Year in Focus

Today we’re revisiting 1987 to consider some of the biggest local, national and global happenings and trends of the time. 

Once again the annual school magazine, Binalong, has not only been a source of valuable information, but has also provided us with some entertainment and amusement along the way. Unfortunately, after 1987 Binalong was in a hiatus and wasn’t published again until 1996.

Participation in the ‘Sharemarket Game’ was one of the favourite extracurricular activities for Healesville High students. 35 students were involved in this program and they benefited from the expert guidance of the lead teacher, Peter Liston. This was a national and state game and HHS had a history of great success. 1987 wasn’t any different and the senior team comprising of Andrew Peters, Andrew Smith and Darren Eeles won the state title. They were closely followed by another Year 12 team made up of Etienne Mulder and Roger Willems. Year 11 students Gary Racine, Anthony Mathieson, Simon McDonald and Jamie Kelly were also prominent challengers. Many of the students involved have subsequently enjoyed highly successful professional careers in areas including finance, policing and academia. 

Alan Honeycombe was the School Sport Coordinator and his extensive report in Binalong summarises a successful year for HHS students. Jeremy McVay made it to the All High Athletics Championships for the U/13 Javelin and he received a silver medal. Sean Williams competed in the U/21 1500m walk at the All High level. Samantha King, Patricia Holmes, Sharyn Honeycombe and Debbie Vaughn swam their way to the All High Championships and competed in the U/16 medley relay.

Local favourite, Andrew Peters (Pee Wee), graduated in 1987 and he went on to have a successful academic career, including being awarded a PhD from Swinburne University in 2017. Pee Wee is a proud Wurundjeri man, a staunch player and supporter of the Healesville Football Netball Club and one of the most tragic fans of Mellencamp coverband ,‘Scarecrow’, to ever grace the dance floor of the Terminus Hotel. Pee Wee has many fond memories of his time at HHS. One such memory relates to the Year 12 Staff v Students football game. According to Pee Wee, he’s ‘pretty sure we won’ and he taught a young Allan Rennick a few things about football that day.

 Mr Honeycombe’s sport report suggests the staff won by 15 points and Mr Rennick taught Andrew a few things about football.

Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Another favourite, Amanda Todd (and her big hair), arrived at Healesville High School in 1987 and she has been caring for and joking with students ever since, not to mention occasionally confusing them with her trademark sarcasm. 

HHS students spent their summers at the local pool. According to Scott Fisher’s recollections, back then Allan Black (Blacky) ruled the pool with a cool pair of sunnies, white singlet, moustache, black football shorts, rich tan and a pair of thongs. As the lifeguard from dawn to dusk, nobody wanted to cross Blacky. If you argued, he’d kick you out of the pool for the entire summer and as there was nowhere else to go, everyone followed his rules.

In one of Healesville’s biggest and saddest

mysteries, local girl and HHS student, Suzanne Lawrance, disappeared ten days before her 17th birthday. 

Prior to her disappearance Suzi attended a party at the Memorial Hall on the Saturday night and was last seen at a Country Music Festival in Yarra Glen on the Sunday. Suzi’s disappearance remains a sad mystery for her family and friends and a dark moment in Healesville’s history.

Beyond Healesville, Carlton defeated Hawthorn in the VFL grand final (15.14 V 9.17) and Kylie Minogue found fame with her hit single, ‘Locomotion’. 

The first episode of ‘The Simpsons’ was screened on ‘The Tracey Allman Show’ 

and the first person was convicted using DNA evidence. 

‘Three Men and a Baby’ was the highest grossing blockbuster film, closely followed by ‘Fatal Attraction’. 

Sadly, Julian Knight fatally wounded seven

 people and injured 19 in the Hoddle Street

massacre. Despite embarking on many legal challenges to be released, he remains in prison. 

The first mobile phone call was made in Australia, but it was several years before this technology reached mainstream society.

And that’s 1987!