Halls of Achievement
Balwyn High School Halls of Achievement Nomination Form
Balwyn High School’s Halls of Achievement, are a beacon of inspiration that celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of generations of Balwyn High School graduates. They stand as a testament to the indomitable spirit, unwavering dedication, and boundless talent that have been educated at Balwyn High School.
We invite you to nominate one or more Balwyn High School alumni into any of the following Halls of Achievement:
- Balwyn High School Hall of Achievement
- Sport Hall of Achievement
- Music Hall of Achievement
- Art Hall of Achievement
- Science Hall of Achievement
- Commerce Hall of Achievement
The alumni being nominated must meet the following criteria:
- has achieved excellence in their profession, community service or education, at a local, state or national level
- has been a positive role model for Balwyn High School Community Members
- has established a record of personal integrity
Balwyn High School Hall of Achievement
Malcolm Speed
Sports Administration
Enrolled 1960-1965
Inducted 2006
Lee Simon
Australian Radio
Enrolled 1965 – 1970
Inducted 2024
George Norris
Management Consulting
Enrolled 1954 – 1957
Inducted 2024
Roger Male BA, BL
Investment Banker, Economics Specialist
Commenced 1955 – Graduated 1959
Inducted: 2019
Natalee Jeremic
Violin
Graduated 1993
Inducted: 2016
Brian Stagoll MB BS FRANZCP
Psychiatrist, Family Therapist, Community Health Activist
Enrolled 1958 – 1962
Inducted: 2014
John de la Motte BInfTech
Programmer, Entrepreneur
Enrolled 1999 – 2004
Inducted: 2014
Sylvia Geddes BA Hons
Public Servant, Philanthropist, Advocate
Enrolled 1957 – 1960, 1962
Inducted: 2014
Dr Kylie Mason MBBS PhD FRACP FRCPA
Haematologist, Bone Marrow Transplant Physician, Clinician Researcher
Enrolled 1985 – 1990
Inducted: 2014
Peter Thomas BComm FCA
Chartered Accountant, Tax Specialist
Enrolled 1957 – 1962
Inducted: 2014
Robert Richter QC, BA BL (Hons)
Barrister, Solicitor
Enrolled 1960 – 1963
Inducted: 2014
Sport Hall of Achievement
Daniel was a passionate and talented golfer at school. He captained the golf team for the latter three years, reliably carding low scores and building his dream to become a professional golfer.
Daniel turned Professional in 2010.
Daniel’s commitment to honing his golf skills has been rewarded with success.
In 2012 Daniel began playing on the PGA Tour of Australasia and won the final event of the season, the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum, Queensland. Winning score by 4 strokes: -16 (64-70-69-69=272)
He was the 2012 PGA Australia Rookie of the Year.
Daniel has also competed on the European Tour, US PGA Tour and in two World Golf Championships.
Daniel is currently playing on the PGA Tour of Australasia and OneAsia Golf Tours
Malcolm is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading sports administrators.
After studying law at Melbourne University and graduating in 1970, he practised as a barrister in Melbourne.
Malcolm played basketball for the Melbourne Tigers and cricket for Doncaster (now Fitzroy-Doncaster).
From 1980 until 1997, he held senior positions in Australian basketball including as President of Victorian Basketball Association, Chairman of Basketball Australia and Chairman of the National Basketball League.
1993 to 1998: Chairman of the Victorian Council for Fitness and Health.
1997 until 2001: Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Cricket Board and also a Commissioner of the Australian Sports Commission.
2001-2008: Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council.
Malcolm was inducted into the NBL Hall of Fame in 2000 and into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame on 12th October 2012. He is also a Life Member of
ANSZLA and received their Outstanding Service to Sport Award in 2008.
Malcolm is currently Executive Director of the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS) and a Director of Victorian Major Events Company, Golf Australia and the Richmond Football Club. He also lectures in Sports Law at Melbourne University and Sports Administration at Deakin University.
World Junior High Jump Champion
Strathmore House Captain
1964: Australian Junior National Champion in the high jump with a winning height of 2.08m.
Peter attended Stanford University in the United States of America.His personal best in the high jump was 2.21 m in 1968 at Fresno.
He competed in the Olympic Games, Mexico City, 1968. In qualifying he jumped 2.06m.
Steven was a talented all round athlete and sportsman at school. He set and still holds a number of Track and Field records. Excelling in Pole Vault, he is arguably Australia’s greatest-ever field athlete.
1995-1999: Member of the School State Champion 4x100m relay team.
1998: State Schools Victoria Triple Jump Champion.
2000: Sports Captain. Steven also received the highest accolade possible in state school sport: School Sport Award for Athletics (Blues Award).
2000: World Junior Championships, Santiago, Chile 4th
2001: Under 20 National Champion. World Student Games, 11th
2004: State record of 5.65m. National Championships, 2nd
2004: Olympic Games, Athens
2006: Commonwealth Games Melbourne, Australia 1st GR 5.8m
2006: World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 5th
2006: World Cup Athens, Greece 1st
2007: World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 3rd
2008: World Indoor Championships Valencia, Spain 3rd
2009: World Athletics ChampionShips, Berlin 1st 5.96m.
2010: World Indoor Championships, Doha, Qatar 1st CR 6.01m
2010: Continental Cup, Split, Croatia 1st CR 5.95
2010: Commonwealth Games, New Delhi, India 1st
2012: Olympic Games, London Finalist
From 2009-2012 Steven was the Captain of the Australian Athletics Team.
Personal best in the pole vault is 6.06m, Boston, USA (February 7, 2009). Steven retired from competitive athletics in 2014
Laurence O’Toole’s area of outstanding sporting achievement is wood chopping.
Laurence was the Captain of the Australian Under 21 team from 1996 to 1999 and is currently in the Australian senior team.
Laurence was the Junior World Champion in 1998 and he won his first Open World Title in 1999.
In 2003 he was the Open World Champion and won a championship at every Royal Show in Australia.
Laurence has competed in the United States, Canada and New Zealand since leaving school.
He has won the Under 23 World Championship.
Laurence won four World Championships in 2012 in the following events:
– Underhand 325mm
– Standing Block 325mm
– Springboard 300mm
– Underhand 350mm
In 2012 Laurence also won 5 Australian Titles including Champion of Champion.
Laurence has won over 350 Australian and Victorian Wood Chopping Titles.
1965: Victorian 100, 200, 400, 800 & 1500m Freestyle Swimming Champion
1966: Commonwealth Games, Kingston, Jamaica: Silver medal in 440 yards freestyle relay team and 6th in 110 yard freestyle.
1967: Australian Championships: 3rd in 100 m freestyle, 4th in 200 motres freestyle.
1988: Australian Masters Champion
Katherine is an outstanding runner and winner in her age group over all distances, from the 100m through to the 3000m cross country. She now specialises in the 800m where she has a personal best time of 2.01.75. In 2005 (Year 9), Katherine became the Australian Open Women’s 800m Champion, being the youngest female to ever win this title.
WORLD:
2014 Commonwealth Games Glasgow, 800m
2005 lAAF World Youth Championships Marrakesh, Morocco: 3rd 800m
2004 Youth Commonwealth Games, Melbourne: 2nd 800m
2004 IAAF World Juniors Championships Grosseto Italy
AUSTRALIA:
2012 Australian Olympic Trials: 2nd in the 800m
2010 Australian Open Champion 800m
2009 Australian Athletics Championships: 2nd in the 800m
2005 Australian Open Champion 800m
VICTORIA:
2010 and 2014 Victorian Open Champion 800m
Katherine was also an excellent swimmer, specializing in breaststroke. She received the School Sport Prize 5 times and in 2006 Katherine was one of the Sport Captains. Katherine still holds many athletics records at School, Division and Region levels. She also holds 3 State 800m records in the School Sport Victoria competition.
In 2004 Katherine received the highest accolade possible in state school sport: School Sport Award for Athletics (Blues Award).
Abbas Dins’ area of outstanding achievement in sports is swimming, although he has also shown himself to be talented at Athletics.
In 1998 he won the District Cross Country, in 1999 he set a new record for the U/15 800m at the Inner Eastern Athletics Championships.
In 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 Abbas won the Eastern Zone boys swimming award in his age group. He was State Backstroke champion and set a new state record, in every year from Year 9 to Year 12.
In 2001 he was presented with the Eastern Metropolitan Region School Sports Award in recognition of his achievements in swimming.
In 2002 and 2003 Abbas travelled to Hong Kong to compete in the Short Course Age Group Swimming Championships where he won the gold medal in the 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke events.
In 2003 Abbas also won gold in these events in the swimming championships in Hong Kong breaking the record in 50m.
In 2004 Abbas was selected both for the Hong Kong Olympic trials and to represent Australia in the East Asian Games.
Edinburgh House Captain.
Captain of the Australlan Junior Athletics Team
Dion competed in two World Junior Championship events in 1992 and 1994.
Dion won 21 Victorian and 17 Australian Underage Racewalking Titles.
He competed in 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and in both the 1996 Atlanta and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
Australian National Champion in Men’s 20km walk 2000-2002
Australlan National Champion in Men’s 50km walk 1999-2000
In 1999 Dion competed in the IAAF World Championships in Seville. He came 12th in the 50km racewalk.
Dion is the Head of the Australian Institute of Sport Performance Operations, and is the Australian Athletics Chairman of Selectors (2014).
Since graduating from Balwyn High School in 2014, Lucy has taken her love for running around the world, competing as a professional ultra-marathoner which sees her taking on mountainous trails that extend well over the marathon distance, usually racing
100-160km at a time.
At 15 years of age, Lucy ran her first 100km race along Victoria’s Surf Coast alongside her dad, finishing in 12.5 hours. She then competed in the same event a year later, finishing in 9.5 hours and placing second. It was evident that running was part of Lucy’s lifestyle as a student-athlete, navigating early mornings and after-school training.
After finishing high school, Lucy represented Australia at the World Skyrunning Championships in Chamonix, France, competing in the marathon, where she won the female division and realized that her passion for running could turn into a profession.
Her most significant achievements have been winning the Ultra Trail Australia 100km in the Blue Mountains and the Ultra Trail Cape Town 100km in South Africa and placing third at the Western States 160km Endurance Race in the USA. During COVID, Lucy embarked on running the Larapinta trail, a 231km track in the Northern Territory, finishing in 54 hours nonstop and creating a film called RUNNING OUT.
Alongside her racing, Lucy also released a cookbook to share her love for food, nutrition and following a plant-based diet. She also runs camps around the world to bring people together with similar passions — running, eating and building connections that last long after the camps are over. She has a particular interest in hosting young females and getting them on to the trails as a means of finding confidence in their bodies and harnessing their mental strength.
Lucy is in training for her most significant race of the season, the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc 160km that circumnavigates the Mont Blanc Massif running through France, Italy and Switzerland. After this race, she will head to Kona, Hawaii, to swim, bike and run at the Ironman World Championships.
Commerce Hall of Achievement
Georgina has developed a profile as one of Australia’s leading socio-legal researchers in the fields of children’s participation in family law decision-making; embedding children’s rights into family law, policy and practice; and court involvement in medical treatment for transgender and gender diverse children and young people. Georgina’s research focuses on enhancing the participation and agency of children and young people in society.
Georgina graduated from Balwyn High School in 2004. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Law, a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications), from the University of Melbourne.
Her first monograph, Decisional Privacy and the Rights of the Child (Routledge, 2022), was recently published and articulates a right that has not been theorised in any context or jurisdiction, which is a child’s right to decisional privacy. Georgina’s book presents a new conceptual model for enabling children’s voices to be heard in decision-making processes. It addresses a significant gap in understanding the interconnections between privacy, family law and children’s rights.
In 2023, Georgina was awarded a grant from Family Safety Victoria, through its Family Violence Research Grants Program (Phase 1), for the project ‘Children’s Voices for Change: A Rights-Based Approach to Understanding and Implementing Effective Supports for Children and Preadolescents as Victim Survivors of Family Violence’. This project seeks to identify and understand supportive factors and barriers in service design and delivery, and to build the evidence and knowledge base regarding how to meaningfully and safely engage children’s voices and experiences to support their recovery needs.
Georgina’s research has been published in leading Australian and international peer-reviewed journals and she presents regularly at national and international conferences. Through Georgina’s collaboration with leading family law and children’s rights scholars in the UK, she has been invited to undertake Visiting Fellowships at the University of Liverpool and the University of Exeter later this year.
Gerry commenced at Balwyn High School in 1972 and graduated in 1977 and completed a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at Monash University. He continued his studies at Cambridge University achieving a Master of Laws and a PhD in Law.
Gerry was admitted to the bar in 1984. He became a senior associate at Phillips Fox and later a partner. Phillips Fox subsequently merged with the world’s largest international law firm, DLA Piper, and for four years Gerry was a director on the board of DLA Piper in London.
Gerry is currently a senior consultant at DLA Piper in the Corporate Group Melbourne. Gerry advises clients on mergers and acquisition (M&A), joint ventures, restructurings, employee stock ownership plans and long-term incentive plans and he has a particular interest in health, infrastructure and real estate. He has had key roles in several large and complex M&A transactions and restructurings including:
– Successfully running High Court test cases of FCT v Spriggs and FCT v Riddell, breaking new ground in deductibility of player agent fees.
– Leading a medical defence organisation in a scheme of arrangement merger — the first merger of medical defence company limited by guarantee.
– Advising and negotiating on a power company’s largest ever procurement for IT services, smart meter procurement and installation services for the introduction of smart meters for the City of Melbourne and western Victoria.
– Advising on the interpretation of service contracts and liability issues for the Basslink Interconnector.
Gerry is heavily involved in the firm’s pro bono practice, believing it is important to give back to the community. Gerry chairs a charity in New South Wales, Wallumatta Legal (a low fee, not-for-profit law firm focused on family law). Gerry is a director of the Victoria Law Foundation. He was also the lead author for the report, Technical Review of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 and led the team advising on and establishing the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria.
Music Hall of Achievement
From 2006 Cameron Hill was an Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) Academy Musician, studying with Alice Waten. In 2005 he graduated from the University of Melbourne (studying with William Hennessy), completing the Bachelor of Music with Honours and topping the year. In 2005 he won the itional 2005 Dor 3 McClean Violin Competition, Australia’s leading string award.
At five he commenced violin studies with Cathryn Bills. During his time at Balwyn High School, where he was Music Captain in 2001, he completed Music: Solo Performance (VCE) achieving a perfect score, gaining a Premier’s Award and topping the state in 2000. The same year he was awarded the Licentiate (L.Mus.A) with Distinction, on viola. Cameron was a member of the school’s Senior String Orchestra in his 6 years at school. He was an inspirational leader of this award-winning ensemble during his last 3 years at Balwyn. He also led chamber music ensembles with great distinction.
His 7- year association with Melbourne Youth Music culminated in his appearance as concertmaster of The Melbourne Youth Orchestra in 2000. In 2001 Cameron toured
Europe with The Australian Youth Orchestra directed by Vladimir Ashkenazy, performing in The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
While studying at the University of Melbourne he appeared as concertmaster of The Music Faculty Orchestra (2003-05), was a founding member of The Melbourne University Chamber Orchestra and was heavily involved in chamber music. Awards include: The Lady Turner Exhibition, the Ormond Exhibition, the Bertha Jorgensen Award, the Peg Oldfield Prize and the Catherine Grace McWilliam Prize. He also won The 2003 Mozart Concerto Competition, The 2004 Bach Prize for Strings, The Chamber Music Competition in 2003 & 2005, and the 2004 Faculty Concerto Competition. He was the recipient of the prestigious University of Melbourne Postgraduate Award, the 2006 Welsford Smithers Travelling Scholarship.
Cameron Hill was named The ABC Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year in 2006, after winning the Grand Final with his performance of the Stravinsky Violin Concerto with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Cameron was subsequently the inaugural recipient of the ABC Sir Charles Moses Young Performers Trophy. He reached the Grand Final having previously won the Stage Ill national string final, performing with The Queensland Orchestra.
Solo engagements in 2007 included touring with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Australia Pro Arte, The Stonnington Symphony and The Australlan Youth Orchestra. He has been broadcast on both ABC Classic FM and 3MBS FM. He also performs in The Hamer Quartet, which he formed in late 2005. Cameron appeared as Guest Concertmaster of the MSO in 2007.
“Sarah McKenzie is a musical marvel. She sings with the kind of phrasing that only a true Jazz singer can come up with while her groove on the piano is the stuff that makes people want to play Jazz. Don’t miss a chance to hear this lady perform live!” James Morrison.
At 23 years of age, pianist, vocalist and composer Sarah McKenzie is one of Australia’s up-and-coming Jazz musicians. Since graduating from WAAPA completing a Bachelor of Jazz (Composition), Sarah has won the Jack Bendat Scholarship, the Hawaiian Award for “Most Outstanding Jazz Graduate” and the Perth Jazz Society’s Award for the “Most Outstanding Group of the Year for 2008”. She was a recipient of the National Songwriters Competition (ACMF 2002), Sarah also won the prestigious James Morrison Scholarship (Vocal) in 2009. Sarah had been a finalist in the scholarship for the last 6 years and was the only finalist to be nominated in both vocal and instrumental sections.
Sarah has performed at some of Australia’s highest profile Jazz Festivals and events including the Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Stonnington Jazz festival, Riverboats food and wine festival and the Melbourne Women in Jazz Festival. Such opportunities have put Sarah alongside greats such as James Morrison, Graeme Lyall, Joe Chindamo, Mat Jodrell and Jamie Oehlers. Sarah made her television debut performing with David Campbell at the L’Oreal Paris AFI awards and sang backing vocals for Michael Buble on the Multi Platinum artist’s “Call me irresponsible” tour. In 2010 Sarah was signed onto the ABC JAZZ Label. Her first Album ‘Don’t tempt me’ will be released in May 2011.
Whilst at Balwyn High School from 1999 to 2005 Sarah was an inspirational member of the music program participating in stage bands, concert bands, overseas music tours and school musicals. She was a featured soloist at Presentation Nights in addition to writing for and performing with school jazz and blues groups. She studied piano with Rick Freeman and trumpet with Ken MacDonald. She was part of the award winning VCE ensemble “Effigy” and performed at the VCE Top Class concert showcasing her contemporary piano skills.
“The first time I touched a viola, its sound immediately captivated me. I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. My love of Chamber Music and passion for the Viola as a solo instrument is something I hope to pass on to as many people as I can. It is my aim to be an active Australian Violist, giving a series of recitals in world-class venues, concerto appearances, chamber music concerts, master classes and education programs both in Australia and abroad. Music is one of the most powerful art forms. It touches the heart directly, if you let it.”
Stefanie Farrands began her viola studies at the age of fifteen, having previously learnt the violin. She has studied the viola in both Sydney and Melbourne, spending two years studying with Roger Benedict and Alice Waten at the Australian National Academy of Music and some time at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. In 2003 she attained her A.Mus.A. with distinction and finished her final year at Balwyn High School in 2006. She has been a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra and toured with them to Europe in July 2007. She has been principal violist of the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, in 2003 she toured to Europe with the Melbourne String Ensemble and in 2008 went on a tour through China as Principal Violist with the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra.
Stefanie was the 2008 recipient of The Georgina Grosvenor Memorial Scholarship at ANAM and in 2009 she was awarded a scholarship at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She has been awarded many other scholarships and prizes including a scholarship to study with Nobuko Imai at the Australian String Academy.
Stefanie is the youngest member of the Hamer Quartet which was founded in early 2006 while she was still completing Year 12 at Balwyn High School. The Hamer Quartet debuted to critical acclaim in 2007 and have toured both nationally and internationally.
Most recently the Hamer Quartet were successful at the 2009 Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition winning the Tony Berg overall 1st Prize Award, 1st prize for String Quartet and the Audience Prize.
Stefanie has been performing as a casual player with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra since 2008. In 2010 she appeared as a soloist with the ACO Emerging Artists Program on a tour throughout Western Australia. Stefanie is also a core member of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, with whom she has also appeared as a soloist numerous times.
Stefanie was awarded a two year Fellowship to attend the Aspen Music Festival in the US for 2010 – 2011 and wishes to pursue further studies in Europe.
Kate Kelsey-Sugg is a multi-award winning pianist, vocalist, saxophonist and composer. At just 25 years of age, she has already received various prestigious accolades including the James Morrison Vocal Scholarship, the Marion Isobel Thomas Award for Excellence in Piano Playing, second prize at the National Jazz Awards for Voice at the renowned Wangaratta Jazz Festival and, most recently, winner of the Melbourne Prize for Music and an Artist Residency at the Victorian College of the Arts and the University of Melbourne.
Kelsey-Sugg has also been awarded an lan Potter Cultural Trust Grant and Australian Council for the Arts Grant to study music in New York, and in 2013 was selected as an Australian ambassador for Yamaha Australia.
She has achieved International recognition, being invited to showcase Australian jazz at the 2010 World Expo held in Shanghai, playing in Berlin to record the album The Berlin Sessions’ to critical acclaim and performing her original music at the iconic Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. She has studied under world-renowned jazz musicians pianist Jason Moran and vocalist Kurt Elling, and has performed alongside such artists as Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones, Joss Stone, Archie Roach The Black Arm Band, Paul Dempsey and Nina Ferro.
Kelsey-Sugg recorded her debut album with the highly regarded Australian Broadcasting Commission (the ABC) and the album is expected for release in March 2014.
Alastair attended Balwyn High School between 2006-2011 and he was a highly valued member of the choral and stage band programs. Although Alastair had never taken formal voice lessons or studied solo performance, he successfully completed his year 12 studies in classical voice. Alastair’s year 12 music class was the highlight of his VCE year and carries some of the fondest memories of his high school experience.
Alastair was accepted into the University of Melbourne in 2012 where he completed a Bachelor of Music with Honours. During this time, he became the principal tenor at Scots’ Presbyterian Church, toured Europe with the Australian Chamber Choir and China with the Australian International Touring Opera Company, as well as performing in a number of productions with Victorian Opera.
In 2013, Alastair joined Melbourne Girls Grammar School as a singing teacher.
In 2019, he auditioned for the inaugural year of the Master of Opera Performance at the University of Melbourne where he performed in two-fully staged operas as well as undertaking language learning, role preparation, acting classes, vocal coaching, opera scenes and research.
The following year Alastair was accepted into Melbourne Opera’s Richard Divall Emerging Artist Programme and was cast in several shows, most notably Lucrezia Borgia by Donizetti, for which he received a Green Room Awards nomination for most outstanding performance in a supporting role. Alastair became increasingly involved in Victorian Opera and received a role in their musical Happy End as well as regularly appearing in other major productions.
In 2023, Alastair was the recipient of the Dr Michael Stubbs and Malcolm Roberts Victorian Opera Prize competition where two singers per-year are offered a full-time salary to perform and study with the company. His relationship with Victorian Opera continued and in 2024 he performed in their productions of Candide, La Rondine and Eucalyptus. Alastair also performed in Opera Australia’s recent productions of The Magic Flute and Chorus.
Will Hull-Brown was a student at BHS from 1995-2000, and from the very start he made a strong impression as a *-lented and very isical drumset p’ /er. Will was a member of the school’s Senior Stage Band for four years, and was a member of the band that won the Division Two competition at The National Stage Band Championships in Mt Gambier in 2000, under the direction of Mr. Rick Freeman.
Will also played in various Concert Bands and in the Percussion Ensemble and was one of the school’s Music Captains in his final year. During his time at school he also won both the Intermediate and Open sections of the Drumtek Up and Coming Drumset Competition, the only such national competition for drumset players in Australia.
In year 11, he was part of the Jazz Cats program, run by Steve Sedergreen, which brought together talented Jazz players from schools around Melbourne. From this initial getting together the nucleus of the band The Cat Empire was born. ‘The Cat’ has since gone on to become a vital and original part of Australia’s contemporary music scene, having recorded three albums (two of which were multi-platinum) featuring an exciting blend of Latin, Jazz, Hip-Hop and Rap music fused into a truly original feline style. The band was featured prominently at the opening ceremony to The Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne in 2006, where they played original compositions written in the styles of music representative of the various regions of the world. More recently The Cat Empire has taken their infectious brand of music to the US, appearing on The Dave Letterman Show in February 2007.
Will was an outstanding music student at BHS, studying drumset with Mr. Paul Matcott, mastering the many and varied techniques applicable to his instrument.
He is particularly noted for his command of dynamics on the instrument, and for his overall, musical approach which is one of his most distinguishing features as a player.
Born in Melbourne in 1971, Daina Jowsey is an only child from a family of professional musicians, and has been singing from a very early age.
She commenced piano and vocal lessons at age 7 and 11 respectively and five years later Daina began her singing career in Melbourne with Four Part Invention, a jazz quartet who performed with The Australian Showband. During her Balwyn High years, Daina also learnt the clarinet to a very proficient level and played in the school Concert Band. She completed her H.S.C. music studies in 1989.
Daina has toured Australia with several leading cabaret artists including Kamahl and The Four Kinsmen and has also performed in various Melbourne jazz festivals. These have included festivals at Paynesville, Monbulk, The Grampians, Montsalvat and Wangaratta. She made regular appearances on Bert Newton’s Good Morning Australia and performed with the Australian Pops Orchestra in Melbourne and at the Sydney Opera House.
In 1991 Daina became the lead female vocalist with The Victorian Police Show Band where she is required to perform a comprehensive range of musical styles – from top forty to classical. The band performs on a full-time basis throughout Victoria and sometimes inter-state. She has performed with the band on tour in Ireland, Indonesia and at the 1997 Police and Fire Games in Calgary where they were the featured musical group.
David Beck pioneered a tradition of drumset excellence here at Balwyn, with a standard of performance in the inaugural VCE Drumset Solo Performance exam that is still the benchmark.
David won the first Drumtek ‘Up and Coming Drummer’ competition (Australia’s most prestigious drumset competition) and was also nominated for a Young Achiever award in 1993.
As a drummer, David is noted for his musical sensitivity and his individuality, and is much in demand as a player because of the supportive nature of his playing.
David has established himself as one of Australia’s premier drumset players, working with such noted Australian musicians as Joe Chindamo, Mark Seymour, John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John, Tina Arena, Dale Barlow, Paul Grabowski, Renee Geyer, Grace Knight and Don Burrows and with international artists Claire Martin (UK), Peggy Stern, Rick Ford (USA) and Hans Ulrich (Denmark)
David’s recording credits include five albums with Joe Chindamo (including a best seller in Japan), live DVD’s with Mark Seymour, with John Farnham/Olivia Newton-John/Anthony Warlow and with Bertles/Shorrock/Goble (original members of The Little River Band.)
David was a member of Channel 9’s I.M.T. band for two years, and has toured internationally with various ensembles, including performances at the famed Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, as well as major music festivals in Italy, France, Denmark and Sweden,
David credits the overall opportunity for musical achievement that Balwyn’s music department offered as a major plus, together with the passion for drumming that he acquired from Paul Matcott, his teacher of six years at Balwyn.
Harry attended Balwyn High School between 2005 to 2010 and during his time he was a committed and valued member of the music program. Prior to being appointed as one of four Music Captains in 2010, Harry co-founded and directed the school’s highly successful Chamber Orchestra and was an important part of the school’s band program.
From 2012 to 2014, Harry returned to conduct the school’s Alumni Orchestra, culminating in a memorable performance at the school’s 60th birthday celebrations at Hamer Hall in 2014. Harry credits his experience at Balwyn for supporting and encouraging his musical development and his decision to ultimately pursue a career in music. In this regard, it is especially noteworthy that Harry was placed first for five consecutive years, 2006-2010, in the annual Music Composition Scholarship.
Harry entered the University of Melbourne where he completed a Bachelor of Music (Honours) and Master of Music degrees. Currently, he is approaching completion of a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Sydney, where he lectures in composition.
In recent years, Harry’s work has risen to prominence through a range of collaborations with renowned artists and arts organisations. His Fantasia on Waltzing Matilda, commissioned by Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott and released by Sony Classical, is widely broadcast internationally. Additionally, Harry has recently collaborated with the Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, Tasmanian and Canberra Symphony Orchestras and had his first-string quartet recorded by the Goldner Quartet and released on ABC Classics.
Harry is one of the most frequently commissioned and performed composers of his generation and his latest composition ‘Slanted’ toured nationally by one of Australia’s premier ensembles — the Australian Chamber Orchestra, directed by internationally-renowned Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts. This tour was the latest in a string of high-profile commissions and performances of Harry’s work.
In June 2024, Harry’s String Quartet No.2 premiered at the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip Hackett Hall, alongside works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The Australian String Quartet commissioned and previewed the piece and performed it as part of their first national tour of their “Vanguard’ program.
Eliza attended Balwyn High School between 2007 and 2012 and over this period she was heavily involved in the music program. In 2006 Eliza was awarded the inaugural Melbourne Youth Music Bruce Worland Music Scholarship and she achieved her Associate of Music, Australia in 2009. In 2012, she was music captain, the principal cellist in the Senior Strings Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra and she was selected to perform in the VCE Season of Excellence (Top Class) in 2012.
From a very young age, Eliza knew that she wanted to pursue a career in music and took every opportunity to expand her involvement in music performance. Eliza performed in numerous ensembles and orchestras through musical ensembles such as the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra, Victorian Opera, Melbourne Youth Music, Orchestra Project and Youth Philharmonic Melbourne.
In 2013, Eliza commenced her Bachelor of Music degree at The University of Melbourne and was awarded the Victorian Government’s 2013 Creative Scholarship (Outstanding Undergraduate) from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. She was also the recipient of the 2013 Francis Quinn Encouragement Award, the 2013 Peg Oldfield Prize for excellence in performance and the 2014 recipient of the Lilo Nassau Cello Scholarship.
Eliza continued her studies at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) before heading overseas for further study at the New England Conservatory (Boston, USA). Eliza was an Emerging Artist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in 2018 and a Fellow with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2019.
Now based in Sydney, Eliza regularly performs as a guest musician with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and on contract with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. An accomplished solo, chamber and orchestral musician, Eliza has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and The University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Eliza is a founding member of the Chroma Quartet and has performed at various festivals such as the Mimir Chamber Music Festival (USA), Australian Festival of Chamber Music and Huntington Festival.
Art Hall of Achievement
Born in 1948, Lin Onus’ artistic career spanned the last three decades of the twentieth century. He devoted his life to bringing people together in his roles as artist, educator, activist and administrator. Lin was born of two worlds; his father’s Yorta Yorta heritage and his mother’s Scottish descent. He acknowledged and reconciled his heritage through his art, bridging these cultures long before reconciliation was official government policy.
Lin was raised here in Balwyn, in the house built by his maternal grandfather, surrounded by classical music and fine art. His grandfather was a keen Egyptologist and a ‘man of Leisure and Learning’. He told Lin stories of how he was in the first party to enter the Great Pyramid, and how Lin’s great-great-grandfather built the coach used for Queen Elizabeth Il’s coronation.
Lin was also influenced by his father Bill who founded the Aboriginal Advancement league in Victoria. He would assist his father in decorating artefacts, developing his skills in metalworking and airbrush painting. Visits to the Cummeragunja mission with his father and stories told by his uncles Aaron Briggs and Eric Onus, and others, enriched Lin’s understanding of his Aboriginal cultural heritage.
These various influences began to find expression in 1974 when Lin began painting landscapes in a Western realistic style. His first major commission was a series of paintings on the first Aboriginal guerrilla fighter, Mosquito, which still holds pride of place on the walls of the Advancement League in Melbourne to this day. In 1986 Lin had the opportunity to visit Maningrida in Arnhem Land and meet traditional elders such as Jack Wunuwun and John Bulun Bulun. They became as family to him and permitted him to depict their stories and designs. This finally gave him a traditional visual language to express his indigenous heritage.
Today Lin’s artworks hang in every major gallery in Australia, as well as in many overseas galleries including Montreal, New York, Los Angeles and Germany. He has been the recipient of many awards for services to the Arts and in 1993 he was awarded the Order of Australia for services to the Arts,
Lin hoped that history would see him as a bridge between cultures. He wove together strands from his Aboriginal and European heritages and developed a contemporary Australian art practice that still stands strong as a reminder of the ongoing rewards and challenges in Australian culture.
Science Hall of Achievement
Twin brothers Iain and Tim Stewart have a shared passion for contributing to a net zero future through innovation and they are making waves in the field of energy conservation with their start-up, Exergenics. Founded to address a serious efficiency gap in the internal performance of commercial buildings, Exergenics optimises cooling systems to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions.
Following their graduation from Balwyn High School in 2009, Iain pursued a master’s degree in environmental engineering, driven by the desire to understand how environmental systems work and innovate solutions that mitigate the risks of climate change. Tim studied a Bachelor of Environments, majoring in Property, which fostered his interest in placemaking and sustainability solutions for real estate.
Tim gained significant experience in business development, product management, and commercialisation, working across various sectors from multinationals to start-ups. This experience became crucial to his role as Chief Operating Officer at Exergenics. Meanwhile, Iain began his career in system modelling, focusing on building energy efficiency to help organisations move towards a net zero transition.
Through these experiences, Iain discovered a gap in cooling system optimisation that left significant energy savings on the table. This prompted him to develop a new method for chiller modelling which culminated in a 2017 study published by AIRAH. This novel method led to the founding of Exergenics with Tim in 2019.
Exergenics was named “Best Innovation in Energy Management” by the Energy Efficiency Council in 2022 and recently was included in Start Up Energy Transitions’ 100 Most Promising Global Energy Start-ups for 2023. In 2024, Exergenics won the ARBS Exhibitions Ltd Software/Digital Excellence Award for Cloud-Based Chiller Plant Optimisation Software.
Today, Iain and Tim lead a diverse team of 20 engineers and data scientists who share their passion for protecting the environment through the development of technologies that enable building owners and operators to save energy, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance performance.
David completed his PhD in the School of Physics at the University of Melbourne in 1998. The main outcome of his PhD research was the invention of new data processing techniques for a major survey undertaken with the venerable Parkes 64m Radiotelescope in NSW. David’s work changed the approach to sky survey science not just at Parkes, but at major radiotelescopes around the World including Jodrell Bank and Arecibo. As measured by the academic literature, his thesis research remains David’s most impactful contribution to astronomy.
After gaining his PhD, David worked at CSIRO developing new software to display raw data and images from radiotelescopes. He followed this with a position at Swinburne University of Technology where he built Swinburne’s first major Linux-based cluster for high performance computing, again principally for radio astronomy.
David moved to the University of Melbourne in 2002, where he participated in two major initiatives. The Australian Virtual Observatory was a federally-funded project aimed at improving access to major astronomy data sets. David’s role was to direct the Australian effort, and ensure work done was interoperable with international standards.
At Melbourne David also lead the early expedition teams to deploy the Mileura Widefield Array Low Frequency Demonstrator. This novel radiotelescope was the first to begin onsite activities on the Mileura Cattle Station in outback Western Australia, and commenced with the construction of a prototype reflecting element on David’s front yard in Mitcham! Today, the Murchison Widefield Array is a fully-commissioned research facility listening for signals from the very earliest stages of the Universe,
David has worked at Monash University since 2011, initially recruiting and leading the image analysis team for Monash Biomedical Imaging, and since 2013 building the Monash CAVE advanced visualisation facility. Presently he is Associate Professor and Director of the Monash Immersive Visualisation Platform.
David has published in the fields of radio astronomy, signal processing, scientific visualisation, visualisation for communication, education and outreach, and biomedical image management, analysis and visualisation. He has particular expertise in parallel supercomputing using graphical processing units for image computation and visualisation, and has significant experience as a project scientist in major eResearch projects.