11 minute read
Old Scotch Collegians
OSC President
I am thrilled to be attempting to fill the big shoes left by Michael Silbert (OSC 1979) in his role as President of Old Scotch Collegians.
‘Silbs’ commandeered the OSC for the better part of 10 years with passion and gusto. He will remain on the OSC Committee in an ex-officio capacity, and we are very fortunate to have him.
OSC in 2021
I recently dug out the Old Scotch Collegians’ Constitution. It states that the objectives of the OSC are to:
• further the welfare of the College and the OSC;
• provide both financial and non-financial assistance of any kind to the College, ex-scholars of the College and any sporting, cultural or other association of ex-scholars of the College; • promote friendship and unity among ex-scholars of the College; and
• maintain the interest of ex-scholars in the College.
I am keen to ensure the Board is taking steps to achieve these objectives by using its resources as efficiently as possible. If you have any ideas for the Board regarding the above, please reach out to me on +61 401 919 456 or aaron@pragma.law.
Many of you will know Cass Macgowan, who held the role of Alumni Officer for four years. Cass left Scotch College at the end of 2020 with our very best wishes for her contribution to the OSC over the years.
In 2021, we welcome Alumni Officer Nadia Sierakowski and Alumni Assistant Kate Chesson to the OSC. Nadia and Kate are a dynamic pair who come to Scotch with experience in membership organisations and will assist in the growth of our organisation. To contact the Alumni office, call +61 8 9383 6849 or email osc@scotch.wa.edu.au.
Respect and Consent
You may have read in the media the leading stance made by the College and, in particular, Headmaster Dr Alec O’Connell on the issue of respect and consent involving boys’ behaviour towards girls and men’s behaviour towards women. The OSC stands side by side with the school on this topical issue and tabled a letter to the Headmaster and Reverend Gary van Heerden on its preparedness to support and advance this important conversation.
OSC Events
I hope all OSCs can get involved in some of the exciting events we have coming up this year, including the Celebration of Scotch Football Dinner on Friday 18 June and Wine Tasting on Thursday 26 August.
Please mark these dates in your diary, and keep an eye on your inbox for booking information on these events and more.
Best wishes to all for the year ahead.
Old Scotch Collegians
Calendar
18 June 2021 Celebration of Scotch Football
Scotch College Dickinson Centre
25 June 2021 Class of 1991 Thirty Year Reunion
Scotch College Dining Room
31 July 2021 Return to the Grounds
Scotch College Playing Fields
26 August 2021 Wine Tasting
Swanbourne Cellars
14 October 2021 New Members Function (OSC 2016–20)
Varsity Bar
15 October 2021 March Out
Scotch College
22 October 2021 Founders’ Day Dinner and Marching
Scotch College
11 November 2021 Remembrance Day
Collegians House Please note the dates for the following events are not confirmed.
Upcoming Reunions Class of 1961 Class of 1971 Class of 1981 Class of 2010 Class of 2011
Tennis Tournament
Claremont Lawn Tennis Club
To book, visit calendar. scotch.wa.edu.au.
Celebrating Lives
Edward (John) Cook Walter Murdoch King Robert Phelps Frank Gow Lindsay Wilson Bruce Mazzucchelli Rendel Hatch George Bentley Peter Hasson Colin Hasson Geoff Gawler Jeremy Entriken Murray Gill
1945 1949 1953 1959 1960 1963 1966 1968 1973 1976 1980 2009 Past Staff
Business Spotlight
Old Scotch Collegians created the Business Spotlight to support its members and their business ventures through the challenges of COVID-19 and beyond. The initiative highlights alumni and their businesses through the OSC eNews, publications, social media and a Scotch online business directory, launching later this year.
Email osc@scotch.wa.edu.au to have your business featured.
Domaine Naturaliste
Bruce Dukes (OSC 1984)
Domaine Naturaliste are growers, makers and purveyors of wine. They create wines that capture the freshness, flavour and texture of their pristine Margaret River fruit. Find Domaine’s cellar door at the vineyard at 160 Johnson Road, Wilyabrup, open daily.
Bruce began life at Scotch in 1977. For him, it was a great foundation to build lifelong friendships, which continue today. An interest in plants and microbiology led him to study Agricultural Science at the University of Western Australia from 1985–90. Bruce gained practical experience in the Margaret River wine industry and completed a Masters in Viticulture and Enology at the University of California. He spent five years in the Napa Valley working for Francis Ford Coppola at the legendary Inglenook Vineyard. Bruce is now enjoying his 30th year working with wine. He feels blessed to live in Dunsborough with his wife Wendy and sons Oscar (16 years) and Tim (14 years). He cites his major success has been in keeping in touch with his mates from Scotch.
Domaine Naturaliste has hosted young winemakers every year since 1998. They encourage any young OSC interested in winemaking and viticulture to get in touch.
Ezekiel Eyes
Damon Ezekiel (OSC 1984)
Ezekiel Eyes offers a full scope of optometry services and specialises in all contact lenses. The boutique, family-owned practice is passionate about providing the highest standards of care for eye health and eyewear to suit the most discerning patient.
Damon thoroughly enjoyed his time at Scotch and was involved in as many activities as he could manage. In 1989, he graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Optometry. In addition to owning and managing Ezekiel Eyes, Damon is a contact lens consultant to various research organisations. He regularly lectures and conducts workshops in contact lens practice throughout Australia, Asia and the United States. In 2014, Damon taught at the Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology in Hanoi, on behalf of the charity organisation Sight For All. He treats patients with conditions such as keratoconus and those who are post-graft and post-refractive surgery. He regularly treats children following operations for congenital cataracts.
Damon welcomes alumni who are interested in studying optometry for work experience.
Events
Founders’ Day Dinner and Marching
More than 100 Old Scotch Collegians attended the 2020 Founders’ Day Dinner on Friday 23 October. The day began with Founders’ Day Marching, in which past pipers and drummers played alongside current students.
The evening’s guest speaker was the man of the moment, the Hon. Roger Cook MLA (OSC 1982), Deputy Premier, who oversees the Health; Medical Research; State Development, Jobs and Trade; and Science portfolios.
Roger, who was Vice-Captain of School, Captain of Alexander House and Captain of Rugby, shared firsthand how the State Government was managing WA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also touched on the challenges to state border laws and reminisced fondly of his school days.
Scotch is one of few remaining PSA schools to hold an annual dinner of this nature. This event, marking the College’s foundation, is believed to be the oldest, continuous PSA alumni event in WA, excluding a war year.
Class of 1960 Sixty Year Reunion
Sixty years after graduating, about 40 members of the Class of 1960 returned to school on 4 December 2020. They enjoyed a school tour and Chapel service before having lunch in the Dining Hall.
Class of 1970 Fifty Year Reunion
It was half a century since members of the Class of 1970 graduated. More than 30 members gathered at Claremont Yacht Club on 20 November 2020. Prior to lunch, some spent the morning watching House Marching and the Pipe Band, followed by a tour of the campus and the Heritage Centre.
Class of 1990 Thirty Year Reunion
The Class of 1990 gathered at the Claremont Football Club on 21 November 2020. More than 45 attended to reconnect and reminisce – 30 years after graduation.
1970 Darlot and Alcock Cup Reunion
About 20 members of the winning 1970 Alcock and Darlot Cup sides gathered at The Sandbar in Scarborough on 21 November 2020 to relive their glory days. Coaches Ian Saggers and Ian ShortlandJones attended, with the Alcock Cup also making an appearance.
Class of 2000 Twenty Year Reunion
Twenty years after graduating, 45 members of the Class of 2000 gathered on 16 October 2020 at the Cottesloe Hotel. Attendees travelled from all over the state. Special thanks to our 2000 Captain of School, Andrew Johnston, for his work in preparing some interesting statistics and stories for the evening.
Seniors’ Lunch
After being postponed from its regular May date due to COVID-19, more than 60 OSC attended the 2020 Seniors’ Lunch on 13 November. The annual event is open to past students who graduated more than 50 years ago, with attendees invited to watch House Marching and the Pipe Band, attend Assembly and visit the Heritage Centre, before lunch in the Dining Hall.
Beverley and Districts Combined PSA Dinner
The 86th Annual Beverley and Districts Combined Public Schools Old Boys’ Association Dinner was held on 26 March 2021 at the Beverley Golf Club. The event was well attended by 81 past-PSA school students from around the Avon area and hosted by Christ Church Grammar School. Christ Church alumnus, author and comedian Jon Doust was the guest speaker who kept the audience entertained with tales from his boarding school days. In 2022, Scotch will host the event.
Class of 2001 Twenty Year Reunion
The Class of 2001 was the first cohort to kick off the OSC reunions this year, holding theirs on 17 April at The Sandbar in Scarborough. About 47 members attended the evening, with special thanks to owner Ben Randall, new OSC President Aaron McDonald and Jason Beard (all 2001 OSCs) for coordinating the reunion.
What have they been up to?
Brian Walker (OSC 1971)
I left Australia for Scotland in 1970. After attending medical school at Dundee, I worked as a medical practitioner in Scotland, England, Germany, Russia, China and Hong Kong.
After returning to Australia in 2008, I settled into medical practice in Kununoppin, taking over from Dr John Radunovich (OSC 1949).
Whilst thinking of semi-retiring from Kununoppin, I took on a position in Serpentine but then found myself elected to the Upper House of the WA Parliament for the Legalise Cannabis WA Party. No doubt to the amusement of my classmate John Shadbolt (OSC 1971) of Mukinbudin!
Justin Linney (OSC 2004)
After finishing school, I went to Curtin University, majoring in Jewellery Design, joined the Army Reserves and did some travelling. Whilst studying I worked with disadvantaged kids at Adventure Club, which led to a management role at The Great Escape. Meanwhile, I started my own business making men’s jewellery and exhibited my contemporary jewellery at various art galleries in WA.
Towards the tail end of my degree, I joined the family business, Linneys Jewellery, to implement CAD (computer-aided design) technology specific for jewellery design and manufacturing. This evolved into a sales, design and procurement role, and I moved
What have you been up to?
If you graduated in 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 or 2011, send us an update. Email osc@scotch.wa.edu.au and send us a photo to include alongside your submission. We will be featuring updates in Clan this year.
to California to become a gemmologist at the Gemological Institute of America.
More recently, I have taken over my father’s role as Creative Director at Linneys and have been heavily involved with the succession planning. Through this work, we were awarded the Family Business Australia Hall of Fame award in 2019. This year, I was recently announced as a winner of the 40under40 Awards.
My wife Catriona and I had a baby, Elle, in February this year. I am hoping to still make it up north this year for my annual one-week surfing hiatus. I have enjoyed staying in touch with Scotch through making the graduation rings each year.