Fifty Year Reunion

A successful get-together of the SVC year group that reached Year 12 in 1974 was held on 19 Oct 2024. Forty former students attended from the 46 acceptances, with six being late withdrawals due to health or other commitments, while several others who wanted to come were unable to travel for similar reasons. The absent friends who were not able to join us were recognised in a moment of reflection. Attendees included 11 who travelled from interstate and two who returned home in time to make it along – all of them said that it was worth the time, effort and expense to join us. The most missed was Warren Ross who was always a popular figure and was largely responsible for tee-ing up the function room at King George V Oval and contracting the caterer. Glenorchy District Football Club offered the venue to us for free in recognition of Warren’s previous sponsorship and decades of pro-bono accountancy work for the club. 

Many were pleased that Br Bill Wilding travelled from Melbourne for the occasion as he is fondly remembered as ‘one of the good ones’ as a science teacher and sports coach. We did come from a very successful sporting era with multiple state championship-winning teams in athletics, football and hockey, and southern champion swimmers. While a school tie, hatband with a badge, a pair of sports socks, and blue, green & yellow napkins were flying the SVC colours, the evening focussed on the people we shared these experiences with.

While many have life-long friendships from school days it was great to see the level of interaction between former classmates outside their usual friends’ groupings. The theme for the evening of learning the life stories of those people not seen for 50 years was embraced by all present. It stemmed from “When I knew you blokes, we had student cards, and now we’re eligible for seniors’ cards”.  Reflecting on our origins of being old enough to remember Hobart’s trams, trolleybuses, trans-Derwent ferries, the floating bridge, Black Tuesday and the first moon landing. We were the last to take the train to AF and the first on the buses. We were the last to wear felt school hats and the first to wear blazers to school. We were the first to use the new 3rd-year block at Austins Ferry, and the Joyce block at Barrack St. One wonders how we managed to coordinate travel and a busy social schedule pre-mobile phones and social media.

It was pleasing to witness a ‘mini-reunion’ within the reunion when Howard Kelly, Simon Gourlay and Gerry Clougher re-enacted a photo of themselves from the Mercury taken in 1971. The forward-thinking Year 9 students had taken their campaign against untreated sewage being discharged into the Derwent, which compromised their enjoyment of water sports, direct to the Mercury offices. They’d previously campaigned for a litter bin at the bus stop where they caught the bus to Austins Ferry. It’s good to know that their value systems remain intact after their careers; Howard as a school principal in Tasmania, Victoria and USA, Simon is a lawyer & JP in the RAN, and Gerry has worked in the western desert, on a tropical island, and in Antarctica with the Met Bureau and has recently circumnavigated the continent in a yacht.

L-R: Gerry Clougher, Howard Kelly and Simon Gourlay

There were many accomplished people in the room; our group had produced many responsible careers; doctors, lawyers, teachers & principals, published authors, trades, service personnel in ADF and emergency services, academics, IT & comms techs, Govt executives, finance, business owners and managers in sciences, arts and entertainment. 

There was a really positive vibe in the room throughout the event, which opened at 4.00 pm and went beyond 11.00 pm to accommodate people with other plans. The feedback received has been overwhelmingly positive so the mood to continue the reconnection established has been strong. An email group is being established to enable sharing of photos and stories, and so that people can establish/maintain contact with each other. Therefore, former classmates that were not physically able to be there on the night can be included. There’s already talk of getting together for a meal early in 2025.

Finally, that the event could be planned and implemented successfully in a way that generated so much interest among a group from a common origin that may have been virtual strangers for 50 years, is down to a few good blokes thinking it would be worthwhile. Warren Ross was asked by OVA Secretary Graeme Rainbow to be the contact person for enquirers from the year group, so became the Remote Controller liaising with the GDFC president & venue manager, and it’s usual caterer Carol DeJersey. Warren enlisted Barry Batchelor as networker-in-chief, who in turn contacted Marty Ogle who had been instrumental in getting 15 of us together in 2014, and who thrived in his MC role in 2024. Although Marty has been on the road for 6 months he invited Bill Wilding and our contemporaries from St Marys with the invitation as seen in OVAtions. Peter Jeffries, Howard Kelly and Paul Rice distributed the updates through their contacts so that the info filtered through the network. Many former classmates were chuffed that we managed to find and include them in marking the 50 year anniversary. Peter Williams and Gerard Morgan were in the inner circle throughout. Thanks go the Greg Thompson whose background music enhanced the atmosphere of the event. He made up a playlist from our era played through industrial strength professional speakers he provided. 

It just goes to show that a bunch of old schoolmates can emerge from their responsible careers and family rearing, and still can organise get-together in a footy club.

Group photo names:

Standing L-R: Barry Batchelor, Karel Havlat, John Cox, Justin Fitzpatrick, Peter Williams, Pat Sharpe, Rod Sherrin, Simon Gourlay, Rob Ratcliffe, James Casey, Howard Kelly, Michael Sertori, Greg & Paul Thompson, Damian Egan (@SVC Year 12 only), Brendan Lockett, David Walker, Steve Sykes, Paul Byrne, Phillip Salter, Shane Young, Sean Gill, Greg Adkins in front of Mark Triffett, Marty Ogle.

Seated L-R: Pat O’Malley, Steve Randell, Adam Winzenberg, Greg Holliday, Bill Wilding, Anthony Tulk, Gerard Morgan, Peter Jeffries, Damian Kerin, Michael Kerslake, Roger Winzenberg      

The photo was taken after Gerry Clougher, Mark Stranger and David Youd had left, but before Jim Delaney had arrived.