Hunters Hill High School

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Hunters Hill High School
Motto: 'Opera ad maiora' 'Work for Higher Endeavour.'
Established	1955
Type	Secondary School
Location	Hunters Hill, New South Wales, NSW Australia
Website	Hunters Hill High School

Hunters Hill High School is a government school located in the suburb of Hunters Hill in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on the Lane Cove River near the Figtree Bridge with opposing view of St. Ignatius Riverview college secondary private school. HHHS was opened in 1955 and it was the first co-educational high school in Sydney. In the year 2000 the school's historic pavilion hall burnt down by arson. This majorly upset local residents and the school. To further disgruntlement the school's services were threatened to be closed down by the government due to competing private schools and selective schools that were weighing on the public school system. Controversially the school is also situated in one of Sydney’s more expensive garden suburbs, in so that would equate to a high land value offering for the magnificent grounds. Teachers and students protested the concept of selling the school and in 2002 the decision to shutdown Hunters Hill High school was withdrawn weeks before closure schedule.

At the beginning of 2006 the new school hall was completed (which took six years, and $4 million).

1 Early History
2 Famous Alumni
3 Principals
4 Links and References

[edit] Early History

The first principal, Mr. J.S.Rae, was responsible for the initial intake of 368 students and a staff of twenty. In Form 1. - the equivalent of Year 7 today - classes went from 1A to 1M with as many as 48 students to a class.

The school colours chosen were two shades of blue and grey with the motto 'Opera ad maiora' - Work for Higher Endeavour. The sporting houses, reflecting the history of the area, were named after the ferries - Rawson, Napier, Ferguson and Carrington- that originally carried patrons to the picnic grounds.

By the time Sir Eric Woodward, Governor of NSW, officially opened the school on August 9, 1962, the enrolments had grown to 927 with a staff of 47. Classroom blocks 4 and 5 had been built with the senior block including science laboratories, art rooms and general classrooms following in 1969.

In 1973 the Hon. E.A. Willis opened the new library plus further classrooms and laboratories.

[edit] Famous Alumni

Byram Johnston (OAM) - awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia OAM and former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia

[edit] Principals

Mr. J.S. Rae, B.A. Dip Ed. Principal 1958-67
Mr. R.A. Hunt, B.A. Deputy Principal 1958-1963
Mr. Ron Rushbrooke, B.Sc. Principal 1968- 1973
Mr. W. Myles, Deputy Principal 1964-1969
Mr. Alan Kneale, B.Ec., Dip Ed. Principal 1974-1982
E.L. King, Deputy Principal 1970-1976
P. Macleod, Deputy Principal, 1977- 1982
Mr. John Hale 1983-1986
R.M. Tully, Deputy Principal 1983-1985
W. Barton Deputy Principal 1986-1987
Mr. Frank Clatworthy Principal 1987- 1991
J.M. Aston Deputy Principal, 1988-1997
Mr. Bill Cooper, Principal, 1992-2000
Ms. J.M. Felton Deputy Principal, 1998-2000
Mr. Geoff Shepherd Deputy Principal 2001-2002
Ms. Jennifer Byrne Deputy Principal 2003-
Mr. Michael Murphy Deputy Principal 2003-
Ms. J.M. Felton Principal 2000-