GHS Walkaround 10 July 2012

On 10 July 2012 I was lucky enough to be able to walk around the school with a camera; the first time I'd been back in the school for not quite thirty years. Here's a Picasa Web Page with 40-odd photos on it which will help you reminisce. (Not so relevant if you've recently been to Gorokan High!). Most things are still the same, although they've added a lot of rooves over things (eg Main Quadrangle, Art Courtyard, between the Woodwork and Metalwork rooms, to the side of the Canteen, etc).

Despite a few changes, you'd definitely recognise the place. And considering it was built in 1977 and 1978 it's endured the use it's had over the last 35 years. Click on the image below to visit Picasa. We'll still be here when you get back!

Misc Photo 2009 Dux of the Year

One can see this honour board is going to last twice as long as the other two, with only one student added annually.  It also is the oldest honour board with its initial entry in 1976.  The first year 7 students had 6 chances to make it on to the board (Pam Byles and Michael Martin didn't repeat school years: Pam got it in Years 7 & 8 and Michael got it in Years 11 & 12).

I am impressed by Michael Martin's efforts.  When he first enrolled at GHS he was in class 7E6.  He rose up through the ranks and ended up achieving Dux of the Form once he got to his senior years.  Top effort, Michael.  Either that, or there was a terrible error putting you into 7E6 in the first place?

Misc Photo 2009 Sportspeople of the Year

Likewise, this photo was taken 10 July 2012, but only info up to 2009 was sign-written.  Looks like the signwriter is going to have some restoration work to do next time he/she comes around as well!

Misc Photo 2010 School Captains

This photo was taken last week (ie 10 July 2012).  It might have included another couple of years' worth of entires, one would think?  However, it does hold pride of place in the Admin offices.  See anyone you know?

Press: 2012 Peter Kelty

One of our alumni, Peter Kelty, made it into the Express/Advocate yesterday (11 July 2012) for teaching Tony Abbott how to make a whizz-bin.  Just how succesful Peter's teaching efforts were is unclear.  If the subject was mathematics, then he could have taught Tony Abbott that if the Carbon Tax was going to add $188,000 to Sulo's electricity bills, then they must spend nearly $2 million annually on electricity, and so an extra $188,000 isn't going to really send the company broke.

Thanks to the eagle-eyed David Falconer for letting me know about this one.  If you see any other news articles on any of our alumni, please let me know.  Here's the story.

Press: 2010 Mark Williams at Coffs Harbour

Following the policy of preserving newsworthy items and photos of our classmates, here's an article appearing in a Coffs Harbour newspaper in 2010 about Mark Williams:

Press: 2009 Peter Foley on the Ella Bache

Peter Foley (Year 12, 1982) has landed himself a position with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and occasionally has to front the media to give details of non-air transport incidents.

He's spoken about Jessica Watson's collision with a container ship on her way from Brisbane to Sydney to start her famous around-the-world trip.  Here's a news footage grab from 7 News on 20 Nov 2009:

He also appeared on national television when the Pasha Bulker ran aground at Nobby's Beach in July 2007.  Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to get a recording going at that time (probably before I had a PVR anyway).

Reunion: 2009 for 40-ish year olds at Wyong Leagues Club at Kanwal

This reunion was organised by Darlene Williams-Woodger. The message she posted on Facebook read:

If you are now 40-44 ish years old, we are having a Gorokan High School get together and hope you can join us.

VENUE - Wyong Rugby Leagues Club Auditorium
DATE - 10th of October 2009
TIME - 7pm
COST - $25 per person
PAYMENT DUE 22nd of Aug

You have to pre-pay for this event as TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR. The cost includes venue, security, finger food and music. Partners are welcome.

This was quite a well-attended reunion.  Naturally, I only hung out with a limited number of people from my school year.  So if you attended this and have more pictures, I'd love you to send them to me and I'll add them to the blog.  These pics were taken on Deahne Campbell's (nee Gray) camera - many thanks.

Deahne Campbell (Nee Gray) and Murray Howard

Sharon Deane (Woy Woy High) and Peter Deane (I did wake up later)

Doug Vincent and Deahne Campbell (Nee Gray)

Doug Vincent, Deahne Campbell (Nee Gray) and Murray Howard

Elizabeth  Bell (Nee Jenkins) and Scot Nieass

Craig Hemers and ???

Misc Photo 2005 New School Gates

Parents and friends noticed a severe lack of class with the school gates and main entrance.  Essentially it was unchanged from the opening of the school in 1977.  In 2002, P&C Manager0 Larene O'Neill started "Operation Facelift", a large Community Project to give Gorokan High School an environmental facelift.  It began with the help of the Central Coast Express Advocate and a group of volunteer Gorokan High School Students from grades 7 - 12.  Three years later, in 2005, assisted by a large donation from Delta Electricity it struck pay-dirt, resulting in new school gates and a couple of signs.   Here are the photos (thanks to Larene O'Neill for the pictures)

Press: 2002 Reunion Class of 1979 & 80 at the Beachcomber

On Saturday 5 October, 2002 a reunion for our year and the year before was held at the Beachcomber. It was organised by Darren Gates, Lisa Cook(nee Crawley), Deborah Swan, Ben Ratcliffe, Kim Salodine, Catrina Cowan, Cathy Crooks, Donna McMillan, Linda Cummings and Kerrie Gordon. (phew). It was a very successful night, with music from a couple of bands (Rockin' Horse and Quadravibe) in the "Underground" room of the Beachcomber, and we were able to breakout into the quiet area near the pool entrance (formerly called the Nautilus Bar) which allowed wistful conversations. There were a couple of newspaper articles on this re-union.

NB: if these images are a little too difficult to read, click on the image to get it up in a separate display.  You can then download the image by right-clicking it and selecting "Save Picture As".  You'll probably be able to see it better displayed on your own computer where you can scroll around and enlarge it with much more control than here on the blog.

Misc Photo 2001 Aboriginal Students

Click on photo for full-size image, or right click and choose Save TARGET As... to download.

Gorokan High prides itself as being the centre for Aboriginal studies on the 'Coast, with a dedicated building being constructed for the purpose.  Here are the students who identified themselves as being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in 2001.

Misc Photo 1999 Friends

Courtesy: Friends Reunited

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In this photo:
 
Back Row: Matthew Lansiedel, Scott Brightson, Annalie Ankrett, Jason Foy, Craig R. Martin, Darren Cook, Mark Honeysett

Middle Row: Ryan DuChateau, Daniel Fox, Erin Smith, Suzie Speers, Shannon Moore, Trudy Harris, Adrian Bright, Matthew Amato

Front Row: Graham Ryall, Melissa Wilmott, Aislinn Dyne, Jane Breznikar, Joely Hynes, Amanda Orr, Nicholas Francis

Misc Photo 1994 Students' Representative Council

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Here it is - the student "government" in 1994.  It might be optimistic if we ever named these students?  Or would it?  Whatever the case, I'm going to need help.

[extra] Perhaps I spoke too soon, someone has been able to come up with these names:

Top Row: can't remember any of them!

Second Row (from top): [can't remember the teacher], 1.Chris Hunter, 4. Peta Bruce, 8. Adam Luke 13. Tatiana Fisher, 15. Adam Fenwick

Third Row (from top): 1. John-Paul Dawson, 6. Kylie Snelling, 8. Liana Cook, 9. Jarod Hines, 11. Katrina Rose.

Bottom Row: 4. Rachael Abela, 5. Jordon Lees, 12. Katie Brine.

Fantastic work!!  Can anyone else chip in?  Please use the comments section below the blog post for convenience.

Misc Photo 1986 Year 12 at Norah Head Lighthouse

Farewell day at Norah Head Lighthouse, November 1986

Misc Photo 1985 Year 12 Final Day

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The tradition seems to be continuing that on the last day of Year 12 (ie muck-up day) we all get together for a group shot.  Here's the 1985 year 12 photo, which has been autographed.

If anyone wants a physical copy of this photo, I can arrange that.  Let me know your mailing address and other contact details.  Alternatively, simply make sure you download it properly from the blog page (NOT the picture overlay with just the picture and close gadget in the top-right corner, this will give you a compressed version only).  Choose Save TARGET As..., not Save Picture As, there's a big difference.

Misc Photo 1985 School Council

 

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1980 Joseph Picasa Photo Album

I've come across a selection of quite a few photos from the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat production in 1980.  There are simply too many to be able to post on the blog directly. So let's try a Picasa Web Album.  This will give you a lot more control over the viewing.

Click on the image below to visit Picassa.  Have fun, and we'll see you back on the blog a bit later on...



Misc Photo 1979 Dino Carolyn Donna Lori Scott

In the playground looking back toward the outdoor basketball court.

In this photo:  Dino Legovich, Carolyn Evans, Donna Parrish, Lori McLeod, Scott Goddard.

This photo was part of a Christmas Card sent out with school scenes to significant members of the P&C association.  This was sent to my parents, Frank & Joy Deane to thank them for their efforts during the year.  I'd love to see if there are any others of these still around as they were shot by Mr Ken Page's photography classes and there were quite a few of them produced, apparently.

Misc Photo 1979 Sonia Ingrid Brian

Shot in the main quadrangle with stairwell, the admin block and library as background.  There is currently a covered-outdoor-learning-area(cola) to the right of this image, believe it or not.

In this photo:  Sonia McElhinney (nee Mitchell), Ingrid Champion and Brian Judge

Thanks to Sonia for this one - and is it 1979 or 1980, I wonder??

Misc Photos 1977 Official Gov't Shots

On 23 May, 1977, the official state government photographer from the Public Works Department visited the school and took photographs for "warranty" purposes (ie to confirm their contract with the builder) and record exactly what they had spent their $24million on.  These four are a selection of photos from that photo-shoot that managed to find their way on to Trove, the government website run by the National Library of Australia.  Strangely, only one of them is in colour.