Homebush Boys High School

Homebush Boys High School, founded in 1936, is a comprehensive public high school for boys. It is in Homebush, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Homebush Boys High School
Address
Bridge Road Homebush , New South Wales , 2140 Australia
Coordinates	33°51′58″S 151°4′37″E
Information
Type	Public, secondary, single-sex, day school
Motto	Latin: Recte et Fortiter (Latin for Upright and strong)
Established	1936
Principal	Kevin Elgood (2018)[1]
Enrolment	~1,208 (7–12)[2]
Campus	Suburban
Colour(s)	Maroon and sky blue
Website	homebushbo-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Formerly a selective high school until the 1970s, in 2006 Homebush Boys was regarded as one of the academically best-performing comprehensive schools, and has, in the past, been ranked above selective schools on the Higher School Certificate results.[3]

The school has an enrolment of approximately 1208 students.

Curriculum

The school has nine faculties, being English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, History, Music, Languages, Art, Technical and Applied Studies and PDHPE.

Homebush Boys is a consistent achiever in the Higher School Certificate (HSC) outcome, averaging 5–10 students achieving the Premier's Award every year. In 2004, a student named Martin Feng became the first Homebush Boy to score 100 in the Universities Admission Index (UAI).[4]

Extra-curricular activities

• Drum corps – participates in the annual Burwood march, the Anzac Day march through the streets of central Sydney, the Sandakan service at Burwood Park and, more recently, the Strathfield Fair. Homebush Boys is renowned for an elite performing Drum Corps, run by the Music faculty.
• Chess Team – Senior, intermediate and junior chess teams compete every Friday afternoon against other schools in the area.
• Debating team - Homebush Boys has a strong tradition of debating, competing in major debating competitions in NSW.
• Mock United Nations
• Public speaking – including the Toastmasters challenge that the school participates in annually.
• Tournament of Minds
• Student Representative Council
• Prefect body
• Volunteering opportunities - Homebush Boys students have frequently received John Lincoln Youth Community Service Award from the NSW Order of Australia branch, including in 2017 and 2019.

Notable alumni

Architecture

• Clive Lucas OBE – Award-winning restoration architect[5]

Entrepreneurial

• John Symond AM – Businessman; chief executive "Aussie Home Loans",[6]

Science and education

• Lionel Gilbert OAM, author and historian specializing in natural, applied, and local history.[7]
• Stephen Leeder – Medical scientist; Former dean of Medicine at the University of Sydney (1996–2002)[8]
• Alan Pettigrew –[8] Scientist; former vice-chancellor of the University of New England (2006–2009), formerly (to 2005) chief executive officer of the National Health and Medical Research Council
• Danny Stiel –[8] Gastro-intestinal oncologist; member of AOC Medical Commission and formerly chief medical officer at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
• Geoffrey Vaughan – Emeritus professor of pharmaceutical chemistry and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (1990–92) of Monash University formerly Australian Rugby Union representative player[9]

Entertainment and the arts

• Ray Swinfield UK studio musician, played in Bond film themes & toured with leading singers & played in orchestra on Michael Parkinson TV show.[10]
• Neil Armfield – Film and theatre director[8]
• Paul Furniss – Jazz musician[11]
• Alex Hood – Renowned entertainer, writer, actor and folk singer.[12]

Politics and law

• Bohdan Bilinsky – Lawyer and legal academic, Fellow of Senate, University of Sydney[13] and Honorary Fellow of the University.[14][15]
• John Coates – Lawyer and businessman; president of the Australian Olympic Committee, member of the International Olympic Committee[8][6]
• Bob Debus – Former NSW attorney-general[16] and environment minister; Former federal home-affairs minister
• Roderick Howie – Lawyer and jurist; judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales[16][8]
• Jim Lloyd[8] former federal government minister

Sport

• Rodney Blake – Rugby union player for Australia and Queensland Reds[17]
• Tim Brasher – Former Balmain Tigers NSWRL Player
• Gordon Bray – Sports commentator, journalist and writer.[18][6]
• Tony Ford – Rugby league fullback with Western Suburbs DRLFC[19]
• Bob Howe – tennis player who won five doubles Grand Slam and four mixed doubles Grand Slam titles.[20]
• Phillip Hughes – NSW and Australian cricketer.[21]
• Mitchell Starc – NSW and Australian cricketer
• Arthur Summons – Rugby union and rugby league player; international representative in both codes and former captain Western Suburbs DRLFC[22] and Australian rugby league teams
• Don Talbot – Swimming coach[23]
• Peter Vassella - Olympian (1964), sprinter[20]
• Saxon White – former rugby union international (Wallaby).[24]
• Jonah Bolden – Professional NBA basketball player

Notable former staff

• Dave Anderson – Australian Olympic oarsman in 1952 and 1956. Rowed King's Cup 1950, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57; Henley 1952; New Zealand 1951; and was in winning coxed-fours crew at Empire Games, 1954
• Vincent Durick – Maths teacher; MLA for Lakemba, 1964–84, deceased 1996.[25]
• Peter Philpott – English/history teacher; New South Wales and Australian cricketer
• Andrew Watson – Antarctic explorer who accompanied Douglas Mawson's 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, as a geologist and photographer was headmaster from 1946 to 1949[26]

See also

• List of Government schools in New South Wales

References

1. "Announcing our new Principal". Homebush Boys High School. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
2. "Homebush Boys High School". School Locator. New South Wales Department of Education and Training. 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2007.
3. Board of Studies 2006 'HSC Report – Top schools in each region', The Board of Studies, 23 December 2006.
4. Homebush Boys High School. (2004.) Homebush Boys High School Magazine 2004, p. 3.
5. Who's Who in Australia (Herald and Weekly Times Melb, 1988) pp 559: Lucas, Clive Leslie (1943 – )
6. Wynhausen, Elisabeth No crisis for the optimist The Australian 13 December 2008
7. Australian College of Educators (2012). "Dr. Lionel Gilbert OAM". Australian College of Educators. Archived from the original on 14 March 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
8. Homebush Boys’ High, NSW Archived 26 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine on Famous alumni on Latham's hit list at Crikey.com
9. Students from 1949 visit School at Homebush Boys High School official site
10. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ray_swinfield-mn0000317666/credits
11. Homebush Boys High School Magazine 1961 and Archived 1 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine
12. Alex Hood Biography at Music Australia
13. Register, Fellows of the S.U. Senate
14. Honorary Awards: Bohdan Bilinsky (2009)
15. Homebush School Magazine, 1958 p. 11. Accessed 26 August 2013
16. "Swearing in Ceremony of The Honourable Roderick Neil Howie QC". Lawlink Transcript. The Supreme Court of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 3 September 2006. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
17. ASRU International Appearances 1973–2010 Archived 16 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine at Australian Schools Rugby Union
18. Derriman P Why Bray's the man to tackle big games Sydney Morning Herald 30 July 2005
19. Tony "Fred" Ford Interview uploaded 12 May 2008, at Kelly's Kids
20. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
21. Stunning Cricket Debut at NSW Education Dept, School Sports Unit, 2008
22. Wests Hall of Fame Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
23. Talbot, Don; Berry, Kevin; Heads, Ian (August 2003). "3". Talbot: Nothing But the Best. Lothian Books. ISBN 978-0-7344-0512-8.
24. Jack Pollard, Australian Rugby Union the Game and the Players, Angus & Robertson, 1984.
25. Death Of Vincent Patrick Durick, A Former Member Of The Legislative Assembly at NSW Legislative Assembly Hansard, 16 April 1996
26. Price, Barry Price, Barry (2005). "Watson, Andrew Dougald (1885–1962)". Australian Dictionary of Biography, Online Edition. Australian National University. Retrieved 3 July 2011.

External links

• School Website
• NSW Department of Education and Training: Homebush Boys High School
• Memories of 1956–57 year