Speech by Julia Meare on the occasion of the closure of Vaucluse High School
SUNDAY 9 APRIL 2006
I am here as the last president of the P&C of Vaucluse High School and the first president of RBSC P&C.
My son in year 12 is in the last cohort that ever chose to attend Vaucluse High.
In April 2001 the state government released the plan “Building the Future”. This included the proposition that
Vaucluse and Dover Heights High Schools would merge and the Dover Heights Site would be upgraded. The
upgrade was to be financed by the eventual sale of Vaucluse High School . This was the start of a political
adventure that involved so many people in our community and has culminated in the construction and near
completion of the Rose Bay Secondary College on the Dover Heights site.
There were many issues at the time. Both schools had very loyal followings and there are many people who are
never going to be happy about the changes. However with the support of the community and the realisation that
with intense competition from non government schools the only way to stop the last public high school from
becoming marginalised was to ensure that the one left was “state of the art” with subject choices and opportunities
unavailable elsewhere.
We are lucky that we had tremendous community support . We organised a public meeting which was attended by
over 400 people last year and was shown on the ABC’s program “Stateline”. We received funding for the
completion of the school shortly after this and work is now almost completed and all the students will move into the
new school at the beginning of next term
Rose Bay Secondary College at Dover Heights with its new gymnasium, canteen , new classrooms and seminar rooms,
new music seminar and practice rooms, new science labs, expanded library and more is everything we had hoped
for and the views are fantastic. I can’t tell you what a relief it was to walk through the new school at the beginning of
this year. It is still very sad to be leaving the Vaucluse campus and its 46 years of school spirit.
We will ensure that there is a place for honour boards and that the traditions of this school are kept alive at the new
school and look forward to inviting you to events there.
Just a few people I would like to thank.
Firstly , Kaye Bellaer our treasure of a P&C treasurer who for many years has been the back bone of the P&C and
has run the canteen and uniform shop and supported this school well beyond the call of duty.. Thank you Kaye
Next is David Tomlin. It is David’s last week at this school as he starts as principal at Manly selective high school
next term. Congratulations David. He has been our anchor during amalgamation. He has focused on the students
and their educational needs and kept up the standards of teaching and learning throughout. David we appreciate your
intelligence, your understanding, your compassion and will miss your great sense of humour although it may be some
years before the present year 12 truly understand this. Thank you very much David for everything and on behalf of
the P&C I would like to present you with this gift.
Lastly special thanks to Nick Wolfe. Nick is the most amazing organiser and we couldn’t have managed this event
without him. Nick is organising an alumnus association and many of you with have been in touch with him over the
last few weeks.
Thank you everyone for coming today and remember that Vaucluse High is and will always be a major part of Rose
Bay Secondary College.