ALUMNI TALK

Alumni are role models for current students. We have opportunities for alumni to share their insights with our students, where they can gain invaluable knowledge about future pathways.

Your presence, skills, or advice can have a lasting impact on our students. If you have a profession or skill you think could be valuable for McKinnon Secondary College students, please get in touch with us. Contact Melanie Lynch via email thistle@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au or connect with us via our social media accounts. 

YEAR 9 WISDOM & SERVICE PROGRAM ALUMNI TALK

As part of the Wisdom & Service program in Term One, the Year 9 students were lucky to have Major-General Peter Dunn AO (Class of 1964) speak to the cohort. 

This is a reflection from Year 9 Student Etaash Jha:

In Term One, the Year 9 students had the privilege of hearing from the Major-General Peter Dunn AO (Class of 1964). 

Peter Dunn spoke graciously about his experiences working in many important, high-pressure environments. By hearing the stories of a career filled with outstanding acts of service, we gained a further appreciation of McKinnon's famous motto, “Wisdom & Service”.

This is a time when we are reminded that service is not just a word in our motto, but a commitment to honouring those who gave everything for the lives we lead today.

Written by Etaash Jha, Year 9 Student

MAJOR-GENERAL PETER DUNN, AO (CLASS OF 1964)

Major-General Peter Dunn, AO, graduated from McKinnon High School (now McKinnon Secondary College) in 1964. He was head Prefect, Senior Cadet Under Officer in the School’s Cadet Unit and a member of the school debating team.

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Before commencing his final school year Peter was awarded a scholarship to attend the Royal Military College, Duntroon. After matriculating he began a career with the Australian Army. In 1970 he was deployed on combat operations in Vietnam. 

His subsequent Army career included overseas service in Singapore, the United Kingdom and the USA. He retired from the Army in 2002 at the rank of Major General.

Following the 2003 Canberra Bushfire disaster he was appointed as the inaugural Commissioner of the Emergency Services Authority in the Australian Capital Territory. In this role he lead the restructuring of the ACT emergency services (urban and rural fire services, ambulance and state emergency service) and worked on the recovery of the community. Subsequently, he began a consulting career specialising in strategic and crisis leadership and overseas aid and development.

In 2018 he joined with a group of other retired fire commissioners to form a group known as the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA). The focus of this group was to pressure governments in Australia to take action to prepare communities for the extreme likelihood that a major bushfire event was going to occur as a result of the effects of climate change. In 2019 that threat became a reality when the Black Summer Bushfires occurred. Peter was then living in a small NSW South Coast village called Lake Conjola. This area was hit by the fires on New Year’s Eve 2019. The area was devastated and became isolated. 

For almost 12 months after the fires he worked to coordinate the community response and recovery activities in the area.

Peter continues his work with ELCA advocating for emissions reduction and community climate change action and resilience.

We sincerely thank him for taking the time to speak with our school community and for continuing to maintain his connection with McKinnon. His remarkable journey since leaving school is an inspiring example of leadership, service and commitment to community.

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