2021 Notables Inductees The Gallery of Notable Old Collegians was inaugurated in 2011 by the Old Geelong Collegians’ Association (OGCA) to recognise and honour those former students of The Geelong College who became outstanding in their fields.
James Balfour CBE OGC 1929 Raised in a family with a long tradition of public service, James Balfour was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Morwell District in 1955, representing the Liberal and Country Party. He served as Government Whip and Parliamentary Secretary of Cabinet. In 1964, Premier Harold Bolte appointed Balfour as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey, President of the Board of Land and Works, Minister of Soldier Settlement and Minister for Conservation. He retired in 1983.
56 Ad Astra Issue No 141
Commodore Nicole Curtis
Major General Adam Findlay AO
OGC 1988
OGC 1983
Commodore Dr Nicole Curtis has risen through the ranks of the Royal Australian Navy, now serving as Director of Naval Health. Curtis studied Medicine at Monash University, graduating in 1995 and joining the RAN as a final year student. She served as Medical Officer on HMAS Arunta in the Royal Australian Navy in East Timor in 1999, and in Operation Catalyst (Middle East) in 2005. She was awarded a FRACGP 2004.
In 2021 Major General Adam Findlay rose through the ranks of the Australian Army, having served in Iraq, TimorLeste and Afghanistan. His most recent appointment was Special Operations Commander – Australia. Prior to that he successfully commanded Coalition Special Operations during the Battle to liberate Mosul in 2016/2017 for which he was awarded the US Legion of Merit. In 2021 he was awarded the French Legion d’Honneur for establishing formal relations between French and Australian Special Forces.
