting in the classroom at Upper Canada College with Trevor McCaskill, on sabbatical, at the front of his classroom.
(Number in brackets is the alumni year)
Adrian Blake (71) In my years at Barker, I was very active in the bushwalking club run by Stuart Braga. I was also in the Boy Scouts. At the age of 16, I started cross country skiing, later becoming an instructor and a coach. When I moved to Cooma in 1984, I became more involved with the sport, spending most of my winter weekends on the snow. I have been a volunteer for the sport for over 40 years, more so in the last 20 years. With my family, I attended and assisted with the Interschools competitions. Occasionally Barker has a crosscountry skier or two. They have never been big in this sport. I have frequently instructed a Barker skier, often with good results.
In the last two years there has been only one Barker student Cross country skier, Hugh Giffin. He skis well and has just joined the NSWACT XC team. In this group he will have all year-round training opportunities, both on the snow and in Sydney. He will have access to top level instructors and coaches. I am sure I will give him some extra instruction next winter. I have attached a photo from this year.
In the photo you will notice that I am wearing Estonian warm-up clothes. This is because for the last ten years I have spent a lot of time in Estonia during the northern winter. Now I have an apartment in Otepää, the winter capital of Estonia. I spend the northern winters skiing and competing in many races, most of which have been in Estonia, Finland and Russia.
I also travel to Austria for one of my favourite events, the Dolomitenlauf. All of these are long distance races, from 30 to 90 km. Lately I have had to limit myself to shorter events up to 40km.
Jeremy Lachlan (99) author of Young Adult fantasy series, The Cradle of All Worlds, returned to Barker during Term 3 to inspire Year 7 readers and writers.
Alex Blackwell (01) was inducted into the NSW Hall of Champions in October.
In an international career spanning 15 years, Alex Blackwell played 251 matches for Australia across Test, One-Day International and Twenty20 formats.
Australia’s 17th women’s Test captain, and the first Australian woman to play over 200 international matches, Alex scored more than 5,000 runs, won five World Cups and captained Australia to their first T20 World Cup victory in 2010.
Alex made three ODI centuries. Her first two were in 2008 and her third ODI century, and her highest international score of 114, came in 2016 against India.
The leading run-scorer for the NSW Breakers between 2001 and 2018, Alex won an incredible 13 Women’s National Cricket League titles, including seven as captain.
Alex captained the Sydney Thunder to victory at the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League in 2015. The Thunder WBBL Player of the Year award is named the Alex Blackwell Medal in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the game.
Alex was the first woman elected to the Cricket NSW Board and she has been a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in sport.
Sam Westley (13) recently completed the English Channel swim from England to France in 13 hours and 28 minutes.
Baptism in the Chapel
3 November
Eleanor Mae Brown, daughter of Janine Brown (02)
Wedding in the Chapel
24 August
Christopher Tot (15) married Jennifer Finlayson
Barker Lion Cub Club
Welcome George, son of Matt Ross Smith (10) to the Barker Lion Cub Club.
Taj Pereira (23) is a professional magician who returned to Barker in August for Book Week and dazzled with his incredible magic show.
OBITUARIES
Peter attended Barker College from 1952 to 1960, and was an outstanding sportsman, gaining five Colours (Athletics 1959, Athletics 1960, 1st XV 1959, 1st XV 1960, and the Associated Schools of NSW 1st XV 1960). Peter was the 440 yards champion; the under 16 athletics champion; a shotput record holder, and played as prop forward in Rugby.
Peter loved his schooldays and took part in many activities. He was a Warrant Officer Second Class (Company Sergeant Major) in the School Cadets; was in the School 2nds Debating Team and was an enthusiastic performer in Dramatics each year, at one time playing the lead role in Shakespeare’s Henry V. Peter was in the early years of Senior School when the Headmaster, William Stanley Leslie (“The Boss”) died. He well remembered the funeral Service in the half-finished Chapel which The Boss, as “the wise master builder”, had initiated. The boys lined the route outside the Chapel.
(Number in brackets is the alumni year)
It was in this same Barker College Chapel that he married Jan Bailey in 1979.
Amongst a host of wonderful memories of Barker, one in particular stood out. This was the night many years later that Mr R. B. Finlay retired after a lifetime of service at Barker (including at one stage being Acting Headmaster) and a retirement Dinner was held in his honour at Chatswood by the Old Boys. There, generations of Old Boys, who in their early days at the School had been terrified of “Fin” and his discipline methods, stood and applauded, like they had never applauded in their lives, a truly remarkable man, and a man who had helped to shape all of their lives.
After leaving School, Peter undertook further study and enjoyed an extensive world trip, before settling into his working life, where he became a Sales Representative; Sales Manager; Hotel Assistant Manager; a wine expert with Hardy’s Wines, and a Lecturer in Wine Appreciation.
In later years, Peter gained a Certificate in Christian Ministry from Sydney Missionary and Bible College and served in a number of responsible voluntary positions at Quakers Hill Anglican Church in Sydney over a 15 year period. He also did a great deal of voluntary work for various youth and Church organisations, including as Regional Event Manager for Winning Men Ministries.
He is survived by his wife, Jan, and their two children Ian (91) and David.
Alfred Scott Goninan, known as Scott or Alf, passed away after a short 8-day battle with brain cancer on 7 December 2023.
Scott attended Barker in his final two years of schooling and played Rugby and was an avid diver, earning Colours in 1976.
Scott went on to play Rugby at Newcastle University Rugby Club for 30+ years and was their Treasurer and President through the 90s. He volunteered his time and mentored young referees on the Gold Coast, was a passionate snow skier, sailor, pilot and a quiet philanthropist. His love of flying saw him navigate across the world three times in light aircraft, and donate his time to Angel Flight, seeing Scott fly across Queensland and NSW picking up sick patients and flying them to major hospitals for treatment.
Peter Norman Blair (60) 1943 - 2024
Alfred Scott Goninan (76) 1958 - 2023
Scott was the cornerstone is setting up his family’s Foundation in 2019 that now works with charities nationwide.
He is survived by his wife, Philippa and their children Charlotte, Macenzie and Annie.
Gavin Alister Hassall (49) 1932 - 2024
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Gavin Alister Hassall on Thursday 29 August. He was 92.5 years old.
The family of Gavin and Fiona Hassall, friends and relatives celebrated his long and successful life at a memorial service on Monday 9 September at Buderim, Queensland.
Gavin was a student at Barker College in 1948 and 1949. He joined the NSW Courts Department in 1950 and was Clerk of Courts, Coroner and Acting Magistrate until he resigned at Walcha in 1961.
Gavin married Fiona Mary Perrin at Barker College Chapel on 21 January 1961. Gavin and Fiona moved to Capella in Central Queensland where they successfully grew grain and beef cattle.
Gavin is survived by his wife of 63 years, Fiona, sons Andrew and John, daughter Nerida and five grandchildren.
James Philip Little 1943 - 2024
Philip was a boarder at Barker with his 2 brothers, Geoff and Jack, starting as a 5 year old in kindergarten. In 1957 he left Barker to finish his schooling at Bowral. He lived at Pymble during the war years and in 1946 the family moved to a country property at Robertson in the Southern Highlands. Philip took an instant love of farm life and was soon riding horses, winning prizes at the local shows and looking after all the farm animals. Whilst at school he participated in cricket and football, playing Prep firsts in both sports and through to the U15s. Philip played most his football games as a centre with an excellent turn of speed. He enjoyed his school life and also participated in the school cadets.
In 1948 his father was transferred to Karachi in Pakistan and with his brothers, he spent many holidays in a Naval establishment with his parents, where he had the run of boating, swimming, hockey with the trainee sailors and learning badminton.
When his father finished his term of service in Karachi, the family moved to Moss Vale to a small farm where Philip and his horses spent countless hours at the local shows and gymkhanas, winning more prizes for his horsemanship. Riding home from a show one evening, Philip fell off his horse in
pain and shortly after was found and transported to hospital with appendicitis. After finishing school, he went to Wagga Agricultural College to begin a farming degree. One of his trips following on from Wagga was to go to The Argentine and learn the ways of running large country properties. It was here that he was introduced to cooking a BBQ Argentine style, cooking a whole sheep on a spit.
Philip later spent some time in New Guinea working for the Administration. After finishing in New Guinea, he joined Qantas and spent many years as part of the cabin crew. This allowed him to get to the UK and many other countries. On one of these trips, Philip met Valli Hales and they were married on his return to Sydney. Together they started the upmarket delicatessen Gastronomes at Roseville which was highly successful. During this time Philip and Valli became parents to their two sons.
Following on from their achievement at Gastronomes, Valli became food editor of a Sydney based food magazine, Delicious Philip spent considerable time assisting with various aspects of the food industry, as well as pursuing his other interest of landscape gardening. An interesting offshoot to the magazine work occurred when they were asked to run a cooking school in Italy. It was a highly successful venture and was exceptionally well attended. Philip and Valli also participated in other cooking schools in Italy in the next few years before returning to retire in Roseville.
Valli passed away in 2017 and Philip returned to his favourite area, the Southern Highlands. He had a small cottage on a property at Mittagong where he enjoyed retirement living. Here he met up with quite a few of his old classmates Ian Nicholls (60) and Peter Hassall (60) and
they spent time golfing, lunching and enjoying all that the Highlands had to offer. He passed away after a short illness on 2nd March 2024 and is survived by his two sons, Toby and Henry.
Todd William Guyot (84) 1967 - 2024
The funeral of Todd William Guyot (84) was recently held in the Barker Chapel. Todd was a much-loved down-to-earth person who brought a smile to all those he met. He had a unique sense of humour, equally matched by his unique dress sense which redefined the term “smart casual” wear.
Todd had three main passions in his life, family, footy and finance. His family were very important to Todd. He married his wife, Anthea in the Barker chapel, and they had their children christened there. Barker was an integral part of Todd’s life. While at Barker, Todd played both First Grade Rugby and Cricket. In rugby, he was a feared winger with a straight sidestep and in cricket an equally feared fast bowler. After Barker, he continued playing for over three decades for the Barker Old Boys into his 50s. Some highlights being the 2003 4th grade winning side and captaining the winning 2006 2nd grade side. His passion and enthusiasm were recognised by all that played with
him. Todd also had many enjoyable years playing OzTag and Touch Football. Any type of competitive sport, Todd excelled and enjoyed playing.
In finance, Todd had a genuine interest and love of equity markets. He began his career at AMP, where he met Anthea. After working in a few different stockbroking firms, he moved to the “buy” side working at Regal Funds Management, establishing a successful long term track record for its small companies fund. Throughout his career, he had a reputation as one who understood the market and as in the sporting field, he was a fierce competitor. He is remembered as a “terrific investor, an even better person and cherished friend”. Throughout his working career he will also be remembered for mentoring junior staff.
He was a true character who was very comfortable in his own skin and way of living life. He will be fondly remembered by all those that met him and in particular, his much-loved family. Thanks ‘Goatie’ for all the memories and great times.
He is survived by his parents, Jack and Marilyn; his brothers Aaron (86) and Shane (88); wife Anthea and his four children, Taylor (13), Lachlan (15), Jordan (19) and Jasmine. Andrew King (84)
In 2025 we look forward to celebrating 50 years of coeducation. A series of special events to commemorate this milestone will be held throughout the year. We look forward to sharing further details and event dates early 2025
13 SEPTEMBER 2025
OBA Events Contact Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 alumni@barker.nsw.edu.au
Regional events provide a great opportunity to connect with members of the Barker community in your area.
Please contact community@barker. nsw.edu.au for information about regional events or to update your contact details if you are living in a different location to your Barker mailing address so we can invite you too!
Photos
Photos from your event may be posted on the OBA Website (www.oba.net.au), the Alumni Facebook page (www.facebook. com/barkercollegealumni), the Alumni Instagram page (www. instagram.com/barkercollegealumni) and in The Barker magazine. For further queries please contact the Alumni Office.
