A life of learning, service and connection

Cheryl Payne (nee Hickson) (1967–1972)

For Cheryl Payne (nee Hickson), Girton was never just a school—it was a formative place that nurtured curiosity, compassion and a lifelong commitment to education and community. Attending Girton from 1967 to 1972, Cheryl’s journey began as a boarder in her first year, before she became a “day girl,” travelling daily from northeast of Bendigo near Goornong once Floods Motor Service began providing daily transport.

Alongside her sister Yvonne Osborn (née Hickson), Cheryl was a proud member of Frew House. “I still have my uniforms and house colour sash,” she says—tangible reminders of school days that continue to hold deep meaning decades later.

Asked about her most influential teacher, Cheryl finds it hard to choose just one. “I had several teachers who inspired me greatly,” she says, though science teacher Ms Dorothy Crothers stands out. Cheryl remembers not only her enthusiasm for science, but her humanity. “What impressed me most was how Dorothy Crothers always approached the ‘Old Girls’ at functions after we had left school, genuinely keen to hear our news and enquire what we were all doing.” That ongoing care, Cheryl reflects, “spoke volumes about her devotedness to education.”

She also credits the encouragement of Headmistresses Ms Jean d’Helin and Ms Sheilagh A. Hardy, appreciating “their individual approach” and the confidence they instilled in students.

Cheryl’s year as a boarder in 1967 left vivid memories. “I clearly remember being dreadfully homesick,” she admits. Comfort came from senior students, including her sister Yvonne, and from the Girton House Mistress, Miss Marshall. There were also the quirks of boarding life: “the strict three-minute limit on our morning showers,” and coping with “windows without any glass, just flywire, which was significantly inadequate in the very chilly Bendigo winters!”

There were lighter moments too. Saturday afternoon bus excursions to Cairn Curran Reservoir, Mount Alexander and the Loddon River at Bridgewater were highlights, with picnic lunches fondly remembered though one smell lingers above all others. “The ghastly smell of ‘bread and dripping’ wafting from the Boarding House kitchen is embedded in my nostrils!” she laughs.

Studying English, English Literature, French, Biology and Australian History in Year 12, Cheryl already knew her calling. “From late primary school, I knew that I wanted to teach at the early childhood level,” she says. After graduating from Melbourne Kindergarten Teachers’ College with her Diploma in Teaching in 1975, and later updating her qualifications with a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) in 1980 while working full-time, Cheryl spent 16 years teaching kindergarten before her career evolved in ways she never quite expected.

“I never really considered that I might then be teaching early childhood courses as an extension of my career,” Cheryl reflects. Yet that is exactly where life led her; into tertiary education, first at Holmesglen TAFE and then for 25 years at Box Hill Institute. Five of those years were spent overseas in Fiji and Samoa, upskilling over 200 kindergarten teachers from across 9 different Pacific Island Countries. “This was a most rewarding and humbling experience,” she says, one made possible by the support of her husband Simon, who retired early to support her work.

Even in retirement, Cheryl’s commitment to education remains strong. She continues as a volunteer mentor for early childhood educators and regularly updates her skills, “being dedicated to lifelong learning and community service.”

Cheryl’s connection to Girton never faded. She became involved with the OGA Melbourne Branch in the late 1970s after a chance conversation with an Old Girtonian grandparent at her kindergarten. Serving as Secretary for around 14 years, Cheryl relished the role. “I found it enthralling, hearing many anecdotes of their early days at Girton.” Those friendships endure still, with informal catch-ups continuing “but with no documentation needed!”

Married to Simon since 1975, Cheryl has just celebrated a remarkable milestone; 50 years of marriage. Together they have built a rich family life, raising two children, Lauren and Christopher, and delighting in their grandson Liam. Each week, Cheryl volunteers as a reading helper at his school, a role that brings together her love of children and learning.

Beyond education, Cheryl is passionate about genealogy, history and storytelling. In 1984, she wrote and published the Hickson family history, fulfilling a long-held dream of her father. “After his sudden death when I was only 21, I knew that I needed to fulfil his wish.” Fourteen family reunions later, and even a pilgrimage to Ireland for a worldwide Hickson reunion, Cheryl proudly describes herself as “an archivist (not a hoarder!).”

Now in her seventies, Cheryl remains deeply engaged - with book club, bowls, Pilates, swimming, walking, volunteering and travel. Reflecting recently on her seventy years, she created memory boards to mark her seven decades. “I feel deeply grateful for the many opportunities and experiences that have enriched both my personal and professional life,” she says, “and I look forward with excitement to what may lie ahead.”

From Frew House to classrooms across Australia and the Pacific, Cheryl’s story is one of curiosity, care and quiet leadership; a life shaped by Girton values, and one that continues to give back in countless ways.